Why was Mark Watney stranded on Mars in The Martian?

In the first chapter of Andy Weir's The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney—the book's protagonist—becomes stranded on Mars due to a storm and a technological failure.

Mark was a member of Ares 3, NASA's third manned mission to the red planet. Shortly after landing on Mars, Watney and his crewmates encounter a major storm system that their equipment is not built to endure. Consequently, NASA tells the Ares 3 crew to abort the mission, board the...

In the first chapter of Andy Weir's The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney—the book's protagonist—becomes stranded on Mars due to a storm and a technological failure.

Mark was a member of Ares 3, NASA's third manned mission to the red planet. Shortly after landing on Mars, Watney and his crewmates encounter a major storm system that their equipment is not built to endure. Consequently, NASA tells the Ares 3 crew to abort the mission, board the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), and rendezvous with the Hermes shuttle, which was in Mars' orbit.

The crew races to get off Mars, but by this point the storm is raging. The crew can barely see in front of them, so they rely on the technology in their suits to help them reach the MAV and locate any crewmembers who get lost.

Unfortunately, the storm knocks a communication dish off the crew's Mars base camp and slings it into Watney. He goes flying across the Martian landscape and loses consciousness. Moreover, the dish breaks his biometric computer, which makes the rest of the crew believe he is dead. Thus, they board the MAV and leave Mars—and Mark Watney—behind.

What condition were the dogs in when they arrived at Skagway from Dawson in The Call of the Wild by Jack London? Why?

In The Call of the Wild by Jack London, the dogs and their drivers arrived at Skagway after a thirty day trek from Dawson. They were exhausted and down in weight because they had not had a proper rest. Many were limping, and Dub had a hurt shoulder. All of them had sore feet from toiling day after day, hour after hour along the trail. 

In Skagway, the men expected a long stay-over to rest,...

In The Call of the Wild by Jack London, the dogs and their drivers arrived at Skagway after a thirty day trek from Dawson. They were exhausted and down in weight because they had not had a proper rest. Many were limping, and Dub had a hurt shoulder. All of them had sore feet from toiling day after day, hour after hour along the trail. 

In Skagway, the men expected a long stay-over to rest, both for them and the dogs, but it was not to be. Already Buck was down from his usual one hundred forty pounds to about one hundred fifteen, so when he and his mates were sold and expected to start up once again in only three days, they were not well rested and ready. 

Does a net force causes a change in an object's motion? Yes, no, or it depends?

Net force is the sum total of all the forces acting on a body. If the forces that are acting on the body, are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, the net force will be 0. This is the scenario of balanced forces. In such a case, the net force acting on the body is 0 and hence there is no change in the motion of the body. If it was at rest, it...

Net force is the sum total of all the forces acting on a body. If the forces that are acting on the body, are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, the net force will be 0. This is the scenario of balanced forces. In such a case, the net force acting on the body is 0 and hence there is no change in the motion of the body. If it was at rest, it will stay at rest and if it was moving, it will continue to move at the same speed. In comparison, if the forces have different magnitudes and are in the same or different directions, the net force will have a certain value. These unbalanced forces will cause an acceleration and will either speed up or slow down the object (depending on the direction of motion and direction of the net force).

Thus, the change in motion of an object by a net force will depend on the magnitude of the net force. Thus, the answer is "it depends."

Hope this helps. 

What are some examples of animal imagery in connection with Lennie in Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck?

Right from the start of the novella, Steinbeck likens Lennie to a large animal.

He walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

The comparison is not meant to be derogatory, but actually descriptive of Lennie's primitive and unpolished nature, which exists within all of us as humans. Lennie, however, lives with the mismatched combination of a large...

Right from the start of the novella, Steinbeck likens Lennie to a large animal.

He walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

The comparison is not meant to be derogatory, but actually descriptive of Lennie's primitive and unpolished nature, which exists within all of us as humans. Lennie, however, lives with the mismatched combination of a large body, disproportionate strength, and very low intellect. Hence, he lacks the typical behaviors and defense mechanisms that are used by other people to control themselves in certain situations.

Consequences are also foreign to Lennie. Like an animal, he just reacts on the spot without thinking much. For example, when he felt thirsty on his way to the ranch, rather than looking for a safe source of water, he went to the first puddle he found.

He flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse.

In all, Lennie is no different than a wild creature that can only manage to survive by learning the basics of life. He is still a potential victim of his own instincts which, like those of a animal, command his actions more than common sense.

Explain the use of personification in the poem "Snake."

D. H. Lawrence uses personification throughout his poem “Snake.” In order use this literary device he gives human qualities to the snake, and speaks about it as if it is a person. The narrator describes the snake as “someone” instead of as an animal.

Someone was before me at my water-trough, And I, like a second comer, waiting.

The description of the snaking drinking water uses personification as the water goes down its throat. Lawrence...

D. H. Lawrence uses personification throughout his poem “Snake.” In order use this literary device he gives human qualities to the snake, and speaks about it as if it is a person. The narrator describes the snake as “someone” instead of as an animal.

Someone was before me at my water-trough, And I, like a second comer, waiting.

The description of the snaking drinking water uses personification as the water goes down its throat. Lawrence says that the snake drinks the water, looks around, and stops to “muse” for a moment. This means that the snake has the advanced ability to think, which is a human quality. In the seventh stanza he refers to the snake as a “guest” and in a later stanza the narrator states he is “honoured” the snake “should seek my hospitality.” This refers to the snake as a person who comes to visit.

Finally, the narrator personifies the snake by comparing it to a king.

For he seemed to me again like a king,

Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,

Now due to be crowned again.

Why is the man making this journey?

The first response to this question is that the man is meeting a group of other "boys" at the old camp on Henderson Creek, where he hoped for "the possibility of floating logs from the islands in the Yukon down the river when the ice melted."  This was the man's first winter in the Yukon, so the reader assumes that he, like many men in this era, were looking for work, adventure, or both.  

...

The first response to this question is that the man is meeting a group of other "boys" at the old camp on Henderson Creek, where he hoped for "the possibility of floating logs from the islands in the Yukon down the river when the ice melted."  This was the man's first winter in the Yukon, so the reader assumes that he, like many men in this era, were looking for work, adventure, or both.  

So the second response to this question is that the man is looking for an adventure.  Note that he goes out on the trail alone, even though more experienced men warned him against it, especially with the weather being so cold; in fact, the dog that accompanies the man even wants to resist going out in that weather.  But the man "was not able to imagine" how the cold would truly affect him.  London makes that point clear in the story when he reiterates:

The trouble with him was that he was not able to imagine. He was quick and ready in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in their meanings. Fifty degrees below zero meant 80 degrees of frost. Such facts told him that it was cold and uncomfortable, and that was all. It did not lead him to consider his weaknesses as a creature affected by temperature. Nor did he think about man’s general weakness, able to live only within narrow limits of heat and cold. From there, it did not lead him to thoughts of heaven and the meaning of a man’s life. 50 degrees below zero meant a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against by the use of mittens, ear coverings, warm moccasins, and thick socks. 50 degrees below zero was to him nothing more than 50 degrees below zero. That it should be more important than that was a thought that never entered his head.

This weakness leads the reader to understand that London is not only commenting on the man's weakness, but the weakness of man in general--that explains why the character is never given a name throughout the story.  Naturally, the lesson to be learned is that Nature does not discriminate; it will take any man's life who is foolish enough to go into the cold without the proper supplies and equipment.

How does the setting help establish the main conflict in the story "All Summer in a Day"?

The incident could not have happened anywhere other than Venus because the children bullied Margot for having seen the sun.

The setting of the story is Venus.  It rains all of the time on Venus, and the sun has not come out in seven years.  Margot is from Earth, so she has seen the sun.  No one else in her class has seen it since the age of two.

It had been raining for seven...

The incident could not have happened anywhere other than Venus because the children bullied Margot for having seen the sun.

The setting of the story is Venus.  It rains all of the time on Venus, and the sun has not come out in seven years.  Margot is from Earth, so she has seen the sun.  No one else in her class has seen it since the age of two.

It had been raining for seven years; thousands upon thousands of days compounded and filled from one end to the other with rain, with the drum and gush of water, with the sweet crystal fall of showers and the concussion of storms so heavy they were tidal waves come over the islands.

The conflict is the children’s distrust and bullying of Margot.  They put her in a closet when the sun was about to come out.  It was a silly prank, and they really did not mean anything by it.  They felt awful when they were done and Margot felt terrible because she missed the sun, and it would be years before it came out again.

A story’s setting affects the conflict because conflicts result from the setting and characters.  In this case, the characters are nine-year-old kids.  They live on Venus, and it rains on Venus constantly.  This is part of the setting because the absence of the sun is the status quo.  If the story had taken place on Earth, the children might have bullied Margot, but for other reasons. 

They edged away from her, they would not look at her. She felt them go away. And this was because she would play no games with them in the echoing tunnels of the underground city. If they tagged her and ran, she stood blinking after them and did not follow.

She did not fit in.  However, the reason for her not fitting in might have been different if the story had taken place on Earth.  In that case, the story still would have been different because there would be another reason for Margot’s alienation.

Describe the three primary psychographic population segments.

At a very basic level, the three primary psychographic segments for marketing include lifestyles, social class and personality. Beyond these very broad terms, pyschographic segments may be narrowed and divided even further. 

Lifestyle is a generally broad term relating to how someone or a group of people live.  Included in this group may be college graduates, high school graduates, employed, retired. The lifestyle classification refers to the consumers point in life. 

Social class is identified...

At a very basic level, the three primary psychographic segments for marketing include lifestyles, social class and personality. Beyond these very broad terms, pyschographic segments may be narrowed and divided even further. 

Lifestyle is a generally broad term relating to how someone or a group of people live.  Included in this group may be college graduates, high school graduates, employed, retired. The lifestyle classification refers to the consumers point in life. 

Social class is identified by consumers ability to purchase goods or services or buying power. The three general social classes in the United States are lower class, middle class, and upper class. These class levels directly correlate to each class' income level and subsequent purchasing power. 

Personality refers to the individual's particular preference of goods and services. Personality may be tied to lifestyle and social class. However, that is not necessarily the case. Someone in a lower social class may have a brand personality of purchasing expensive jewelry, for example, or may purchase health care services that are not covered by insurance. 

In Of Mice and Men how does loneliness affect and connect with dreams?

Dreams are the great adversary of loneliness. In John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men,George has a dream of owning a "little piece of land." The dream draws in, not only Lennie, but also Candy and Crooks. Candy has become lonely after his dog is put down by Carlson in chapter three. He offers to contribute $350 to the farm which will make it possible to buy. Crooks, who laments his loneliness in chapter...

Dreams are the great adversary of loneliness. In John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men, George has a dream of owning a "little piece of land." The dream draws in, not only Lennie, but also Candy and Crooks. Candy has become lonely after his dog is put down by Carlson in chapter three. He offers to contribute $350 to the farm which will make it possible to buy. Crooks, who laments his loneliness in chapter five, is, for a short time, part of the dream as well.

George paints an idyllic picture of the farm. It is like paradise and its mythic proportions capable of relieving any ill, including loneliness. Candy is "crestfallen" by the loss of his dog, but once he hears George telling Lennie about the dream, his demeanor totally changes. He has hope again. He tells George,

"Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it. An’ I’ll wash dishes an’ little chicken stuff like that. But I’ll be on our own place, an’ I’ll be let to work on our own place.”

Crooks is at first critical of the dream. He suggests that everyone has a dream but it never materializes. He tells Lennie and Candy in chapter four,

“You guys is just kiddin’ yourself. You’ll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you won’t get no land. You’ll be a swamper here till they take you out in a box. Hell, I seen too many guys. Lennie here’ll quit an’ be on the road in two, three weeks. Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head.” 

But after Candy explains that the men already have land picked out and most of the money, Crooks becomes very interested. For a moment he believes he might overcome the segregation and racism which plagues him on the ranch. He says,

“ . . . . If you . . . . guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a- bitch if I want to.” 

Unfortunately, racism rears its ugly head as Curley's wife threatens Crooks and reminds him that he is an outcast in the white world. She says, and is certainly right, that she could get him lynched if he said anything wrong to her. He "retreats" and tells Candy at the end of the chapter,

“’Member what I said about hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs?”...

“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks. “I didn’t mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.”

If the sun rises in the northeast, where does it set?

Because the earth's axis of rotation is tilted, the sun's rising and setting locations appear to change throughout the year. There are only two times each year when the sun rises due east and sets due west. These times are the autumnal and vernal equinoxes in September and March, respectively. The rest of the year, the sun will be either north or south of due east and west. 

The northern hemisphere is tilted away from...

Because the earth's axis of rotation is tilted, the sun's rising and setting locations appear to change throughout the year. There are only two times each year when the sun rises due east and sets due west. These times are the autumnal and vernal equinoxes in September and March, respectively. The rest of the year, the sun will be either north or south of due east and west. 

The northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun during the winter, and so the sun will rise in the southeast and set in the southwest, staying in the southern part of the sky throughout the day. During the summer, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, so the sun will rise in the northeast and set in the northwest. 

It is important to remember that the earth is rotating on its axis, and the axis doesn't change directions. As the earth moves in its orbit around the sun, the axis simply ends up facing towards or away from the sun. Check out the link to the NASA site below for more information on this and the earth's seasons. This is a common misconception that makes it more difficult to understand the relationship between our earth and the sun. 

How does Napoleon change over time?

Napoleon, based on Joseph Stalin, has a desire for power from early on, but grows more corrupt and less like an animal as he becomes more powerful. At first, this "rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar" is considered to have "depth of character," though what kind of character is not specified. At first too, Napoleon treats the other animals generously, giving them double food rations after they run Mr. Jones off the farm. Later, he surrounds himself...

Napoleon, based on Joseph Stalin, has a desire for power from early on, but grows more corrupt and less like an animal as he becomes more powerful. At first, this "rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar" is considered to have "depth of character," though what kind of character is not specified. At first too, Napoleon treats the other animals generously, giving them double food rations after they run Mr. Jones off the farm. Later, he surrounds himself with fierce dogs and cuts the other animal's rations in half if they don't work extra hours. Despite the commandment that decrees that all animals are equal, he sets himself above the others.

Increasingly, Napoleon breaks the animal code, ultimately breaking all seven of the Seven Commandments. He moves into a house and sleeps in a bed. He institutes a reign of terror, killing animals who oppose him By the end of the novel, he is walking on two legs, wearing human clothing and drinking alcohol. In fact, he can't be distinguished from a human. 

Why is the theme loneliness in Of Mice and Men?

The life of an itinerant rancher during the Great Depression was a lonely one. Often, these men would move from job to job, never having a stable place to live nor having the ability to enjoy a permanent family. George explains this all to Lennie: 

Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no fambly. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to. 

George goes on to explain that he and Lennie can combat this plight. Instead of accepting this lonely lifestyle, they are determined to stay together. Their friendship and their dream of owning a farm help them get through such a lonely existence. Their story is, in part, a strategy of avoiding loneliness. 

Crooks is also a lonely character. He is ostracized from the other ranchers because he is black. He has his own separate bunk in the harness room. Because the other workers shun him, Crooks closely guards his own space. When Lennie comes in to talk with him, Crooks is initially overprotective of his space and wants to be left alone. But over the course of their conversation with Lennie and Candy, Crooks warms to them because he sees them as kindred, lonely spirits. Candy fears that, in his old age, he will eventually been deemed useless and thus will face a lonely time in finding a new job. Crooks and Candy warm to Lennie's dream of owning a farm because they think they would have a place there. They would be accepted. However, Curley's wife puts a stop to this conversation and scares Crooks into returning to his ostracized state. 

Curley's wife is also a lonely figure. She is is only woman on the ranch. She may have felt pressured into marrying Curley for financial security. But she is lonely and therefore she constantly seeks out companionship with the other men. She also laments her missed opportunity. She had a dream of being an actress. Lennie, Crooks, Candy, and Curley's wife all experience loneliness for different reasons. This is why it is such a significant theme in the book. 

Were the colonists justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain? Provide reasons.

Since this is an opinion question, I will share some reasons why the colonists were justified and some reasons why they were not justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain. You can then decide for yourself.

The colonists were justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain. There are several reasons for this. First, the British began to increase their control over the colonists. The Proclamation of 1763 prevented the colonists from going to the lands Great Britain had just received from France as a result of the French and Indian War. The colonists had hoped to move to these new areas so they could claim some of the land Great Britain had received from France. Then, the British required the colonists to provide for the troops who were enforcing the unpopular Proclamation of 1763. This made the colonists even more unhappy.

The British also passed new tax laws. Since the colonists did not have representatives in Parliament that could speak about and vote on the taxes, they felt that their rights were being violated. In England, in order for taxes to be implemented, the people’s representatives had to vote on the proposal. This did not happen for the colonists when Britain passed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts.

Eventually, colonial blood was shed. At the Boston Massacre, five colonists were killed. After the Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts were passed. When the colonists refused to obey the Intolerable Acts, the British army eventually moved into the Massachusetts countryside. Many people on both sides were killed as a result of the Battle of Lexington-Concord. The colonists believed they now had to declare their independence from Great Britain.

There were people who felt the colonists were not justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain. These people believed the British had the right to run their colonies how they saw fit to run them. They felt that the British had the right to restrict the colonists from moving to the new lands gained from France. They believed the British were trying to keep the colonists safe from Native America attacks and were not trying to control them.

The colonies were also becoming more expensive to run. Thus, it was acceptable for the British to expect the colonists to help pay for some of the costs of running the colonies. They believed, for example, that the colonists benefited from the protection provided by the British soldiers. As a result, they believed the crackdown on smuggling and passage of new tax laws to raise revenue were acceptable actions by the government.

These people also believed the colonists were wrong to destroy property in the Boston Tea Party. Therefore, they felt it was reasonable for the British to impose harsh penalties on the colonists for their actions in the Boston Tea Party.

Some people feared what would happen if independence was declared. The British had provided an orderly society and a stable government. People were concerned chaos would result if independence was declared. They believed the colonists were not yet ready for autonomy.

There are various opinions on whether the colonists should have or should not have declared independence from Great Britain.

What message might Saki be sending to the reader about Mother Nature in the short story "The Interlopers" ?

One message that Saki may be sending to the reader about Mother Nature is that she is opportunistic, and she can override any decisions that man can make just on her whims.

When Ulrich Gradwitz goes out to check his forests that are "of wide extent and well stocked with game" he believes that he may catch his enemy Georg Znaeym out on this night. However, as each man "prayed that misfortune might fall on the other"...

One message that Saki may be sending to the reader about Mother Nature is that she is opportunistic, and she can override any decisions that man can make just on her whims.

When Ulrich Gradwitz goes out to check his forests that are "of wide extent and well stocked with game" he believes that he may catch his enemy Georg Znaeym out on this night. However, as each man "prayed that misfortune might fall on the other" Mother Nature intervenes as they come around a huge beech tree from opposite sides and they come face to face with each other. There is a momentary pause because "the code of a restraining civilization" causes them to hesitate so. It is then that the opportunist Mother Nature intervenes, sending a massive bolt of lightning that splits the huge birch tree, spilling branches that pinion the two foes underneath them.

Made prisoners of Nature, the two men ponder their chances of rescue and which of their parties will arrive first until Ulrich decides to end the feud, and he asks Georg if he wishes to share the warm wine that he has in a flask. At first Georg rejects the kind offer, but then he agrees and they make peace with one another. After this, they graciously offer the services of their men to the other regardless of who arrives first. But it seems that Mother Nature again has the upper hand as she overrides their decisions and sends her own party to the men--a party of devouring wolves.

What is the climax of the story "War"?

The climax of "War" comes at the point that the bulky woman, bundled in her coat as she weeps that her son has been taken to the front to fight for the country in the war, suddenly turns to the old man and asks him, "Then...is your son really dead?"

In Luigi Pirandello's short story "War," the author captures the sentiment of the greatest tragedy of war: the terrible loss of beloved sons that parents experience.
This story begins while passengers waiting for the train at Fabriano to join the main line with Sulmonia in the morning watch as a bulky woman and her husband board. She has been crying as their son has been deployed to the front. Her husband explains that the young man is their only son. But, another passenger tells the couple, that parents cry who have more than one son, as well; it is all the worse for having more than one. Another traveler tells them, 

If Country is a natural necessity like bread of which each of us must eat in order not to die of hunger, somebody must go to defend it

He explains that people should not weep because their sons are defending the country. Further, he relates that before his son died, the young soldier wrote him that he was dying satisfied because he was leaving life in the "best way he could have wished." So, the father declares, this is why he does not even wear mourning clothes. Then, the other passengers congratulate him for his stoicism.

Hearing this man's words, the weeping mother seems to awaken as if from a dream. She feels now that it is not the others who cannot understand her when she has declared parents belong to their children, but she who has not been able to rise up as have the other parents who accept the deaths of their sons for the security of their country. So, turning to the man who has spoken so stoically and proudly of his son, she asks the old man, "then...is your son really dead?"

When the passengers hear this question, everyone stares at her. The old man is stunned; then, he seems to comprehend that his brave son is, indeed, gone. As his face contracts horribly, he quickly grabs his handkerchief and he weeps uncontrollably with "harrowing, heart-breaking, uncontrollable sobs."

What is a ledger? |

A ledger is used in business or personal finance to keep track of the flow of money over time. When people talk about a "book keeper" or "keeping the books" the word "book" is an informal way of referring to the ledger. Although there are many forms of ledgers (some with stricter rules than others) what most ledgers have in common is that they take the form of an organized list or table of monetary...

A ledger is used in business or personal finance to keep track of the flow of money over time. When people talk about a "book keeper" or "keeping the books" the word "book" is an informal way of referring to the ledger. Although there are many forms of ledgers (some with stricter rules than others) what most ledgers have in common is that they take the form of an organized list or table of monetary gains (credits) or losses (debits). The rows of the table are often ordered by the time at which the credits or debits took place, and this information is often included in one of the columns as a date and/or time of day. The time at which a monetary event occurred, the amount of money involved, and whether the event was a credit or debit (often there are separate credit and debit columns) are the core information in most ledgers. Other information often kept for each transaction include the parties involved in the transaction (i.e. who received the money and who paid the money), as well as any taxes, interest, adjustments, or fees involved in the transaction. Very frequently, ledgers involve a final row or area where all of the credits and debits are added together to get the net balance of money  available.

Ledgers take many physical forms and can be written down with pen and paper or managed digitally in an Excel spreadsheet or database. All that matters is that there is a way to conveniently manage and access the information in the ledger. Ledgers are used in a wide variety of settings and virtually anywhere that money is flowing frequently (for individuals and business alike) there is a need for some form of ledger. Ledgers can be used  for everything from keeping track of sales and returns at retail store to keeping track of the money in a personal bank account. I have attached a  very simple and informal example of ledger for sales at a fictitious fruit stand called "Tom's Fruit Stand."

Where in Maycomb does Atticus Finch work as a lawyer?

Atticus Finch's work is done at home, in his office, in the courtroom, and out in the community. Atticus has an office with a desk in his home. He meets his clients in a variety of places. For example, Atticus meets Mr. Cunningham in the Finch family living room to discuss the man's entailment. During the Tom Robinson trial, most of the work Atticus does takes place in the courtroom.

His main office is located...

Atticus Finch's work is done at home, in his office, in the courtroom, and out in the community. Atticus has an office with a desk in his home. He meets his clients in a variety of places. For example, Atticus meets Mr. Cunningham in the Finch family living room to discuss the man's entailment. During the Tom Robinson trial, most of the work Atticus does takes place in the courtroom.

His main office is located inside the Maycomb courthouse. It is a simple place, which reflects his personality. Atticus is straightforward with no frills.

Atticus's office in the courthouse contained little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checkerboard and an unsullied Code of Alabama (Chapter 1).

Later on, "after several years. . . he moved to quieter quarters in the Maycomb Bank building" (Chapter 15). This office is located at the end of a long hallway. It provides some separation between trial work and other kinds of work.

How does the narrator of Knight’s poem construct Hard Rock into a mythic prison figure?

Although Hard Rock is a prison inmate, Knight portrays him not as a criminal or villain but as a hero. His fights with other inmates are epic battles and his scars are a testament to his courage. One particular scar "plowed through a thick / canopy of kinky hair" (l. 5-6), which suggests that the hardships he has endured are intricately connected to his racial identity; because he is African American, he is not more...

Although Hard Rock is a prison inmate, Knight portrays him not as a criminal or villain but as a hero. His fights with other inmates are epic battles and his scars are a testament to his courage. One particular scar "plowed through a thick / canopy of kinky hair" (l. 5-6), which suggests that the hardships he has endured are intricately connected to his racial identity; because he is African American, he is not more likely to commit a crime but far more likely to end up in prison. Just as heroes in mythology struggle against the forces of nature and the whims of the gods, Hard Rock fights against the forces of authority. He also rebels against disease by turning his "syphilitic spit" (l. 22) into a venom-like weapon.

Like all mythic figures, the source of his power comes from "the Word," (l. 6) that is the stories that others tell about him. His feats of strength and bravery are measured by the number of guards it takes to restrain him or the number of days he ends up in solitary confinement.

Mythic figures often have a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. However, Knight suggests that the tragic flaw is the prison system itself. In order to quell Hard Rock's rebellion, doctors perform an unethical and experimental medical procedure. After he is lobotomized and subjected to electroshock, Hard Rock becomes docile. His punishment mirrors the restraint and mutilation of such mythic figures as Prometheus, who steal the gods' power, and Loki, the Norse God who brings chaos to the world. Both Loki and Hard Rock are called "The Destroyer."

When "the Word" of Hard Rock's condition reaches the the prison population, their stories of heroism become admissions of defeat.

`sum_(i = 1)^7 64(-1/2)^(i - 1)` Find the sum of the finite geometric series.

`sum_(i=1)^7 64 (-1/2)^(i-1)`

The given summation notation has a form

`sum_(i=1)^i a_1 (r)^(i-1)`

Base on this, the first term and common ratio of the geometric series can be identified.  The values are a1=64 and r=-1/2.  

Plugging in the values of the a1 and r to the formula of geometric series

`S_n = a_1*(1-r^n)/(1-r)`

the sum of the first seven terms will be:

`S_7 = 64 *(1-(-1/2)^7)/(1-(-1/2))`

`S_7=64*((1-(-1/128))/(1-(-1/2))`

`S_7=64(1+1/128)/(1+1/2)`

`S_7=64*43/64`

`S_7=43`

Therefore,   `sum_(i=1)^7 64(-1/2)^(i-1)=43`...

`sum_(i=1)^7 64 (-1/2)^(i-1)`

The given summation notation has a form

`sum_(i=1)^i a_1 (r)^(i-1)`

Base on this, the first term and common ratio of the geometric series can be identified.  The values are a1=64 and r=-1/2.  

Plugging in the values of the a1 and r to the formula of geometric series

`S_n = a_1*(1-r^n)/(1-r)`

the sum of the first seven terms will be:

`S_7 = 64 *(1-(-1/2)^7)/(1-(-1/2))`

`S_7=64*((1-(-1/128))/(1-(-1/2))`

`S_7=64(1+1/128)/(1+1/2)`

`S_7=64*43/64`

`S_7=43`

Therefore,   `sum_(i=1)^7 64(-1/2)^(i-1)=43` .

What poetic element, like rhyme or rhythm, is supported in the interpretation of "A Bird came down the Walk"?

Poetry has lyrical origins, as people in ancient times tried to preserve and pass down their culture and history. As such, poetry is imaginative and uses words (diction) and elements of poetry, such as meter, rhythm, rhyme, tone and figurative language to infer meaning in such a way that it is able to express intention and attach significance which may otherwise be overlooked or misunderstood outside a certain context. It may even hold secrets and...

Poetry has lyrical origins, as people in ancient times tried to preserve and pass down their culture and history. As such, poetry is imaginative and uses words (diction) and elements of poetry, such as meter, rhythm, rhyme, tone and figurative language to infer meaning in such a way that it is able to express intention and attach significance which may otherwise be overlooked or misunderstood outside a certain context. It may even hold secrets and special meaning which, without interpretation, go unnoticed.

In the simply-worded "A Bird came down the Walk—," Emily Dickinson uses various poetic elements to make her point. She demonstrates that Nature reveals itself in absolute simplicity and there is no need to be a great scholar with a sophisticated vocabulary to appreciate Nature. 

The first two stanzas follow a familiar pattern, the second line rhyming with the fourth. However, although the metrical rhythm and flow is sustained (the punctuation confirms this), there is no rhyme in the subsequent verses; notably, to ensure that the reader is as equally affected by the bird's actions as the observing narrator. Dickinson uses familiar sound devices (particularly alliteration) to maintain the rhythm and ensure the progression of the poem. The words are familiar but the way Dickinson uses them is what gives this poem its power, its effect. 

Dickinson understands the ruthlessness of Nature; the bird "ate the fellow raw." Personifying both the bird and the worm ensures that the reader sees more than a basic act between a bird and worm, a natural and seemingly insignificant event, and relates this circumstance to his or her own life, especially as the bird "hopped sidewise to the Wall," such as a person might dismiss something they have no particular interest in in the pursuit of their goals.

When the bird and the narrator encounter each other, the tone changes as both the bird and narrator become "Cautious" and alert. The narrator's attempts to placate the bird, despite her own fear, fail because the bird uses its most natural instinct and flies away. The observing narrator notes how seamless the action is. Interestingly, Dickinson would rather compare the beauty of flight and the bird's wings to "Oars (that) divide the Ocean," because to her there is splendor in flight that can only be understood and magnified by considering the vastness of the ocean. She then uses the image of a butterfly to cement the visual picture she has created. There is no need to mention color when describing a butterfly; the narrator expects that it will be understood. This use of imagery is wholly supported as the entire poem remains with the reader. The harsh reality is far outweighed by the breathtaking and overwhelming vision with which Dickinson leaves the reader.

In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," why are the villagers in the story reluctant to upgrade the black box?

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" explores several themes, but one of the most basic ideas it explores is the idea of tradition and what it means to follow a tradition for which the origins are unclear. The village for decades seems to follow this human sacrifice idea out of sheer tradition. Old Man Warner, the oldest character in the story, makes a vague reference to the lottery being held as a sacrifice to the crops when...

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" explores several themes, but one of the most basic ideas it explores is the idea of tradition and what it means to follow a tradition for which the origins are unclear. The village for decades seems to follow this human sacrifice idea out of sheer tradition. Old Man Warner, the oldest character in the story, makes a vague reference to the lottery being held as a sacrifice to the crops when he says, "Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.'" However, he follows up this statement with "There's always been a lottery," again suggestion that tradition, not practicality, keeps this event going.

The black box in the story is symbolic of this tradition. According to the narrator:

"The black box grew shabbier each year; by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained." 

Still, the villagers, despite chatter that they'd replace the box that year allowed the topic "to fade off without anything's being done." While the villagers continue to go through with the tradition each year, which the current box symbolizes, an improved box would give the new generation ownership of the event. As villages around this unnamed town show, the ending of this tradition might be something they desire. Perhaps the unspoken hope is that the box goes into complete disrepair and the village forgets about the gruesome tradition.

How can I analyze (not summarize) the following from Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea? "For as soon as he was made acquainted with the...

The key strategy you need to follow in analyzing a passage like this is thinking about its context. To discover the antecedents of pronouns, you need to look to the immediately preceding materials to discover their referents. This is not a difficult process; simply pasting the quotation into a Google search box will pull up the chapter from which this was excerpted, namely Chapter V.—Of the Disagreement respecting the Celebration of Easter.

Thus this is not really an anti-Arian statement but rather one on the subject of the Paschal or Eastern controversy, concerning how the date of Easter is to be determined. Syrian Christians were the main opponents to Constantine and the Council of Nicaea on this issue. 

The main ambiguity here is that there appears no obvious "secret adversary" mentioned. Chapter IV discusses the Arians and then Chapter V moves on to the Paschal Controversy, which actually started much earlier, really gaining traction in the late second century. No one individual is mentioned in regards to the Paschal Controversy though; all we know is that the Council issued statements which attempted to create uniformity in the date of Easter across Christendom and failed (Orthodox and western Christians still calculate it differently). Eusebius thinks this discord a great evil, describing it as a "most virulent disorder" and saying:

... the people being thus in every place divided in respect of this, and the sacred observances of religion confounded ... no one appeared who was capable of devising a remedy for the evil, ... Constantine appeared to be the only one on earth capable of being [God's] minister for this good end.

The main evil mentioned in the passage is discord and disunity, and thus you could make a case for that being the enemy Constantine is opposing. "War" here is metaphorical; Roman emperors did not begin sending armies against Christian heretics until the early fifth century.

For your analysis, what you might want to focus on is the way that Eusebius appears to consider church unity and authority so important, at times nearly seeing uniformity and strong central authority as a goal in and of itself. 

If allegory brings such a message to the story, then why is it hardly ever used?

Allegory is not often a writer's first choice for at least a few reasons. It is difficult to write a sustained allegory, and allegories run the risk of a message being misunderstood or missed completely. 

An allegory does not simply bring a message to a story; it isthe story. In a true allegory, the characters, the events, and the setting have meaning, and they must all operate consistently within the framework of the literal...

Allegory is not often a writer's first choice for at least a few reasons. It is difficult to write a sustained allegory, and allegories run the risk of a message being misunderstood or missed completely. 

An allegory does not simply bring a message to a story; it is the story. In a true allegory, the characters, the events, and the setting have meaning, and they must all operate consistently within the framework of the literal level of the story.  You cannot have an allegory if one character represents one thing and another character is just his literal self.  Everything in the story must combine to work at the literal level and at the allegorical level. In Animal Farm (Orwell), for example, the animals must all stay "in character" as animals and yet convey the message of the allegory. So, you can see that this can be an exhausting and difficult endeavor.  Many writers who have powerful messages to share can share them without all of this hard work!

Allegories can be misunderstood or the reader might be completely unaware there is a message. I can provide an example of this.  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is an allegory. I read this when I was perhaps ten or eleven years old, which is probably not atypical.  Being a Jewish child, I had not a clue that this was a Christian allegory, and I would guess there are plenty of Christian children who read it who did not know this either. It was not until many years later that I came to realize that this was an allegory, at which point I did read it again and enjoyed the story at that level, too. However, the fact remains that there are probably many people who have no idea of the allegorical nature of the story.  C. S. Lewis wrote many other books on Christian theology, possibly because he was unable to communicate his messages through his allegories. 

As I am writing this, one other thought occurs to me, which is that allegories seem like a somewhat old-fashioned means of writing.  I would guess that many more allegories were written in days past than in days present.  I don't know if writers are too impatient or readers are too impatient, perhaps both, but messages seem to be conveyed more through other means today.

Imagine yourself sustaining an allegory over a few hundred pages. It is so difficult to do.  And then imagine that your readers do not even understand that you have written an allegory in the first place. I suspect the modern writer uses other ways of getting a message across!

Why did prohibition seem to fail during the 1920's? a. Prohibition increased alcoholism in the US. b. Prohibition led to increased racial...

The 18th amendment to Constitution banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol. This was known as prohibition. While many people indicated they were in favor of prohibition, their actions suggested otherwise. People formed secret clubs, called speakeasies, where they were able to get and drink alcohol. Some people made their own alcoholic beverages. Prohibition eventually ended with the passage of the 21st amendment to the Constitution.

Prohibition failed because it was so difficult to...

The 18th amendment to Constitution banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol. This was known as prohibition. While many people indicated they were in favor of prohibition, their actions suggested otherwise. People formed secret clubs, called speakeasies, where they were able to get and drink alcohol. Some people made their own alcoholic beverages. Prohibition eventually ended with the passage of the 21st amendment to the Constitution.

Prohibition failed because it was so difficult to enforce. So many people were drinking, it wasn’t possible to have enough police officers to stop the drinking from occurring. While many people indicated they thought prohibition was a good idea, they really didn’t want to stop drinking. Organized crime got involved in the alcohol business because demand for alcohol was so high. Mayor LaGuardia of New York City was known to have said that in order to enforce prohibition, he would have needed about 250,000 police officers just to police the police. This showed how difficult it was to enforce prohibition, which is a major reason for its failure and its eventual repeal. Most people had no intention of stopping the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Therefore, the correct answer to question you asked is answer D.

Explain the status of the United States after WWII as a superpower, including its leading economic role and its Cold War competition with Russia.

After the Second World War, the United States emerged, along with the Soviet Union, as one of the world's superpowers. With Germany and Japan in ruins, and Great Britain having expended all of its resources to fight the war against Germany, the United States, removed from the carnage and destruction directly, gained great geopolitical as well as economic clout. Politically, the United States and the Soviet Union clashed over the future of Eastern Europe. The...

After the Second World War, the United States emerged, along with the Soviet Union, as one of the world's superpowers. With Germany and Japan in ruins, and Great Britain having expended all of its resources to fight the war against Germany, the United States, removed from the carnage and destruction directly, gained great geopolitical as well as economic clout. Politically, the United States and the Soviet Union clashed over the future of Eastern Europe. The Soviets under Stalin wished to create a buffer zone of communist states between its borders and Western Europe. But after receiving false promises from Stalin that democratic elections would be allowed in Poland, the United States interpreted the expansion of communism into Eastern Europe as aggression that had to be met with firmness. So by the late 1940s, Europe was divided between a communist bloc of states under Soviet influence and the West, which was heavily influenced by the United States. 

The economic role of the United States was itself shaped by this situation. The United States economy boomed during the war, as it expanded to meet the needs of its own people and armed forces as well as that of the Allies. American bankers as well as the federal government extended massive loans to American allies, and shortly after the war's end, the US government poured billions of aid into Western Europe in the form of the Marshall Plan. American manufactured goods duly poured into Western Europe as well as Japan (especially with the onset of the Korean War) and the American economy, far from experiencing a postwar depression predicted by many observers, actually expanded dramatically during the 1950s. 

The United States exercised its powers through the institutions designed to establish a new global postwar order--the United Nations, NATO (established in the late 1940s) and the International Monetary Fund. The United States had been expanding throughout the twentieth century, but World War II was the pivotal event in establishing the nation as a global superpower whose influence was rivaled only by its Cold War adversary the Soviet Union. The isolationism of the prewar era was a thing of the past, and the United States was inextricably entwined with events around the world.

Which battle features at the start of the play, Macbeth? Is the battle even named?

The battle is not given a specific title, but it is clear from the text that it was part of King Duncan's fight against the rebellious Macdonwald, who had turned against his king, most probably in an attempt to usurp the Scottish throne and claim it for himself.

To this end, Macdonwald has gathered around him a number of allies, such as the thane of Cawdor and Sweno, the king of Norway, who have obviously provided him with men to boost his forces. It is clear from the injured sergeant's report in Act 1 scene 2, that the battle had been fierce and advantage had probably swayed from one party to the other throughout. It becomes evident, though, that it was Macbeth's stubborn resilience and determination which encouraged the king's exhausted troops and ensured victory. The sergeant, in glowing terms, reports in part:

...For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour's minion carved out his passage
Till he faced the slave;
Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps,
And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

It was Macbeth's undaunted spirit and valor which won them the day. He confronted the fierce and fiery Macdonwald, showing no courtesy, and executed him, ripping him apart from his navel to his jaw. He then decapitated the traitor and attached his head to the battlements for all to see.

This victory, however, did not scare off the Norwegian king and his troops, for they believed that they had the upper hand and, with new weapons and fresh men, launched a renewed assault. Their inspired action, though, did not dishearten Macbeth and Banquo but, instead, encouraged them, for they doubled their attack.

Ross, on returning from the battlefield, later confirms what the sergeant had reported and states that the king of Norway and the thane of Cawdor were defeated by the force of their fighting. This news obviously provides Duncan much joy for the threat to his crown has been ruthlessly suppressed. In his bliss, he praises Macbeth specifically and, in his absence, awards him the title thane of Cawdor, for the previous thane would be executed for his betrayal. Duncan tells Ross:

No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.

Great irony lies in the fact that firstly, great honour and title is bestowed upon Macbeth for his courage in defending his king and country and secondly, that he had fought against the traitors who wished to overthrow his king. The irony lies in the fact that he betrays the king himself by doing the very thing Macdonwald, Cawdor and Sweno had failed to achieve. He murders the king in his bed later and claims the throne when Duncan's sons escape, fearing for their lives.

Why is the legend of Devil's Tower important to the Kiowa tribe in The Way to Rainy Mountain?

This is an interesting question just because Rainy Mountain (located in Oklahoma) is the usual mountain asked about in reference to The Way to Rainy Mountain; however, Devil's Tower (located in Wyoming) is important to the mythological section of the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans as well.  Any research on Wyoming's Devil's Tower will tell you its significance to the Kiowa.  According to Momaday and to Kiowa myth, a few Kiowa girls were out...

This is an interesting question just because Rainy Mountain (located in Oklahoma) is the usual mountain asked about in reference to The Way to Rainy Mountain; however, Devil's Tower (located in Wyoming) is important to the mythological section of the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans as well.  Any research on Wyoming's Devil's Tower will tell you its significance to the Kiowa.  According to Momaday and to Kiowa myth, a few Kiowa girls were out playing and suddenly saw a few giant bears.  Unfortunately, the bears began to chase them.  The girls climbed a rock in an attempt to escape the bears, but the rock they chose was too short.  At this point, the girls prayed hard for their safety.  Their prayers were heard, and the small rock the girls were standing on grew up beneath their feet.  This saved the girls from the bears.  The bears tried to climb the rock (leaving claw marks in the sides), but were unable to get to the girls.  The girls ascended into the heavens where they eventually became an important constellation:  Pleiades.  According to the Kiowa, it was Devi's Tower that was left behind.  The Kiowa tribe, however, refers to Devil's Tower as either "Aloft on a Rock" or "Tree Rock."  The name "Devil's Tower" was bestowed upon the monolith later in history.

How did Ji-li's beliefs motivate her choices in Red Scarf Girl?

In Red Scarf Girl, Ji-li Jiang writes about her experiences growing up during the Cultural Revolution in 1960s China, a time when Mao, China's leader, wanted to recommit the country to revolutionary principles. Ji-li makes several choices. First, she decides not to denounce her teachers, though many other students are doing so. She writes in the chapter entitled "Writing Da-Zi-Bao," "The more I read, the more puzzled I became. Did the teachers really intend to...

In Red Scarf Girl, Ji-li Jiang writes about her experiences growing up during the Cultural Revolution in 1960s China, a time when Mao, China's leader, wanted to recommit the country to revolutionary principles. Ji-li makes several choices. First, she decides not to denounce her teachers, though many other students are doing so. She writes in the chapter entitled "Writing Da-Zi-Bao," "The more I read, the more puzzled I became. Did the teachers really intend to ruin our health and corrupt our minds? If so, why hadn’t I ever noticed?" While she wants to be a good revolutionary, as Mao and her community want her to be, she considers her teachers from a personal angle and cannot find anything lacking in them. Her personal connection to her teachers and her honesty cause her not to denounce her teachers. 

At the end of the novel, she is asked to denounce her father, who has been accused of engaging in "counter-revolutionary" activities, such as listening to foreign broadcasts on the radio. However, Ji-li refuses to denounce her father to the Communist authorities. While she is being questioned by the authorities in the chapter entitled "The Class Education Exhibition," she thinks to herself, "I saw Dad standing on a stage, his head bowed, his name written in large black letters, and then crossed out in red ink, on a sign hanging from his neck. I saw myself standing in the middle of the stage, facing thousands of people, condemning Dad for his crimes...I saw Dad looking at me hopelessly, tears on his face." Ji-li cannot denounce her father because she loves him. She has also seen her family suffer because her grandfather was a landlord, so they are considered capitalists. She has seen the dark side of the Cultural Revolution and decides she can't perpetuate its evils.

Although she at first wants to do well and have a bright future and is willing to be part of the Red Successors in order to succeed, her family's experiences teach her that Mao's practices are corrupt. She sees her father suffering, though he is innocent, and she knows that her loyalty lies with her family rather than with Mao's movement. 

What disguise did Portia's use in The Merchant of Venice, and what does this tell us about her character?

Portia was disguised as a lawyer who came to defend Antonio during his trial in Venice. She had heard from Bassanio, who at that point had won her hand by choosing the correct casket, that his friend, the sea - merchant, Antonio was in dire straits and feared for his life at the hands of the moneylender, Shylock.

Antonio had signed an undertaking guaranteeing the repayment of a loan for 3000 ducats in three months,...

Portia was disguised as a lawyer who came to defend Antonio during his trial in Venice. She had heard from Bassanio, who at that point had won her hand by choosing the correct casket, that his friend, the sea - merchant, Antonio was in dire straits and feared for his life at the hands of the moneylender, Shylock.

Antonio had signed an undertaking guaranteeing the repayment of a loan for 3000 ducats in three months, in order to assist Bassanio. Unfortunately, all Antonio's ships were lost at sea and he could not honor the bond. This allowed Shylock an opportunity to take revenge on him for Shylock hated him and had approached the duke to give judgement in his favor to cut out a pound of Antonio's flesh as per the agreement in the contract.

Bassanio had been informed of this unfortunate turn of events and was distraught by the news. Portia had seen him turn pale when he read the letter giving him the bad news and offered to help. When she heard that Shylock had been uncompromising and had stubbornly refused all alternatives for the repayment of the loan, she decided to become involved by secretly going to Venice, accompanied by Nerissa.

Before doing this, Portia sent her servant Balthasar, to her cousin, Doctor Bellario, an experienced lawyer, to obtain his advice and some garments for her and Nerissa's use. She asks him to hurry and bring what she has requested to her at the ferry to Venice. She tells Nerissa that they will disguise themselves as two men and will be so good at it that no one will be able to guess that they are actually women, not even their husbands will know who they are:

When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
And speak between the change of man and boy
With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride, and speak of frays
Like a fine bragging youth, and tell quaint lies,
How honourable ladies sought my love,
Which I denying, they fell sick and died;
I could not do withal; then I'll repent,
And wish for all that, that I had not killed them;
And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell,
That men shall swear I have discontinued school
Above a twelvemonth. I have within my mind
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
Which I will practise.

The two women later appear at Antonio's trial in disguise. The duke reads a letter from Bellario in which he recommends a young lawyer, named Balthasar to represent him in his stead, since he is unable to attend the trial. We learn that Portia is actually impersonating the lawyer whilst Nerissa is disguised as her clerk. Portia defends Antonio successfully and he is released whilst sanctions are passed against Shylock, who essentially loses half of his property in the end and has to become a Christian or forfeit his life, at the discretion of the duke. 

In "A Rose for Emily," what contrast does the narrator draw between the changing reality around Miss Emily and her refusal or inability to...

In Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," there are several instances in which Emily Grierson's behavior stands in contrast to the changing world around her. The narrator gives us many examples of how Miss Emily keeps to tradition and remains unchanged in her behavior by the passage of time. The three most prominent instances are her response to the attempt by the town government to collect property taxes from her when she was an old woman, her reaction to her father's death when she was a young woman, and, most significantly, her desire to keep Homer Barron with her even in his death.

The first major example that the narrator gives us of Miss Emily's refusal to change with the world around her is the incident of her unpaid property taxes. This incident occurs when Miss Emily is an old woman. Her behavior in response to a delegation from the town government shows the reader that she does not acknowledge change as ongoing:

"I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me. Perhaps one of you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves."

"But we have. We are the city authorities, Miss Emily. Didn't you get a notice from the sheriff, signed by him?"

"I received a paper, yes," Miss Emily said. "Perhaps he considers himself the sheriff . . . I have no taxes in Jefferson."

"But there is nothing on the books to show that, you see We must go by the--"

"See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson."

"But, Miss Emily--"

"See Colonel Sartoris." (Colonel Sartoris had been dead almost ten years.) "I have no taxes in Jefferson.

Miss Emily does not accept that she might owe taxes or that the circumstances around her have changed; rather, she directs them to see a mayor who has been deceased for a decade.

The next incident that the narrator relays is the account of how Miss Emily reacts to her father’s death. Her behavior again shows that she is unwilling to accept, or even acknowledge, change:

The day after his death all the ladies prepared to call at the house and offer condolence and aid, as is our custom Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, with the ministers calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body. Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried her father quickly.

The final and most important example of Miss Emily’s behavior standing in contrast to the changes occurring around her comes with the reveal at the end of the story, namely that Miss Emily has kept Homer Barron’s body in her bedroom after his death:

For a long while we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him. What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay; and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust.

Clues from the story (i.e. the purchase of arsenic, the smell around her house, and Homer Barron’s last known appearance in town all coming at the same time) suggest not only that she has kept Homer Barron’s remains for decades, but that she also may have instigated his death. From this the reader can conclude that Miss Emily acts to resist Homer Barron leaving her in both life and in death, which is the greatest change we know.

These three major incidents all show that Miss Emily’s behavior in the story is at odds with change. They are bolstered by many other minor suggestions by the narrator that Miss Emily represents a fading tradition, and that she refuses to adapt to the world as it moves on around her.  

Four distinct geographical areas are important in The Great Gatsby: West Egg, East Egg, the Valley of Ashes and New York City. What are some ways...

This is a great question, and very interesting to explore. This topic lends itself to a multi-page essay, which I'm not going to write here, but I can give you an overview which you can develop.

First, we have to take a close look at each of the four zones and which characters/values they are associated with:

West Egg is where Gatsby lives. It symbolizes new money. Gatsby started out a poor farm boy and created his own wealth. West Egg is the site of extravagance, as shown by Gatsby's wild parties.

East Egg is where the Buchanans live. It represents old money, or the established aristocracy, people like Tom who come from wealthy families, don't have to work for a living, and enjoy a high social status. This East Egg upper class enjoy an extravagant lifestyle as well, but their activities are more subdued than in the West Egg. Tom keeps horses and plays polo, and Daisy enjoys leisurely afternoons with her friends. The aristocracy look down on the new money.

The Valley of Ashes is where the Wilsons live. They came from nothing and are going nowhere. The ashes symbolize their desolation and hopelessness. George works hard every day at a labour-intense job just to maintain a small, dingy home. Both West Egg and East Egg folk regard the Valley of Ashes as merely a passageway to New York City.

New York City is a busy, chaotic metropolis. None of the main characters live there, but they do go there for various activities, giving the reader the sense of the corruption and carelessness that Nick finds in the East, ultimately prompting his return to his home in the American Midwest.

Now we need to look at what events take place in each of these zones that lead to conflict:

West Egg, as mentioned, is the location of Gatsby's extravagant parties. A conflict arises when Tom Buchanan and his friends stop off at Gatsby's on a horse ride and show thinly-veiled contempt for Gatsby, and another when Tom attends one of Gatsby's parties and again shows his arrogance and distaste for Gatsby and all that he symbolizes (new money).

In East Egg, at Tom's house to be specific, we have a major conflict when Gatsby attends a dinner there. He reveals his desire for Daisy in front of Tom while Tom is busy setting up plans with his mistress, Myrtle. All this cheating, or lack of family value, creates anger which encourages the party to go into town (New York City). This sets up the final confrontation between Gatsby and Tom, and the climax—Gatsby's car hitting and killing Myrtle.

The third setting, the Valley of Ashes, is where Myrtle dies and Tom is forced to confront his own values via his love for his mistress vs. his comfortable and appropriate marriage to Daisy. Gatsby also confronts his own values here via his love for Daisy, when he chooses not to reveal that it was her who was driving the car when it killed Myrtle.

Finally, New York City is the site where Nick becomes privy to Tom and Myrtle's love affair in the apartment Tom has rented for them, and has to confront the value of loyalty to family (Daisy) vs. loyalty to friends (Tom). It is also where Nick meets Meyer Wolfsheim and has to confront his values regarding legal vs. illegal money when he realizes that Gatsby keeps some rough company. Finally, the conflict between Tom and Gatsby over Daisy takes place here when Gatsby tries to make Daisy say she never loved Tom.

These are just some examples and will need further explanation and evidence from the novel to support them. You might be able to find some appropriate quotes  I hope this helps. Good luck with your essay!

Who started the Cold War?

At the end of World War II, the Allies had reached an agreement about what the world would like in post-war Europe. The Soviet Union chose not to follow many of these agreements leading to the start of the Cold War.

One agreement that was made was about how the post-war government in Poland would become composed. It was agreed there would be free elections, and the new government would have some members of the...

At the end of World War II, the Allies had reached an agreement about what the world would like in post-war Europe. The Soviet Union chose not to follow many of these agreements leading to the start of the Cold War.

One agreement that was made was about how the post-war government in Poland would become composed. It was agreed there would be free elections, and the new government would have some members of the pre-war government in it. However, the new government had very members of the pre-war government in it, and it appeared there were no free elections occurring.

Another agreement made was reflected in the Declaration of Liberated Europe. This agreement said countries would be free to choose the kind of government they would like to have. However, the King of Romania said he was pressured by the Soviet Union into having a communist government.

The Soviet Union tried to spread communism throughout Europe and Asia. We developed a policy designed to stop the spread of communism known as containment. Thus, we helped European countries with the creation of the European Recovery Program. This program offered aid to countries resisting the spread of communism. We helped West Berlin when the Soviet Union cut off the land routes to West Berlin in an attempt to turn West Berlin into a communist area. We developed the Berlin Airlift to fly supplies over the blockade. We got the United Nations to help South Korea when the Soviet-supported North Korea invaded South Korea to try to unite Korea into a communist country.

We responded to the breaking of agreements and the aggressive actions of the Soviet Union after World War II ended. A Cold War is a period of confrontation and competition between countries. The actions of the Soviet Union led to the beginning of the Cold War. This lasted until about 1990.

What is the ultimate goal of judicial law?

Within the United States, there are three main sources of law – the law of the land (constitutional law and treaties), legislative action, and the common law. So-called judge-made law (likely the idea to which ‘judicial law’ refers) implicates not only the interpretation of the law of the land and legislative action, but also the interpretation and application of the common law.

Within the U.S. legal system, the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting and...

Within the United States, there are three main sources of law – the law of the land (constitutional law and treaties), legislative action, and the common law. So-called judge-made law (likely the idea to which ‘judicial law’ refers) implicates not only the interpretation of the law of the land and legislative action, but also the interpretation and application of the common law.

Within the U.S. legal system, the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting and applying the law. This is a hallmark of the common law tradition. This contrasts with code law (also called civil law, Napoleonic Code or Roman Law) in which the judiciary is only responsible for the application of the law.

This interpretive power of the judiciary comes ultimately from the British common law. Prior to the advent of legislative bodies, the courts of England were charged with enforcing the laws of the monarchy. Over time, the common law developed from the written decisions of these courts as they created and applied legal principles and definitions to the cases that came before them. Interpreting the precedents (prior cases) and applying those to the facts of a given case was the goal of the common law judge.

In the United States, the U.S. common law is still a valid source of law so long as it is not specifically contradicted by legislative laws or the law of the land. Further, the judiciary is able to use common law principles to interpret laws created by the legislative process. Thus, the goal of the modern U.S. common law itself is to fill in the gaps of the other sources of law and give the courts guidance on how to interpret and apply all laws.

Finally, interpreting the law is not confined to the common law or to instances of individual application of particular laws. The power to interpret the law serves as a check on the power of the legislature to enact laws that are not in compliance with the law of the land.  Judicial review and interpretation of the law thus ensure that the law is applied in keeping with the law of the land.

Based on what you read so far in Of Mice and Men, how might Curley's wife be the ignition switch for the conflict?

It makes sense that Curley's wife can be seen as a trigger for the conflict in the novel.

Curley's wife is very unhappy with her life at the ranch. In chapter 2, when Slim notifies her that Curley is looking for her, Steinbeck writes that she adopted a "suddenly apprehensive" demeanor.  She is clearly uncomfortable with her husband.  As a result, she is constantly in the bunkhouse, talking to the other men. Her restlessness has...

It makes sense that Curley's wife can be seen as a trigger for the conflict in the novel.

Curley's wife is very unhappy with her life at the ranch. In chapter 2, when Slim notifies her that Curley is looking for her, Steinbeck writes that she adopted a "suddenly apprehensive" demeanor.  She is clearly uncomfortable with her husband.  As a result, she is constantly in the bunkhouse, talking to the other men. Her restlessness has the tendency to lead to trouble, something that George points out in chapter 3: 

She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her. She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger. That Curley got his work cut out for him. Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her.

Later on in chapter 3, Carlson affirms this when he tells Curley that if she continues to "hang around bunkhouses," he will have "som'pin on your hands."  

These textual examples foreshadow how Curley's wife is going to be involved in some conflict.  In some capacity, she will act as the trigger or ignition switch for what is going to happen.  It is clear that Curley's wife is not going to remain separate from the men because of the dissatisfaction she feels about her own life.  Steinbeck sets up Curley's wife on a crash course with the men in the bunkhouse.  The results of this will not be good.  Like so many in the novella, the hopes of Curley's wife will come into conflict with reality.

What are your feelings after reading the poem "Death the Leveller", and why?

Feelings experienced after reading the poem "Death the Leveller" by James Shirley include:

1. Resignation

2. Sorrow

3. Regret

(1)

Regarding Resignation, I have these feelings because I accept the fact that death awaits us all no matter our battles and confrontations in life. We as individuals and as nations, can fight with our real and perceived foes, but in the end, the victor and the vanquished all end up in the grave. It makes one wonder if it is at all worthwhile to engage in conflicts that only bring ruin and harm to humanity. Is all this war, fighting, and conflict worth it in the end? I believe not and I believe what the opening two lines of this poem say, as follows:

“The glories of our blood and state

Are shadows, not substantial things;”

(2)

Regarding Sorrow, I have these feelings because I can see and understand how conflict has taken the lives of so many individuals through the centuries and primarily the young men and women of nations – in the prime producing and creative years of their lives. These men and women sacrificed their lives for their respective nations, died young, and never reaped the benefits of living into old age with families of their own to grow old with.

War is a waste of human lives as well as resources. War ruins the beauty of our physical environment. In addition, as is alluded to in the above quoted passage, glorying in wars and battles is not what is important – they are fleeting events -  they are not substantial and they produce no lasting peace or a Utopian society.

(3)

Regarding Regret, I have these feelings because at times I have gloried in victories that certain nations have had over diverse adversaries, without really knowing the whole story concerning some conflicts. Upon further study, I have come to realize that each side was fighting for what they believed was right. Each side, and again, mainly these young men and women, were fighting for a cause they believed in, no matter what side they were on.

In addition, these combatants were following orders of their superiors who they no doubt trusted (at least most of the time); they felt it was their duty to country to carry out the actions they were doing. I regret that I have looked down on brave men and women of opposing nations who may have gone to war without really knowing why – but did it because they felt they were duty-bound to serve their fellow citizens.

Why did Stephen Crane write the poem " I Was in the darkness"?

Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900) was an American poet and author whose literary style has been likened to that of Edgar Allen Poe. This comparison is based on their ability to make the reader feel detached while presenting some very provocative situations.

To question the author's purpose is an act of futility.  Even if you could put the inquiry to them personally, their answer would most probably be something along the lines of, "Because I needed ...

Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900) was an American poet and author whose literary style has been likened to that of Edgar Allen Poe. This comparison is based on their ability to make the reader feel detached while presenting some very provocative situations.

To question the author's purpose is an act of futility.  Even if you could put the inquiry to them personally, their answer would most probably be something along the lines of, "Because I needed to write it."  

"I Was in the Darkness" is from Crane's book of poetry titled The Black Riders and Other Lines. It was first published in 1895, with a very limited printing of 500 copies. 

Though they are only a few words, they speak to the bliss of ignorance.  They clamor to return to that state of being where one was unaware of the pain, misery, or obligation that a situation has brought to fruition.  It begs for destiny to,  "Let me return to that point where I had knowledge of only the joy, not the sorrow."

I was in the darkness;
I could not see my words
Nor the wishes of my heart.
Then suddenly there was a great light --

"Let me into the darkness again."

Why is Shylock not called a real hero, but a tragic hero?

A tragedy chronicles the progressive and ultimate downfall of someone, the tragic hero, who has enjoyed money, power, and/or prestige. This is exactly what happens to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Although Shylock is despised by Christians for being a Jew, he has a lucrative lending business, a daughter, a home, and religious community that he stands to lose. Tragedies can also reveal societal flaws, which in this case is the prejudice...

A tragedy chronicles the progressive and ultimate downfall of someone, the tragic hero, who has enjoyed money, power, and/or prestige. This is exactly what happens to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Although Shylock is despised by Christians for being a Jew, he has a lucrative lending business, a daughter, a home, and religious community that he stands to lose. Tragedies can also reveal societal flaws, which in this case is the prejudice expressed throughout the play from all sides.

Another element of a tragedy is that the tragic hero has a tragic flaw which is the major reason for his fall from his high status. Shylock's tragic flaw could be his vengeful spirit that refuses to renegotiate the terms of Antonio's bond. His flaw could be his stubbornness to love his daughter properly; or his reciprocal prejudice against Christians; or all of these vices combined which make Shylock bitter, undiplomatic and hateful. Whatever the flaw, the Duke pronounces his judgment upon Shylock at the end of the hearing as follows:

"I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's.

The other half comes to the general state" (IV.i.364-366).

Shylock is shocked that his home and business are taken from him, but things get worse when Portia asks what mercy Antonio will show him. Antonio says that he would rather have his half of Shylock's money and goods go to the man who married Shylock's daughter, Lorenzo, and that Shylock "presently become a Christian" (IV.i.382).

In the end, Shylock, who once had money, family, and religion loses them all. Because he showed no mercy towards others, he seems to receive none in the end. Although most tragic heroes die at the end of the play, Shylock is lucky to escape with his life, but he must now live a poor Christian life alone with his regrets.

Who is the Porter and what is his speech?

The Porter in Macbeth appears in Act 2, scene 3. His speech is below:

PORTER

Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i' th' name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you’ll sweat for ’t. Knock, knock! Who’s there, in th' other devil’s name?...

The Porter in Macbeth appears in Act 2, scene 3. His speech is below:

PORTER

Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i' th' name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you’ll sweat for ’t. Knock, knock! Who’s there, in th' other devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, equivocator. Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith, here’s an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hose. Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose. Knock, knock! Never at quiet. What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further. I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter. (II.iii.1-20)

The Porter permanently exits the stage shortly after Macbeth arrives later in the scene and so this monologue is what he is most remembered for in the play. In the monologue, the porter makes many sexual euphemisms, which signals that his character is bawdy. "Roast your goose," for instance, is in reference to a prostitute, as "goose" was slang for prostitute. A "French hose" can also be read as a sexual euphemism. More prominent than anything, however, is the Porter's drunkenness. The Porter is exceptionally drunk, and this becomes clear during his interactions with Macduff and Lennox. In regards to tone, the Porter is also a desired break from the tragedy that bookends this scene, as Duncan's murder is announced after this scene. 

What is a summary of the poem "The School Boy" by William Blake?

“The School Boy” is a poem included in William Blake’s collection Songs of Innocence. It is told from the perspective of a young boy going to school on a summer day. The boy loves summer mornings, but to have to go to school when the weather is so nice is a misery to him. He sits at his desk in boredom and cannot pay one iota of attention to the lesson, so desperately does he wish to be playing outside. In the fourth verse, the speaker asks, “How can the bird that is born for joy / Sit in a cage and sing?” Here the poet is comparing young children, so full of energy and happiness, to songbirds, who deserve to tumble free and soar on the winds. But, like songbirds trapped in a cage, children trapped in a classroom cannot express themselves, cannot capitalize on all that excess energy, and therefore their potential is being wasted.

The speaker addresses parents in the final two verses, asking how, “…if buds are nipped / …and if the tender plants are stripped / of their joy...How shall…the summer fruits appear?” That is, if children are stripped of their ability to play and have fun in the summer season, how shall they grow and develop to the fullest extent?

This poem is about allowing children to be children – to run and play outside, to experience the benefits of nature and of the seasons. This practice is equally as beneficial to them as academic learning, and in times such as those in the poem, arguably more so, for on this beautiful summer day the speaker can pay no attention to his lessons – he would rather be outside.

What are romantic features of the poem "The Eagle?" Show how nature is in direct combination with the poet.

I think the main Romantic trait in "The Eagle" is the way Tennyson's imagery is meant to evoke the sublime. Edmund Burke connected the sublime to strong emotional responses -- beholding the sublime evoked in the viewer strong feelings of awe, terror, or dread. Nature, of course, was the greatest source of the sublime.

Tennyson's poem is extremely visual. His viewpoint, as poet, is to share the eagle's perch. Through the poet, we experience the awesome height: we can see how "his crooked hands" grasp the rock of the cliff; we are so high we are "close to the sun." It is as if the eagle and the wide blue horizon of the earth are one ("Ring'd with the azure world, he stands").

In the second stanza, awe turns to dread or exhilaration, as Tennyson contrasts the extreme height of the eagle ("The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls") with the incredible speed and power of his sudden dive ("like a thunderbolt he falls"). There is a sense that when the eagle falls, the reader falls with it -- that we share in the sublime power of the eagle.

What is a theme of Touching Spirit Bear and what is some textual evidence that explains the theme?

The theme is the importance of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is important in this novel because Cole has to forgive his parents, Peter has to forgive him, and he has to forgive himself.  The novel’s events occur because Cole is an angry young man.  His father is abusive and his mother is alcoholic.  He attacks a classmate, Peter, for telling on him when he tried to rob a hardware store.  This just makes him hate himself more.

...

The theme is the importance of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is important in this novel because Cole has to forgive his parents, Peter has to forgive him, and he has to forgive himself.  The novel’s events occur because Cole is an angry young man.  His father is abusive and his mother is alcoholic.  He attacks a classmate, Peter, for telling on him when he tried to rob a hardware store.  This just makes him hate himself more.

Cole agrees to take part in Circle Justice because he thinks that he will get an easier sentence.  It has nothing to do with feeling bad about what he has done.  Cole blames everyone else for his own problems.  Garvey tries to explain the importance of the process to him.

Garvey spoke patiently. “You don’t have to be Native American or First Nation. Anybody can love, forgive, and heal. Nobody has a corner on that market.” (Ch. 1)

Cole’s response is to ask what’s in it for him.  However, he gets immense benefits out of forgiveness.  It takes Cole a long time to forgive his parents and himself for what he has done.  The first time he is on the island, he makes no effort to forgive.  He attacks the Spirit Bear and almost dies.  However, after that experience he realizes that Peter can’t forgive him if he doesn’t forgive himself.

Garvey explains the importance of Peter’s forgiving Cole.

 “How come everything is always about you? This forgiveness isn’t for you. Until Peter forgives you, he won’t heal.”

“Maybe if he forgives me, everyone will forget about what I did and I can get out of this pit faster.” (Ch. 3)

It takes Peter a long time to forgive Cole.  He comes to Cole’s island and hates him at first, but he eventually realizes that Cole has changed.  Peter’s forgiveness helps Cole forgive himself.

Cole gives up the resentment he has toward his parents.  The important part is that Cole has come to understand himself better, and he has let go of his anger.  He no longer blames other people, and he is ready to move on.

In The Book Thief what is important to know in Part 4?

Part 4 is an important section of The Book Thief because it is when Max first arrives at the Hubermann household. Max's introduction to the household and the friendship he develops with Liesel helps both of their characters evolve to deal with the uncertain, changing world around them. 

Walter Kugler, the man we saw in Part 3 helping the Jew named Max, shows up at the Hubermann household to talk with Hans. He asks about...

Part 4 is an important section of The Book Thief because it is when Max first arrives at the Hubermann household. Max's introduction to the household and the friendship he develops with Liesel helps both of their characters evolve to deal with the uncertain, changing world around them. 

Walter Kugler, the man we saw in Part 3 helping the Jew named Max, shows up at the Hubermann household to talk with Hans. He asks about Hans' accordion playing and we learn that Hans learned to play from a Jew in World War I, named Erik Vandenburg. Erik helped save Hans' life too, by getting him a job that kept him out of a terrible battle. Kugler asks if Hans remembers his promises...

Max (who turns out to be Erik's son) first arrives on Himmel Street in November of 1940. We learn about Max's past: he's a German Jew and a fist fighter, who has dealt with the problems in his life by fighting. When his problems became more abstract (the Nuremberg Laws stripping him of citizenship, the guilt of leaving his family overwhelming him, the struggles of living in hiding for 2 years already before coming to the Hubermann's house) Max still finds ways to fight back. 

When Max arrives at the house, he eats a bowl of Rosa's pea soup too quickly and gets sick. Liesel is surprised to see Rosa concerned about Max and realizes there is more to her foster mother than she thought.

Hans tells Liesel his history with Max's father, Erik, and tells her she must never tell anyone Max is staying with them.

Liesel watches Max sleep for three days, during which he has nightmares and seems to be struggling with someone or something. She feels a connection to him, as they were both taken in by Hans and Rosa and both are haunted by nightmares. 

Max is moved to the basement for everyone's safety, where he paints over a copy of Mein Kampf to write The Standover Man - his own struggle during the reign of the Nazis. 

Why do you think Robert Walton is so eager to visit a hostile environment?

Captain Walton is eager to visit such a hostile environment because he is desirous of making some great discovery that will benefit the human race and win him fame and glory. He says in his first letter,

What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle; and may regulate a thousand celestial observations, that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent for ever. I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man.

Walton believes that he will be the first to set foot in this place -- probably because it is so hostile -- and says that he has high hopes for the things he might discover there. It could be this voyage, he says, that explains so many current mysteries. Further, he takes a great deal of pride in being courageous enough to attempt this journey, as he reiterates the fact that no one has attempted it before him. Finally, he longs to satisfy his curiosity.

Moreover, still in the first letter, he writes that

you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine.

Here, again, we see how much Walton yearns to benefit humanity by discovering a northwest passage that would improve life dramatically by making travel and trade with one part of the world so much more accessible.  Likewise, he believes that only a journey such as this one can help to explain certain secrets of the world.  

His eagerness to visit such an inhospitable place springs from both his earnest desire to know and learn and understand more as well as his desire to be credited with these discoveries forevermore.