Notes

It can be hard to tell what an author's intention was in writing a particular text, but Hawthorne often returns to the same subjects again and again: religion, sin, and guilt.  "Young Goodman Brown" doesn't seem to be an exception.  Goodman Brown treats religious faith, symbolized by Faith, his wife, rather casually.  Though Faith "sadly" asks him not to go into the forest that night, he insists that he must, and though she seems "melancholy" when he looks back at her, he continues on his path.  He thinks to himself, "'after this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven.'"  However, this is not how faith is supposed to work: one cannot simply lay it down and pick it up whenever it is convenient.  Brown takes his faith, and Faith, for granted, assuming that they will be waiting for him, unchanged, whenever he is ready to return to them.  In short, they aren't.  Whether he actually sees Faith in the woods...

In the beginning of the novel, Scrooge lives by himself, cuts himself off from other people, rebuffs overtures from his nephew to visit for Christmas, and cares only about money. He is hardhearted and resents being asked to help the poor. He even resents giving his clerk a half day off for Christmas. After the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show him glimpses of his forgotten past happinesses, the current state of the people around him, and his own future, in which no one mourns his death, Scrooge's heart melts and his emotions reawaken. When the night ends and he realizes he is still alive and can make amends to the world, Scrooge is overjoyed and transforms into a giving, loving person. 

In “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dexter Green is a static character. As a static character, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of material wealth and Judith Jones.   Although he ages from a teenager to an adult in the story, he does not waiver in his core persona. As a teen he dreams of accumulating wealth so he can enjoy the prestige of belonging to the golf club on Sherry Island, where he caddied in his youth. He wanted to prove to the club members he deserved to be one of them. October filled him with hope which November raised to a sort of ecstatic triumph, and in this mood the fleeting brilliant impressions of the summer at Sherry Island were ready grist to his mill. He became a golf champion and defeated Mr. T. A. Hedrick in a marvellous match played a hundred times over the fairways of his imagination, a match each detail of which he changed about untiringly--sometimes he won with almost laughable ease, sometimes he came up magnificently from behind. The day he witnes...

We are asked to graph the function `y=(3x^2+10x-8)/(x^2+4) ` : Factoring the numerator gives us: `y=((3x-2)(x+4))/(x^2+4) ` There are no vertical asymptotes. Since the degree of the numerator agrees with the degree of the denominator, the horizontal asymptote is y=3. The x-intercepts are 2/3 and -4. The y-intercept is -2. The first derivative is `y'=(-10(x^2-4x-4))/((x^2+4)^2) ` . Using the first derivative test the function decreases for ` x<2-2sqrt(2) ` , has a minimum at `x=2-2sqrt(2) ` , increases on `2-2sqrt(2)<x<2+2sqrt(2) ` with a maximum at `x=2+2sqrt(2) ` , and decreases for `x>2+2sqrt(2) ` . The graph:

In order to understand how Jonathan Edwards uses parallelism, one must first understand the context of the piece.  First, this text is a sermon, an oral piece meant to be heard, not read.  So speakers use particular techniques to aid their listeners in remembering the message being presented.  Parallelism is one of those techniques (along with repetition and imagery).   Second, Edwards uses parallelism for different purposes for his message.  For instance, Edwards proclaims to the church congregation: "The Wrath of God burns against [the unconverted], their Damnation don’t slumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace is now hot, ready to receive them, the Flames do now rage and glow."  Here, Edwards is describing, metaphorically, to his audience about the imminent danger that is God's wrath and the fires of Hell.  By listing all the ways that the unconverted are nearing their doom, he is emphasizes the urgency for sinners to change their ways. Another...

You absolutely can compare  Julius Caesar  with  Othello . The two plays are both tragedies, so they share many similarities. Both focus on tragic heroes (Brutus in  Julius Caesar  and Othello in  Othello ) who meet their end when external forces exploit their weaknesses. Brutus, for instance, allows his sense of honor to blind him to the cruel reality of politics, while Iago uses Othello's tendency to be jealous to destroy him. Thus, at a very basic level, the two plays have similar structures and focus on similarly tragic heroes.  Although there are similarities between the two plays, there are also many differences.  Julius  Caesar , for instance, is a sweeping investigation of political scheming, the value of freedom and representational government, personal codes of honor, and the power of mob mentality. It is, in other words, a sprawling and epic look at the nature of government and the perils of trying to correct a corrupt system.  Othello , on the other hand, is much more t...

Recall the  Root test  determines the limit as: `lim_(n-gtoo) |(a_n)^(1/n)|= L`  Then, we follow the conditions: a) `Llt1` then the series is absolutely convergent b)` Lgt1` then the series is divergent. c)` L=1` or does not exist  then the test is inconclusive. The series may be divergent, conditionally convergent, or absolutely convergent. For the given series `sum_(n=0)^oo (x/4)^n` , we have `a_n = (x/4)^n` . Applying the Root test, we set-up the limit as: `lim_(n-gtoo) |((x/4)^n )^(1/n)| =lim_(n-gtoo) |(x/4)^(n*1/n)|`                                   `=lim_(n-gtoo) |(x/4)^(n/n)|`                                  ` =lim_(n-gtoo) |(x/4)^1|`                                  `=lim_(n-gtoo) |(x/4)|`                                  `=|x/4|` Applying `Llt1` as the condition for absolutely convergent series, we plug-in `L = |x/4|` on `Llt1` . The interval of convergence will be: `|x/4|lt1` `-1 ltx/4lt1` Multiply each part by `4` : `(-1)*4 ltx/4*4lt1*4` `-4ltxlt4` The series may converges...

Fossil fuels are organic materials formed in the earth as a result of slowly decomposing plants and animals. It takes millions (sometimes hundreds of millions) of years to obtain fossil fuels and this is why they are regarded as non-renewable source of fuels. Fossil fuels comprise of crude-oil, coal and gas. In general, decomposing dead plant material form coal while crude oil and gas are formed from dead marine organisms. Several million years ago, a large number of ancient living plants and animals died and their remains were buried in mud. As the years went by, additional layers of mud sediment were deposited until rising temperature and pressure beneath the earth compressed and converted the mud into rock while the dead plants and animals slowly decomposed into fossil fuels. Greater detail on the processes leading to the formation of each fossil fuel can be obtained in the reference link provided.  

The art of acting serves several purposes, but perhaps the most relevant is in providing an audience the opportunity to study an issue, theme or question in a focused, limited time-frame, with the skills of an author and actors employed to illuminate a particular area of interest. Acting also allows audience members to share the experience with others. An actor can offer the joy of pure entertainment or offer escapism from reality. Comedy may be employed to lift the spirits of an audience (while comedy can also serve to illuminate serious social issues). Aristotle considered actors in ancient Greek theater as serving the vital role of allowing audiences to purge themselves of powerful emotions such as grief and terror, and to experience pity for tragic figures of Greek theater, such as Sophocles' tragic hero Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'. Actors can also illuminate myriad issues that occur in contemporary life, and allow the theater experience to bring meaning to events that may...

When the Giver and Jonas come up with the plan to save the community from Sameness, they feel the only way to do it is for Jonas to go away alone and for the Giver to stay behind to help the community recover from the traumatic consequences. It seems as though no other possibilities are considered during the late-night planning session, though; the plan also does not include Gabriel, who Jonas feels he must save when he finds out Gabe will be released . As a result, Jonas acts rashly and irresponsibly when he leaves the community prematurely with Gabriel. Jonas makes the wrong choice to leave the community because he isn't prepared with enough supplies and food for Gabriel and himself. He also does not know where he is going or if there is another community out there to assist him. Furthermore, and most importantly, Jonas does not have the memories, maturity, or experience to take care of himself, let alone a toddler, in any type of unknown wilderness. For example, Jonas does not k...

The idea behind synesthesia is that, basically, one sensory input generates multiple responses. Think of it as, when you hear a note, you might also "see", or perceive, a color related to it. It's not limited exclusively to notes generating colors; one famous example is Daniel Tammett, who was able to recite a very large number of the digits of pi from memory by associating numbers with colors and using the memory of those colors instead of trying to remember the digits. This phenomenon gives you multiple ways to construct music; instead of just stringing together a sequence of notes and sounds, you can effectively paint a picture or tapestry of color. This also aids, particularly, in note identification. We may have trouble normally distinguishing between two adjacent notes, but it's far easier for the eye to distinguish between two similar shades (say, blue and indigo). So if you hear two notes that evoke different colors, you can better identify specifics. Synesthe...

The age a noble became a knight was typically about 21 years old, but there were several things that needed to happen in a young man's life before he could become a knight.  The first step toward knighthood occurred when a boy from a noble class turned seven. At this age, he was made a page. A page's responsibilities were to clean clothes, deliver messages, and perform other duties for a knight. He did this while living with the knight. The knight would teach the page how to behave, fight, and ride a horse. Upon completing his time as a page at the age of 15, a young man would then become a squire. A squire was responsible for taking care of a knight's horse and cleaning the knight's weapons. A squire would accompany the knight he served into battle, so he needed to be ready to fight. Knights would train their squires with real weapons and help them perfect their horsemanship skills. Once a squire completed his training, he then was eligible to become a knight.

Chapter Nine describes the stormy, dangerous, and difficult passage that Bradford and the Pilgrims endured before arriving in Massachusetts Bay. The main theme of the chapter, and really the book as a whole, is that they survived because of their faith in God, and because it was God's will that they do so. As Bradford writes at the end of the chapter, quoting from Psalms:  When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them. But the chapter also includes a darker vision of the Calvinist notion of justice. During the voyage, one young man "cursed" the Pilgrims for their sickness and weakness. He would often, according to Bradford, "swear and curse most bitterly," even saying that he would probably throw half of them overboard before they made landfall. But as it turned out, this "proud and profane" young man himself was among the first to die from disease....

In the prologue of Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting , the narrator sets the story during the "first week of August," a time period the narrator describes as being "motionless, and hot." The motionlessness of early August is characterized in the absence of wind and rain; there is only lightning at night and no thunder. The narrator further relays that it's during these "dog days" of summer that people are likely to do things they later regret. This backdrop of motionless, oppressive heat not only serves to foreshadow the conflicts in the story to come but also serve to capture Winnie Foster's emotions that drive the story. By chapter 3, the narrator describes Winnie as being as boiling angry as the weather was boiling hot: She had come out to the fence, very cross, very near the boiling point on a day that was itself near to boiling. She is so angry because, just like the heat is oppressive , she feels that her adult family members opp...

The blank faces of the children in the repeated dream are ambiguous in their meaning to some degree. One way to explain the blankness is to connect it to the conclusion that the magistrate comes to in the end of the narrative. After going to great lengths to separate himself from the society of the empire (by resisting Colonel Joll’s initiatives, by embarking on a mission to return the nameless barbarian girl to her people, and finally by spending time as a prisoner of the empire), the magistrate realizes that his attempts have been fruitless. He is intimately and intractably connected to the society (the culture and the history) of the empire. He relies on this society for the whole of his identity. “I wanted to live outside history. I wanted to live outside the history that Empire imposes on its subjects, even its lost subjects. I never wished it for the barbarians that they should have the history of the Empire laid upon them.” At this point, the magistrate has already come to accep...

To determine the convergence or divergence of a series `sum a_n` using Root test , we evaluate a limit as: `lim_(n-gtoo) root(n)(|a_n|)= L` or `lim_(n-gtoo) |a_n|^(1/n)= L` Then, we follow the conditions: a) `Llt1 ` then the series is  absolutely convergent . b) `Lgt1` then the series is  divergent . c) `L=1` or  does not exist   then the  test is inconclusive . The series may be divergent, conditionally convergent, or absolutely convergent. For the given series `sum_(n=1)^oo (ln(n)/n)^n` , we have `a_n =(ln(n)/n)^n` . Applying the Root test, we set-up the limit as: `lim_(n-gtoo) |(ln(n)/n)^n|^(1/n) =lim_(n-gtoo) ((ln(n)/n)^n)^(1/n)` Apply Law of Exponent: `(x^n)^m = x^(n*m)` . `lim_(n-gtoo) ((ln(n)/n)^n)^(1/n)=lim_(n-gtoo) (ln(n)/n)^(n*1/n)`                                 `=lim_(n-gtoo) (ln(n)/n)^(n/n)`                                 `=lim_(n-gtoo) (ln(n)/n)^1`                                `=lim_(n-gtoo) (ln(n)/n)` Evaluate the limit using direct substitution: `n = oo` . `lim_(n-g...

Early on in the novel, Cecil Jacobs criticizes Scout's father on the playground for "defending niggers." Scout gets upset and wishes to fight Cecil. That night, Scout comes home and asks Atticus if it's true that he defends Negroes. Atticus explains to Scout that he will be defending an African American named Tom Robinson and challenges her to hold her head high and keep her fists down. The next day, Cecil Jacobs continues to criticize Atticus, but Scout remembers Atticus's comments about keeping her cool. Scout applies his lesson and calmly walks away while Cecil Jacobs calls her a coward. At Tom Robinson's trial, Jem witnesses his father defend an innocent, harmless man. In Chapter 25, Jem applies Atticus's lesson about not harming mockingbirds when Scout attempts to squash a rolly-polly bug. Jem tells Scout, "Don't do that, Scout. Set him out on the back steps" (146). Jem understands the importance of protecting innocent beings by stopping...

DNA is a large biological chemical which is a polymer found in chromosomes and genes and stores our hereditary information. A sub-unit of DNA is called a nucleotide which consists of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar called deoxyribose and one of four nitrogenous bases. These are called adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.  DNA exists as a double-helix which is a double stranded molecule resembling a twisted ladder. Two nucleotides are held together by their nitrogenous bases in the center by hydrogen bonds. Bases are complementary and pair according to the following rules- adenine pairs to thymine and cytosine to guanine. DNA can separate into two strands and either can serve as a template for replication into more DNA or can be transcribed into messenger RNA. This nucleic acid can carry the DNA code for a specific gene to a ribosome in the cytoplasm which is a place where protein synthesis can occur. When a protein is made according to the genetic code, this is called gene ex...

In Part One, Cleanthes means to expose what he believes are flaws in philosophical skepticism. Philosophical skepticism is the belief that human reason is fallible and therefore cannot be used as a benchmark to determine the reality of established truths. Philosophical skeptics doubt whether they can ever obtain enough convincing evidence (or justification) to support popular assumptions. Philo maintains that human reason alone is insufficient to determine the validity of religious claims: Let us become thoroughly sensible of the weakness, blindness, and narrow limits of human reason: Let us duly consider its uncertainty and endless contrarieties, even in subjects of common life and practice...When these topics are displayed in their full light...who can retain such confidence in this frail faculty of reason as to pay any regard to its determinations in points so sublime, so abstruse, so remote from common life and experience? Philo claims that it's fine to rely on "common sen...

In Langston Hughes short story "Thank You M'am" Mrs. Jones develops trust with Roger through her actions not her words.  Mrs. Jones is familiar with the circumstances in which Roger is growing up in their Harlem neighborhood. Although she drags him to her home after he attempts to steal her pocketbook, she sets him loose with the door wide open. She simply tells him to go wash up and does not ask questions about his family situation. Her door is wide open and it is up to Roger to decide to run out or to stay. Mrs. Jones does not demand anything of the boy, but she does offer him food and companionship.  Mrs. Jones confides in Roger by telling him a bit about her past mistakes and demonstrating how she turned her life around. Although her surroundings and food offerings are meager, she came by them through honest work.  Another way she shows Roger her trust is when she walks behind the curtain to make supper, and she leaves her purse sitting in plain sight. Roger moves so ...

I would classify Rainier Maria Rilke's poem as a Petrarchan sonnet. Some Petrarchan sonnets consist of two quatrains (stanzas with four lines) and two tercets (stanzas with three lines), which is what we have here. Of course, all sonnets consist of fourteen lines, and Rilke's poem is no exception. Classic Petrarchan sonnets use the octave (eight lines) followed by a sestet (six lines). Whichever of the two forms a poet uses, it is clear the typical Petrarchan sonnet will consist of a combination eight line-six line pattern. The poem is also written in iambic pentameter (more on that in a bit), another feature of a Petrarchan sonnet. Typically, quatrains follow the abba abba rhyme scheme, while sestets follow a varying cdcdcd, cdecde, or even cdccdc rhyme scheme. Generally, the rhyme scheme for the sestets are extremely flexible. If we look at the English translation of Rilke's poem, it can look like the sonnet is written in free verse. However, if we peruse Rilke's poem...

At the end of the race in Toni Cade Bambara’s story “Raymond’s Run,” there is a bit suspense. Squeaky and Gretchen finish running the race, and Squeaky realizes Raymond ran right along with her on the other side of the fence. The outcome of the race is not known at this time. As the race directors begin to announce the winner, the public address system begins to make a high pitched sound and then dies out. The timers can be heard discussing the results and their voices become muddled in the background. Both Squeaky and Gretchen are recovering by walking off the race and taking deep breathes. The girls are questioning who won the race, which adds to the suspense of the moment. “In first place . . .” the man on the loudspeaker is clear as a bell now. But then he pauses and the loudspeaker starts to whine. Then static. And I lean down to catch my breath and here comes Gretchen walking back, for she’s overshot the finish line too, huffing and puffing with her hands on her hips taking it sl...

Social studies is a broad term, but it generally encompasses history and geography, along with various other humanistic subjects. The purpose of social studies courses is to help students become citizens who are informed and can contribute to the benefit of society, particularly through political and civic engagement. For instance, George Santayana famously said that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." If students did not learn about history, they would not recognize that the problems society faces today are often similar (though never exactly the same) to problems from the past. By studying how people responded to those problems in the past, students will grow into citizens who can make informed decisions when they face problems in the present and future. Moreover, geography teaches students important lessons about the world in which they live. This can help them make good decisions about political topics such as climate change and energy policie...

On page 131 of the Perigee Book Edition of the novel Lord of the Flies , the boys leave Ralph's group and join Jack's tribe. In Chapter 8, Jack attempts to usurp power from Ralph during an assembly meeting. He criticizes Ralph for supporting Piggy and claims that he is a coward. When Jack asks the group of boys to raise their hands if they think that Ralph should not be the leader, there is silence. Jack knows that the boys do not support his attempt to usurp power from Ralph, and Jack says, " I'm not going to play any longer. Not with you " (Golding 127). Before running into the forest, Jack invites the boys to join his tribe to hunt. When Jack leaves, Piggy suggests that they build a fire between the bathing pool and the platform. As the boys begin to collect firewood, Ralph and Piggy begin to notice how few biguns are actually helping. Piggy asks Ralph where Maurice is, and Ralph asks where Bill and Roger went. Piggy tells Ralph that he watched them run off i...

Marlow disposes of the body of the helmsman who has been killed by a spear thrown from natives on the shore by dumping it overboard into the Congo River.   The cannibal crewmen are hungry, and though they are stoic, they are unhappy that the pilgrims have disposed of the rotting cache of hippopotamus meat they had been carrying. Marlow (and likely, the pilgrims, as well) does not want to see them consume the dead helmsman because their cannibalism is abhorrent to him. The pilgrims, as Westerners, are unhappy that the helmsman will not be given a funeral service or (in their eyes) a decent burial.  It is up to Marlow to make a decision; his decision to dump the body into the river pleases no one, but it does settle the matter.

In "The Canterville Ghost," the Cantervilles, who are British lords, believe in the ghost that haunts their estate as part of their storied history. Lord Canterville tells the American Minister Hiram B. Otis, who buys the estate: "The ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus Dampier, who is a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge." The ghost has a fine pedigree, as it has been seen by such well-respected people, and the Lord does not doubt its existence. In fact, Lord Canterville seems to delight in the legend of the ghost that accompanies his house. Mr. Otis, on the other hand, is dubious about the ghost from the moment he buys the estate. Showing the American tendency toward the practical, he says that if ghosts really existed, there would be some ghosts in American museums. Mr. Otis makes it clear that Americans can buy anything in Britain that they want, so just as he is buying the Br...

Maitre Hauchecorne finds a piece of string on the street. Being relatively poor and inclined to save things that might be useful, he picks up the string. However, he notes that he is spotted by his enemy, M. Malandain. Hauchecorne is embarrassed to be seen picking up something as small and trivial as a piece of string. So, he decides to at least give the appearance (to M. Malandain) that he is actually looking for something more valuable. He doesn't want Malandain to think that he is so poor and needy that finding a piece of string is like finding a small treasure.  Malandain uses this display to accuse Hauchecorne of having stolen M. Houlbreque's pocketbook containing five hundred francs. In his embarrassment and vanity, Hauchecorne made himself look like he was searching for a pocketbook or something valuable. Had he simply been humble, swallowed his pride, and acknowledged (to Malandain) that he did pick up a piece of string, the accusations might not have been made. Hauchec...

At the beginning of the novel, Scout is a naive child who has a narrow perspective of the world. She views her reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, as a "malevolent phantom," does not take into consideration Miss Caroline's situation and perspective, and doesn't understand many of the racial slurs she is subjected to for the majority of the novel. As the novel progresses, Atticus teaches Scout important lessons on perspective, courage, tolerance, and respect. Scout gradually learns the dual nature of humanity from her experiences with the citizens of Maycomb. Scout learns that although Mrs. Dubose is an unapologetic racist, she is also a courageous individual with a strong will. Scout learns that Calpurnia has another life outside of working at the Finch residence and that Aunt Alexandra is actually a kind soul who happens to have rigid views of the world. After witnessing Tom's wrongful conviction, Scout loses her childhood innocence and realizes the prejudiced beli...

Harold argues that he will likely fail his exams if his mother brings his dad home from the hospital.   Harold really does not want his father to come home, which seems odd at first.  But as the audience learns more about Harold and his father, the audience learns that Harold's father is a drunk, abusive parent.  He's also an amputee.  The fact that Harold's father is gone gives Harold some respite from his father's abusive behavior.  Harold is enjoying his night off.  About halfway through the play, Harold's mother calls from the hospital and tells Harold that she is bringing his dad home.  Harold pleads with his mother not to bring his dad home.  He says that he will likely fail his exams if his dad is brought home because he will not be able to study. Instead, he would have to massage his father's leg.  "Well, then, don't blame me when I fail my exams at the end of the year . . . Yes! How am I expected to be fresh for school when I spend half the nig...

In the story, the slave community definitely regards Nightjohn's escape as a victory for themselves. Before Nightjohn leaves the plantation, he asks Delie to fetch him some rawhide. With the rawhide and some rags, he fashions a pair of shoes for himself. Then, he slathers pepper and lard under the bottom of each shoe; this allows him to throw the dogs off his scent, and it prevents Waller from apprehending him. Mammy and the rest of the slaves are ecstatic when they discover that Waller has returned to the plantation empty-handed. They rejoice in the knowledge that one of their own has managed to escape and to get the best of Waller. Meanwhile, Sarny thinks that she will never see Nightjohn again. However, he surprises her one night when he shows up at the slave quarters. Nightjohn takes Sarny to a secret hideout along the river, where he introduces her to slaves from other plantations. Sarny is ecstatic when she realizes that Nightjohn has begun a school of sorts for the slave com...

In Chapter 13, Aunt Alexandra moves into the Finch's household because it is decided that Scout needs a "feminine influence." Aunt Alexandra is the quintessential Southern belle who believes that females should wear dresses and participate in social affairs with other ladies. She views Scout with contempt because Scout wears overalls and enjoys playing outside with the boys. Scout has little in common with her aunt and prefers to behave like a "tomboy" rather than a proper Southern belle. Aunt Alexandra tries to get Scout to talk with her cousin Lily Brooke, but Scout has no idea who she is.  Scout also mentions that Alexandra is preoccupied with heredity and has her own theory on family history which is, " the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was " (Lee 173). Scout comments that there is something to Alexandra's theory and says that her aunt is more than familiar with Maycomb's caste system . Alexandra be...

In Cold Blood , by Truman Capote, features multiple strong themes throughout the narrative, some subtle while others are overt. These themes include life in rural America, the American dream, violence, and trust. Life in Rural America In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel that takes place in communities all across America. The main character, Perry, travels with his family from Texas to Oregon and later to Florida, Texas and Nevada as well as to the country of Mexico. Through Perry's travels, Capote explores the similarities between rural American communities despite the distance between them. Perry's childhood is spent traveling from one place to another, and it is this sporadic upbringing that contributes to his identity as a loner. The text explains that he "washed dishes in an Omaha restaurant, pumped gas at an Oklahoma garage, and worked a month on a ranch in Texas." As the story progresses, the superficial differences between the states Perry has lived in are wo...

`int 1/(x^2-9)dx` To solve using the partial fraction method, the first step is to factor the denominator of the integrand. `1/(x^2-9) =1/((x - 3)(x +3))` Then, express it as a sum of two fractions.  `1/((x-3)(x+3))=A/(x-3)+B/(x+3)` To solve for the values of A and B, multiply both sides by the LCD. `(x-3)(x+3)*1/((x-3)(x+3))=(A/(x-3)+B/(x+3))*(x-3)(x+3)` `1 = A(x+3)+B(x-3)` Then, assign values to x in such a way that either (x+3) or (x-3) will be zero. So, plug-in x = 3 to get the value of A. `1=A(3+3) + B(3-3)` `1=A*6+B*0` `1=6A` `1/6=A` Also, plug-in x=-3 to get the value of B. `1=A(-3+3)+B(-3-3)` `1=A*0 + B*(-6)` `1=-6B` `-1/6=B` So the partial fraction decomposition of the integrand is: `int 1/(x^2-9)dx=int (1/(6(x-3)) -1/(6(x+3)))dx` Then, express it as difference of two integrals. `=int 1/(6(x-3))dx - int 1/(6(x+3))dx` `=1/6 int 1/(x-3)dx - 1/6 int 1/(x+3)dx` And, apply the integral formula `int 1/u du = ln|u|+C` . `=1/6ln|x-3| -1/6ln|x+3|+C` Therefore, `int 1/(x^2-9)dx=1/6ln|x-...

Jing-Mei’s mother wishes that she would be an obedient daughter. Jing-Mei and her mother do not always see eye to eye.  Jing-Mei’s mother wants to be proud of her daughter, and she wants her to learn that working for something produces results.  In trying to teach her daughter that success comes from trying, Jing-Mei’s mother’s tactics backfire. Jing-Mei’s mother wants her to become really good at something, like the prodigies on television.  At first, Jing-Mei is on board.  She likes the attention and likes the idea of being a star.  Unfortunately, they really don’t stick to anything long enough for her to be good at it.  Her mother is trying to find some innate talent that Jing-Mei doesn’t seem to have. Everything comes to a head when Jing-mei has finally had enough, and tells her mother that she does not want to keep up the prodigy-seeking.  She tells her mother that she doesn’t want to play the piano, something she has put little effort into anyway.  Her mother reacts in anger. ...

Both Joe Starks and Tea Cake are strong, dominant men who are leaders in their communities. Since they are leaders, they like to make their own decisions without anyone's help--least of all Janie's. They like to be obeyed and respected for who they are and don't like to admit they need help or are defeated in any way. They also don't make any major decisions with Janie or anyone else. Major decisions are not made by either man unless he is forced into making one. For example, when the hurricane is about to hit, 'Lias offers Tea Cake and Janie a ride in his car to get away from it in chapter 18; but, Tea Cake decides to stay because he believes that he will miss out on making money the next day when work begins again. He also watches the white people in the big house, and since they haven't decided to leave when 'Lias invites Tea Cake to leave, he won't go. It isn't until Tea Cake sees dead things floating in waist-high water around his house that he ...

`lim_(x->1) ln(x^3)/(x^2-1)` To solve, plug-in x = 1. `lim_(x->1) ln(x^3)/(x^2-1) = ln(1^3)/(1^2-1) = 0/0` Since the result is indeterminate, to determine the limit of the function as x approaches 1, apply L'Hopital's Rule.  To do so, take the derivative of the numerator and denominator. `lim_(x->1) ln(x^3)/(x^2-1) = lim_(x->1) ((ln(x^3))')/((x^2-1)') = lim_(x->1) (1/x^3*3x^2)/(2x) =lim_(x->1)(3/x)/(2x) = lim_(x->1)3/(2x^2)` And, plug-in x = 1. `= 3/(2*1) = 3/2` Therefore,  `lim_(x->1) ln(x^3)/(x^2-1)=3/2` .

In this passage, we are presented with a description of Sherlock Holmes injecting himself with a syringe. Watson, who is disapproving, asks the detective which drug he is using -- morphine or cocaine? Holmes answers that it is a seven percent solution of cocaine. This is probably the most famous account of drug use in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. It establishes that Holmes has what Watson would characterize as a drug problem. But does the account show Holmes to be an eccentric? If we consider only the description of drug use, we might argue that Holmes isn't being portrayed as particularly eccentric. In 1890, when the novel was published, cocaine and morphine were in wide use. The drugs were prescribed by doctors for a number of ailments, and used by many conventional, middle class people. Moreover, even if Holmes's drug use is excessive, that doesn't make him eccentric. Addiction and drug abuse weren't uncommon. What's more telling is the language Conan Doyl...

The ghost that appears in Act One of William Shakespeare's Hamlet is the critical catalyst to the action of the remainder of the play. The ghost--which first appears to Bernardo, Marcellus, and Horatio on the walls of Elsinore--does not speak, but rather wanders in and out of sight. The men tell Prince Hamlet of this strange occurrence, and they gather once more on the rampart to see if the ghost will show itself. This time, the ghost beckons for Hamlet to follow him. Despite the protestation of the sentries and Horatio, Hamlet does just that. When Hamlet urges the ghost to speak because he is "bound to hear," the ghost replies, "So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear." In fact, the ghost is carrying a terrifying message, which we can see in his speech below: I am thy father's spirit Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confined to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purged away... Th...

Tidal waves and tsunamis are both types of sea waves. However, they are caused by different forces. Tidal waves are named for the tides, and are a result of the gravitational relationship between the Moon and Earth. Tidal waves begin in shallower waters, but may be as high as 55 feet in some places. Because of the relationship between the Moon and Earth, tidal waves happen on a daily basis. Tusnami, on the other hand, are the result of displacement of water. Landslides, glacier activity, earthquakes, and underwater explosions can cause displacement of water up to 100 feet high! Because tsunamis are the results of a major displacement of water, they are relatively rare.  Tidal waves and tsunamis have a similar general appearance--a large mass of water, typically in a wave wall or arc, moving towards the coastline. Both can also have a profound impact on the lives of people who live near the coast, as unexpected or especially large waves can cause damage to people and property. Tsunamis ...

When the story begins, the mood is calm and serene . This is created by the description of Nat Hocken, sitting on the edge of a cliff and enjoying nature as he eats his lunch. The mood quickly alters, however, when Hocken observes the sudden changes in the behaviour of the local birds. Words like "restless" and "uneasy" signal the move to a tense and anxious mood. This continues as the story develops and the birds begin to attack the humans. This is reinforced by the image of the birds "tapping on the window" when they attack Nat's house, for example, and the fluttering of their wings as they peck at his body. As the characters try to make sense of what is happening, the mood also becomes fearful . This is shown most clearly through the reactions of Nat's family, especially his wife, Jill, who is terrified of the birds and in constant need of reassurance. At several points in the story, she asks Nat what he will do and what will happen next, for...

When the Reverend Mr. Clark sits by Father Hooper's deathbed, Mr. Clark asks Father Hooper to allow him to remove the veil from Father Hooper's face so that he can meet eternity without it.  Father Hooper, however, is horrified by this idea, and he shrieks, "'Never! [...].  On earth, never!'"  It is clear that Father Hooper wishes never to have the veil removed, and this may be one reason that his parishioners do not remove it. Further, everyone gathered at Father Hooper's deathbed still seems to fear the mysterious veil.  Mr. Clark even suggests that it signifies some terrible sin Father Hooper had committed.  However, Father Hooper asks,  "Why do you tremble at me alone? [....] Tremble also at each other!  Have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for my black veil?  What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful?  When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend;...

This is a valid question; O. Henry must have thought about it himself. O. Henry wanted Jimmy to stop in front of Bob without Bob recognizing him, so he invented several reasons to explain why Bob would not do so. For one thing, when we are meeting someone we haven't seen in twenty years, it is easy not to recognize that person because we expect to see the same person we last saw twenty years ago. One of O. Henry's points in the story is that people change a lot in twenty years. In fact, everything changes. The whole neighborhood has changed, and Bob is standing in the doorway of a closed hardware store when he expected to be standing in front of a busy restaurant. Bob and Jimmy were both very young when they parted at 'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant. Now, both are around forty. People can change a lot in appearance and manners between youth and middle-age. Bob was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty when they parted. Any uniform tends to disguise the person wearing it. Jimmy...

Mark Twain's use of similes in the text heightens the humor found in the piece as well as adds to the Local Color aspects of the story. For instance, when describing Jim Smiley's dog, Andrew Jackson, Twain writes that when the betting was getting serious, the dog's "underjaw'd begin to stick out like the fo'castle of a steamboat." Twain, who takes his name from steamboat and boating terminology, uses a simile that places this story with the adventurers of the Mississippi and West. The "forecastle" of a steamboat is the portion of the boat that sticks out in the front and was used for storage of things like the anchor or stage planks. Twain uses another simile in the same sentence describing Andrew Jackson that also relates to steamboat terminology: "his teeth would uncover, and shine savage like the furnaces." The furnaces were used to boil the water that created the steam. Another way Twain uses similes is to create humorous imagery. T...

We are asked to solve the following equation: `4ln(-x)+3=21` Use basic algebraic rules to isolate the term with the logarithm: `4ln(-x)=18` `ln(-x)=9/2` Exponentiate both sides with base e: `e^(ln(-x))=e^(9/2)` `-x=e^(9/2)` `x=-e^(9/2)~~-90.017` Substituting back into the original equation shows that the solution works. The graph:

Indefinite integral are written in the form of `int f(x) dx = F(x) +C`  where: `f(x)` as the integrand            `F(x)` as the anti-derivative function             `C`  as the arbitrary constant known as constant of integration For the given problem `int e^xarccos(e^x) dx` , it has a integrand in a form of  inverse cosine function. The integral resembles one of the formulas from the integration as :  `int arccos (u/a)du = u*arccos(u/a) -sqrt(a^2-u^2) +C` .  For easier comparison, we may apply u-substitution by letting: `u = e^x` then `du = e^x dx` . Plug-in the values `int e^xarccos(e^x) dx` , we get: `int e^xarccos(e^x) dx =int arccos(e^x) * e^xdx`                                     `= int arccos(u) * du`                                     or` int arccos(u/1) du` Applying the aforementioned formula from the integration table, we get: `int arccos(u/1) du =u*arccos(u/1) -sqrt(1^2-u^2) +C`                                `=u*arccos(u) -sqrt(1-u^2) +C` Plug-in `u =e^x` on `u*arccos(u) -...

In Chapter Five of Animal Farm , Snowball surveys the farmland and develops an idea to build a windmill. When he announces this idea to the others, his dreams for this project become clear. He talks about this "fantastic" machine, for example, and says that it can do their work for them while they "graze in fields" all day. In fact, after looking over the plans, Snowball declares that the windmill can reduce the animals' working week from six days to three. This is a significant reduction which makes his plans for the windmill very popular on the farm. In addition to its labour-saving abilities, Snowball wants to use the windmill to generate electricity. This will enable the introduction of more labour-saving devices, like the plough, as well as the ability to provide heating and lighting to individual stalls in the barn. It is this dream, however, which brings Snowball into conflict with Napoleon and which ultimately brings about his expulsion from the farm. 

One reaction of pentanol with gaseous oxygen is the combustion reaction. Combustion of pentanol is only possible in the presence of oxygen and flame.  Complete combustion of pentanol will produce carbon dioxide and water. The reaction is written as: `2 C_5 H_11 OH + 15 O_2 -> 10 CO_2 + 12 H_2 O. ` Incomplete combustion of pentanol happens when oxygen is the limiting reactant.  This happens when the supply of oxygen gas is poor. Consequently, the reaction will still produce H2O and but carbon monoxide and carbon is produced along with carbon dioxide.   In normal atmospheric conditions (at room temperature and 1 atm), pentanol usually do not react with gaseous oxygen (O2) to form products. To oxidize pentanol, stronger oxidants are used such as potassium permanganate or chromic acid. 

In Chekhov's The Bear , two examples of significant stage directions can be found at the drama's beginning and ending. When Smirnov first enters, the stage directions reflect a significant part of his characterization.  His entrance has him speaking to Popova "with respect."  It is very important that the first stage direction involves him speaking in a deferential tone to Popova.  As the drama unfolds, this tone will significantly change.  Chekhov includes the stage direction to show a starting point, an emotional benchmark that we can use to ascertain how much change will take place in Smirnov's characterization.  Another significant stage direction takes place at the end of the drama. Smirnov has changed from speaking to Popova with respect, to addressing her with intense anger, to being infatuated.  After insisting on a duel, he becomes smitten with her.  While she still demands satisfaction in terms of a duel, he approaches her with his newly discovered emoti...

You are off to a great start with your thesis idea. A formal thesis statement encompassing this idea could be worded as follows: Through his unambiguous interpretation of the subject matter at hand, Rilke both expresses appreciation for the beauty of the human form and acknowledges the idea that art comes to life through observation. A thesis on this subject might be organized according to the four stanzas of the poem, each of which expounds on the central idea in the thesis statement. For example, the first stanza suggests that although only the god's torso is presented in the sculpture, it holds a life of its own. This life is described by Rilke as "a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low, gleams in all its power." This clever use of simile illustrates the personification of the torso that characterizes this poem. By isolating his subject matter, Rilke proves that facial expressions and literal eyes are not required to experience the "gaze" of the sculptu...

The most striking aspect of Flowers for Algernon is the astonishing character development that Charlie undergoes throughout the book. In many areas, his development is not only continuing, but beginning for the first time. Below are four of the advantages Charlie had pre-surgery that he no longer had the same way after his surgery--his simplistic approach, trust, repression, and belief in people. Simplistic Approach Even though Charlie is 32, he still functions like a child. His simplemindedness allows him to traverse a world that is very confusing to him by approaching the world from a very simplistic perspective. For instance, in the diary entry entitled "martch 5" Charlie takes a Rorschach test, which he doesn't understand because he is supposed to imagine what the inkblot splatters look like, something he can't figure out. This can be seen as an advantage because it allows him to function in a world with less anxiety due to his limited understanding. After the sur...

There are many examples of pure elements found in everyday items. Pure elements are commonly found in jewelry, such as silver. Diamonds are elemental carbon. Titanium is becoming more common in jewelry.  Pennies made in the sixties or earlier are copper, as is some electrical wiring. Tin foil is made from thin sheets of elemental aluminum (it used to be made of tin, hence the confusing name). Elemental lithium is present in some types of rechargeable batteries. Americium, a radioactive element, is present in some smoke detectors.  Older thermometers are filled with mercury. (Newer thermometers use an alcohol solution instead because mercury is toxic and hard to contain if accidentally spilled.) Helium is present in elemental form inside party balloons. About twenty percent of the air is oxygen.  Fire starters contain sticks of magnesium.  Nails are iron. 

The irony in "The Necklace" is based on the fact that Madame Loisel and her husband spend ten years of toil and privation paying for a necklace which turns out to be a cheap imitation. The critical point in the story is reached when Madame Forestier tells Madame Loisel: "Oh, my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs! . . . " It is not only Mathilde Loisel who is shocked, but the reader as well. The reader as been led to believe that the borrowed necklace was genuine and that it was worth approximately 36,000 francs. This type of irony is called situational irony. It involves an incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs. Irony is usually like a bad joke. It would be funny if it were not so painful. Mathilde paid a fearful price for the few moments of triumph she enjoyed at the Minister's ball. But no reader would feel like laughing at her and her poor husband. The reader feels pity for both. As...

The men do not consider Isabel a person capable of listening and understanding their conversation.  They believe this about Isabel because she is a black slave.  Isabel has always known that white slave owners think less of her, but in chapter six Curzon flat out tells Isabel that the Locktons do not consider Isabel a human being.  Curzon asks Isabel to spy on the Locktons, but Isabel thinks that she won't hear anything worthwhile.   "They won't say anything in front of me."   "You are a small black girl, Country," he said bitterly.  "You are a slave, not a person.  They'll say things in front of you they won't say in front of the white servants.  'Cause you don't count to them.  It happens all the time to me."  There was truth in his words, hard truth, a hammer striking stone.  It turns out that Curzon is correct because Isabel overhears many important pieces of information while she is the same room as Lockton and his conspirators...

A machine that is used to seal pieces of plastic material using heat is called a  heat sealer . There are two main types of heat sealers: Impulse Heat Sealers : Impulse heat sealers use a pulse of heat energy followed by cooling. Impulse heat sealers are used to seal containers composed of materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene. These materials will seal at fairly low temperatures. Direct Heat Sealers : Direct heat sealers apply constant, direct heat. This enables them to seal containers made out of thicker material such as waxed paper, mylar, and cellophane. Heat seals on containers are very strong. Heat sealing is the most commonly used method of sealing. Because heat sealing does not require extra materials such as adhesives, it is a very economical method to use. 

Zinc chloride is an ionic chemical salt with the formula ZnCl2.  It is composed of the zinc cation (Zn++) and two chloride anions (Cl-).  Silver nitrate is also an ionic chemical salt with the formula AgNO3.  It is composed of a silver cation (Ag+) and a nitrate anion (NO3-).  Both chemicals are soluble in water, and when mixed together you need to know that the silver and chloride anions will react to form silver chloride (AgCl), a chemical that is a white solid and is largely insoluble in water.  So the answer to part one is that two clear aqueous solutions will be mixed together to make a cloudy mixture with a fine white solid suspended in the water.  To answer the second part, let's look at the complete ionic equation below: `Zn_(aq)^(2+) + 2Cl_(aq)^(-) + 2Ag_(aq)^(+) + 2NO3_(aq)^(-) -> 2AgCl_(s) + Zn_(aq)^(2+) + 2NO3_(aq)^(-)` This shows that the zinc chloride and silver nitrate will form solid silver chloride and zinc nitrate, which is completely soluble in water and will ...