What type of poem is Earth by Oliver Herford?

Herford's "Earth" is a seemingly simple, childlike poem in the mode of William Blake's Songs of Innocence. "Earth" uses an imperfect ABAB rhyme scheme as well as alliteration to produce a rhythmic, almost soothing effect. It's an ironic poem, rendering in placid words two terrible ideas: first, the destruction of the earth and everything on it, and second, the fact that a child on a distant world might think of the death of our...

Herford's "Earth" is a seemingly simple, childlike poem in the mode of William Blake's Songs of Innocence. "Earth" uses an imperfect ABAB rhyme scheme as well as alliteration to produce a rhythmic, almost soothing effect. It's an ironic poem, rendering in placid words two terrible ideas: first, the destruction of the earth and everything on it, and second, the fact that a child on a distant world might think of the death of our planet as nothing more than a "pretty shooting star."

We see the rhyme scheme in the rhyming of alternating lines, ending on words such as "tonight" and "flight," "space" and "face," "lice" and "mice." The alliteration, or using words that begin with the same consonant in the same line, appears in spots throughout the poem. A few examples are "hissing headlong," "cattle, cockroaches ... kings," "millionaires ... mice."

The ironic contrast of a child enjoying a bright spectacle for a moment in the night sky and the catastrophe this event would be to us gives the poem its jolt. It might remind us Auden's poem, "Musee of the Belle Arts," describing a painting in which common people are indifferent to the dramatic fate of Icarus, falling from the sky as he travels too close to the sun. 

Do you think the young man's appearance helped him to win the confidence of Gortsby in "Dusk"?

The fact that the young man who sits by Gortsby is well dressed certainly lends credibility to his story of being on what seems to be a business trip, and his unfamiliarity with London. It also piques Gortsby's interest in listening to this young man, but it is doubtful that this cynical and skeptical listener is impressed enough to afford the young man much credibility. 

Gortsby probably gives an ear to the young man's story...

The fact that the young man who sits by Gortsby is well dressed certainly lends credibility to his story of being on what seems to be a business trip, and his unfamiliarity with London. It also piques Gortsby's interest in listening to this young man, but it is doubtful that this cynical and skeptical listener is impressed enough to afford the young man much credibility. 

Gortsby probably gives an ear to the young man's story because of his rationale for visiting the park at dusk:

The scene pleased Gortsby and harmonised with his present mood. Dusk, to his mind, was the hour of the defeated.

Gortsby is an observer of human nature, particularly the "defeated," among whom he counts himself as one, although his defeat is not the prevalent one of financial failure. Also, he seems to take a certain perverse delight in observing the misery of others, and he may derive some pleasure in feeling superior to them. Thus, he listens to the young man's tale until he detects a weakness in its credibility as the younger is not in possession of the soap that he has claimed to have purchased. After this discovery, Gortsby is disappointed in the young man and is able to demonstrate his acumen by making a quick, good judgement.  

Why didn't Eveline go with Frank to Buenos Aires at the end of James Joyce's short story, "Eveline"?

James Joyce's "Eveline" is a compelling and strange story that offers little explanation for its own ending. Throughout most of the story, we sift through a description of Eveline's dull and miserable life, and it seems clear that she wants to escape from the tyranny of her home. It is strange, therefore, that Eveline does not go with Frank to Buenos Aires when he tries to take her with him at the end.

Many readers...

James Joyce's "Eveline" is a compelling and strange story that offers little explanation for its own ending. Throughout most of the story, we sift through a description of Eveline's dull and miserable life, and it seems clear that she wants to escape from the tyranny of her home. It is strange, therefore, that Eveline does not go with Frank to Buenos Aires when he tries to take her with him at the end.

Many readers interpret this ending as an illustration of Eveline's imprisonment in the past, and much of the story supports this idea. Most of the narrative dwells on the young woman's past life, for instance, and there's little indication that Eveline has much of a future. As such, it's very possible that Eveline is simply incapable of leaving her home, no matter how much she dreams of a future far away from her misery. She may dream big, but, in the end, she's incapable of real action. 

This idea makes sense when considered in the broader context of Dubliners. In most of the stories, Joyce focuses on characters who are "stuck," who have gotten locked into an unfulfilling life and cannot escape. As such, it makes sense that Eveline cannot leave Dublin; like the other characters in Joyce's stories, she is trapped by a kind of figurative paralysis, and is doomed to a life of unhappiness and stagnation. 

Does a rainbow show us the wavelengths of visible light that have travelled from the sun to the earth?

To understand if a rainbow shows us the wavelengths of visible light that have traveled from the sun to the earth, one must first understand what a rainbow is and how a rainbow is formed. A rainbow is a "optical phenomenon" that occurs when visible light passes through a water droplet in the atmosphere, causing the light to refract. The density of water causes the light passing through the droplet to slow down. As the...

To understand if a rainbow shows us the wavelengths of visible light that have traveled from the sun to the earth, one must first understand what a rainbow is and how a rainbow is formed. A rainbow is a "optical phenomenon" that occurs when visible light passes through a water droplet in the atmosphere, causing the light to refract. The density of water causes the light passing through the droplet to slow down. As the light hits the back of the drop, it reflects back towards the direction from which it came at a downward angle between 40-42 degrees relative to its position entering the droplet. The slowing down of light inside the water droplet causes it to bend. This bending separates the light into the various wavelengths of visible light. The now bent visible light exits the water droplet and speeds back up upon entering the less dense air, causing the light to bend again. Because of this entire process, a rainbow does show us the wavelengths of all the visible light that has traveled to earth from the sun. Hope this helps!

What role does Candy play at the ranch in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men?

Candy is the old swamper character in Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men. A "swamper" is in charge of keeping the bunkhouse clean and doing minor maintenance on the ranch where George and Lennie come to work. "Swamping" literally means washing out the building. When he is first introduced he is carrying a broom in his left hand and is missing his right hand which he lost in a work related accident. In chapter...

Candy is the old swamper character in Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men. A "swamper" is in charge of keeping the bunkhouse clean and doing minor maintenance on the ranch where George and Lennie come to work. "Swamping" literally means washing out the building. When he is first introduced he is carrying a broom in his left hand and is missing his right hand which he lost in a work related accident. In chapter three, he says,

“I ain’t much good with on’y one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That’s why they give me a job swampin’." 

He is a pivotal character for two reasons. When Carlson shoots his old dog, Candy laments,

“I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”

The incident provides foreshadowing for George's actions later toward Lennie. Candy also joins the dream of owning a "little piece of land" as he is willing to contribute money toward the purchase of the farm that George knows about. For a short time, it appears that George, Lennie and Candy (and for a short time Crooks) might go off to their own place and be their own bosses. Unfortunately, the dream ends when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife and George is forced to kill his friend. 

How do Buddy and his friend feel about the people they live with ?

Buddy never names the people, presumably family members, that they live with. He refers to them at one point as "those who know best," and he also says at one point that they have control over Buddy and his friend and often make them cry. In other words, these may be people be family he lives with, but they are certainly not family he is emotionally close to.

In a couple of scenes we can...

Buddy never names the people, presumably family members, that they live with. He refers to them at one point as "those who know best," and he also says at one point that they have control over Buddy and his friend and often make them cry. In other words, these may be people be family he lives with, but they are certainly not family he is emotionally close to.

In a couple of scenes we can see how these people react with little kindness to his friend, at least. When she allows Buddy to drink a little bit of the remaining whiskey left over from the fruitcakes, they scold her because he is only a child. It is obvious she didn't mean any harm, no real harm was done, and that their handling of it was much more harsh than it needed to be.

Overall, the people that Buddy and his friend live with appear to be the ones in control of the house, the adults, and have very little emotional connection to Buddy and his friend. This leads to the sad ending where they send him off to military school, not really understanding the consequences it will have for Buddy and his friend.

The Earth's radius is 6378.1 km. Its average distance from the Sun is 1 AU=149,598,000 km. Because the Earth is tilted, one of its poles will be...

You can think of this as a geometry question disguised as an astronomy question!For these purposes, we can assume the Earth is a sphere. (Technically it's a slightly-lumpy oblate spheroid, but it's actually very close to a sphere.)If we imagine the Earth titled even further on its axis (about four times as much as its present 23 degrees, all the way to 90 degrees) so that the North Pole is pointed directly at...

You can think of this as a geometry question disguised as an astronomy question!

For these purposes, we can assume the Earth is a sphere. (Technically it's a slightly-lumpy oblate spheroid, but it's actually very close to a sphere.)

If we imagine the Earth titled even further on its axis (about four times as much as its present 23 degrees, all the way to 90 degrees) so that the North Pole is pointed directly at the Sun and the South Pole is pointed directly away, the distance between them is simply the diameter of that sphere.

We're given the radius is 6378.1 km (ridiculously precise by the way; the variation in Earth's radius is more than the 100 meter precision this is giving us, as anyone in Colorado will attest); the diameter is simply twice that, 12,756.2 km.

If we compare this to the size of 1 AU, given to us as 149,598,000 km, we can see that the ratio is 0.000085; that is, the North Pole is only 0.0085% closer to the Sun than the South Pole.

The difference in temperature, however, would be quite large; in this extreme scenario the North Pole would always been daylight and the South Pole would always be in darkness, so they could easily differ in temperature by 100 C.

In the story "The Necklace," in what way can we liken Mathilde with the real and fake necklaces.

Mathilde, the main character of the story "The Necklace," is described in a way that likens her to a fake jewel; something that replaces what is meant to be shiny, and one-of-a-kind, but is actually just a cheap, made-up version of the original. Mathilde may feel that she can play the part of something genuinely unique, but her reality is quite different:

She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of...

Mathilde, the main character of the story "The Necklace," is described in a way that likens her to a fake jewel; something that replaces what is meant to be shiny, and one-of-a-kind, but is actually just a cheap, made-up version of the original. Mathilde may feel that she can play the part of something genuinely unique, but her reality is quite different:

She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which another woman of her rank would never even have been conscious, tortured her and made her angry.

This description of Mathilde shows that she is just a regular person with no distinctive or salient characteristics. However, in her mind, she is meant for something bigger and better. In other words, she is the fake necklace: an approximate of the diamond necklace that she is so upbeat about.

It would be harder to compare her to a real diamond necklace. This is because, if you think about it, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with being a one-of-a-kind "piece." If she were an individual with extremely salient qualities, she would have known how to cultivate them in a way that she could appreciate them--regardless of what the whole world thinks of them. When someone is able to find "the jewel within," the process of growth becomes entirely personal, and not for the public to witness. Yet, Mathilde wanted to show off. This goes contrary to the idea of fostering a sense of independence born out of finding the treasures  that one is able to give to the world.

Why does William Golding end Lord of the Flies the way he did?

William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in part as a response to the Victorian novel Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne. In that book, British schoolboys manage to transform a deserted island into a miniature Britain, a civilized and respectable place. Golding aimed to show that such an outcome was unrealistic due to the tendency toward moral darkness that plagues the human race. Lord of the Flies chronicles the descent of the boys from order to chaos, from morality to immorality, and from civilization to savagery. The natural destination of such a journey would be complete annihilation, and Golding brings the boys very near to that terminus.

However, just as the fire the boys have started threatens to consume the island and everything on it, a British Naval ship appears, and the boys are rescued in the nick of time. There could be several reasons Golding chose to end the book as he did. First, since it is a book about children, having them all die at the end would seem especially dark. Readers desire happy endings, and when authors become known as providing depressing fare, their readership often dwindles. Golding's work may have been read by fewer people and appreciated less if he had killed off all the characters. Second, although the novel is a warning, Golding did not mean to imply that humans are beyond hope. He shows that some people can remain true to civilization and morality, which means that it is possible to fight the moral darkness within. Having the children rescued suggests that humanity still has time to change its war-like ways. Third, taken symbolically, the Naval officer can represent salvation. For a person of faith, the officer can point to the belief that God is capable of redeeming mankind and rescuing him from the mess he has made of his personal life and of the world at large. For a person who believes salvation can come through education, enlightenment, or other means, the Naval officer can represent transformational movements that will usher in an era of higher understanding and peace. 

By ending the novel as he did, Golding was able to forcefully present his themes about evil and how people relate to each other while still leaving readers with a sense of hope for the future.

What type of document is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and who is the author?

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon that was delivered by Massachusetts preacher Jonathan Edwards in 1741. After a century of colonization in New England, many colonists had begun to move away from a life dictated by religion, which frustrated religious leaders, who were in many cases powerful community leaders. This led to what is often referred to as "the great awakening."

The purpose of the great awakening was to bring...

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon that was delivered by Massachusetts preacher Jonathan Edwards in 1741. After a century of colonization in New England, many colonists had begun to move away from a life dictated by religion, which frustrated religious leaders, who were in many cases powerful community leaders. This led to what is often referred to as "the great awakening."

The purpose of the great awakening was to bring people back to church to adhere to its teachings by emphasizing the Old Testament consequences for living a sinful life. As a result, many preachers at the time began speaking about the harsh punishments for violating the rules of the church, which included explicit sermons about the literal existence of hell and the eternal suffering that one would endure if they failed to follow the rules of the church.

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was typical of these types of sermons, describing a wrathful, angry god that wouldn't tolerate "wickedness" of any kind. This sermon focused heavily on God's punishment as it was laid out in the Old Testament and was more or less intended to scare people into behaving as the Bible said they should.

Would the intellectual hobos in Fahrenheit 451 save works of Hitler?

The intellectual hobos would definitely save the works of Hitler and any other tyrant in the historical record. The last thing they want to do is forget the past, and then ignorantly allow someone like Hitler to come to power again. It is not to honor Hitler that they would keep his works. It is to remember his twisted thinking and to never forget his place in history and in particular, the Holocaust. There is...

The intellectual hobos would definitely save the works of Hitler and any other tyrant in the historical record. The last thing they want to do is forget the past, and then ignorantly allow someone like Hitler to come to power again. It is not to honor Hitler that they would keep his works. It is to remember his twisted thinking and to never forget his place in history and in particular, the Holocaust. There is a group, even to this day, who shockingly deny that the Holocaust actually occurred. Their belief is born out of Antisemitism: ignorant thinking. So, it is an ethical responsibility to pass on the truth of historical events: anything from a tragic event like the Holocaust to all the more pleasant events in history. The hobos wouldn't keep Mein Kampf because it is great literature. They would keep it to have a case study of a tyrant. The idea is to learn from the past and to prevent such a tyrant from gaining any power in the future. 

The censorship of ideas, good or bad, is what led to the socially irresponsible and ignorant society that Montag eventually rebels against. This society is so ignorant that the notion that firemen used to "put out" fires seems ridiculous. Beatty explains to Montag that the best way to keep this thoughtless, ignorant society happy is to keep them happy and ignorant of anything they might find unpleasant: 

Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin. Burn it. Someone's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Bum the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag. Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator. Funerals are unhappy and pagan? Eliminate them, too. 

So, as unpopular or as evil as Hitler's work might be, it would actually be irresponsible to start a trend where/when we censor things that make people uncomfortable. We need to remember the evil and good parts of our history. Start eliminating works like Uncle Tom's Cabin and Mein Kampf and there is the danger that people will start to forget about slavery or the Holocaust. An ignorant society will not be intellectually capable of recognizing tyranny or oppression if they have no memory of lessons learned from the past. 

What does the man called the Scarlet Pimpernel decide to do about the Revolution in France?

He was a member of the English aristocracy, and after the French Revolution of 1789, which overthrew the French aristocracy, he saw the imprisonment and execution of hundreds of members of the French aristocracy. The aristocracies of the two countries were closely linked and sympathetic to each other (often intermarried), and Percy decided he needed to save those who otherwise would have been subject to the brutal executions carried out by Robespierre. He assembled a...

He was a member of the English aristocracy, and after the French Revolution of 1789, which overthrew the French aristocracy, he saw the imprisonment and execution of hundreds of members of the French aristocracy. The aristocracies of the two countries were closely linked and sympathetic to each other (often intermarried), and Percy decided he needed to save those who otherwise would have been subject to the brutal executions carried out by Robespierre. He assembled a group of fellow English nobility to enter France and rescue the French nobility facing death. He personally did so in disguise, so no one knew his identity (hence the name "The Scarlet Pimpernel"). In the book he took particular delight in carrying away condemned prisoners from right under the nose of the revolutionary forces. At that time in history, there was still hope that the revolution would founder and the French aristocracy would return to the throne, so part of the strategy was to protect the royal lineage and prepare the for a return. The novel was actually written in 1922, when such ideas of course were no longer being considered, but coming after the Great War and at a time when fantasy and romance were an important part of popular entertainment, this kind of story appealed to readers from a new perspective. 

What is the argument in George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant"?

While the short one- or two-page essays you are expected to write in introductory writing classes are expected to have a singular argument, George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is a longer, more complex work attempting to portray the experience of being a colonial policeman in Burma. Generally, the essay argues that the effect of colonialism is to demoralize and brutalize both the British and the natives, but it also makes important points about how mob...

While the short one- or two-page essays you are expected to write in introductory writing classes are expected to have a singular argument, George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is a longer, more complex work attempting to portray the experience of being a colonial policeman in Burma. Generally, the essay argues that the effect of colonialism is to demoralize and brutalize both the British and the natives, but it also makes important points about how mob pressure can make one act against one's best judgment and how fear can lead to mob hysteria.

For the British, to control a large native populace despite being outnumbered, they felt that they constantly needed to project an image of strength. This meant always appearing to act decisively and with what appeared efficiency bordering on brutality. Orwell himself, young and insecure, would have preferred a more moderate and reflective approach but caves in to the way the people expect him to act and is ashamed of it. He suspects that the outward appearance of strength often is grounded in inner weakness and is ashamed when his fellow policemen compliment him on killing (slowly and painfully) a harmless and innocent creature, concluding:

I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.

In A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines, what does Mathu say about the men having gathered at his house?

In A Gathering of Old Menby Ernest J. Gaines, Mathu has gained a reputation as the only black character to take a stand against the oppression of the surrounding Louisiana community. Early in the story, Chimley tells the story of the time Mathu stood up to Fix, an angry, racist Cajun. Mathu and Fix fought for over an hour, and when the fight was over, "Mathu was up, and Fix was down." Chimley goes...

In A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines, Mathu has gained a reputation as the only black character to take a stand against the oppression of the surrounding Louisiana community. Early in the story, Chimley tells the story of the time Mathu stood up to Fix, an angry, racist Cajun. Mathu and Fix fought for over an hour, and when the fight was over, "Mathu was up, and Fix was down." Chimley goes on to say, "that wasn't the last fight Mathu had on that river with them white people." To the majority of the other black characters, Mathu represents what they wish they were.

Mathu views the rest of the black community in a similar way to that in which they see themselves. To him, they don't stand up for their rights; they are content to live with the abuse of the surrounding white communities. Because of this, he resents them. But when the black community gathers at Mathu's house to help protect him against arrest, each of them claiming to have been the one who shot Beau, Mathu experiences a change of heart. In Rooster's chapter, the old black men gather together inside of Mathu's house, at which time they reiterate their vow to stay by Mathu's side, with each continuing to take the blame for the murder.  Mathu, weary, tells them that they don't have anything else to prove, that they "done already proved it," and follows up with a heartfelt confession:

"Till a few minutes ago, I felt the same way that man out there feel about y'all—you never would 'mount to anything. But I was wrong. And he's still wrong. 'Cause he ain't go'n ever face the fact. But now I know. And I thank y'all. And I look up to you. Every man in here. And this the proudest day of my life."

Here Mathu lays it all out for them. In his mind, the other black men were nothing, but the day's events have proven that they are willing to stand up together. He continues:

"I ain't nothing but a mean, bitter old man.  Hating them out there on that river, hating y'all here in the quarters. Put myself above all—proud to be African. You know why proud to be African? 'Cause they won't let me be a citizen here in this country. Hate them 'cause they won't let me be a citizen, hated y'all 'cause you never tried [...] I been changed. Not by that white man's God. I don't believe in that white man's God. I been changed by y'all."

Rather than simply thank them for their support, Mathu begins to understand how his own biases prevented him from seeing them as the men that they are. Here Gaines does an excellent job of showing the insidious nature of racism. It isn't simply directed from one race toward another; rather, it can turn those of the same race against one another, based on their reactions to the initial racism directed at them. However, through the gathering of old men, Mathu has identified his own unwarranted biases, thus taking the first step in overcoming them.

In what chapter does Aunt Alexandra show racism towards Calpurnia?

Aunt Alexandra discriminates against Calpurnia in Chapters 13 and 14.

In Chapter 13 Aunt Alexandra arrives in Maycomb to take care of the children through the long, hot summer, declaring "What Is Best For The Family," it seems. When she first arrives, Aunt Alexandra orders Calpurnia, "Put my bag in the front bedroom," even before she greets her. She forbids Calpurnia to make the refreshments for the Missionary Teas she hostesses. And, later on, in...

Aunt Alexandra discriminates against Calpurnia in Chapters 13 and 14.

In Chapter 13 Aunt Alexandra arrives in Maycomb to take care of the children through the long, hot summer, declaring "What Is Best For The Family," it seems. When she first arrives, Aunt Alexandra orders Calpurnia, "Put my bag in the front bedroom," even before she greets her. She forbids Calpurnia to make the refreshments for the Missionary Teas she hostesses. And, later on, in Chapter 14, she wants Atticus to dismiss Calpurnia because she says that Cal is not needed any more because she does not like the influence that Calpurnia has on the children.

Nevertheless, Aunt Alexandra settles in quickly and seems as though she has always lived with Scout and the others. For, Maycomb has welcomed her: Miss Maudie bakes a cake, Miss Stephanie has long visits with Aunt Alexandra; Miss Rachel comes over for coffee in the afternoons, and even Mr. Nathan Radley tells Aunt Alexandra that he is glad to see her. As she stays in Maycomb, Aunt Alexandra increases her reputation as a hostess with her Missionary Society refreshments which she has made herself. 

What is a character analysis of Bruno's father?

Bruno's father, Ralf, is a proud German, who is promoted by Adolph Hitler himself to the position of Commandant. Bruno's father makes the important decision to move his family to Auschwitz where Hitler has assigned him duty. As Commandant, Ralf is the highest ranking officer in the concentration camp and is responsible for giving out all orders to systematically exterminate the Jews living there. His wife and children are unhappy with his decision to move...

Bruno's father, Ralf, is a proud German, who is promoted by Adolph Hitler himself to the position of Commandant. Bruno's father makes the important decision to move his family to Auschwitz where Hitler has assigned him duty. As Commandant, Ralf is the highest ranking officer in the concentration camp and is responsible for giving out all orders to systematically exterminate the Jews living there. His wife and children are unhappy with his decision to move the family, but Ralf is determined to "climb the ladder" in the Third Reich.

Bruno mentions that his father is rather strict and lays down ground rules. For example, his office is "Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions," and if Bruno violates his rules, Bruno is given a "serious talking to." Bruno also comments that his father is rather disrespectful to Maria and the other housekeepers and cooks. Bruno's father struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with his wife. His wife is unhappy and is continually arguing with him throughout the novel. The couple fight over his decision to leave Berlin, his loyalty to Hitler, and his job requirements.

Despite being a despicable human being responsible for countless murders, Boyne sympathizes with Bruno's father. Bruno's father does not really have a choice but to accept his position at Auschwitz. The penalty for disobeying Hitler's orders is death, and he will not risk letting the most powerful man in Germany down. In addition to the stress caused by his job, he also feels pressure to fix his relationship with his wife. He finds out she is cheating on him, which negatively affects his mental state. The audience learns about his ruined relationship with his mother who disagrees with his decision to support Hitler. Bruno's father never gets a chance to say goodbye to his mother and leave on good terms before she passes away. At the end of the novel, he loses his mind and his position when Bruno mysteriously dies. Despite his terrible choice to join the Nazi Party and murder thousands of Jews, the audience feels bad for Bruno's father because his personal life is ruined and his family is torn apart.

From Lois Lowry's The Giver, list the two instructions that Jonas receives for his training as the new Receiver.

Jonas actually receives eight specific instructions that he must follow as the new Receiver. Two of them cause Jonas the most concern, though--they are numbers 6 and 8. Number six tells Jonas that he cannot receive pain medication for pain acquired during his training; and number 8 tells him that he has the right to lie. For number six, Jonas remembers the time his finger was crushed in the door. The community's medication must be very good...

Jonas actually receives eight specific instructions that he must follow as the new Receiver. Two of them cause Jonas the most concern, though--they are numbers 6 and 8. Number six tells Jonas that he cannot receive pain medication for pain acquired during his training; and number 8 tells him that he has the right to lie. For number six, Jonas remembers the time his finger was crushed in the door. The community's medication must be very good because his finger had healed immediately after receiving it. Also, this instruction makes him wonder how much pain he will have to endure in his new assignment, which causes him great concern.

For the eighth and final instruction, being able to lie makes him wonder what other assignments and/or adults have the ability to lie. He wonders who might have been lying to him up until this point in his life and he feels doubt for the first time in his life.

"His mind reeled. Now, empowered to ask questions of utmost rudeness--and promised answers--he could, conceivably (though it was almost unimaginable), ask someone, some adult, his father perhaps 'Do you lie?'

But he would have no way of knowing if the answer he received were true" (71).

This creates quite a stir within Jonas because the solid and stable life he once knew has now been shaken.

What state of matter has low energy, a fixed volume and strong bonds?

All three of these characteristics describe the solid state of matter. Of the three states of matter, solid, liquid and gas, the solid state has the lowest average kinetic energy. Particles in the solid state have only vibrational motion while particles are free to move around in the liquid and gas states.

Solid substances also have a fixed volume, meaning that they aren't compressible. (Liquids also have a fixed volume but don't meet the other...

All three of these characteristics describe the solid state of matter. Of the three states of matter, solid, liquid and gas, the solid state has the lowest average kinetic energy. Particles in the solid state have only vibrational motion while particles are free to move around in the liquid and gas states.

Solid substances also have a fixed volume, meaning that they aren't compressible. (Liquids also have a fixed volume but don't meet the other criteria.)

The characteristic of having strong bonds requires some clarification:

Ionic solids are held together by strong forces of attraction between oppositely charged particles. These attractions are called ionic bonds. When ionic compounds are heated to high temperatures the ionic bonds are broken and melting occurs.

Molecular solids consist of molecules held together by intermolecular attractions. They melt when enough energy is absorbed to overcome attractions between molecules. The covalent bonds between atoms within a molecule aren't broken during phase changes. Covalent bonds are strong chemical bonds that are present in all three phases of a substance. 

It's more accurate to say that substances in the solid state have strong attractions between particles, unless you're referring specifically to ionic solids.

What is an internal and external conflict for John Proctor?

I think that most of the conflicts surrounding John Proctor are internal. One internal conflict of John's is his guilt.  John is a respected and well liked member of the Salem community.  People look up to him and believe that he is a good man.  While John probably agrees with most of that about himself, he is conflicted with guilt about his sexual relationship with Abigail Williams.  John tries to be a Godly and religious man, but he he knows that he has committed a great sin against God and his wife. 

Another internal conflict of John's occurs at the very end of the play. Should he confess to a lie and live?  Or should he die as honorable of a man as he can?  It's an incredible scene, and in the end John chooses death in order to preserve his goodness.  

Elizabeth, supporting herself against collapse, grips the bars. of the window, and with a cry: He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!

External conflicts are a bit more difficult with John and this play.  He's never really in any kind of battle against a person.  At least not in the kind where punches are thrown or the kind in which a reader would be able to declare a winner.  John has an external conflict with Abigail.  She still clearly desires to continue their affair, but John is committed to never cheating again.  

Proctor: Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.

John also has an external conflict with Judge Danforth.  In the final act of the play, Danforth is pushing John hard to name the people that he saw communing with the devil.  Proctor does not want to confess to any more lies, so he doesn't give Danforth any names.  The scene continues to intensify as Danforth all but forces John to physically sign a document of confession.  Danforth wants to hang the document for all the world to see, and John doesn't want that.  He doesn't want his good name tainted for all of Salem to see, so John eventually tears the paper up, which prevents Danforth from "winning."  

His breast heaving, his eyes staring, Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect.

In "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe, why has the author chosen to have his narrator hear a beating heart (as opposed to a voice, for...

In Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," the narrator murders an elderly man and disposes of his body under his floor. When three policemen knock at his door, he lets them in, confident that they will not be able to connect him to the crime. However, he soon begins to hear a sound that gets louder and louder. He thinks the policemen must hear it, too. Ultimately he breaks down and confesses, and we learn...

In Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," the narrator murders an elderly man and disposes of his body under his floor. When three policemen knock at his door, he lets them in, confident that they will not be able to connect him to the crime. However, he soon begins to hear a sound that gets louder and louder. He thinks the policemen must hear it, too. Ultimately he breaks down and confesses, and we learn he thinks the sound is the beating of the man's "hideous heart." 

The heart is a symbol in this story, and it works on at least four levels. We associate a heartbeat with life, so the beating is a reminder to the narrator that he has stolen the life of the elderly man. A heart is also the symbolic seat of the emotions. The narrator has been "heartless" in murdering a man who has done him no wrong and toward whom he actually feels no personal animosity. It is only the man's eye that the narrator despises. So there is irony in having a symbol of emotion be the thing that gives the heartless murderer away. Third, the heart is also the symbol of the conscience. We often say, "I knew in my heart it was wrong." The narrator has no conscience; after he murders the man, he does not feel guilty and is even happy to let the police in; he even "placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim." Since the narrator has no active, beating conscience in his own chest, the heart of the murdered man rises up to protest what the murderer has done. As much as the narrator has tried to bury his emotions and his conscience, he cannot keep them quiet, and they eventually accuse him of his dastardly deed. Finally, the heart is the symbolic location of good or evil inside a person. We say a person has "a good heart" or "a wicked heart." Ironically, while the narrator labels the murdered man's heart as "hideous," we know it is the narrator who has a "hideous heart."

Poe uses the heart as a symbol of life, emotion, conscience, and evil in this story, often with a twist of irony.

For what could the lake in "Once More to the Lake" by E.B. White be a metaphor? What are some examples from the text to support this?

In this essay E.B. White returns with his son to the same camp by a lake where he spent his own childhood summers with his family.  The lake has not changed much, nor has the quality of the vacationers’ enjoyment of it.  But, White realizes, while the people remain essentially the same, little details of society are changing.

The human reflexes are the same as always – going out in the boat in the morning, careful not to disturb the silence; going to the farmer’s house for dinner; buying refreshments in the store; the impulse to swim in the rain.  The only differences are in the details – outboard motors have replaced the quieter inboard models; the variety of local sodas have been reduced to make room for the best-selling Coca-Cola; the road to the lake has been paved.  And yet the lake endures in its natural form.  In this same way, life is absolute; it endures within each new soul, as the old ones age, and despite the additions of new products , the trends and fashions and remodeling of old structures, through time we maintain the same instincts, and the same impulses.

In this way we can say that the lake is a broad metaphor for life – it’s substance does not change, and the roles that get passed from father to son – from generation to generation – do not change.  We can see that in a generation the lake is “fade-proof…the woods unshatterable;” life manifests itself to be the same, as White’s son assumes the same roles White himself once filled as a child.  White uses concrete images to drive this point home – first, listening to his son creeping quietly out of the cabin in the morning as he used to do, he states, “I began to sustain the illusion that he was I, and therefore, by simple transposition, that I was my father…I seemed to be living a dual existence.”  And again, as they are fishing together that same morning, “I looked at the boy…and it was my hands that held his rod, my eyes watching. I felt dizzy and didn’t know which rod I was at the end of.”  He states later, observing the other summer revelers swimming, strangers assuming the roles of once familiar faces, that “there had been no years.” 

The lake provides the appropriate setting for White to discover this cycle of life – that the roles each of us must take are recycled and handed down, and with the birth of each new generation, those in the one before it are pushed that much closer to death.  This undeniable truth is the perfect note for White to end his essay on – thus, beginning with his own childhood and cycling through his parenthood at the lake, where his own life and his son’s convalesce, he is able finally to pass the torch.  For, speaking of his son he says, “As he buckled the swollen belt suddenly my groin felt the cold chill of death.”  This serves both as a continuation of his own embodiment of his son, feeling what his son feels as the latter pulls on his soaking wet swimming trunks, and as a final admittance of his own growth, as he is transiting across the great sun of life, the background not changing, he himself moving closer to the edge.

What do we learn about Boo Radley’s universe of obligation in Chapter 8 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird? Do his actions in Chapter 8 reveal...

In Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird, we learn that Arthur (Boo) Radley has fulfilled yet another act of benevolence.

In Chapter 8, Maycomb is facing the coldest winter it has had since 1885. After a day of Jem and Scout playing in the light dusting of snow, Calpurnia must set every fireplace in the house ablaze to warm up the house even a tiny bit. That night, the neighborhood wakes to discover Miss Maudie's house has caught on fire. Atticus instructs his children to stand in front of the Radleys' gate, far away from the fire, while the fire is being put out.

After the emergency, while back safely in the Finches' kitchen drinking hot cocoa, Atticus, Scout, and Jem are all three surprised to discover Scout is wearing a "brown woolen blanket" around her shoulders. Jem recalls seeing Mr. Nathan Radley, Arthur's brother, down at the fire helping out, which means that Arthur was left alone in the Radleys' house unsupervised. Upon remembering seeing Mr. Nathan down at the fire, Jem is the first to deduce that Arthur must have sneaked up behind Scout and draped the blanket around her shoulders, and, as Atticus explains, Scout was "so busy looking at the fire" she didn't even realize Arthur had put a blanket around her. Yet, when Atticus suggests they wrap up the blanket and return it to Arthur, Jem becomes upset, fearing Arthur will get into trouble with Mr. Nathan, and Atticus agrees they should keep the blanket a secret.

The incident in this chapter shows us a couple of things about Arthur's universe of obligation. First, it shows that Arthur is obliged to yield to the authority of his other family members. If his family members, like his father and now his older brother, feel that Arthur should never leave the house and never be in contact with the world around him, then Arthur is obligated to adhere to their decisions. At the same time, we learn that Arthur objects to his confinement and, therefore, attempts to make contact with the outside world in any secretive way he can, just as he did when he left Scout and Jem gifts in the knothole of the oak tree. More importantly, we learn that Arthur is reaching out to the children in his own secret way because he genuinely cares about them. In caring for the children and reaching out to them, he is fulfilling his own obligation to himself, not just to his brother. We can sense he genuinely cares because, like a father, he saw the two Finch children standing out in the freezing cold night and did his best to take care of the smallest child. Hence, caring for the children is the second aspect of Arthur's universe of obligation.

In addition, Arthur's action in Chapter 8 completely dispels all rumors that Arthur is an insane murderer and a threat to all who come near him. In reality, he is a very kind and caring person.

What are some literary devices and elements in chapters 24-26 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapters 24-26 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses several literary devices or elements, including irony and figurative language. Irony is a literary device or element in which an author uses language or events that are the opposite of what is expected to convey humor. In Chapter 24, for example, there are some wonderful examples of ironic humor when Aunt Alexandra, Mrs. Merriweather, and the other ladies of Maycomb gather for a tea...

In Chapters 24-26 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses several literary devices or elements, including irony and figurative language. Irony is a literary device or element in which an author uses language or events that are the opposite of what is expected to convey humor. In Chapter 24, for example, there are some wonderful examples of ironic humor when Aunt Alexandra, Mrs. Merriweather, and the other ladies of Maycomb gather for a tea party. They are discussing missionary activity, which they consider very benevolent, but which Scout, as a young child, does not understand. Here is the description of part of their party:

"Today Aunt Alexandra and her missionary circle were fighting the good fight all over the house. From the kitchen, I heard Mrs. Grace Merriweather giving a report in the livingroom on the squalid lives of the Mrunas, it sounded like to me. They put the women out in huts when their time came, whatever that was; they had no sense of family—I knew that’d distress Aunty—they subjected children to terrible ordeals when they were thirteen; they were crawling with yaws and earworms, they chewed up and spat out the bark of a tree into a communal pot and then got drunk on it.

Immediately thereafter, the ladies adjourned for refreshments" (page 232; page numbers vary by edition).

What is ironic about this passage, and what is also humorous about it, is that the ladies think their activities are very well intentioned. However, the way Scout overhears the conversation makes their activities seem ridiculous. Even the way she understand the name of the people the ladies are trying to help--the Mrunas--is a mistake that is funny. Again, instead of sounding very religious, these women sound silly.

Another literary device that Harper Lee uses in this chapter is figurative language, more specifically metaphors. Figurative language involves using figures of speech, including metaphors and similes (types of comparisons), to make language more vivid and descriptive. Here is an example:

"I was reminded of the ancient little organ in the chapel at Finch’s Landing. When I was very small, and if I had been very good during the day, Atticus would let me pump its bellows while he picked out a tune with one finger. The last note would linger as long as there was air to sustain it. Mrs. Merriweather had run out of air, I judged, and was replenishing her supply while Mrs. Farrow composed herself to speak" (page 236; page numbers vary by edition).

In this passage, Mrs. Merriweather is being compared through a metaphor to the old organ in the church, as she has just run out of air from talking too much (just as the organ ran out of air). In addition, there are also several uses of similes, which is a comparison that uses the words "like" or "as." An example is "the events of the summer hung over us like smoke in a closed room" (page 242). In this example, the events of the summer, including Tom Robinson's death, are compared to vapors that linger in a room without ventilation. This type of writing imparts vivid descriptions that help the reader understand the emotions behind the events in the novel. 

How does Portia praise mercy in her speech of mercy in The Merchant of Venice?

Mercy is an important theme in The Merchant of Venice. Characters show varying degrees of mercy throughout the play. Portia’s speech comes in act four, scene one, in response to Shylock’s refusal to release Antonio from a life-threatening debt. Shylock asks why he has to be compassionate towards Antonio and if he is under “compulsion” to forgive Antonio of their bond.

Portia’s monologue gives a list of reasons as to why mercy is a...

Mercy is an important theme in The Merchant of Venice. Characters show varying degrees of mercy throughout the play. Portia’s speech comes in act four, scene one, in response to Shylock’s refusal to release Antonio from a life-threatening debt. Shylock asks why he has to be compassionate towards Antonio and if he is under “compulsion” to forgive Antonio of their bond.

Portia’s monologue gives a list of reasons as to why mercy is a positive, powerful act. She begins by noting that mercy is “not strain’d.” No one can be forced to be merciful, for it is as natural and beneficent as soft rain. Not only does it relieve the person who receives the forgiveness, it also helps the forgiver. Portia describes its influence as divine, a quality that the great possess, including God and kings. She argues against Shylock’s plea for justice because “in the course of justice, none of us / Should see salvation.” No one is perfect. Humans imitate God’s divine mercy as they pray for clemency for their sins. Therefore, mercy is a constructive, fair quality that benefits everyone involved.

Do we have any proof for the existence of dark matter?

It depends on what you require for something to exist. Dark matter does exist, in the sense that we have experimental proof from which we can infer its existence and characteristics.All the observed effects are of gravitational nature so far. One evidence is the observation of gravitational lensing (the bending of light by massive objects) caused by "invisible" structures. We can use this method to pinpoint areas of the universe where there is dark...

It depends on what you require for something to exist. Dark matter does exist, in the sense that we have experimental proof from which we can infer its existence and characteristics.

All the observed effects are of gravitational nature so far. One evidence is the observation of gravitational lensing (the bending of light by massive objects) caused by "invisible" structures. We can use this method to pinpoint areas of the universe where there is dark matter. 

The main problem is that we do not know what dark matter really is. All we know is that there is something with the properties given by the data we observed (all the gravitational lensing, for example).

So given the experimental data, we believe is that dark matter has mass but does not interact at all with other matter, nor with electromagnetic forces ( the reason why dark matter is invisible). One of the most accepted hypothetical explanation for dark matter is that they are made up of particles that interact only via gravitational forces and the weak force (responsible for the decay of atoms), called weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). But these particles have not been detected so far, by direct or indirect detection. All experiments have been inconclusive so far, and thus, its existence has not been verified to this time.

What are the major steps to be followed when I want to write a speech on World AIDS Day?

Your first step is to do some research on World AIDS Day so that you are well-informed and can give good details about it. For your main references, you should use authoritative websites such as those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. 

Next, you need to decide what sort of speech you are preparing. A persuasive speech, in which you might argue that your school should create...

Your first step is to do some research on World AIDS Day so that you are well-informed and can give good details about it. For your main references, you should use authoritative websites such as those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. 

Next, you need to decide what sort of speech you are preparing. A persuasive speech, in which you might argue that your school should create specific events for World AIDS Day 2016, would be different than an informative speech about the history of World AIDS day. You should consult your teacher or your assignment sheet to determine what sort of speech you are assigned to give. For all types of speech, you may want to include information on the history of World AIDS Day, starting with its 1987 inception and the role of the United Nations program now known as UNAIDS.

Your next step should be creating an outline, thinking about what sort of points you wish to cover in your speech. As you create your outline, you should specify the amount of time you intend to spend on each topic so that you meet any time requirements for your assignment.

Once you have drafted your speech, following your outline, you should read it aloud for practice, correcting any phrases that might seem awkward and making sure it fits the time requirements of the assignment. If your classroom has a computer and projection screen, you might also create visual aids to help clarify your main points for your audience. 

What are the advantages of planting legumes with other crops?

Legumes are plants such as beans, peanuts, peas and lentils. In addition to being good sources of nutrition they have the ability to "fix" nitrogen. This means the plants, and the bacteria that live symbiotically in their roots, can change nitrogen from a form animals and plants cannot use into one that they can. Nitrogen is vital for life;it forms parts of our DNA and proteins. Our atmosphere is largely nitrogen, but it is in...

Legumes are plants such as beans, peanuts, peas and lentils. In addition to being good sources of nutrition they have the ability to "fix" nitrogen. This means the plants, and the bacteria that live symbiotically in their roots, can change nitrogen from a form animals and plants cannot use into one that they can. Nitrogen is vital for life;it forms parts of our DNA and proteins. Our atmosphere is largely nitrogen, but it is in a form, N2 (nitrogen gas), that living things can't utilize. Nitrogen "fixing" means it is chemically changed into NH3 (ammonia), which living things can use. When legumes are planted with other crops that do not have this ability, it can help thse crops by supplying nitrogen in a usable form. In practice, this ability of legumes to fix nitrogen is more likely to be used as a system of crop rotation, rather than planting crops close enough to each other for this advantage. Fertilizers to supply nitrogen (and other nutrients) are generally used on commercial crops, but using crop rotation, so that legumes alternate with other crops, usually reduces the amount of fertilizer needed.

In the poem "The Tyger" written by William Blake in 1794, what does this text suggest to you about the ways in which individuals take...

The "fearful symmetry" could apply to the ferocious physicality (and geometrical proportions) of the tiger. However, in this first (and last) stanza, the speaker wonders how an "immortal hand" (God or gods) could create something so innocent and gentle (the lamb) while also creating something as fierce as a tiger. The lamb, here and more specifically in Blake's poem "The Lamb," represents the generous and peaceful nature of Christ. So, that "symmetry" is also understood...

The "fearful symmetry" could apply to the ferocious physicality (and geometrical proportions) of the tiger. However, in this first (and last) stanza, the speaker wonders how an "immortal hand" (God or gods) could create something so innocent and gentle (the lamb) while also creating something as fierce as a tiger. The lamb, here and more specifically in Blake's poem "The Lamb," represents the generous and peaceful nature of Christ. So, that "symmetry" is also understood as a balancing of opposites: lamb/peace and tiger/violence. But the speaker does not understand how or why a divine creator would create this symmetry of opposites. Why create something so loving but then something so ferocious? 

Given this opposition in symmetry, the question about individual responsibility would take the form of a similar question that the speaker originally asks. In a world where each person has the potential to be peaceful or harmful, why would one ever choose the latter? Or, to address the divine more directly, "if God is benevolent, why is there suffering in the world?" 

Since your question is more about individual responsibility, this perspective puts the onus on the individual rather than God (the "immortal hand"). In this interpretation, the suggestion seems to be that individuals can make tigers or lambs. In other words, each individual can create peaceful situations and loving gestures. Or he/she can wreak havoc (the tiger). This is one of the binary oppositions people experience in the world. Each has the choice to create peace or create violence. If one creates or initiates harm, the speaker in this poem would then ask the one who has created that strife, "Did he smile his work to see?" 

This is more of an existential take on this poem. Other, more canonical interpretations tend to focus on Biblical allusions and that the oppositions of Lamb and Tiger are the result of The Fall. But this existential notion is interesting because it frames the poem in terms of personal responsibility to one's self and to others. 

In what ways has Charlie’s relationship with Miss Kinnian changed? What are her fears about Charlie’s feelings for her? Do you think she has...

In Flowers for Algernonby Daniel Keyes, the relationship between Miss Kinnian and Charlie begins to change. Miss Kinnian had been Charlie's teacher at a school for the mentally disabled, but as he becomes more and more intelligent, he begins to see her as a woman and a peer. He falls in love with her. Miss Kinnian, though, is concerned that he will soon leave her behind intellectually, and there is little hope for a...

In Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, the relationship between Miss Kinnian and Charlie begins to change. Miss Kinnian had been Charlie's teacher at a school for the mentally disabled, but as he becomes more and more intelligent, he begins to see her as a woman and a peer. He falls in love with her. Miss Kinnian, though, is concerned that he will soon leave her behind intellectually, and there is little hope for a long term commitment. She explains to Charlie the many levels of intelligence and how he is moving up those levels at such a fast pace, nobody will be able to keep up, including her. 

"'I can see only a little bit of that, Charlie, and I won't go much higher than I am now, but you'll keep climbing up and up, and see more and more, and each step will open new worlds that you never even knew existed.' She frowned. 'I hope. . . I just hope to God--'" (Keyes 22).

Miss Kinnian is also worried about the possibility that Charlie's intelligence will reverse itself, and of course, that is exactly what does happen. Charlie, at this point, does not see it coming because Algernon has not yet begun to regress. Miss Kinnian's fears, of course, are legitimate. It is very difficult to have a relationship with someone who functions at a much higher level than you. It is almost as if their roles are reversed. Miss Kinnian, in a way, becomes like the student that Charlie was in her classroom. 

Why did Cherry and Marcia leave their dates in The Outsiders?

Cherry and Marcia left their dates because they brought alcohol.

Cherry and Marcia are Soc girls.  They do not approve of their boyfriends’ methods.  The boys get drunk too often, and get violent.  Cherry and Marcia explain that they left their dates because of this.

Oh, yeah, we found out why they were without a car. They'd come with their boyfriends, but walked out on them when they found out the boys had brought some...

Cherry and Marcia left their dates because they brought alcohol.

Cherry and Marcia are Soc girls.  They do not approve of their boyfriends’ methods.  The boys get drunk too often, and get violent.  Cherry and Marcia explain that they left their dates because of this.

Oh, yeah, we found out why they were without a car. They'd come with their boyfriends, but walked out on them when they found out the boys had brought some booze along. The boys had gotten angry and left. (Ch. 2)

Socs and greasers do not usually hang out together.  There are very specific class distinctions between the two gangs.  They are often fighting, and the Socs have a tendency to jump greasers who are alone and not defended by their gang.  However, the main problem that Cherry has with her boyfriend Bob is his drinking.

Bob comes up to Cherry and tells her that he is only a little drunk.

Cherry looked mad. "A little? You call reeling and passing out in the streets 'a little'? Bob, I told you, I'm never going out with you while you're drinking, and I mean it. Too many things could happen while you're drunk. It's me or the booze." (Ch. 3)

Cherry does not want to get into the car with Bob, but she does because she does not want to cause a fight when the Socs see the girls with greasers.  Pony and Johnny are ready to fight, and she can see that.  Unfortunately, the Socs come back later and find Johnny and Pony in the park.

Later, Randy explains to Pony that Bob's parents were too lenient with him.  They let him get away with anything, and did not get involved even when he came home drunk.  He is a spoiled rich kid.

The incident at the movies snowballs into the disaster that sends Johnny and Pony on the run.  Bob and his friends jump Pony and Johnny in the park, and Johnny kills Bob to prevent him from killing Pony.  Neither of them wanted to kill anyone, even a Soc, but it was self-defense.

Explain why the narrator feels he owes a great debt to Aunt Georgiana, and what special treat he has planned for her in Boston. How does she react...

"Don't love it so well, Clark, or it may be taken from you. Oh! dear boy, pray that whatever your sacrifice may be, it be not that."

The narrator feels obliged to Aunt Georgiana because she has provided him the joy of music; so, after learning that she will soon arrive in Boston, he attains tickets to a concert. However, Clark is rather surprised that she does not react at first, and then she...

"Don't love it so well, Clark, or it may be taken from you. Oh! dear boy, pray that whatever your sacrifice may be, it be not that."

The narrator feels obliged to Aunt Georgiana because she has provided him the joy of music; so, after learning that she will soon arrive in Boston, he attains tickets to a concert. However, Clark is rather surprised that she does not react at first, and then she cries.

Because Clark Howard relishes the delight that music brings to the senses and its message to the soul, he cherishes the memories of times when his Aunt Georgiana taught him piano lessons as he shared his aunt's great enjoyment of music with her. So, when he learns that she is returning to Boston after years in Nebraska, Clark makes arrangements for them to attend a concert. When they first arrive at the concert hall, Aunt Georgiana seems rather anxious about her appearance and how she should act; however, after the musicians enter and take their places, she gives "a little stir of anticipation and looks around with "quickening interest." As the orchestra plays the overture, Clark feels that the low bow strings touch his heart, and her glances over at his aunt. After some hesitation, Georgiana clutches his sleeve, but she says nothing. Once the overture is completed, 

[S]he sat staring at the orchestra through a dullness of thirty years, through the films made little by little by each of the three hundred and sixty-five days in every one of them.

Clark wonders if the music still speaks to her and if she has enough left in her after the deprivation of the Nebraska farm life in order to be able to "comprehend this power which had kindled the world since she left it?" But he attains no answer as his aunt sits stoically. Soon after the tenor begins "The Prize Song," however, he hears his aunt draw her breath and close her eyes against the tears that have begun to flow. Clark notes,

It never really died, then--the soul that can suffer so excruciatingly and so interminably; it withers to the outward eye only.... 

Afterwards, Aunt Georgiana bursts into tears and tells Clark that she does not want to return to the farm. He understands as imagines the desolate farm with only the sounds of turkeys and cows.

What did the animals remember the morning after the Rebellion in Animal Farm? How did they react?

When the animals woke up the morning after the rebellion, they realized the farm belonged to them and inspected it.

The animals kick the humans out when they get tired of being neglected and abused.  Jones and his men flee.  When they wake up the next morning, at first they have forgotten what happened.  As they wake up, they remember that the humans are gone and the farm belongs to them now.  They look at...

When the animals woke up the morning after the rebellion, they realized the farm belonged to them and inspected it.

The animals kick the humans out when they get tired of being neglected and abused.  Jones and his men flee.  When they wake up the next morning, at first they have forgotten what happened.  As they wake up, they remember that the humans are gone and the farm belongs to them now.  They look at it with new eyes, as if they have never seen it before, because now it is Animal Farm and not Manor Farm.

But they woke at dawn as usual, and suddenly remembering the glorious thing that had happened, they all raced out into the pasture together. A little way down the pasture there was a knoll that commanded a view of most of the farm. The animals rushed to the top of it and gazed round them in the clear morning light. (Ch. 2)

The animals become very playful.  They explore the farm, looking at everything carefully and making an inspection of what is now theirs.

Yes, it was theirs−everything that they could see was theirs! In the ecstasy of that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement.  Then they made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with speechless admiration the ploughland, the hayfield, the orchard, the pool, the spinney. (Ch. 2)

The animals get rid of most of the trappings of humans.  They destroy the whips, halters, and nosebags.  They also bury the meat.  Eventually the animals realize that the cows need to be milked, but it turns out the pigs can do it.  The pigs can do many things that humans could.  Now there are no humans in charge. The animals are their own masters.

What choice did the doctor force Sophie to make?

The answer to this question is far more complicated than it seems. The choice that the doctor forces Sophie to make is between her son and daughter; he forces her to choose which child lives and which one will be executed. This is a heart-wrenching and seemingly impossible choice for a loving parent to make. Sophie is forced into making this choice, though, because if she refuses to choose one child over the other, the...

The answer to this question is far more complicated than it seems. The choice that the doctor forces Sophie to make is between her son and daughter; he forces her to choose which child lives and which one will be executed. This is a heart-wrenching and seemingly impossible choice for a loving parent to make. Sophie is forced into making this choice, though, because if she refuses to choose one child over the other, the doctor will kill them both. While it is heavily implied that he would enact that threat, it is possible he may not have. Since Sophie does choose, she will never know what would have happened if she had done otherwise. 

The repercussions of that particular choice influence each of Sophie's subsequent decisions. Since much of the novel is told through flashbacks, we can see how each choice she makes is influenced by her decision and the overwhelming amount of guilt that she feels because of it. By revealing the actual "choice" that Sophie makes so late in the novel, Styron provides an explanation for much of Sophie's character: her relationship with the abusive Nathan, confession of her past to Stingo, and finally another important decision Sophie makes towards the novel's end. 

The novel's title, then, can refer to the many choices that Sophie makes, and this emphasis on choice leaves a lasting impression about the nature of decision. The novel reveals that each choice we make can ultimately impact both our lives and the lives of others, yet the decisions with the greatest impact are often made suddenly, without any thought towards consequence. 

Did Kino finding the pearl result in more good or bad consequences?

Finding the pearl resulted in more negative consequences than positive ones.

When Kino found the pearl, he thought that all of his problems were solved.  He expected to be able to sell it and he dreamed of all of the wonderful things he could do with the money.  However, the pearl resulted in nothing but negatives. 

The pearl is wonderful, beautiful, and big.  When Kino finds it, it should end all of his troubles.

Kino...

Finding the pearl resulted in more negative consequences than positive ones.

When Kino found the pearl, he thought that all of his problems were solved.  He expected to be able to sell it and he dreamed of all of the wonderful things he could do with the money.  However, the pearl resulted in nothing but negatives. 

The pearl is wonderful, beautiful, and big.  When Kino finds it, it should end all of his troubles.

Kino lifted the flesh, and there it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon. It captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence. It was as large as a sea-gull's egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world. (Ch. 2)

The first problem with the pearl is that it is so big that the pearl buyers will not buy it.  They try to trick Kino, colluding with each other to convince him that it is worthless.  Since Kino can’t sell it, it doesn’t bring him the fortune he hoped for.  Instead, it brings him fame.  Unfortunately, the fame meant that people tried to steal the pearl.

Juana declares the pearl evil.  She is superstitious, and she is sure that the pearl will destroy them if they keep it.

“This pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us," and her voice rose shrilly. "Throw it away, Kino. Let us break it between stones. Let us bury it and forget the place. Let us throw it back into the sea. It has brought evil. Kino, my husband, it will destroy us." (Ch. 3)

In the end, the pearl does bring bad luck. Kino’s son Coyotito was killed.  Kino only wanted to protect Coyotito and be able to take him to a doctor for the scorpion bite and buy him whatever he could need.  Instead, the pearl destroyed them all, just as Juana predicted.

What is Margaret like and how did she change throughout the book?

The main way in which Margaret changes is that she is able to see that she can trust her own integrity. At the start of the novel she feels unsure of herself, in particular she is unsure of her social standing at her new school. By becoming friends with Nancy and the other girls, she feels she is part of a social circle. But she still defers to Nancy's leadership and still feels foolish about her choices and things she says and does, because the other girls sometimes make fun of her.  For example: She pretends to like the same popular boys that her friends like, because when she says she likes less-popular boys, they ridicule her choices. Perhaps because she is a relative newcomer to the neighborhood and the school, Margaret seems to think she needs to behave more carefully than the others, so as not to lose her social position. In her more private moments she continues her conversations with God, sharing her worries and asking for help.

The other two girls also tend to defer to Nancy, who is the natural leader of the group and projects the most confidence. Nancy's dominance sets the tone for the girls' gatherings, and she frequently turns the conversation to issues surrounding puberty, such as their breasts being too small and the embarrassing films they have to see in health class, but also about boys. After two of the girls in her circle of four get their periods, Margaret feels awkward and jealous. She doesn't like how she is feeling and gets angry at God in her continued conversations directed at Him. She seems to want to strike out but doesn't know where to direct her anger.

When Margaret finds out that Nancy was lying about getting her period, she is confused and disappointed. Margaret realizes she has been foolish to let Nancy influence her to such a great extent, but also realizes Nancy is not perfect and makes mistakes. Something changes in their relationship at this point, and Nancy seems more humble and deferential to Margaret. Margaret knows she could hurt Nancy by telling the other girls about her lie, but she chooses not to, and seems to forgive Nancy for lying. This shows her maturity and self-awareness; and Nancy's response is to act as if Margaret is being a true friend. Both girls grow from this experience. Going forward, Margaret is more confident and even decides she will not need to talk to God as often, because she has figured out how to help herself a bit more.

In "A Jury of Her Peers," why don't the women tell the men what they've found out?

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters each have a personal reason for not turning over the evidence to the attorney and sheriff, and they have one reason that they share. Once the women discover the bent bird cage and the strangled bird, they no longer entertain any doubts that Mrs. Wright killed her husband. However, Mrs. Hale, rather than blaming the former Minnie Foster for her actions, blames herself for her own role in the situation. She recriminates herself, saying she should have visited Minnie at her home and should have picked up on the isolated and soul-killing atmosphere Mr. Wright forced on his wife. When the awfulness of Mrs. Wright's lonely and oppressed existence fully dawns on Mrs. Hale, she cries out, "Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while! ... That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?"

Mrs. Peters gains insight into Mrs. Wright, a woman she didn't know previously, by contemplating what it would have been like to have been childless, enjoy the pleasure of a song bird for a while, and then have the bird brutally killed. Mrs. Peters recalls a bully having killed her cat with a hatchet when she was little. She says, "If they hadn't held me back I would have ... hurt him." She also thinks about how still her house was after she lost her oldest child. Both these situations allow Mrs. Peters to empathize with Mrs. Wright.

Though each woman has a personal reason for sympathizing with Mrs. Wright, those reasons alone may not have been enough for them to withhold the evidence from the men. Ironically, however, the men's own condescension towards Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters gives them the additional motivation they need to keep their findings secret. Throughout the story the men, especially the county attorney and the sheriff, mock and belittle the two women and all of their gender. They criticize Mrs. Wright's housekeeping, they scoff at the women's concern for "trifles," patronize "the ladies," and repeatedly laugh about the women's interest in whether Mrs. Wright planned to knot or quilt the squares. The women bear with those remarks; certainly, they hear them on a regular basis and barely bother letting such remarks offend them. Nevertheless, they know that when Mrs. Wright comes to trial, it will not be before a jury of her peers because women did not serve on juries then. Twelve men with the same lack of empathy and the same condescension for women will determine Mrs. Wright's fate. No doubt Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale do not think that Mrs. Wright was fully justified in her actions. Yet they know that she will be at the mercy of the mocking county attorney: "Mr. Henderson is awful sarcastic in a speech, and he's going to make fun of her" Mrs. Peters notes early in the story.

Because they know Mrs. Wright will not receive a trial that will take into consideration all the backstory that the women have reconstructed, they can't bring themselves to subject her to more unfair treatment at the hands of the law. Therefore they decide to act as a jury of her peers, doing what they can to assure that she gets a lighter sentence or no sentence at all. 

What happens in the mime of the bribery of the railroad surveyor?

Lakunle tells Sidi why Baroka is called the Fox and explains how he foiled the Public Works attempt to build a railroad through Ilujinle. The mime scene begins when prisoners enter the stage, and a white surveyor examines his map. The surveyor directs his sweat team where to work, and they begin chopping down the forest. The workers mark out the route and begin setting the tracks. The surveyor occupies his time by drinking whiskey,...

Lakunle tells Sidi why Baroka is called the Fox and explains how he foiled the Public Works attempt to build a railroad through Ilujinle. The mime scene begins when prisoners enter the stage, and a white surveyor examines his map. The surveyor directs his sweat team where to work, and they begin chopping down the forest. The workers mark out the route and begin setting the tracks. The surveyor occupies his time by drinking whiskey, until seemingly out of nowhere, a bull-roarer is heard. The foreman and workers panic and scatter after hearing the cacophony of noises from the bull-roarers surrounding them. The only person that is still there is the surveyor who was too surprised to move. Baroka and his attendants appear from the forest with a young girl carrying a calabash bowl. The angry surveyor accepts the gift and reveals a wad of pound notes and kola nuts from the bowl. The surveyor and Baroka establish an understanding, and the surveyor looks over his map, then shakes his head as he re-examines the bowl. Baroka gives him more money and coop of hens. Then proceeds to give him even more money and a goat. The surveyor comes to a realization that he has made a mistake. He "discovers" that the tracks should be further away from the village because the soil is much too soft to support the weight of a train. Baroka and the surveyor seal their agreement by drinking palm wine, and Baroka's men help the surveyor pack up and leave.

How is Aunt Alexandra cold in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Aunt Alexandra can seem quite cold at times. Another word for "cold" in her case is prejudiced. One would think that a sibling of Atticus Finch would be as patient, calm, and reasonable as he is, but not Aunt Alexandra. She considers herself high and mighty because of her "gentle breeding." That is to say, she's been brought up with privileges, education, and manners, so she is expected to behave in a certain way and...

Aunt Alexandra can seem quite cold at times. Another word for "cold" in her case is prejudiced. One would think that a sibling of Atticus Finch would be as patient, calm, and reasonable as he is, but not Aunt Alexandra. She considers herself high and mighty because of her "gentle breeding." That is to say, she's been brought up with privileges, education, and manners, so she is expected to behave in a certain way and be a good example in the community. She also wants Scout to behave a certain way and she does not filter what she thinks, either. 

"Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches. . . I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. She hurt my feelings and set my teeth permanently on edge" (81).

This is one example of Alexandra being cold and not considering how her words might affect a little seven year-old girl. The next time she is really cold is when Scout says that she wants to invite her schoolmate Walter Cunningham over sometime. Aunt Alexandra says the following:

"Don't be silly, Jean Louise. . . The thing is, you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he'll never be like Jem. Besides, there's a drinking streak in that family a mile wide. Finch women aren't interested in that sort of people" (224).

Jem argues that the Cunninghams are distant kin and to shun them is silly. Aunt Alexandra then puts her foot down and declares that Walter will never set foot in the house. Scout asks why and her response is probably the coldest ever:

"Because--he--is--trash, that's why you can't play with him. I'll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what. You're enough of a problem to your father as it is" (225).

In just a couple of sentences, Aunt Alexandra disrespects a poor family's son and insults Scout again. Her prejudice seems to have no end and she can't see the damage that she is doing to her little niece. 

Why was colonizing important to other countries?

Colonization was important to countries for various reasons. One reason was that there were economic benefits to colonization. By owning colonies, a country would have access to resources that it could use. When the Industrial Revolution was taking place, countries could get resources for their factories cheaper from their colonies than they could if they bought them from other countries. Also, the colonies served as a guaranteed marketplace for the products made in the industries.

...

Colonization was important to countries for various reasons. One reason was that there were economic benefits to colonization. By owning colonies, a country would have access to resources that it could use. When the Industrial Revolution was taking place, countries could get resources for their factories cheaper from their colonies than they could if they bought them from other countries. Also, the colonies served as a guaranteed marketplace for the products made in the industries.

There were political advantages to having colonies. When countries were able to establish colonies around the world, they were able to increase their political power. The more colonies a country had, the stronger that country was in political terms. Countries with many colonies were viewed as a world power. World powers also needed to protect their trade. The colonies made it easier for this to happen since ships could stop at the colonial ports if needed.

Having colonies provided military advantages that helped the country become or remain a world power. The colonies could serve a military base. If a war occurred, the colonies would be a place from where the military could operate. The ships could also refuel and resupply in the colonial ports.

Countries realized there were many benefits to having colonies. This led to a competition between countries to gain colonies.

In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth says, "But screw your courage to the sticking place,/ And we’ll not fail." In your own words, explain what this means.

Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth that as long as he is not afraid, their plan to kill Duncan will not fail.

When Macbeth tells his wife that three witches prophesized that he would be king, she is excited. However, Duncan does not name Macbeth as his heir. That means that the only way Macbeth will become king is by killing Duncan and getting rid of the king’s two sons. She fears that Macbeth doesn’t have...

Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth that as long as he is not afraid, their plan to kill Duncan will not fail.

When Macbeth tells his wife that three witches prophesized that he would be king, she is excited. However, Duncan does not name Macbeth as his heir. That means that the only way Macbeth will become king is by killing Duncan and getting rid of the king’s two sons. She fears that Macbeth doesn’t have it in him.

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it … (Act 1, Scene 5)

Lady Macbeth knows her husband. He is not really the type to follow through on such a vicious plan. She points out that while he is ambitious, he will not do what needs to be done.  She doesn’t think he can kill Duncan.

Macbeth does indeed lose his nerve. Lady Macbeth makes a plan to kill Duncan and tells him all he has to do is follow it. When he still worries that they will fail, she tells him to be a man and do it.

What beast was't, then,
That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. (Act 1, Scene 7)

Literally, the “sticking place” refers to a crossbow. A soldier would adjust the cross-bow and arrow to the proper place to make a shot. It is a metaphor for Macbeth adjusting his mindset to the point where he is brave enough to follow through with killing Duncan.

Lady Macbeth is successful in getting her husband to act, and even chides him when he doesn’t leave the knives behind in Duncan’s room to frame the guards they killed.  Malcolm and Donalbain both flee, afraid they are next.  Macbeth becomes king. The plan worked like a charm.

Although Macbeth asks the stars to hide their fire and seems really gung-ho about killing Duncan in the beginning of the play, he appears to be a man whose bark is worse than his bite. He might be ambitious, but he is also careful. His wife, on the other hand, gets things done. She does not care what the consequences of killing Duncan might be. She just wants Macbeth as king.

In Jack Finney's "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket," how many floors is the hotel that Tom Benecke is staying in?

The text of "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" does not say how many floors there were in the building where Tom and his wife lived. It does say, however, that this building is an apartment house and not a hotel. There were many residential hotels in Manhattan at the time the story was published in 1956, but the Benekes had an apartment. Here, for example, is a direct statement:

There was nothing in the...

The text of "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" does not say how many floors there were in the building where Tom and his wife lived. It does say, however, that this building is an apartment house and not a hotel. There were many residential hotels in Manhattan at the time the story was published in 1956, but the Benekes had an apartment. Here, for example, is a direct statement:

There was nothing in the apartment long enough to reach that paper.

Here is another:

He heard the sound, felt the blow, felt himself falling forward, and his hand closed on the living-room curtains...

So they have a living-room, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom. We know that their apartment is on the eleventh floor.

Now, balanced easily and firmly, he stood on the ledge outside in the slight, chill breeze, eleven stories above the street, staring into his own lighted apartment, odd and different-seeming now.

There are numerous indications that this is an old building made of bricks. For instance:

His forehead was pressed directly into the corner against the cold bricks

Such a building could not be very tall. The outer brick walls support the structure. High-rise buildings have internal steel skeletons. Anyway, the really tall buildings of Manhattan are almost all office buildings or condominiums. It is likely that the Benekes' building was only twelve or fifteen stories tall at most. Manhattan land has gotten so expensive that no one would put up such a small building in that location today. There are fewer and fewer residential hotels and apartments available in Manhattan, although they used to be plentiful. O. Henry, Nathanael West, Dashiell Hammett, and Cornell Woolrich, among other writers, all lived in residential hotels in Manhattan. John Cheever must have been living in a Manhattan apartment building when he wrote "The Enormous Radio," but like so many other Manhattanites he moved out to the suburbs to escape high rents, crime, noise, congestion, air pollution, and all the other problems created by too many people living in too little space.

Is there an ultimate victory for the animals in George Orwell's Animal Farm?

In Animal Farm, there was no ultimate victory for the animals, with the exception of the pigs. While the animals realized their dream of overthrowing Mr Jones, life for the majority of the animals on the farm was just as hard and oppressive under Napoleon as it was when humans ran the farm. By the end of the novel, for example, Boxer has been sold to a glue manufacturer, the animals work seven days...

In Animal Farm, there was no ultimate victory for the animals, with the exception of the pigs. While the animals realized their dream of overthrowing Mr Jones, life for the majority of the animals on the farm was just as hard and oppressive under Napoleon as it was when humans ran the farm. By the end of the novel, for example, Boxer has been sold to a glue manufacturer, the animals work seven days per week and retirement is nothing more than a dream. In addition, the Seven Commandments, which were designed to promote equality and freedom, have been reduced to the following single commandment, which demonstrates pigs' belief in other animals' inferiority:

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.

As for the pigs, they replaced their human master, Mr Jones, and became equally tyrannical and selfish. They live in the farmhouse, drink alcohol, wear clothes, and enjoy better rations and living standards than other animals on the farm.

Just like Mr Jones, Napoleon rules the farm with an iron fist, as we see from his expulsion of Snowball, and his rise to absolute power is, arguably, the only time a character experiences a long-term victory in the novel. 

I have to write a paper on a critic's point of view of Huckleberry Finn. When it comes to Julius Lester's critique, do you agree with his arguments...

In order to help you answer this question, I need to know the title of the critique to which you are responding. For example, Julius Lester wrote an article called "Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which appeared in The Mark Twain Journalin 1984. Lester describes visiting the boyhood home of Mark Twain in Hannibal, Missouri, and being turned away from every hotel in town because he and his family were African American. He...

In order to help you answer this question, I need to know the title of the critique to which you are responding. For example, Julius Lester wrote an article called "Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which appeared in The Mark Twain Journal in 1984. Lester describes visiting the boyhood home of Mark Twain in Hannibal, Missouri, and being turned away from every hotel in town because he and his family were African American. He relates that experience to the moral implications of Twain's novel.

To respond to Lester's critique, focus on a few specific arguments he makes. For example, Lester argues that literature cannot be separated from morality and that the novel's depiction of race is both inaccurate and "dangerously, fatally seductive." Readers are likely to accept the novel's message without giving the necessary consideration to the complexities of race relations. Lester points out that Twain makes a faulty comparison between Huck and Jim, portraying them both as slaves. While Huck is abused by his father, he still has privileges that slaves such as Jim do not.

Your job is to take part in the conversation about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that Lester has begun. You might consider whether Lester's response to the novel is different from your own. Does he bring up issues that you failed to consider? Are there issues that Lester has also failed to consider? Cite specific quotes from Lester's article as well as specific quotes from the novel to illustrate why you agree or disagree with his arguments.

What is allomorphy? |

In linguistics, a morpheme is the minimal unit of meaning in a language. Morphemes include words (roots) and affixes (postfixes, prefixes, infixes, etc.). An allomorph is a variant of a morpheme. 

So when we look at a word like 'cats', we actually have two morphemes used together to signify multiples members of Felis catus (please note that in the examples below I am using phonemic notation for the sounds of the morphemes, but due to...

In linguistics, a morpheme is the minimal unit of meaning in a language. Morphemes include words (roots) and affixes (postfixes, prefixes, infixes, etc.). An allomorph is a variant of a morpheme. 

So when we look at a word like 'cats', we actually have two morphemes used together to signify multiples members of Felis catus (please note that in the examples below I am using phonemic notation for the sounds of the morphemes, but due to the constraints of this format, I am not using IPA for the vowel sounds; instead, I am using English spelling conventions for the vowel sounds even though the forms  enclosed in // should be read as phonemic representations):

{CAT}+{pl} = /kat/ + /-s/ = 'cats'

So, we can see that '-s' is a morpheme that is used to make nouns plural in English. However, it is not the only form of the plural in English. Consider the word 'dogs':

{DOG} + {pl} = /dog/ + /-z/ = 'dogs'

With the words 'dogs', we see an allomorph of the standard English plural morpheme. It can be realized as /-s/ or as /-z/ depending on the phonetic environment of the word to which it is affixed. In an unvoiced environment, it is /-s/ whereas in a voiced environment it is /-z/.

Not all instances of allomorphy are so straightforward, however. To see two more complex situations, we need look no further than some irregular forms of the plural in English.

The plural of 'mouse' is 'mice', not *mouses. This is an umlaut plural in English. It is still the root morpheme plus the plural morpheme, but in this case the plural morpheme is realized as a change form a back vowel to a front vowel in the root:

{MOUSE}+{pl} = /mais/

The change of the back vowel in /mous/ to a front vowel in /mais/ is an allomorph of the English plural morpheme. Another allomorph of the English plural is a null change, as in deer:

{DEER}+{pl} = /deer/

The null change is an allomorph of the English plural morpheme even though there is no actual change to the root word. The reason for this is that morphemes are abstract units of meaning, and they exist even if an allomorph of the morpheme is phonologically null.