What is the theme of "Journey" by Joyce Carol Oates?

Reading Joyce Carol Oates's short story "Journey," one is reminded of Robert Frost's famous poem "The Road Less Traveled":

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In Frost's poem, his narrator experiences both the uncertainties and the learned experiences of veering off one's charted course into the...

Reading Joyce Carol Oates's short story "Journey," one is reminded of Robert Frost's famous poem "The Road Less Traveled":

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In Frost's poem, his narrator experiences both the uncertainties and the learned experiences of veering off one's charted course into the unknown. Note the final line in this poem: "I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." As with Frost, Oates is contemplating the potential visceral experiences of veering from one's safer, known path. "Journey" uses the narrator's description of another individual's decisions to consistently reject the safe and boring for the potentially dangerous but ultimately rewarding. Her human subject is on, obviously, a "journey" to a certain but unspecified destination, via a safe, well-paved and traveled road. It is, as the narrator informs us, a familiar destination: "...your destination is already in sight—a city that you have visited many times." The human—"you"—grows bored with the "excellent highway where the sun shines ceaselessly" and veers off the safe path into more forbidding terrain. As the journey continues, albeit on a different path, the destination remains constant but somehow becomes more vague, less concrete. Observe in the following passage the growing uncertainty about the nature of the journey: 

"The road leads deep into a forest, always descending in small cramped turns. Your turning from left to right and from right to left, in a slow hypnotic passage, makes it impossible for you to look out at the forest. You discover that for some time you have not been able to see the city you are headed for, though you know it is still somewhere ahead of you."

As the journey continues, the protagonist continues to veer off onto more uncertain roads, clearly a metaphor for the possible rewards of thinking outside of the box despite the risks such a strategy entails. Eventually, the protagonist is on foot and descending into ever more forbidding terrain, the obstacles encountered representing opportunity:

"A faint path leads through a tumble of rocks and bushes and trees, and you follow it enthusiastically. You descend a hill, slipping a little, so that a small rockslide is released; but you are able to keep your balance."

Just as the "journey" itself is a metaphor, so is the map to which the narrator repeatedly refers. As the journey into ever more uncertain terrain progresses, the map ceases to offer guidance, becoming "a blank sheet of paper, which can tell you nothing." 

As Oates's story comes to its conclusion, the author emphasizes the rewards inherent in diverging from the easy, known path. Note in Journey's conclusion the author's observation that, had the protagonist stayed on that "excellent highway," he or she would have certainly reached his or her destination, but at the cost of experiencing less of life: "If you had the day to begin again, on that highway which was so wide and clear, you would not have varied your journey in any way: in this is your triumph." Just as Frost's narrator is rewarded by his decision to take the road less traveled, so is Oates's protagonist. The theme of Journey is the emotionally and spiritually rewarding experience of stepping off the known into the unknown.

Describe how a major refurbishment of publicly funded hospital facilities might affect the public sector borrowing requirement.

The question asks how a major refurbishment of publicly funded hospital facilities might affect the public sector borrowing requirement. The assumption here is that the term “major” indicates that the project is too large to fund out of excess hospital operating revenues; i.e. it must be financed somehow. Given that this is a refurbishment (i.e. replacement of depreciated assets), the project may have been anticipated and so funded through a sinking fund. This would be...

The question asks how a major refurbishment of publicly funded hospital facilities might affect the public sector borrowing requirement. The assumption here is that the term “major” indicates that the project is too large to fund out of excess hospital operating revenues; i.e. it must be financed somehow. Given that this is a refurbishment (i.e. replacement of depreciated assets), the project may have been anticipated and so funded through a sinking fund. This would be the case if the hospital management had set up such a facility in the past and had funded it consistent with the actual physical depreciation of the assets in question (presumably non-structural fixtures, equipment, etc.). Conversely, the government may be in a position to fund the refurbishment out of its general, budgeted tax revenues.

 Assuming neither of these options are available, we are left with the choice of debt versus equity financing. Equity financing would depend on the specific corporate structure of the ownership of the hospital. In general, facilities wholly owned by the government would not have access to equity (stock issuance) financing. Government financing is generally in the form of bonds (debt). Therefore, the expectation is that the project would increase public borrowing. However, if the hospital is privately owned (on either a for or non-profit basis), the owning entity may have access to equity markets.

What is Banquo rewarded with by the king?

Not much! Just praise, and a warm hug.

In Act 1, Scene 4, it's clear that both Banquo and Macbeth have shown bravery in the conflict, and King Duncan readily acknowledges that. First, the king confers the honorable title and position of "Thane of Cawdor" on Macbeth. It's a major reward: it raises Macbeth up in status.

Next, the king addresses Banquo. We might expect a similar reward to be given to him, since the...

Not much! Just praise, and a warm hug.

In Act 1, Scene 4, it's clear that both Banquo and Macbeth have shown bravery in the conflict, and King Duncan readily acknowledges that. First, the king confers the honorable title and position of "Thane of Cawdor" on Macbeth. It's a major reward: it raises Macbeth up in status.

Next, the king addresses Banquo. We might expect a similar reward to be given to him, since the king says:

"Noble Banquo,
That hast no less deserved, nor must be known
No less to have done so..."

This means that Banquo deserves just as much as Macbeth, and everybody should know that. But then the king goes on to say:

"...let me infold thee

And hold thee to my heart."

In other words, "Come here, let me give you a warm hug." That might seem like a letdown, but Banquo is okay with it. He replies politely.

A moment later, King Duncan hints that Banquo might get a title of nobility, too:

"But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine

On all deservers."

However, we don't hear any more about it. Banquo seems honored just to be recognized and treated with warm kindness by the king. Because of this, you can see why he's Macbeth's opposite. Whereas Macbeth is greedy and ambitious, Banquo is selfless and content with what he already has in life. 

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, what are Henry Clerval's strengths and weaknesses?

Victor Frankenstein describes his best friend, Henry Clerval, as a "boy of singular talent and fancy."  He wrote a fairy tale at the tender age of nine, and he read voraciously.  He would compose plays with various popular characters from his favorite stories for Victor, Elizabeth, and himself to act out.  In other words, Henry's strengths were his imagination, his writing ability, and his ability to truthfully depict human lives in his own creative works. ...

Victor Frankenstein describes his best friend, Henry Clerval, as a "boy of singular talent and fancy."  He wrote a fairy tale at the tender age of nine, and he read voraciously.  He would compose plays with various popular characters from his favorite stories for Victor, Elizabeth, and himself to act out.  In other words, Henry's strengths were his imagination, his writing ability, and his ability to truthfully depict human lives in his own creative works.  He also, as a young man, nurses Victor back to health when Victor becomes very ill after the creation of his monster.  Henry was nurturing and gentle and kind.

In terms of his weaknesses, he is, perhaps, too trusting.  He does not question his friend's integrity or intentions even when there is reason to do so; he only goes along with whatever Victor seems to need or want.  Had he questioned Victor about his real motives in wanting to delay his marriage to Elizabeth, it is possible that Victor would have revealed to him that he'd created a monster and was now tasked with making its mate.  Henry might have been able to protect himself or even distance himself from Victor (though it seems unlikely that he would).  It is difficult to find a real weakness in Henry himself as it seems that his biggest mistake was his choice of friend. 

In "All the Years of Her Life" by Morley Callaghan, how does Alfred's behavior reveal that he is immature and irresponsible?

In the story, Alfred has been caught stealing by his employer. Despite his well-developed body, Alfred's behavior reveals that he's still an immature and irresponsible young man.

First, when his employer confronts him, Alfred tries to bluster his way out of admitting his guilt. However, his indignant bravado falls flat when Mr. Carr refuses to back down. In the end, Alfred has to reach into his pocket to produce the items he has stolen: a...

In the story, Alfred has been caught stealing by his employer. Despite his well-developed body, Alfred's behavior reveals that he's still an immature and irresponsible young man.

First, when his employer confronts him, Alfred tries to bluster his way out of admitting his guilt. However, his indignant bravado falls flat when Mr. Carr refuses to back down. In the end, Alfred has to reach into his pocket to produce the items he has stolen: a blue compact, two tubes of toothpaste, and a lipstick. To cover his tracks, Alfred lies to Mr. Carr by telling him that this is the first time he has stolen anything from the store. Of course, Mr. Carr doesn't humor Alfred; he's observed Alfred stealing from him before, and he's furious.

When Alfred's mother gets to the store, she tries to reason with Mr. Carr. Alfred is surprised that his mother is so composed and dignified in her address. In fact, her articulate words manage to convince Mr. Carr to refrain from calling the police; Mr. Carr agrees to just fire Alfred from his job at the store. On the way home, Alfred's immaturity manifests itself; because he had expected his mother to become emotional about the theft, Alfred doesn't realize the significance of his mother's calm discourse with Mr. Carr. Essentially, her respectful and rational manner to Mr. Carr had won Alfred a reprieve from a prison sentence.

However, Alfred, in all his "excitement and relief" at having received no punishment for his crime (that he can see), fails to understand the suffering his irresponsible behavior has caused his mother. It is only later, when he observes her secretly in the kitchen, that he comes to understand how much his behavior has grieved her. So, his indignant attitude when he is confronted by Mr. Carr and, later, his thoughtless disregard for his mother's suffering reveal Alfred's immature and irresponsible behavior.

In Candide, describe one instance in which Voltaire is criticizing the government and one in which he is criticizing the church of the 18th century.

There are several instances in which Voltaire criticizes religion. For example, in Chapter 14, the character Cacambo, Candide's footman in Paraguay, is described as having been a "singing boy, sexton, sailor, monk, peddler, soldier, and lackey" (page 35). The fact that Cacambo has tried and given up being a monk implies that religion is just like a pair of clothes that one tries on and takes off without much thought. In addition, in El Dorado, Cacambo...

There are several instances in which Voltaire criticizes religion. For example, in Chapter 14, the character Cacambo, Candide's footman in Paraguay, is described as having been a "singing boy, sexton, sailor, monk, peddler, soldier, and lackey" (page 35). The fact that Cacambo has tried and given up being a monk implies that religion is just like a pair of clothes that one tries on and takes off without much thought. In addition, in El Dorado, Cacambo is very surprised that there are no monks. He says, "What...have you no monks among you to dispute, to govern, to intrigue, and to burn people who are not of the same opinion with themselves?” (page 49). Cacambo suggests that monks mainly practice cruelty and intolerance rather than kindness, and the man who answers him says that they would be foolish to have monks in El Dorado, since they all get along. Again, the idea is that monks are only necessary to create discord.

There are also several instances of Voltaire satirizing government. For example, in Chapter 3, the troops representing the King of the Bulgarians fights the troops of the King of the Abares. The battle that the kings assemble is greeted with great fanfare, including "trumpets, fifes, hautboys, drums, and cannon [that] made such harmony as never was heard in Hell itself" (page 6). Then, as cannons are discharged, 6,000 soldiers immediately perish on both sides. Then,  bayonets causes the death of about 30,000 more men, as the kings have people recite hymns in their camps. The kings appear to be merciless and unconcerned about the bloodshed that they are causing among their own people and among the other side. 

In David Rabe's play The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, why does the title character hold onto the grenade and allow it to explode in his hands?

It is a moot point whether Pavlo deliberately holds onto the grenade, "allowing" it to explode, which, if true, would constitute his second suicide attempt in the play. After all, the grenade is thrown into the room through a window, and an attempt to dispose of it by tossing it back is not completely unreasonable. After the grenade mortally wounds Pavlo, his alter-ego, Ardell, questions the stupidity of his action. Pavlo responds that he was...

It is a moot point whether Pavlo deliberately holds onto the grenade, "allowing" it to explode, which, if true, would constitute his second suicide attempt in the play. After all, the grenade is thrown into the room through a window, and an attempt to dispose of it by tossing it back is not completely unreasonable. After the grenade mortally wounds Pavlo, his alter-ego, Ardell, questions the stupidity of his action. Pavlo responds that he was thinking about "throwin' it", highlighting his lack of forethought about the potentially devastating consequences of his action. However, his response also indicates that he didn't have a conscious death wish because he did intend to get rid of the grenade. The fact that Pavlo chooses to handle the grenade at all is arguably a function of his 'basic training'; the army has instilled a value system equating masculinity and success with action, resulting in the suppression of personal awareness to institutional (military) expectations. In this sense, Pavlo is compelled to seize the grenade without consideration of cause and effect because that would be considered a passive, 'soft' reaction. Basic training has muted Pavlo's autonomous decision making so that his thoughts and actions more closely subscribe to the mold of hyper-masculine soldier. 

What similes were used in the book The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen?

A simile is “a figure of speech in which two things, essentially different but thought to be alike in one or more respects, are compared using “like,” “as,” “as if,” or “such” for the purpose of explanation, allusion, or ornament” .  Similes are often used because their descriptions bring a lot of life to a story.  

One example of a simile is Hannah’s description of how she felt after her argument...

A simile is “a figure of speech in which two things, essentially different but thought to be alike in one or more respects, are compared using “like,” “as,” “as if,” or “such” for the purpose of explanation, allusion, or ornament” (“ Guide to Literary Terms”).  Similes are often used because their descriptions bring a lot of life to a story.  

One example of a simile is Hannah’s description of how she felt after her argument with her mother about the Passover Holiday.  Hannah’s mother did not feel that she was taking the holiday seriously enough.  When her mother told her that the holiday was about remembering, Hannah complained that all Jewish holidays were about remembering. 

Hannah rolled her eyes up and slipped farther down in the seat. Her stomach felt heavy, as if the argument lay there like unleavened bread. (Ch. 1) 

Hannah’s simile emphasizes how bad she feels about this conversation, as she compares her feelings to the heaviness of unleavened bread. Hannah has heard too many times about the impact of World War II’s Holocaust on her family.  It doesn’t really mean anything to her anymore.  She has heard all of her life about Nazis and relatives she never knew, but she is just a kid. 

When Hannah arrives at her grandparents’ house, she sees her grandfather watching a documentary of the Holocaust on television and uses another haunting simile. 

He was sitting in the big overstuffed chair in front of the TV set, waving his fist and screaming at the screen. Across the screen marched old photos of Nazi concentration camp victims, corpses stacked like cordwood, and dead-eyed survivors. (Ch. 1) 

This terrible simile reinforces the graphic nature of the images, and also perhaps the fact that they seem almost unreal, because she compares the bodies to stacked wood. It would be difficult for Hannah to see Grandfather Will shouting at the television as these terrible images flash across the screen, while her grandmother apologizes for him.  Hannah doesn't really understand, and dismisses his actions as "fits."

How do modern politics and the political system impact the government's ability to serve its citizens?

The primary responsibility of a government is to provide for the safety and well-being of its citizens.

Different parties have different beliefs about how to accomplish those goals. The more unified and cooperative a political system is, the more it can accomplish. Sometimes, however, the political process gets in its own way, which can lead to problems for citizens.

We have seen several very good examples of this kind of political dysfunction in recent years...

The primary responsibility of a government is to provide for the safety and well-being of its citizens.

Different parties have different beliefs about how to accomplish those goals. The more unified and cooperative a political system is, the more it can accomplish. Sometimes, however, the political process gets in its own way, which can lead to problems for citizens.

We have seen several very good examples of this kind of political dysfunction in recent years with the budget struggles between the two chambers of congress and the president.

In 2015 Congress could not agree on a budget so the government had to shut down for awhile. In 2014 it also shut down when the Affordable Care Act led to conflicts that temporarily prevented passage of that year's budget. This has also happened in the deeper past—Ronald Reagan once vetoed a budget that didn't contain the tax cuts he wanted, leading to a shutdown in the 1980s. These shutdowns were not a disaster, but they did lead to the disruption of some services for some citizens. They occurred because the Republicans and Democrats could not reach an agreement without first pushing their debate as far as it could possibly go.

Most politicians and news analysts feel that these kinds of party showdowns happen more often these days. Supposedly the opposing parties used to be more cooperative in the interest of getting things done. With the fragmenting of voters' political allegiances has come a degree of political gridlock that makes it tough to get things done sometimes.

We also see problems with local governments when public employees, like sanitation workers or teachers, go on strike. This usually happens when the workers are dissatisfied with their pay or benefits. Sometimes it's the fault of whatever party is in power in that area at that time, but sometimes the workers' dissatisfaction builds up over time, and probably across administrations of both parties. The problem with the political process in this situation is how to balance the public's desire for low taxes with their employees' desire for good working conditions.

Sometimes government services do not appear to be equally distributed. In education, for example, school districts in poor areas generally have to make do with less—less money, fewer supplies, less qualified teachers, less motivated students. This is because much of education is funded through local property taxes, which are generated at a higher rate in affluent areas. While this aspect of the political system allows for local control of education, it also makes it more difficult for poorer areas to rise out of poverty. It is both an economic issue and a political one, since politicians could, if they chose, find a way to allocate funds equally.

In a democracy filled with diverse political groups, inequities and conflicts are going to arise. Parties want to solve these problems in different ways. These differences can, and often do, lead to inaction or marginally effective action by governments.

How is the American Dream portrayed in The Great Gatsby?

The American Dream (the belief that one can win fulfillment by working hard) is central to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and it's portrayed in a variety of ways. On the one hand, the American Dream can be seen in Gatsby's pursuit of wealth. A self-made man, Gatsby claws his way out of poverty by earning money any way that he can, and it's suggested that he employs certain illegal means to acquire his...

The American Dream (the belief that one can win fulfillment by working hard) is central to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and it's portrayed in a variety of ways. On the one hand, the American Dream can be seen in Gatsby's pursuit of wealth. A self-made man, Gatsby claws his way out of poverty by earning money any way that he can, and it's suggested that he employs certain illegal means to acquire his wealth. Additionally, the American Dream can be seen in Gatsby's desire to win Daisy's love. Gatsby only acquires his vast fortune to win her affection, as a woman as wealthy Daisy would never have been able to marry a man as poor as the young Gatsby, and it's suggested that Gatsby believes acquiring Daisy will make him happy. In short, the American Dream is shown to be the pursuit of possessions, including material possessions, such as Gatsby's fortune, and less concrete possessions, such as Daisy's affection.

Ultimately, the novel portrays the American Dream as hollow and empty. Gatsby fails to win Daisy, he dies alone, and his life's work is proved to be a failure. In the end, Fitzgerald questions the material lust that drives the American Dream, and he ultimately concludes that the whole enterprise is shallow and misguided.

Mark Antony, not Julius Caesar, is the true hero in Julius Caesar. How far do you agree with this statement?

Readers have long noted that, despite the fact that the play is named after him, Julius Caesar is not really about Julius Caesar, and in fact focuses on the deeds of other characters. In that case, I could agree to a certain extent that Mark Antony is the true hero of the play. After all, Antony takes over a significant amount of power after Caesar's death, and he essentially leads the efforts to rise up...

Readers have long noted that, despite the fact that the play is named after him, Julius Caesar is not really about Julius Caesar, and in fact focuses on the deeds of other characters. In that case, I could agree to a certain extent that Mark Antony is the true hero of the play. After all, Antony takes over a significant amount of power after Caesar's death, and he essentially leads the efforts to rise up against the conspirators and punish them for murdering Caesar. Based on these details, it is possible to see Antony as the hero, especially if you see the conspirators as evil.

However, you also have to take into account that much of what Antony does in the play is motivated by self-interest and the desire for power, rather than a desire to do good or to help Rome. As such, it's often hard to see him as a hero. Instead, many critics have noted that Brutus seems to be the tragic hero of the play. Only Brutus acts out of the selfless desire to protect Rome and its citizens, and he loses his life because he is noble, heroic, and trusting. Indeed, Brutus originally is reluctant to kill Caesar in the first place, and he only agrees to join the conspirators when he believes that common Romans want him to. Thus, if we're going to talk about heroes in Julius Caesar, it makes more sense to me to call Brutus the hero, rather than Mark Antony. 

RE: "Offrir des fleurs aux vendeuses?" I am given this sentence and need to rewrite it with pronouns. I think it's supposed to be something like...

RE: Offrir des fleurs aux vendeuses?

If you are to use pronouns for every noun in the question, then you will need to replace "some flowers" (des fleurs) with a pronoun also, will you not?

--The Question  Here is what you have written: Tu leur as offris at fleurs?

1. If you are making this sentence in the past and using Passé. Composé, the past participle of offrir is offert, not offris.

2...

RE: Offrir des fleurs aux vendeuses?

If you are to use pronouns for every noun in the question, then you will need to replace "some flowers" (des fleurs) with a pronoun also, will you not?

--The Question  Here is what you have written: Tu leur as offris at fleurs?

1. If you are making this sentence in the past and using Passé. Composé, the past participle of offrir is offert, not offris.

2.  des fleurs (some flowers) is an indefinite article with a noun, so should this not be changed also? The pronoun to replace des fleurs with is en. Whenever en (meaning "some") is used with another object pronoun, it always comes in the second position.

**So, this gives you the following sentence: Tu leur en as offert? (Did you offer them some?)

--The Answer   Here is what you have written: "Non, ne me l'offris pas am fleurs

If the question is "Did you offer them some?" Then the answer in the negative should read "No, I did not offer them any." (Passé Composé of "I offered"=J'ai offert; to them=leur; any=en)

**So, this is the sentence you want: Non, je ne leur en ai pas offert.(No, I did not offer them any.)

Bonne Chance!

Consumers’ decision making can be reflective of that of a gambler, with regard to their aversion or willingness to take risks. The framing effect...

Framing in psychology refers to changing people's preferences or biases based on the way a question or problem is presented. For example, people in psychological studies have been shown to avoid risk in a positive frame (that is, saving lives) but engage in risks if the frame is negative (that is, people will die or be hurt in some way if a risk is not taken). People regard losses as more significant than gains that...

Framing in psychology refers to changing people's preferences or biases based on the way a question or problem is presented. For example, people in psychological studies have been shown to avoid risk in a positive frame (that is, saving lives) but engage in risks if the frame is negative (that is, people will die or be hurt in some way if a risk is not taken). People regard losses as more significant than gains that are equivalent to the loss.

In the weight-loss industry, Weight Watchers is the market leader, and Jenny Craig is not the market leader. An ad for Jenny Craig that uses the framing effect could emphasize the risks of not joining the program. For example, the first part of the ad could show someone who used Jenny Craig and lost lots of weight, became healthier, and (as these weight-loss programs often emphasize) happier. That person, for example, could be shown getting married or playing with a child. Then, a person could be shown who did not use Jenny Craig. Instead, this person used another weight-loss program and is still not at his or her ideal weight, has health problems, and is afraid to date. The first part of the ad uses positive framing, and the second part of the ad uses negative framing. The second ad could include slogans such as "Don't miss out!" or "You can't afford to miss this chance to join Jenny Craig!" In other words, consumers will be faced with negative outcomes if they don't join. To avoid these outcomes, they will take the risk of switching their preference for other diet plans (or no diet plans at all) and joining Jenny Craig. 

How were important events used to highlight the idea of control or manipulation in Macbeth?

When the witches tell Macbeth that he will be the king of Scotland, they awaken his secret ambition which drives him to commit various atrocious deeds, such as the assassination of king Duncan. In a way, the witches manipulate Macbeth into transforming himself into a cold-blooded murderer. Certainly, he is the one responsible for killing Duncan and others despite having been influenced by the witches' prophecy because he does have free will to decide what...

When the witches tell Macbeth that he will be the king of Scotland, they awaken his secret ambition which drives him to commit various atrocious deeds, such as the assassination of king Duncan. In a way, the witches manipulate Macbeth into transforming himself into a cold-blooded murderer. Certainly, he is the one responsible for killing Duncan and others despite having been influenced by the witches' prophecy because he does have free will to decide what to do and what not to do.

Another instance of manipulation is seen when Lady Macbeth utilizes her persuasiveness to convince her husband to pursue his evil ambitions. When she hears that Duncan will be her guest, she sees this as a perfect opportunity for him to be eliminated so that Macbeth could take the throne. She immediately persuades her husband to act.

As the play progresses, scenes of manipulation and control become even more conspicuous. When Macbeth becomes the king, he uses methods of intimidation and manipulation to gain what he wants and to ensure his power and successful reign. Any opponent of his is bound to be eliminated. For example, this can be seen when Macbeth orders the assassination of Banquo and his son.

Although Macbeth becomes the one who resorts to control and manipulation, the play demonstrates that he is the one that is manipulated by the witches towards the end of the play. His naive trust in the witches influences his downfall, as he truly believes that "none of woman born shall harm" him.

In "The Canterville Ghost," what is the encounter between the two "ghosts" like?

 The encounter between the two ghosts takes place in Chapter Three of "The Canterville Ghost." In this scene, it is late at night and all members of the Otis family are asleep in bed. The ghost is planning to frighten Washington Otis but, as he makes his way towards the boy's room, he is confronted by a terrible sight:

Right in front of him was standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and...

 The encounter between the two ghosts takes place in Chapter Three of "The Canterville Ghost." In this scene, it is late at night and all members of the Otis family are asleep in bed. The ghost is planning to frighten Washington Otis but, as he makes his way towards the boy's room, he is confronted by a terrible sight:

Right in front of him was standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and monstrous as a madman's dream!

After using heavy description to portray this other ghost, Wilde quickly switches his tactic by employing humour to describe the Canterville ghost's reaction:

Never having seen a ghost before, he naturally was terribly frightened, and, after a second hasty glance at the awful phantom, he fled back to his room.

This use of humour is effective in lightening the mood of the story. That the Canterville ghost has never seen a ghost before is also an example of irony, used here for comic effect. Wilde further adds to the humour when the Canterville ghost returns to confront this other ghost. Realising that this ghost is nothing more than a dummy, the Canterville ghost vows to take his revenge. He is foiled again, however, when the cockerel does not crow for a second time, making his oath completely worthless.

What does the third stanza of "Still I Rise" mean?

The third stanza of Angelou's "Still I Rise" is based upon a series of similes.  Throughout the poem, the narrator, an African-American female, is making the point that nothing that white people have done to African-Americans throughout hundreds of years will stop them from overcoming their obstacles and succeeding.  This stanza shows this with a comparison of the sun, the moon, the tides, and hope. The sun rises each day, as does the moon. The...

The third stanza of Angelou's "Still I Rise" is based upon a series of similes.  Throughout the poem, the narrator, an African-American female, is making the point that nothing that white people have done to African-Americans throughout hundreds of years will stop them from overcoming their obstacles and succeeding.  This stanza shows this with a comparison of the sun, the moon, the tides, and hope. The sun rises each day, as does the moon. The tide rises.  Hope, we all know, rises, too, no matter how bad things get. It is human to hope, even in the worst of times. So the narrator is telling the reader she is like all of these phenomena, and she will continue to rise, to triumph over the adversity that African-Americans have endured since they were brought forcibly to American shores.    

In "The Tell-Tale Heart," what effect does the visit from the police have on the narrator?

When the police first arrive at the narrator's apartment, he is feeling supremely confident; he is so confident, in fact, that he brings in some chairs for the officers and places them directly over the spot where he's buried the old man's body.  He says, "I was singularly at ease."  However, the longer the officers sit there, the more nervous the narrator gets.  He hears a ringing in his ears that increases in volume until...

When the police first arrive at the narrator's apartment, he is feeling supremely confident; he is so confident, in fact, that he brings in some chairs for the officers and places them directly over the spot where he's buried the old man's body.  He says, "I was singularly at ease."  However, the longer the officers sit there, the more nervous the narrator gets.  He hears a ringing in his ears that increases in volume until he begins to think that it is not inside his own head but outside.  He talks louder to cover it up.  He describes it as "a low, dull, quick sound -- much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton," and this is precisely the way he described the sound he thought was the old man's heartbeat, just before the narrator killed him.  However, the old man is dead, and so the sound must be the narrator's own heartbeat, speeding up from his adrenaline.  The narrator grows suspicious that the officers suspect him of murder, and he eventually confesses.  Although he is calm at first, the presence of the police makes him so nervous that he guiltily confesses, having misinterpreted the sound of his own rapid heartbeat as well as the behavior of the officers who "chatted pleasantly, and smiled." 

Why do you think the play "Metamora" by John Augustus Stone won the playwriting contest, and what was the judge looking for?

Metamora; or, The Last of the Wampanoags is a play that was written by John Augustus Stone (an American playwright and actor) in 1829 in response to a contest funded by actor Edwin Forrest. 

Forrest outlined his criteria for the competition in The New York Critic, writing that he would award  500 dollars to "the best tragedy, in five acts, of which the hero, or principal character, shall be an aboriginal of this country."...

Metamora; or, The Last of the Wampanoags is a play that was written by John Augustus Stone (an American playwright and actor) in 1829 in response to a contest funded by actor Edwin Forrest. 

Forrest outlined his criteria for the competition in The New York Critic, writing that he would award  500 dollars to "the best tragedy, in five acts, of which the hero, or principal character, shall be an aboriginal of this country." The Committee of Award, which was led by William Cullen Bryant, selected Metamora out of the fourteen plays submitted to the contest. 

Metamora was, thus, likely chosen because it perfectly fit Forrest's aforementioned criteria; the play in five acts follows the conflict between the titular Metamora (a Wampanoag hero) and the Puritans who tried to settle New England in the 1600s. The play ends in tragedy, with Metamora stabbing his beloved wife, Nehmeokee, to death in order to prevent the "palefaces" from slaying her. Metamora is immediately thereafter killed by the arriving soldiers, and he dies cursing the white men and calling out the name of his wife.

This "romantic" ending was also probably attractive to the contest's judge, since its dramatic nature was in in line with the particular talents of Forrest, who got his start playing Othello (another non-white "outsider" character who causes the death of both himself and his wife) in New York. Without a doubt, choosing Metamora as the winner was smart: both the play and Forrest were greeted with immense success, bringing in record profits and sparking a trend of sentimental "Indian" dramas in the theatre world.

(A note on the source used to answer this question: all of this information is readily available in the introductory comments that preface the play!)

In "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, how does Squeaky's view of Gretchen change?

Squeaky went from thinking that Gretchen was not genuine to feeling that she could be friends with her when she learned she really could run. 

Squeaky does not like the fact that girls are not honest with each other.  She says that when girls smile at each other, they are not really smiling.  Squeaky and Gretchen do not get along because they are both running in the May Day race, and because Squeaky thinks...

Squeaky went from thinking that Gretchen was not genuine to feeling that she could be friends with her when she learned she really could run. 

Squeaky does not like the fact that girls are not honest with each other.  She says that when girls smile at each other, they are not really smiling.  Squeaky and Gretchen do not get along because they are both running in the May Day race, and because Squeaky thinks Gretchen stole her friend. 

Squeaky’s objection to Gretchen is that she tells everyone that she can win the race.  Squeaky takes her running seriously, and she feels like she has that race in the bag. 

So as far as everyone’s concerned, I’m the fastest and that goes for Gretchen, too, who has put out the tale that she is going to win the first-place medal this year. Ridiculous. In the second place, she’s got short legs. In the third place, she’s got freckles. In the first place, no one can beat me and that’s all there is to it. 

She is annoyed that Gretchen and her “sidekicks” act like Gretchen will win the race.  Gretchen is new, and has been hanging around with friends that used to be Squeaky’s.  That hurts.  She feels that Gretchen doesn’t know what she is talking about because she is new.  She is also jealous of Gretchen’s friends. 

Squeaky’s perception of Gretchen changes completely when she comes in second place.  Gretchen is not a poser after all!  She is really a runner.  

And she nods to congratulate me and then she smiles. And I smile. We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. It’s about as real a smile as girls can do for each other, considering we don’t practice real smiling every day … 

Squeaky starts making all kinds of plans for hanging out with Gretchen, because now she has someone who likes running as much as she does.  She even feels like Gretchen can help her train Raymond, because it turns out he can run too.  Squeaky went from feeling lonely to feeling like she has a chance at a real friendship with Gretchen. 

What event marks the beginning of the modern world? The Renaissance? The Enlightenment? Or the French Revolution? Why?

Arguably, the Renaissance was the precursor for the events that you mention, in addition to the Protestant Reformation. Therefore, we could say that the Renaissance marks the beginning of modernity.

The Renaissance, culturally, is characterized by the emergence of humanism -- that is, a current of thought that places Man, or humanity, at the center, eschewing the supernatural as well as the supreme influence of the Church. Whereas Christianity taught us that human beings are...

Arguably, the Renaissance was the precursor for the events that you mention, in addition to the Protestant Reformation. Therefore, we could say that the Renaissance marks the beginning of modernity.

The Renaissance, culturally, is characterized by the emergence of humanism -- that is, a current of thought that places Man, or humanity, at the center, eschewing the supernatural as well as the supreme influence of the Church. Whereas Christianity taught us that human beings are innately sinful, humanists put forth the idea that we are inherently good and decent and that rational thought -- not salvation -- would provide the solution to our problems.

The Renaissance, which means "rebirth" in French, elevated Classical ideals of beauty and touted the importance of education. Literature did not go away during the Middle Ages -- stories were, in fact, very important to courtly life and, during the early 14th-century, "The Canterbury Tales" became the first Romance that was accessible to middle-class audiences. However, literacy became more widespread during the Renaissance after the invention of Johannes Gutenberg's printing press around 1440. (Note: There is Western bias here. The earliest document printed by movable type is the Jikji, an anthology of Zen teachings, printed in 1377. This evidence shows that the first printing press was, in fact, invented in Korea. However, the Korean press was rudimentary. Gutenberg's press was more technologically advanced, employing a matrix and hand mold, allowing for simpler and faster production).

Politically, more modern ideas of leadership also emerged. Niccolo Macchiavelli's "The Prince" encouraged the idea that a savvy political leader would prefer to be feared over being loved. He used the powerful Medici family as his model. In England, during the latter part of the Renaissance in the mid-16th century, Henry VIII appropriated the Protestant Reformation for his own selfish purposes and disavowed Catholicism, thereby declaring himself head of the Church of England, which led to the creation of Anglicanism.

Thus, the Renaissance is key to the emergence of modernity for three reasons: firstly, its daring proposition that faith in humanity is more important than faith in God; secondly, the invention of Gutenberg's printing press, which made it easier to share and spread information; thirdly, its dismantling of the supreme power of the Catholic Church in favor of a form of Christian faith which encouraged a more direct communication with God and personal access to Scripture.

These three events were revolutionary and, without them, the Enlightenment, which further questioned the infallibility of the Church and relied very much on print to spread ideas, would not have happened. Nor would the Scientific Revolution which preceded it. Finally, it was Enlightenment ideas which contributed to both the American and French Revolutions. One could, thus, view modernity as a time line which begins with the Renaissance and continues to our present day.

In "Aner Clute" from Spoon River Anthology, what is the real reason she ends up wasting her life going from bar to bar?

She ends up "wasting her life," as you put it, because of one error in judgment that marks her for life.

In the poem, she claims that people asked her the same question you do:

Over and over they used to ask me...

How I happened to lead the life,

And what was the start of it.

Her answer is true to life, but not the real reason why she "[leads] the life":

Well, I...

She ends up "wasting her life," as you put it, because of one error in judgment that marks her for life.

In the poem, she claims that people asked her the same question you do:

Over and over they used to ask me...

How I happened to lead the life,

And what was the start of it.

Her answer is true to life, but not the real reason why she "[leads] the life":

Well, I told them a silk dress,

And a promise of marriage from a rich man--

This is the story that people expect to hear: a materialistic young woman "loses her virtue" to a rich man who makes "a promise of marriage," but does not come through.

It was, instead, the unfair judgment of others, and their need to mark her as a woman of ill-repute, that make it impossible for her to lead a normal life. She uses the analogy of a boy who steals an apple. Instead of getting sympathy and a brief admonishment, he becomes marked as a thief by every member of society. As a result, he cannot find work and decides to become what everyone believes him to be anyway.

Aner Clute is the same: because everyone wishes to believe that she is a tramp, she becomes one. Her identity is marked by one faulty act committed in her youth.

In "The Road Not Taken," how might the two roads stand for two ways of life?

The two roads can really stand in for any two choices or possibilities, including two different ways of life.  Just as the speaker considers the two roads before him, he might consider two possible life paths which are open to him at a particular moment in time.  He claims that the second option is "just as fair" as the first, just as two possible ways of life might seem equally appealing (line 6).  Further, he...

The two roads can really stand in for any two choices or possibilities, including two different ways of life.  Just as the speaker considers the two roads before him, he might consider two possible life paths which are open to him at a particular moment in time.  He claims that the second option is "just as fair" as the first, just as two possible ways of life might seem equally appealing (line 6).  Further, he says, "[...] the passing there / Had worn them really about the same" (9-10).  He means, here, that an approximately equal number of people have chosen each path, just as many numbers of people will have taken each of the ways of life which are open to us.  After the speaker chooses the second path, he engages in some wishful thinking, that someday he might return to that first path and see where it leads, but, he says, "knowing how way leads on to way, / I doubted if I should ever come back" (14-15).  Once one chooses a particular way of life, one cannot really switch gears and suddenly choose a different one, or, at least, it's extremely difficult to do so. 

What are some topics that are explored throughout the novel Monster?

Walter Dean Myers examines several topics which include identity, the criminal justice system, fear, and morality throughout his novel Monster. In the novel, Steve Harmon struggles with his identitywhile he is on trial. He initially agrees to participate in the robbery because he wants to be viewed as tough throughout his neighborhood. While Steve is in jail, he begins to notice that he looks similar to the other inmates and struggles with his...

Walter Dean Myers examines several topics which include identity, the criminal justice system, fear, and morality throughout his novel Monster. In the novel, Steve Harmon struggles with his identity while he is on trial. He initially agrees to participate in the robbery because he wants to be viewed as tough throughout his neighborhood. While Steve is in jail, he begins to notice that he looks similar to the other inmates and struggles with his identity. After Petrocelli refers to him as a monster, Steve begins to wonder if she was correct. Myers also examines the impersonal, corrupt justice system where inmates are offered plea bargains to testify, and defendants are essentially helpless. Another significant topic throughout the novel is fear. While Steve is in jail, fear dramatically affects his mental stability. Steve continually mentions the possibility of committing suicide and struggles to adapt to the violent environment. Fear even affects who will testify in the trial. Mr. Zinzi openly admits that he was willing to accept a plea bargain because he was afraid of being sexually assaulted. Myers also analyzes morals and values throughout the novel. Inmates, including Steve Harmon, try to justify their actions by "splitting moral hairs" and questioning their values. Topics such as truth and right vs. wrong are examined as individuals struggle with their past mistakes and try to redeem themselves.

What examples of humor can you find in the first two pages of Scene i in Romeo and Juliet? Why do you think Shakespeare injected humor into the...

Romeo and Juliet begins with a conversation between Sampson and Gregory, two servants belonging to the Capulet household. Sampson is spoiling for a fight, bragging about his readiness to thrash the Montagues. Gregory teases him, tacitly inviting him to engage in a verbal tennis match. Most of the humor in this scene springs from the puns that the two men exchange.

Sampson starts by exclaiming, “. . . we’ll not carry coals” -- i.e., “We’re not going to tolerate their trash.” Gregory picks up the word “coals” and, pretending to take it literally, tosses back the word “colliers” (i.e., menial laborers who dig coal for a living.) Sampson sticks to his point -- insisting that he’s determined to fight -- but he also wants to participate in Gregory’s game, and so he tops Gregory by using a word that riffs on “collier”: “an we be in choler, we'll draw” (i.e., “If we get angry, we’ll draw our swords on them.”) Gregory bests him by coming up with yet a third homophonous word: “Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.”

Shakespeare loves creating scenes like this, where one character initiates a “game” and another picks up on the “rules” and joins in. It’s one of his favorite ways to reveal both rapport and competitiveness. (For more examples, take a look at As You Like It IV, i; Richard III I, ii. “I would I knew thy heart” through “To take is not to give”; and Love’s Labour’s Lost  II, i. “Lady, I will commend you to mine own heart” through “I cannot stay thanksgiving.”)

By extension, the audience is also invited into the game. Shakespeare’s audiences loved linguistic play. One function of the humor in this scene is to draw us in and focus our attention.

As the conversation progresses, Sampson and Gregory introduce ever more bawdy jokes into their punning competition. Then two Montague serving men arrive, and a physical fight breaks out. There’s no more witty dialogue now: just rage and violence. Benvolio appears and tries to stop it, but Juliet’s furious cousin Tybalt runs in and attacks him. A mob pours in, joining in on both sides of the brawl. Lord Capulet and Lord Montague arrive and are instantly at each other’s throats. All is chaos until the Prince appears -- the most powerful authority in Verona -- and puts a temporary stop to the fight.

Each character who appears is more powerful and important than the last, until even the heads of the two great houses are brawling in the street. By starting the scene with two lowly servants exchanging puns, Shakespeare shows us how insubstantial the basis of the Montague/Capulet feud really is.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Shakespeare frequently juxtaposes violence and tragedy with humor. Look, for example, at Romeo and Juliet IV, 4. Juliet is found “dead,” and her parents and Paris express shock and grief. Immediately afterwards, the servant Peter jokes with the musicians who were to have played at Juliet’s wedding. By doing this, do you think Shakespeare emphasizes the intensity of the tragedy? What do you think the effect is of this sudden plunge from high drama into low comedy?

What does the phrase "the coarser realities of life" mean in H. H. Munro's "The Mouse"?

For Theodoric, the main character of "The Mouse," written by H.H. Munro (who was also known as Saki), anything that presents even the slightest bit of discomfort represents "the coarser realities of life." It is clear that his mother, "whose chief solicitude had been to keep him screened from what she called the coarser realities of life," raised him so that he did not need to deal with any discomforts or inconveniences. Therefore, after she...

For Theodoric, the main character of "The Mouse," written by H.H. Munro (who was also known as Saki), anything that presents even the slightest bit of discomfort represents "the coarser realities of life." It is clear that his mother, "whose chief solicitude had been to keep him screened from what she called the coarser realities of life," raised him so that he did not need to deal with any discomforts or inconveniences. Therefore, after she dies, he struggles to deal with anything that presents the slightest difficulty, including harnessing the pony that will bring him to the train station.

Mice certainly fall into the category of "the coarser realties of life" for Theodoric. As Munro writes, "Without being actually afraid of mice, Theodoric classed them among the coarser incidents of life." Theodoric feels that mice are dispensable and that Providence should have gotten rid of them a long time ago. Theodoric extricates a mouse from his clothes to his great consternation and embarrassment, as he is sharing a train compartment with a fellow traveler. He does not realize until the end of his journey that she is subject to far more than "the coarser realities of life," as she is blind. Therefore, he has worried for no reason, since she did not see him extricate the mouse from his clothing, and she has far greater worries than he does. 

How do the characters in Golding's Lord of the Flies use the idea of the beast differently?

Upon hearing about the existence of a "beastie," Ralph immediately tries to dismiss the thought in order to maintain control of the group. Ralph understands that fear can make the boys act irrationally and distract them from accomplishing the necessary tasks on the island to survive and possibly be rescued. Ralph attempts to convince the littluns that there is no "beast" so that they will be able to sleep peacefully and not live in...

Upon hearing about the existence of a "beastie," Ralph immediately tries to dismiss the thought in order to maintain control of the group. Ralph understands that fear can make the boys act irrationally and distract them from accomplishing the necessary tasks on the island to survive and possibly be rescued. Ralph attempts to convince the littluns that there is no "beast" so that they will be able to sleep peacefully and not live in fear. However, the littluns continue to fear the "beast" despite the other older boys' insistence that it does not exist. Piggy attempts to solve the issue about the beast pragmatically and states that the only thing to fear is people. Jack initially dismisses the existence of the "beast," but after he usurps Ralph's position as leader, he manipulates the boys' fear of the "beast" to his advantage. He begins to propagate the idea that the "beast" does exist by telling his hunters to leave a severed pig's head as a sacrifice. Jack also tells his boys that he will protect them from the "beast," which only increases his power over the boys. After the boys kill Simon, who they mistake as the "beast," Jack tells them that the "beast" can shape shift so that he can continue to manipulate their fears. Only Simon understands the true nature of the "beast." Simon fails at his attempt to explain that the "beast" is the inherent evil present in each individual. After Simon sees the corpse of the paratrooper, he immediately runs to tell the boys. Simon simply wishes to share the truth with the boys and does not try to manipulate their fears like Jack.

What does Wordsworth wish to imply by the words "feels its life in every limb?"

In the first stanza of "We Are Seven," a stanza composed by Samuel Coleridge and added to William Wordsworth's poem, Wordsworth and Coleridge seek to draw a contrast between the little girl's siblings who have passed away and the little girl herself. The living child, the eight-year-old "cottage Girl," is able to run around actively, playing and interacting with others in physical form. The narrator in the poem feels the need to point this difference...

In the first stanza of "We Are Seven," a stanza composed by Samuel Coleridge and added to William Wordsworth's poem, Wordsworth and Coleridge seek to draw a contrast between the little girl's siblings who have passed away and the little girl herself. The living child, the eight-year-old "cottage Girl," is able to run around actively, playing and interacting with others in physical form. The narrator in the poem feels the need to point this difference out to the child in stanza 9: 

“You run about, my little Maid, 

Your limbs they are alive; 

If two are in the church-yard laid, 

Then ye are only five.” 

It befuddles the narrator that the girl speaks of her brother and sister who are buried in the churchyard as if they are still part of her family. He seeks to impart reality to the girl by telling her that she is different from her dead siblings in that she can use her arms and legs. In the first stanza, the poem also points out that such a child "lightly draws its breath." A living, breathing child with active limbs should not really be able to understand death, the poet suggests. Such a weighty issue is hard enough for adults to grapple with. The poet seems content in the end to let the little girl "have her will" and go on living with her simple and sweet understanding of life, death, and family relationships.

What was surprising in Gary Paulsen's Hatchet?

Brian's evolution is an element of surprise in Hatchet.

As the novel begins, Brian is a withdrawn, emotionally challenged teenager. He sees his parents' divorce as the worst thing that could happen to him. When Brian boards the plane to Canada, he keeps to himself as he dwells on what happened with his parents. From the moment the pilot suffers his heart attack, Brian must deal with the reality of survival. 

I think Brian's change...

Brian's evolution is an element of surprise in Hatchet.

As the novel begins, Brian is a withdrawn, emotionally challenged teenager. He sees his parents' divorce as the worst thing that could happen to him. When Brian boards the plane to Canada, he keeps to himself as he dwells on what happened with his parents. From the moment the pilot suffers his heart attack, Brian must deal with the reality of survival. 

I think Brian's change is surprising because it shows how we can adapt when circumstances demand it. When Brian struggles with the moose, withstands the tornado, and plucks out the porcupine's needles, he has no time to dwell on the past. In this setting, being emotionally withdrawn decreases his chance of surviving. Brian's change is surprising because of the amount of strength he displays. He is able to use moments from his life to define his response to the challenges that confront him. For example, he remembers what Perpich, his English teacher, told the class about positive thinking and the ability to overcome overwhelming odds.  

It is surprising to see Brian change from a typical teenager into a young man who embraces "tough hope." Brian changes from someone who knew very little about how to function in nature to being knowledgeable about food sources and shelter, as well as how to create weapons for food. Seeing the arc of this change throughout the narrative is surprising.  

What is Jane Austen's tone in Emma?

The tone of the novel Emmais both ironic and sympathetic. There are many examples of the ironic tone in the novel. For example, Emma thinks herself to be an excellent matchmaker. She sets her eyes upon helping Harriet Smith. Harriet expresses to Emma that she has a romantic interest in Mr. Robert Martin, the farmer. Emma is adamant that Mr. Martin is below Harriet socially. Emma insists her new friend seek to marry someone...

The tone of the novel Emma is both ironic and sympathetic. There are many examples of the ironic tone in the novel. For example, Emma thinks herself to be an excellent matchmaker. She sets her eyes upon helping Harriet Smith. Harriet expresses to Emma that she has a romantic interest in Mr. Robert Martin, the farmer. Emma is adamant that Mr. Martin is below Harriet socially. Emma insists her new friend seek to marry someone above her in social standing. She tries to match Harriet with Mr. Elton, but Mr. Elton is interested in Emma, not Harriet. Emma is unaware of this. Emma tries to bring Harriet and Mr. Elton together, but all the while he is interested in the matchmaker herself. An example of this is when Emma creates a portrait of Harriet. Mr. Elton expresses his interest in the portrait. Emma thinks this is because he is interested in Harriet. Instead, it is because he is interested in Emma, the portrait's painter. The man Emma chose for her friend was interested in Emma herself.

The narrator is sympathetic in revealing Emma's character. Although Emma is often selfish and too focused on her own goals to see the truth, she is not portrayed as an unkind character. She is charitable to the poor, and in the end she even gives her blessing to Harriet to marry Mr. Martin. Mr. Knightley tells Emma about Harriet and Mr. Martin's plans to marry. Emma wishes them well. Mr. Knightley notes Emma has "materially changed since [they] talked on this subject before" (Emma, Chapter XVIII). Emma then admits she was foolish to discourage them. The narrator shows Emma sees the error of her ways and has changed for the better.

To what extent does Tom Buchanan value power over others, and how does this manifest itself throughout The Great Gatsby?

Tom values power over others to a great extent. At the beginning of the novel, he is unable to fully control his wife. She pokes fun at him and his ideas, calls him a "brute" even though he hates that word, is angry with him for his infidelity, and feels disillusioned about their life together. This may be part of the reason Tom has so many affairs. He likely enjoys his ability to control Myrtle Wilson: when he orders her to "Get on the next train," she does it. The one time Myrtle disobeys him, saying Daisy's name over and over, "Tom broke her nose with his open hand." It seems Tom greatly enjoys the level of control he can typically exercise over his mistress; when he cannot control her, he lashes out. 

Tom also sadistically enjoys exercising control over Myrtle's husband, George, a mechanic who desperately wants to buy Tom's older car so that he can sell it and make some money. When Wilson asks about it, and Tom replies that he's having his man work on it a bit, Wilson says, "Works pretty slow, don't he?" because Tom has delayed this transaction for some time. Tom responds that his man does not work slowly and threatens to sell the car elsewhere. Tom enjoys dangling the car in front of Wilson, watching the poor man who lives a sad, spiritless life in the valley of the ashes and whose wife is Tom's mistress, backpedal and defer to what Tom says. 

After Tom realizes Daisy loves Gatsby and George tells him that he learned Myrtle has been having an affair, Nick sees that Tom is quite concerned: "His wife and his mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate, were slipping precipitately from his control." Tom hates being out of control, and so he reveals the illegal means by which Gatsby has made his money (bootlegging), partially bringing Daisy back into his control. When Nick next sees the couple, sitting at their table, Tom's "hand had fallen upon and covered [Daisy's] own," so it seems he regains some semblance of control over his wife, having lost it utterly over his mistress (who is now dead). 

It seems that, in most of Tom's personal relationships, he aims to retain the upper hand.  He orders Nick around, he orders Myrtle around, he manipulates George to feel more powerful, and he even successfully brings Daisy into his control by convincing her to abandon her lover. 

The following is a fictional balance of payments accounts of a country labeled Surplus Land, which pegs its exchange rate to the dollar and...

(1) There are a lot of terms to keep track of, but once you know what each of these things is, it's simply a matter of adding up the proper columns.

Trade balance is the same thing as net exports, and is calculated as exports minus imports (here they already gave us imports as negative numbers), including both goods and services:
100 billion yuan + 5 billion yuan - 50 billion yuan - 20 billion yuan = 35 billion yuan

Current account balance is net exports plus net transfers:
35 billion yuan - 2 billion yuan = 33 billion yuan

Capital account balance is net return on foreign capital plus net change in foreign reserves:
20 billion yuan - 3 billion yuan - 50 billion yuan = - 33 billion yuan

Notice that the following balance of payments equation holds:
(capital account balance) + (current account balance) = 0

In theory, this should always hold. In the real world, sometimes errors or hidden assets cause the two figures to be different, but for Surplus Land we have perfect figures so the identity must be exact.

The official settlements balance is the same as the net change in foreign reserves:
- 50 billion yuan

(2) Surplus Land's current account imbalance comes from their high net exports--their trade surplus, hence the name. They are selling more goods than they are purchasing, and thereby increasing their stock of money.

They are financing this current account surplus with a capital account deficit, which in this case means depleting their foreign reserves.

This is not sustainable, because eventually they're going to run out of reserves. When that happens, they'll have no choice but to let the currency float so that it can rise in value and cancel out the trade surplus.

They may be reluctant to do so, however, as for the time being this trade surplus allows them to take in more money than they are paying out, which directly increases their GDP, and could be used to support a fiscal deficit without government debt.

Why is The Sound and the Fury considered a modernist text?

Modernist writers often focused on fragmented, nonlinear narrations which sometimes dealt with themes of isolation and loss. These elements are in abundance in William Faulkner's novel The Sound and the Fury. The novel is mostly set in the mythical town of Jefferson, Mississippi and tells the story of the once aristocratic Compson family through the eyes of four different characters. Faulkner uses a nonlinear approach in weaving his plot, with the opening chapter set on "April Seventh, 1928" but then back tracking to 1910, before returning to April, 1928 with two more chapters set on the day before and the day after the seventh.

Faulkner also employs the modernist technique of "stream of consciousness," a mode of writing utilized by the famous European writers James Joyce and Virginia Woolf. Streams of thoughts without chronological order pervade the text, especially in the first chapter which is told from the point of view of the mentally challenged Benjy Compson whose thoughts alternate between present day events and past experiences. This fragmented style is in direct correlation to the disjointed way in which Benjy experiences reality. Faulkner employed italics to delineate the flashbacks which are frequent in Benjy's telling of the story.

Likewise, chapter two, told from the point of view of Benjy's older brother Quentin, takes the reader back to 1910 and again fluctuates between Quentin's present day activities and the past. This chapter focuses primarily on what Quentin perceives is his family's loss of reputation because his sister Caddy has become pregnant out of wedlock. Quentin is unable to reconcile his southern heritage of honor and chivalry with his sister's promiscuity. He eventually commits suicide by drowning. This chapter also makes use of fragmented text and incomplete thoughts. Even in appearance, the text often lacks punctuation and doesn't conform to the accepted rules of grammar (the modernist poet E.E. Cummings also abandoned punctuation principals in his work).

The third chapter shifts back to the day before Benjy's section and tells the story of Benjy's and Quentin's younger brother Jason, who has been left as the caretaker of his family, which now consists of his hypochondriac mother, Benjy, the undisciplined and promiscuous Quentin, the illegitimate daughter of Caddy, as well as several black servants. Jason's section is the most linear and conventional part of the book. It tells the story from the first person point of view of Jason. The chapter further dwells on the family's loss of honor as Jason has become bitter and cynical as he attempts to keep the family's economic situation from deteriorating. 

The final chapter again shifts its narrative technique as it contrasts with other chapters because it abandons the first person narrative which dominated the first three sections. It is told from several perspectives but basically focuses on the black servant Dilsey, who is the real head of the Compson family. The chapter also relates the story of how young Quentin takes off with the money Jason had hidden away in his bedroom safe. The money was a combination of Jason's life savings and the money he had stolen which had been originally meant for Miss Quentin's support. The episode highlights the losses which continue to plague the family.

Faulkner's novel is a masterpiece of shifting viewpoints and narrative techniques. Although many of the same events are related throughout the book, it is often difficult to resolve these different versions in any comprehensible fashion. This, of course, was Faulkner's purpose. He viewed the world as highly fragmented and difficult to understand because each individual has his or her own version of what the truth might be at any given point in time. The Sound and the Fury was only the beginning of Faulkner's experimentation and he would write even more challenging modernist novels such as As I Lay Dying and Absalom, Absalom.

What are some rights that citizens enjoy in a democracy?

There is no official list of all the rights that people must have in order for their government to be a democracy.  Therefore, different people could give different answers to this question.  In general, though, a government is only democratic if it guarantees that its people will have the right to make their voices heard on political issues and that they will have the right to live their lives as they wish.

In general, the citizens of a democracy have to have rights that allow them to have a say on political issues.  This means that they have to have the right to vote.  It also means that they have to have the right to freedom of speech.  If people cannot say what they think about the government or about various political issues, their country is not very democratic.  The people also have to have the right to be informed about their government and their society.  Therefore, a democracy needs to have freedom of the press so that the media can help people know what their government is doing and what problems exist in their society.  If a government does not grant these rights, it is not democratic.

Democracies also generally have to protect their citizens’ rights to live their lives as they wish.  What this means is that the people should have the right to freedom of religion.  They should have the right to live wherever they want to (and can afford to).  They should have the right to dress as they wish and listen to whatever music they want to listen to.  In other words, in a democracy, the people should be able to, within reason, do whatever they want to do and believe whatever they want to believe.

If a government protects all of these rights, it is certainly democratic.  If it protects only some of them, it is less clearly democratic.    For example, what if a government allows people to vote but tells them they must dress in certain ways because of the religion of the majority of the citizens?  Is that country democratic?  It is impossible to say for sure because there is no set list of rights that all people have to have in every democracy.  However, in general, the people in a democracy have to have the right to participate in politics and the right to believe and do whatever they want.

Is Lady Macbeth the greater villian then Macbeth as she was the backbone to his actions?

Many people do argue that Lady Macbeth is the more villainous of the two because Macbeth attempted to call off their traitorous, murderous plan.  In Act 1, scene 7, he tells her, "We will proceed no further in this business" (1.7.32).  He has considered the myriad reasons he has not to kill Duncan: Duncan is his guest, his king, his friend, his kinsman -- Duncan is a good king and a good man.  Macbeth admits...

Many people do argue that Lady Macbeth is the more villainous of the two because Macbeth attempted to call off their traitorous, murderous plan.  In Act 1, scene 7, he tells her, "We will proceed no further in this business" (1.7.32).  He has considered the myriad reasons he has not to kill Duncan: Duncan is his guest, his king, his friend, his kinsman -- Duncan is a good king and a good man.  Macbeth admits to having only one reason to commit the murder, his "Vaulting ambition," which is, evidently, not enough to compel him to go on with the plan.  It is not until Lady Macbeth insults his bravery and his masculinity that he relents and recommits to kill his friend.  She goads him on, pushing his buttons and deftly manipulating him so that he does exactly as she wants. 

However, Lady Macbeth later displays much more of a conscience than Macbeth does.  After he's ordered the murders of Banquo, Fleance, and Lady Macduff and her innocent children and servants, Lady Macbeth is seen sleepwalking, imagining that she cannot clean the king's blood from her hands.  She, at least, feels guilty, so guilty that she becomes unable to function and eventually takes her own life.  Macbeth grows worse and worse, more unscrupulous by the day, and some would use this as evidence to argue that he is the worse of the two.

Was Christopher Columbus good or evil or both?

First of all, I would say that essentially every person who has ever lived has been some combination of good and evil.  Both seem to be innate parts of our human nature.  Columbus was certainly both.  He was a man who had good qualities, but whose ambition led him to do thing that we, today, would see as evil.

If we can say that ambition and perseverance are good qualities in a person then Christopher...

First of all, I would say that essentially every person who has ever lived has been some combination of good and evil.  Both seem to be innate parts of our human nature.  Columbus was certainly both.  He was a man who had good qualities, but whose ambition led him to do thing that we, today, would see as evil.

If we can say that ambition and perseverance are good qualities in a person then Christopher Columbus was good in some ways.  Columbus had strong ambitions.  He wanted to be an important and respected person.  He was also willing to strive hard and to never give up in pursuit of his ambitions.  He tried time and again to get his voyage of exploration funded until finally he succeeded.  He pushed his men to continue the voyage when they were afraid that they were doomed.  We tend to honor people who are determined and driven.  Columbus definitely had these qualities.

On the other hand, Columbus did things that we certainly do not approve of today. When he saw the “Indians,” his main reaction was to think of how to exploit them.  He wrote about how easily they could be enslaved.  He forced them to work for him and punished them harshly when they did not do as he expected.  He sent hundreds of them back to Spain to be slaves.  Columbus was also a greedy man.  He and his brothers governed the colony that they were given so harshly and corruptly that he was eventually arrested and sent back to Spain in chains.  He also promised to give a large sum of money to whichever of his crew first sighted land, but then took the reward for himself, claiming that he had seen the land the night before the crewman saw it for the first time.  Like many people who are ambitious and driven, he was capable of being greedy and always wanted more for himself.

Like most people, then, Columbus was both good and bad.  He had good qualities that allowed him to succeed and bad qualities that showed up in the way he treated other people.

What did Killer Kane do to stop Max from escaping?

When Killer Kane, otherwise known as Max's father, Kenneth David Kane, gets released from prison and comes to kidnap his son, he ends up tying Max's hands and feet together, and tying that same rope to his own waist, so that Max can't sneak out while Kane is attempting to get some sleep. This happens in Chapter 17, after Max has sat down in a low chair:

What he does is tie up my feet...

When Killer Kane, otherwise known as Max's father, Kenneth David Kane, gets released from prison and comes to kidnap his son, he ends up tying Max's hands and feet together, and tying that same rope to his own waist, so that Max can't sneak out while Kane is attempting to get some sleep. This happens in Chapter 17, after Max has sat down in a low chair:

What he does is tie up my feet and hands and then he loops the end of the rope around his waist.

The effect is not just frightening but extremely uncomfortable for Max. His feet and hands feel tingly from his circulation being cut off by the ropes, and he can't move from the chair. He stays awake all night in the chair, trying to think of a way out of the situation.

You could also say that Killer Kane uses lies and manipulation to try to stop Max from escaping. The felon tells Max that he never did commit the murder of Max's mother, but Max doesn't believe him. (As a child, Max witnessed the crime with his own eyes and remembers it.) Killer Kane also tries to get his son to believe that Kane is really a victim, that he's "seeking shelter" from a world that's unfair and harsh to him. He even pretends to have sent Christmas presents to Max while in prison, as if he were a good father all along. He's doing all this to try to win Max's loyalty so that, of his own accord, Max won't run away from his kidnapper. And of course, it doesn't work: Max isn't as gullible as his father would like to believe.

How does Alida Spade view her life while her husband is alive, and then afterwards in "Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton?

When Mrs. Slade was younger and her husband Delphin was still alive, every day was exciting; however, after her husband's death, she finds being Slade's widow a "dullish business."

Mrs. Slade's life now is rather dull because she no longer has "exciting and unexpected obligations," such as preparing impromptu entertainment for her husband's business colleagues and going on international trips as his spouse because he was a corporate lawyer. Now, Alida Slade seeks vicarious excitement...

When Mrs. Slade was younger and her husband Delphin was still alive, every day was exciting; however, after her husband's death, she finds being Slade's widow a "dullish business."

Mrs. Slade's life now is rather dull because she no longer has "exciting and unexpected obligations," such as preparing impromptu entertainment for her husband's business colleagues and going on international trips as his spouse because he was a corporate lawyer. Now, Alida Slade seeks vicarious excitement by following the activities of her daughter as her chaperone, as does her old friend Grace Ansley. While these two women sit on the parapet looking down on the view of a Roman night that promises a full moon, they visualize each other figuratively "look[ing] through the wrong end of her little telescope."

The dramatic irony of this story lies in the misconceptions that the two women have long had about each other since they have viewed one another from the narrow optics of jealousies and resentments. In fact, Mrs. Slade has carried a resentment toward Mrs. Ansley all her life. For, when they were young, her friend Grace was one of those "exquisitely lovely" young women who incite jealousy in even their friends. This jealousy led Alida to fabricate a letter from her fiancé Delphin Slade to Grace, asking her to meet him at the Coliseum under the moonlight. Alida hoped she would wait for him alone and catch the notorious Roman fever. Then, if Grace became ill, Alida would have her out of the way until she was engaged to Delphin and "sure of him." For, she always knew that Grace was in love with Delphin.

In a final irony, Alida Slade finds her moments on the parapet with her old friend Grace Ansley anything but a "dullish business." Rather, they become a victory for the friend that Mrs. Slade has believed all these years to have been defeated. In the same Roman moonlight of years ago, Grace reveals that Delphin did come to the coliseum and, although no one ever knew, he fathered her daughter Barbara.

What are the main events of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare?

The first important event in the play is the Feast of Lupercal. Cassius talks Brutus into joining a conspiracy against Caesar. Meanwhile, Mark Antony offers Caesar a crown, which he refuses three times. This irritates Casca, Cassius, Brutus, and the others.

The conspirators gather at Brutus’s house. Having talked himself into killing Caesar, Brutus takes control of the group. He overrules Cassius in several decisions, including who should die aside from Caesar. Brutus wants to...

The first important event in the play is the Feast of Lupercal. Cassius talks Brutus into joining a conspiracy against Caesar. Meanwhile, Mark Antony offers Caesar a crown, which he refuses three times. This irritates Casca, Cassius, Brutus, and the others.

The conspirators gather at Brutus’s house. Having talked himself into killing Caesar, Brutus takes control of the group. He overrules Cassius in several decisions, including who should die aside from Caesar. Brutus wants to ensure the conspirators' actions are seen as noble.

Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,
And not dismember Caesar (Act II, Scene 1)! 

Caesar almost doesn’t make it to the senate on the Ides of March. His wife has a seemingly prophetic dream that he is in danger and urges him not to go. This supports the soothsayer’s warning that Caesar should “Beware the Ides of March.” Decius Brutus convinces Caesar the dream means something good, so Caesar agrees to go.

The conspirators gather around Caesar, pretending to have a suit for him. Casca stabs him first, followed by all the others. Brutus is the last person to stab Caesar, and Caesar asks him, “E tu, Brute?” Antony requests an audience with Brutus, and Brutus grants him safe passage. Antony shakes all the conspirators’ bloody hands, and gets permission from Brutus to speak at Caesar’s funeral after Brutus.

Brutus speaks to a welcoming crowd, telling them they are now free of the tyrannical Caesar. Antony then speaks, telling the crowd that the supposedly honorable men murdered Caesar. He shows them Caesar’s will. The angry crowd turns into a violent mob, targeting the conspirators and running them out of town.

Civil war breaks out from there. Antony, Octavius (Caesar’s heir), and Lepidus are on one side; Brutus and Cassius are on the other. Antony’s army leads a proscription to pay for its war, killing enemies or just taking their property.

At Philippi, Octavius and Antony are more successful than Brutus and Cassius. Cassius did not want to go to Philippi, and Brutus even had a visit from Caesar’s ghost about not going. Still, Brutus insisted they go there to fight Antony and Octavius. Cassius commits suicide after mistaking a victory for a defeat. Brutus then commits suicide. Antony says Brutus was the noblest Roman of them all.

What's a possible thesis statement for an essay themed on conformity and rebellion?

Thematically speaking, a thesis that focuses on conformity and rebellion is very possible to do from the story "Two Kinds."  The thing to remember about writing a thesis statement is that it is largely a statement of opinion.  It is possible for you to write a thesis statement like the following:

"The story 'Two Kinds' shows the themes of conformity and rebellion."  

The above statement is a statement of opinion about the story.  In...

Thematically speaking, a thesis that focuses on conformity and rebellion is very possible to do from the story "Two Kinds."  The thing to remember about writing a thesis statement is that it is largely a statement of opinion.  It is possible for you to write a thesis statement like the following:

"The story 'Two Kinds' shows the themes of conformity and rebellion."  

The above statement is a statement of opinion about the story.  In the body of your essay, you will need to prove to your readers where those themes are illustrated.  Broadly speaking, Jing-mei is rebelling against her mother's wishes instead of conforming to them.  

The previous thesis statement is manageable, but it is also really boring.  I would recommend doing a thesis statement that is a two-part statement.  That kind of thesis allows you to write about two sides of an issue.  For example:

"Although conforming to Suyuan's wishes would have been difficult for Jing-mei, rebelling against her mother was a much more difficult action."  

That thesis now allows you to focus on the themes of conformity and rebellion while also discussing the impacts that each action would have on the characters.   

In Shakespeare's As You Like It, what is the effect of the repetition in the last stage of man as described in Jaques' speech?

In Act 2, Scene 7 of As You Like It, the melancholy Jaques muses on the stages of life. The speech begins with infancy, with man "Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms" (144), and then it ends in a similar fashion, as Jaques claims that all of us return to an infantile state:

... Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history, 

Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes,...

In Act 2, Scene 7 of As You Like It, the melancholy Jaques muses on the stages of life. The speech begins with infancy, with man "Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms" (144), and then it ends in a similar fashion, as Jaques claims that all of us return to an infantile state:

... Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history, 

Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. (163-66)

Jaques' speech essentially muses on the ridiculousness of human life, as each of his seven stages can be seen as pathetic and bereft of dignity. The repetition in the final stage, in which man becomes a pathetic copy of his infant self, is particularly pessimistic, as it argues that the average human life accomplishes very little and all of our efforts simply take us back to the state in which we began. As such, by repeating the first stage of man in the final stage, Jaques underscores his pessimistic worldview and suggests that the course of human life is pathetic and full of folly. Of course, this opinion is Jaques' personal worldview, and so it isn't necessary to take it completely to heart. Indeed, the play's happy resolution does something to destabilize Jaques' pessimism. Be that as it may, Jaques' "Seven Ages of Man" remains an important and thought-provoking speech.  

What does segregation say about community values?

While the United States is more diverse than ever, many communities and schools remain segregated. Unlike the 1950s and 1960s, when segregation in many southern communities was the law (referred to as "de jure segregation"), today's segregation is de facto, meaning it occurs by fact. According to a study conducted by the Civil Rights Project in 2012 (see the link below), 43% of Latinos and 38% of African-Americans attend schools in which less...

While the United States is more diverse than ever, many communities and schools remain segregated. Unlike the 1950s and 1960s, when segregation in many southern communities was the law (referred to as "de jure segregation"), today's segregation is de facto, meaning it occurs by fact. According to a study conducted by the Civil Rights Project in 2012 (see the link below), 43% of Latinos and 38% of African-Americans attend schools in which less than 10% of the students are white.

This type of de facto segregation suggests that many communities are not invested in appreciating and encouraging diversity, but it is also a reflection of the values of our educational system. Many people, for example, choose schools that are reportedly performing better on standardized tests rather than choosing schools that have diverse populations. As poorer schools often have a hard time raising their scores on standardized tests, these choices have a cyclical effect--poorer schools tend to attract poorer, more diverse students, while higher-performing schools tend to attract wealthier, less diverse students. Educational policies tend to reinforce segregation. Therefore, segregation in communities can reflect deeply entrenched beliefs about encouraging sameness and avoiding diversity, and it can also be a reflection of the ways in which educational policies reinforce these ideas. 

Who became the leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin died in 1953?

When Stalin died on March 5 1953, he was replaced by Georgy Malenkov. In fact, Malenkov had held the position of Deputy Prime Minister since 1946 and was, to a certain extent, Stalin's heir apparent. The day after Stalin died, Malenkov became the Premier of the Soviet Union, a role which gave him total control.

Malenkov was not the only man with political ambition, however. Nikita Khrushchev was one such man and, within a few...

When Stalin died on March 5 1953, he was replaced by Georgy Malenkov. In fact, Malenkov had held the position of Deputy Prime Minister since 1946 and was, to a certain extent, Stalin's heir apparent. The day after Stalin died, Malenkov became the Premier of the Soviet Union, a role which gave him total control.

Malenkov was not the only man with political ambition, however. Nikita Khrushchev was one such man and, within a few weeks, had become the first secretary of the Communist Party, a move which demonstrated the strength of his ambition. Over the next few years, Khrushchev consolidated his position through a series of political alliances and, by 1956, had enough power to successfully oust Malenkov and take over as the leader of the Soviet Union.

For more information on the power struggles between Malenkov and Khrushchev, please see the reference link provided. 

The setting of the story is very limited; it is confined largely to a room, staircase, and front door. How does this limitation help to express the...

The strict limitations of the setting mirror the strict limitations placed on women during the Victorian era, the time in which Louise Mallard lives.  As Louise mentally processes the fact that her husband is dead, the first words she speaks aloud are "'free, free, free!'"  Though the joy she feels is a "monstrous" one, she feels it nonetheless.  She knows that her husband loved her, and she feels that she, at times, loved him.  However,...

The strict limitations of the setting mirror the strict limitations placed on women during the Victorian era, the time in which Louise Mallard lives.  As Louise mentally processes the fact that her husband is dead, the first words she speaks aloud are "'free, free, free!'"  Though the joy she feels is a "monstrous" one, she feels it nonetheless.  She knows that her husband loved her, and she feels that she, at times, loved him.  However, most tellingly, she reflects on the idea that

There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself.  There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.

She seems to have felt trapped in her marriage.  Perhaps she never wanted to marry at all and was forced to as a result of societal expectation.  Perhaps she didn't want to marry Brently but had to because there was no good, socially-acceptable reason to refuse him.  Whatever the case, her marriage seems to have made her feel that she could not live for herself, that she must always give way to whatever her husband wanted, because that is what marriage demanded of Victorian women.  They were forced to live relatively small lives. 

Likewise, the setting is small, and it parallels the figurative "smallness" of Louise's life.  She has been confined, restricted, and almost the first thing she does after learning of her husband's death is to open the window and look outside, as though his death has liberated her from confinement; she notices the birds and the trees and the clouds now.  One of the main themes of the story, about the confinement marriage posed to women during this era (even when the marriage was a loving one), is further expressed by the story's setting.

What do you understand by the term "stream of consciousness"? Explain with reference to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

Simply put, stream of consciousness is a style of narration that seeks to mirror the messy, random, often illogical form of human thought. Thus, stream of consciousness often defies conventional rules of grammar, and is often quite difficult to read. Some authors often associated with stream of consciousness include James Joyce, William Faulkner, and Virginia Woolf. The way in which authors use stream of consciousness is often recognizably different (Joyce's version of the technique is...

Simply put, stream of consciousness is a style of narration that seeks to mirror the messy, random, often illogical form of human thought. Thus, stream of consciousness often defies conventional rules of grammar, and is often quite difficult to read. Some authors often associated with stream of consciousness include James Joyce, William Faulkner, and Virginia Woolf. The way in which authors use stream of consciousness is often recognizably different (Joyce's version of the technique is not the same as Woolf's, for instance), but any author's use of stream of consciousness generally aims to represent the messy (and sometimes confusing) workings of the human mind as realistically as possible.

Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is one of the most famous examples of stream of consciousness narration. In this novel, Joyce's writing style mirrors the evolution and growth of his protagonist, Stephen Dedalus. As such, the beginning of the novel is written in a way that mimics a very young child's simplistic consciousness, while the latter chapters grow progressively sophisticated in order to parallel Stephen's maturation. 

As an example of this technique, take a look at the first five paragraphs of the novel: 

Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo…

His father told him that story: his father looked at him through a glass: he had a hairy face.

He was baby tuckoo. The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt.

He sang that song. That was his song.

When you wet the bed, first it is warm then it gets cold. His mother put on the oilsheet. That had the queer smell.

Notice how the narration is stilted and simplistic, and also how it jumps from topic to topic with little notice or logic. While this style might flout the traditional rules of narrative, it also very skillfully mirrors the thought processes of a small child. As such, in this passage Joyce uses a stream of consciousness narrative to represent the thoughts of his young protagonist. Later on, the narrative style grows progressively more mature as Stephen himself matures.