At the end of "Just Lather, That's All" by Hernando Tellez, Torres says to the barber, "Killing isn't easy. You can take my word for it." Does...

In this story, we have a hard-hearted, sadistic man – Captain Torres, who roots out and destroys political rebels.  He has come to get a shave – and the barber, who is also the narrator, is part of the rebel forces.  He is tortured as he shaves Torres; tortured with his own indecision.  He has an enemy leader in his hands, voluntarily giving himself up to his blade – he could kill him and rid...

In this story, we have a hard-hearted, sadistic man – Captain Torres, who roots out and destroys political rebels.  He has come to get a shave – and the barber, who is also the narrator, is part of the rebel forces.  He is tortured as he shaves Torres; tortured with his own indecision.  He has an enemy leader in his hands, voluntarily giving himself up to his blade – he could kill him and rid the village of a man who amuses himself with hanging rebels before the schoolhouse and mutilating their bodies.  But, the barber says, “I’m a revolutionary, and not a murderer.”  He is completely distracted by the potential logistics of killing a man, hiding the body, going into hiding himself…and all for what, he muses?  There will be someone else to take Torres’s place, and then they would be right back to where they started.  Throughout the entire story we operate under the assumption that the barber and Torres are polar opposites – one man redeemable, the other contemptibly inhumane.

If you consider Torres’s words at the door of the barbershop in full:  “They told me that you’d kill me.  I came to find out.  But killing isn’t easy.  You can take my word for it;” you can get a lot of information about the captain hinting that the opposite is true.  First, this suggests that despite the casual attitude with which the captain kills and makes an example of the rebels he rounds up, he does not find the practice to be easy.  That is, he is not a natural-born killer with a talent for torture.  We can assume that there are many emotions that he has had to suppress in order to do his job.  The very same emotions and mental conflicts, perhaps, that the barber underwent himself.  And yet Torres most likely did not have the luxury of deciding for himself whether to kill or not – he is a captain; there are others more highly ranked who give him his orders.  His actions are evil, yes, and inexcusable – and yet perhaps the man himself was only as evil as the barber, once. 

In addition, we learn that Torres is not only, as he is described, “calm,” but also brave, and has a strategic mind.  The fact that he came to the barber to be shaved, for the sole reason to discover if the barber truly would kill him or not, as they said, is testament to this.  So although he is cold-blooded, he does have some positive qualities that earn him his rank.  If he were on the barber’s side, the latter would most likely consider him an asset.  But as it happens, they are fighting for different ideals, and he remains a threat.  What is remarkable here is that Tellez has given us insight and opened up an entire channel of viable speculation about this character Torres with a single line of dialogue.  And while the reader will still most likely sympathize with the barber at the end of the story, he or she will also feel they understand a bit more that the psychologies of the friend and the foe aren’t necessarily as different as each would like to believe.

How can the relationship between Charlie and Miss Kinnian be described?

In Daniel Keyes' story "Flowers for Algernon," Charlie and Miss Kinnian start out as student and teacher. Charlie looks at Miss Kinnian as an older woman who is smart and who can teach him how to read and write and help him with other academic pursuits.

As Charlie becomes more intelligent, however, he begins to see Miss Kinnian differently. He realizes she is not very old at all and that they are close in age....

In Daniel Keyes' story "Flowers for Algernon," Charlie and Miss Kinnian start out as student and teacher. Charlie looks at Miss Kinnian as an older woman who is smart and who can teach him how to read and write and help him with other academic pursuits.

As Charlie becomes more intelligent, however, he begins to see Miss Kinnian differently. He realizes she is not very old at all and that they are close in age. He sees that she is attractive and wants more of a personal relationship with her. They begin to date, and he soon finds himself in love with her.

"I knew that this was only the beginning. I knew what she meant about levels because I'd seen some of them already. The thought of leaving her behind made me sad. I'm in love with Miss Kinnian" (Keyes 23).

Charlie's IQ continues to improve to the point that he leaves Miss Kinnian behind intellectually. The teacher becomes the pupil in a way. Charlie begins to see that, not only is he a whole lot smarter than Miss Kinnian, he is even smarter than the doctors who performed the experimental surgery on him. His increased intelligence changes his relationships with everyone.

In The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, how does Lt. Kotler abuse his power?

Lieutenant Kurt Kotler is one of  the soldiers at Auschwitz who has sworn allegiance to the Nazi party. Throughout the book, the author shows us how evil operates through an ordinary person such as Kotler, and how this evil manifests itself in the abuse of power. 

Kotler, a young soldier, treats the Jews as sub-human, calling them names and treating them as slaves. Throughout the book, Kotler uses his position of power as a Lieutenant...

Lieutenant Kurt Kotler is one of  the soldiers at Auschwitz who has sworn allegiance to the Nazi party. Throughout the book, the author shows us how evil operates through an ordinary person such as Kotler, and how this evil manifests itself in the abuse of power. 

Kotler, a young soldier, treats the Jews as sub-human, calling them names and treating them as slaves. Throughout the book, Kotler uses his position of power as a Lieutenant in abusive ways. Bruno first recognizes Kotler’s insolence when Kotler takes away Bruno’s book Treasure Island and waves it in front of Bruno in an effort to anger him. Bruno justifiably dislikes Kotler, as we begin to see his treatment of others.

Throughout the book, Kotler appears to be a bigger and bigger bully. One day, Bruno observes him coldly shooting a stray dog. He also notices how Kotler bullies Pavel, calling him names and eventually beating him for spilling wine. Shmuel is familiar with Kotler’s abuse, as he is beat until bruised after there is evidence that he has befriended Bruno.

Kotler ultimately faces his downfall when he is questioned about his father’s activities in leaving the country when it was illegal to do so. Bruno is pleased with it, but notices that his mother is unhappy, judging from her arguments with his father.

What are the advantages of a federal constitution?

There are two main advantages to having a federal constitution.

First, a federal constitution allows the various regions of a country to have laws that differ to some degree.  This is very important if there are major differences between the regions of the country.  If a country has regions, for example, that are dominated by different ethnic groups or by people of different ideologies, it might want to have a federal constitution.  This would allow...

There are two main advantages to having a federal constitution.

First, a federal constitution allows the various regions of a country to have laws that differ to some degree.  This is very important if there are major differences between the regions of the country.  If a country has regions, for example, that are dominated by different ethnic groups or by people of different ideologies, it might want to have a federal constitution.  This would allow the different regions to have laws that are consistent with their ideological preferences or it would allow the different ethnic groups to have more autonomy and self-rule.  In either case, federalism makes it more likely that a country can remain united even though it has major differences between its regions.

Second, a federal constitution allows there to be many different governments in the country.  When this is true, the various governments can act as “laboratories.”  Imagine, for instance, that you wonder what the best way is to provide health care to all the people of your country.  If you have a federal constitution, each state (or province, or whatever you call your regions) could have its own system.  People could see how the various systems work and could then pick the best one.  By having federalism, you allow the various governments to take different approaches to solving problems.  This makes it more likely that one government will find the best way to solve the problem.

Thus, a federal constitution allows greater stability in a diverse country and it allows more experimentation in terms of government policy than would be possible with a unitary constitution.

Can you help me with the perspectives of people concerning the effect on trust in government.

Trust in government has become a fairly significant issue over the past 40-50 years. Prior to the Vietnam War, people generally had trust in the government. They believed the government was working on their behalf. They also believed the government was telling them the truth, or at least as much as the government could share, about events that were occurring. This trust took a major hit in the 1960s.

In the 1960s, a credibility gap...

Trust in government has become a fairly significant issue over the past 40-50 years. Prior to the Vietnam War, people generally had trust in the government. They believed the government was working on their behalf. They also believed the government was telling them the truth, or at least as much as the government could share, about events that were occurring. This trust took a major hit in the 1960s.

In the 1960s, a credibility gap developed that still exists today. The government was sharing information about the Vietnam War that didn’t match with the news reports and the television images of what was going on in the war. People were convinced the government wasn’t being honest with them. This feeling was somewhat proven by the Pentagon Papers. The expansion of the war into Cambodia also didn’t help with this perception.

In the 1970s, trust took another big hit. President Nixon insisted he had nothing to do with the Watergate Scandal. However, as more information became available, it became clear President Nixon had some role in the cover-up of the scandal. He had to resign his office becoming the only President to do so.

Today, many people believe special interests and people with lots of money run and influence the government. It seems the political parties can’t or won’t agree on anything. It appears little is getting done by the gridlock that seems to exist on the national level.

While there are people who continue to trust our government and who believe that our government works for them and has their best interests at heart, more and more people are voicing their dissatisfaction with the government according to national polls. This dissatisfaction and lack of trust seem to be growing each and every day.

What is Virginia Woolf's purpose in "A Room of One's Own"?

Simply put, in "A Room of One's Own" Virginia Woolf seeks to explore the experiences of female writers. More specifically, she grapples with the specific challenges and experiences faced by writers who are women, and tries to understand why fewer women than men write (or, to put it another way, why fewer female writers are remembered in the traditional literary canon).

The resulting essay (or, depending on how you look at it, series of essays)...

Simply put, in "A Room of One's Own" Virginia Woolf seeks to explore the experiences of female writers. More specifically, she grapples with the specific challenges and experiences faced by writers who are women, and tries to understand why fewer women than men write (or, to put it another way, why fewer female writers are remembered in the traditional literary canon).

The resulting essay (or, depending on how you look at it, series of essays) is a remarkable achievement. Shifting back and forth between literary criticism, personal memoir, historical inquiry, and witty and imaginative anecdotes, Woolf brilliantly blends multiple genres to craft a masterful feminist critique of art, literature, and the social position of women in general. Woolf explores female oppression through the ages and concludes that a female version of Shakespeare has not surfaced because the historical subjugation of women has prevented such an occurrence from happening. Most famously, Woolf describes the conditions necessary for a woman artist to unleash her full potential: privacy (a "room of one's own"), and money (self-sufficiency). Woolf argues that, if women are to explore their artistic potential, they must be allowed to pursue these basic necessities. All in all, the essay is an imaginative and hard-hitting work, and still one of the most important pieces written in the twentieth century. 

In the story "The Ransom of Red Chief" what is the point of view? How do you know?

The point of view in "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry is first person narration.  The specific person that is narrating the story is Sam.  The reader is only privy to his thoughts and only knows what happens because Sam is the person witnessing it and describing it.  The reader does not know what is going on in Bill's mind unless Bill says it out loud.  The same is true of little Johnny...

The point of view in "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry is first person narration.  The specific person that is narrating the story is Sam.  The reader is only privy to his thoughts and only knows what happens because Sam is the person witnessing it and describing it.  The reader does not know what is going on in Bill's mind unless Bill says it out loud.  The same is true of little Johnny Dorset.  The reader has no idea what he is thinking until he talks.  

Some textual clues about the story being written in the first person is the use of the word "I."  Sam describes things he does by using "I," "me," and "myself."  When Sam refers to he and Bill together, the words "us" and "we" indicate more first person narration.  The opening paragraph of the story is a good paragraph to use as an example.  

It looked like a good thing: but wait till I tell you. We were down South, in Alabama—Bill Driscoll and myself—when this kidnapping idea struck us. It was, as Bill afterward expressed it, “during a moment of temporary mental apparition”; but we didn’t find that out till later

What does Uncle Jack think of the fight between Francis and Scout after talking to Scout?

After he confers with Scout about her verbal exchanges with Francis, Uncle Jack understands why she has acted as she has towards her cousin.

Subsequent to Scout's punch to the mouth of Francis, Atticus loads her into their car and they return home from Finch's Landing where they have spent Christmas. But, because Scout has been so angered that Jack does not let her explain why she has struck Francis in the mouth, she has...

After he confers with Scout about her verbal exchanges with Francis, Uncle Jack understands why she has acted as she has towards her cousin.

Subsequent to Scout's punch to the mouth of Francis, Atticus loads her into their car and they return home from Finch's Landing where they have spent Christmas. But, because Scout has been so angered that Jack does not let her explain why she has struck Francis in the mouth, she has told her uncle that she will never speak to him again for having been so unfair. Troubled by Scout's words, Jack decides to drive to the Finches' and clear up any misunderstanding. When he knocks on the door, Scout angrily tells him, "Go away!" But he insists on resolving their conflict. So, when he allows Scout to explain that Francis has called her father a "n*****r-lover and repeated part of what he has overheard--

"Atticus'd be the ruination of the family an' he let Jem an me run wild...." (Ch. 9)--

Now Uncle Jack becomes disturbed not by Scout, but by the words of Francis. He then promises Scout,

"We'll see about this....I've a good mind to go out there tonight.....The idea of--wait'll I get my hands on that boy...." (Ch.9)

Despite her satisfaction that Uncle Jack now understands, Scout begs him to not tell Atticus about her fight with Francis, explaining that she would prefer that her father believe that their fight was about something else, rather than the upcoming trial. He agrees and good relations are resumed as her physician uncle tends to Scout's skinned knuckles.

Compare the poetry in the Romantic Era to modern poetry.

First, to define terms, we will say that the Romantic Era of English poetry encompassed the years 1785 to 1830 and the "modern" era encompasses anything written after 1900. This division fails to distinguish between modernism and post-modernism, but as far as poetry goes, modernist qualities carry into the post-modern (after 1950) era. 

Romantic poetry is characterized by the use of traditional verse forms and Romantic themes.Traditional verse forms such as sonnets, ballads, and...

First, to define terms, we will say that the Romantic Era of English poetry encompassed the years 1785 to 1830 and the "modern" era encompasses anything written after 1900. This division fails to distinguish between modernism and post-modernism, but as far as poetry goes, modernist qualities carry into the post-modern (after 1950) era. 

Romantic poetry is characterized by the use of traditional verse forms and Romantic themes. Traditional verse forms such as sonnets, ballads, and odes as well as other forms such as ottava rima and Alexandrine verse have in common that they use consistent rhythm and meter throughout the poem and have a regular rhyme scheme or follow blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) forms. The topics and themes of Romantic poetry were individualism, awe of nature, importance of imagination, strong emotions, and an interest in the common man and childhood. Representative examples are Wordsworth's sonnet "The World Is Too Much with Us," Keats' "Ode on a Grecian Urn," Shelley's "Adonais," Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," and Byron's "Don Juan." In addition, the lyrical ballad, introduced by Wordsworth and Coleridge, redirected poetry during the Romantic era to be more accessible to everyday readers.

In the Modern era, the most notable change is the replacement of traditional verse forms by the rhythms and language of normal speech. Imagism, a movement started by Ezra Pound, tended toward minimalism in poetry, and while not all modern poets were Imagists, many adopted the free verse format and the sparse wording of that movement. "Oread" by H.D. is an example of an Imagist poem. T. S. Eliot is representative of modern poetry in "The Wasteland" and "The Hollow Men." Not only do these poems use modernist language in using irregular rhythms, rhyme schemes, and stanzas, but they also reflect the pessimistic or uncertain outlook of the 20th century. Poetry became deliberately obscure, as with Wallace Stevens' "The Emperor of Ice Cream," and experimented with capitalization and punctuation, as with E. E. Cummings' "In Just-." Fragmented thoughts and disjointed perspectives are common in Modernist poetry as well. Poetry in this era favors questions over pat answers, as in Yeats' "Second Coming." 

The major differences in Romantic and Modernist poetry are their forms and the preferred subject matter and perspective. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why is the line "Jem was a born hero" ironic?

The quote "Jem was a born hero" is found in chapter four when Jem, Dill, and Scout are playing out the story of Boo Radley's life. Since Jem is the oldest, he tends to take control of everything that the children play and how they play it. Therefore Jem is the one who divvies out the parts to the other kids, which Scout begrudgingly accepts.

"I was Mrs. Radley, and all I had to do...

The quote "Jem was a born hero" is found in chapter four when Jem, Dill, and Scout are playing out the story of Boo Radley's life. Since Jem is the oldest, he tends to take control of everything that the children play and how they play it. Therefore Jem is the one who divvies out the parts to the other kids, which Scout begrudgingly accepts.

"I was Mrs. Radley, and all I had to do was come out and sweep the porch. Dill was old Mr. Radley: he walked up and down the sidewalk and coughed when Jem spoke to him. Jem, naturally was Boo: he went under the front steps and shrieked and howled from time to time" (39).

Since Scout is the only girl, then, she has to play Mrs. Radley and ends up with little to do but sweep and scream. Dill, on the other hand, "was a villain's villain" (39) and gets to play Mr. Radley. Therefore Jem gets to play the hero in all of their games, so his assigned role is Boo.

The irony of all this is that Boo is considered the hero and not the villain. With all of the superstitious talk about Boo, and the gossip and the fear of him around town, it would seem logical that Boo is the villain of the story. Mr. Radley should be considered the victim because he gets attacked by Boo with scissors, but in the children's story, Mr. Radley is the villain because he locks Boo away from the world. As a result, Jem, being a born hero, must play the hero; so, Boo becomes the unlikely and ironic hero of the story.

Why does the boy tell his father to leave the sickroom in "A Day's Wait"?

In the story, the boy has a seemingly cryptic conversation with his father about leaving the sickroom.

After a while he said to me, “You don’t have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you.” “It doesn’t bother me.” “No, I mean you don’t have to stay if it’s going to bother you."

When the doctor tells him that his temperature is a hundred and two, the little boy, Schatz, thinks that...

In the story, the boy has a seemingly cryptic conversation with his father about leaving the sickroom.

After a while he said to me, “You don’t have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you.” “It doesn’t bother me.” “No, I mean you don’t have to stay if it’s going to bother you."

When the doctor tells him that his temperature is a hundred and two, the little boy, Schatz, thinks that he is going to die.

"People don’t die with a fever of one hundred and two. That’s a silly way to talk.” “I know they do. At school in France the boys told me you can’t live with forty-four degrees. I’ve got a hundred and two.” He had been waiting to die all day, ever since nine o’clock in the morning.

The boy's fears come about because he does not realize that there is a difference between temperature measurements in Celsius and in Fahrenheit. Once his father corrects his assumptions, Schatz relaxes enough to be able to give vent to his emotions. The dialogue suggests that Schatz asked his father to leave the sickroom because he doesn't want his father to get sick; also, in asking his father to leave, Schatz may have thought that he was sparing his father the grief of watching his son die.

How does the destiny of the tragic hero Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart echo the destiny of the tribal Igbo in Nigeria?

In many ways, Chinua Achebe treats Okonkwo as a representative of the traditional values and beliefs of the Igbo people in Nigeria. Therefore, his tragic fate is symbolic of the fall of Igbo customs and values in the face of European colonialism. Okonkwo is presented as a violent man who perfectly embodies all of the traits that are deemed valuable in the tribal community in Umuofia:

“Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He...

In many ways, Chinua Achebe treats Okonkwo as a representative of the traditional values and beliefs of the Igbo people in Nigeria. Therefore, his tragic fate is symbolic of the fall of Igbo customs and values in the face of European colonialism. Okonkwo is presented as a violent man who perfectly embodies all of the traits that are deemed valuable in the tribal community in Umuofia:

“Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife. To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time” (8).

The fact that he is described as one of the greatest men in the region renders him a symbol of traditional Igbo beliefs. Thus, Achebe shows how Okonkwo's inflexible attitude is impractical in the face of such drastic changes to Umuofia. Okonkwo is unwilling to alter his ways, and he eventually takes his own life because he is unable to adjust to a Nigeria forever changed by European influence. Obierika blames the District Commissioner and others like him for Okonkwo’s death:

“That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog” (208).

Okonkwo’s fate is intertwined with the traditional values of the Igbo in Nigeria, and Achebe symbolically illustrates the death of strictly traditional Igbo culture through the tragic death of Okonkwo.

What was Scout's first "crime" at school in To Kill a Mockingbird ?

Scout's first "crime" at school is knowing how to read. 

After putting the alphabet on the board, Miss Caroline asks the class if anyone knows what the letters are. Because Scout is among those who raise their hands and she knows Scout's name, Miss Caroline calls on her. However, when Scout recites the alphabet with great familiarity, her teacher then has her read from the primary reader, My First Reader, as well as the stock-market...

Scout's first "crime" at school is knowing how to read. 

After putting the alphabet on the board, Miss Caroline asks the class if anyone knows what the letters are. Because Scout is among those who raise their hands and she knows Scout's name, Miss Caroline calls on her. However, when Scout recites the alphabet with great familiarity, her teacher then has her read from the primary reader, My First Reader, as well as the stock-market quotations from The Mobile Register. As Scout does so, her teacher watches with apparent disapproval. When Scout finishes, Miss Caroline instructs Scout to inform her father that he should not teach her any more, as doing so will "interfere" with her reading.

"Teach me?" I said in surprise. "He hasn't taught me anything, Miss Caroline.

...Miss Caroline apparently thought I was lying...."Now tell your father not to teach you any more. It's best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I'll take over from here and try to undo the damage--"

When Scout expresses wonder at this remark made by her teacher, Miss Caroline explains that Mr. Finch does not know how to teach reading. Scout mumbles her apology, and she sits down, "meditating upon [her] crime."

This scene about Scout's knowing how to read, but Miss Caroline's informing her that it is not the correct approach is Harper Lee's humorous way of satirizing some of John Dewey's theories of education, and the inflexibility of some teachers who insist that children learn through a certain process, and no other way.

According to the Progressives who deserves greater protection, laborers or capitalists?

The Progressives believed the laborers deserved greater protection because the capitalists had most of the power. The Progressives wanted to reduce the power of the capitalists while increasing the power of the laborers.

Progressives were concerned about the conditions the workers faced. The workers weren’t being treated well. They had long hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions. Kids were working in factories instead of going to school. Progressives set out to change this by...

The Progressives believed the laborers deserved greater protection because the capitalists had most of the power. The Progressives wanted to reduce the power of the capitalists while increasing the power of the laborers.

Progressives were concerned about the conditions the workers faced. The workers weren’t being treated well. They had long hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions. Kids were working in factories instead of going to school. Progressives set out to change this by passing child labor laws, providing workers with compensation if they were injured on the job, and passing health and safety regulations that factory owners had to follow. Some workers got an eight-hour day. Compulsory school attendance laws were also passed.

Laws were passed and agencies were established to protect working class people. The Meat Inspection Act required the federal government to inspect meat before it could be sold. The Pure Food and Drug Act prevented businesses from falsely labeling foods and medicines. The Hepburn Act gave the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to set railroad rates. The Bureau of Corporations could investigate businesses while the Bureau of Mines could watch the activities of the mining companies. The Clayton Antitrust Act prevented the practice of price discrimination. This is when businesses charged different prices to different customers. The government went after big business mergers that weren’t in the best interests of the people of the country.

The Progressives believed the system favored the capitalists. Through a series of reforms, the Progressives set out to change the system to help protect the workers.

What three things can force change about an object?

Force can change a number of things about an object. These include:

• direction


• speed


• both speed and direction


• shape

Note that unbalanced forces can do any of these, since the net total of forces is not zero. In the case of balanced forces, nothing about the object will change.

When we apply a force to an object, we can change the direction of motion of an object. For example, a tennis player receives the ball...

Force can change a number of things about an object. These include:

• direction


• speed


• both speed and direction


• shape

Note that unbalanced forces can do any of these, since the net total of forces is not zero. In the case of balanced forces, nothing about the object will change.

When we apply a force to an object, we can change the direction of motion of an object. For example, a tennis player receives the ball from the other player, applies force on it (through his racquet) and returns it, thereby changing the ball's direction. We can also speed up an object by applying the force in the direction of motion. Imagine teaching a 4-year old how to ride a bicycle. We give the initial force to propel the bicycle in addition to the force the kid is applying on it, thereby speeding it up. We also stop the bicycle by applying force in the other direction, thereby reducing its speed, when needed. We can change both speed and direction at the same time by the proper use of force. Imagine slowing down your bicycle while taking a turn. The shape of an object can also be changed by applying force on it. An example is modeling clay, which can be given different shapes by the application of force on it.

Hope this helps. 

I need to select three characters from Homer's Iliad, including one god or goddess, one Greek, and one Trojan, and describe their relationships to...

Three important characters in Homer's Iliad are:

Odysseus:He is a human hero, who is the King of Ithaca. He fights on the Greek side in the Trojan war and is known for his cleverness, and devising many of the stratagems that led to Achilles return to the battle and the eventual Greek victory. Although he is a strong and competent warrior, he often prefers clever solutions to direct confrontation and can be unscrupulous. He...

Three important characters in Homer's Iliad are:

Odysseus: He is a human hero, who is the King of Ithaca. He fights on the Greek side in the Trojan war and is known for his cleverness, and devising many of the stratagems that led to Achilles return to the battle and the eventual Greek victory. Although he is a strong and competent warrior, he often prefers clever solutions to direct confrontation and can be unscrupulous. He is the great-grandson of Hermes, the god of messengers and thieves. 

Athena: She is the goddess of wisdom. She is a virgin goddess who was born from the head of Zeus and is a goddess of war and the craft of weaving. She is also the patron goddess of Odysseus, counseling and protecting him, and supports the Greeks in the war. 

Paris: A Trojan and son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, Paris is one of the causes of the war. When he was called upon to judge a beauty contest among the three goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, he chose Aphrodite, who bribed him with the reward of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. It was Paris' abduction of Helen that started the war. Athena supports the Greeks in part because she was offended by the choice of Paris. Paris is described by fellow-Trojan Hector as a dishonorable character:

"Paris, you handsome, woman-mad deceiver,

you shouldn't have been born, or killed unmarried....

[you] have no strength, nor character, nor courage."

Based on conservatism, Marxist Socialism and liberalism developed in response to the French Revolution. They all attempt to redefine the human...

I disagree with your first premise: "based on conservatism." Remember, conservative and reactionary ideologues generally oppose progress, dislike political reform, and are generally indifferent to the concerns of those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. The French Revolution sought to address the concerns of the disadvantaged by dismantling the aristocracy and by attacking the middle-class (épater la bourgeoisie).

Classical liberalism, to which I think you're referring, developed in Europe during the Enlightenment, which inspired the French Revolution. The ideology emphasized civil liberties, property rights, and the rule of law under a representative government. Clearly, these ideas would become very important in the formation of the American republic. 

There are certain core ideas that all liberal theorists have in common. Here I include John Locke, Adam Smith (the first thinker to introduce the notion of free markets, or a laissez-faire economy), Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill (Utilitarians), and later, Frederic Bastiat, to name a few. They all appeared to accept Locke's view that human beings were rational and industrious. They all believed that people were generally governed by what gives them pain or pleasure (this is specifically a Utilitarian notion). They all believed in the importance of economic freedom, particularly the pursuit of property and free trade.

Taking all of these ideas together, one could say that liberal thinkers held the individual in high esteem. They believed that people were generally rational, and when brought together, in what Locke called "the commonwealth," they would form a society based on fairness and individual liberty. The role of the state was to be limited. This is especially true for Bastiat whose ideas are very important to the contemporary Libertarian movement.

One could argue (I certainly would) that liberal theorists failed to account for the baser aspects of human nature, particularly greed. The Industrial Revolution led to the exploitation of human labor on several continents. Marxism sought to address this.

Marx wanted a recurrence of the French Revolution of 1789, in the interest of addressing exploitation and ensuring the rights of the working-class. His ideas became popular during the Revolution of 1848, a revolutionary wave that began in France but spread throughout the rest of Europe, ending monarchies and establishing parliamentary governments.

Later in the 19-century, many would come to view Marxist theory as not only a political theory, but also as an aid to human progress. His ideas would often be compared to Charles Darwin's, due to his understanding of human nature and what he deemed necessary for the evolution of the species. 

For Marx, the first step in a more humane government was an abolition of the class system. That would mean eliminating the notion of inalienable individual property rights, which the liberals had touted. The unrestricted pursuit of individual wealth had only led to exploitation. It also allowed the bourgeoisie to control the means of production, and to create a culture in which the pursuit of wealth, under any circumstances, had become a noble cause. 

As a result of their exploitation, the working-class, or proletariat (literally, "producers of offspring") became disconnected from their own humanity, or what Marx called "species-being." They lived in cramped quarters like cattle; and they took comfort in sex, resulting in more children whom they could not care for and whom they would sometimes kill in infancy. 

Marx wanted a government that would dismantle capitalism. He wanted a strong state that would ensure the rights of all classes, but that would particularly protect the interests of the proletariat who were vulnerable to exploitation. The liberals wanted a representative government that would uphold individual liberty and property rights. They believed that people were rational enough to be fair and to respect their neighbors' right to happiness.

How does Harper Lee present the attitudes and values of Maycomb County?

Harper Lee presents Maycomb's attitudes and values through the setting and her characters. For the setting, she describes Maycomb as an "old town" whose courthouse "sagged in the square" (5). Scout also says that the "people moved slowly then" and that there was "nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County (5). These descriptions suggest that tradition has a hold of the people as well as its town. Other descriptions of houses and the way people move help to show that proper etiquette is expected and anything out of the ordinary is frowned upon. For example, the Radley's show the town just how anti-social they are by keeping their shutters and doors closed on Sundays. Scout says the following about the town's behavior as opposed to the Radley's:

". . . closed doors meant illness and cold weather only. Of all days Sunday was the day for formal afternoon visiting: ladies wore corsets, men wore coats, children wore shoes. But to climb the Radley front steps and call, 'He-y,' of a Sunday afternoon was something their neighbors never did" (9).

Sundays are for church in the morning and social calls in the afternoon. The Radleys did neither; so the town left them to their different ways and never tried to change that by stepping foot onto their property.

Another way that Lee presents the attitudes and values of the town are through what people say and do. Some people say one thing and do another and some vice versa. In every town there seems to be people who stand up for what's right, those who cause trouble, and those who simply talk about whatever is going on. All of these types of people exist in Maycomb and they all make up the typical political hierarchy and mindset of the South in the 1930s. For instance, Atticus represents the good higher class (or leaders) of the county who stand up for what is right; Bob Ewell represents the bad lower class who causes trouble; and Miss Stephanie Crawford spreads all the good and bad about everyone.

Finally, the struggle between tradition and justice face off as the trial between Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson forces the town to also face themselves. Each person in Maycomb seems to prove his or her real character as sides are taken about the trial. Traditionalists rise up against Atticus and call him racist names while the meek and humble turn the other cheek. This keeps the gossips and tea parties employed and it would seem that not too many are affected by the end of it all.

In the end, though, the town has been tried, some steps have been taken towards progress, but discrimination and hypocrisy remain. The attitudes of the majority of the citizens remain true to the traditional social and political hierarchy which segregates people into different classes and races; but there is hope for the future and that change will occur eventually.

What would be dramatically interesting to explore in Lysistrata by Aristophanes? How would one make comedy/tension/impact accessible for the...

Lysistrata is one of the most famous classical Greek comedies, written by Aristophanes and originally performed in 411 BC in Athens. Lysistrata is often performed, as it provides many roles for women and is regarded as a hilarious battle between the sexes. In the plot, Lysistrata famously persuades the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands until the men negotiate a peace deal. 

There are a few dramatic elements that can be helpful...

Lysistrata is one of the most famous classical Greek comedies, written by Aristophanes and originally performed in 411 BC in Athens. Lysistrata is often performed, as it provides many roles for women and is regarded as a hilarious battle between the sexes. In the plot, Lysistrata famously persuades the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands until the men negotiate a peace deal. 

There are a few dramatic elements that can be helpful to focus on while in a rehearsal room with actors. First, the physicality of the play is a big question in a rehearsal room. How do these women move? How do they attract their husbands, but also reject their sexual advances? This conundrum is a fun, open-ended dramatic element that a creative cast must tackle when performing this play. Secondly, can you pull elements from commedia dell'arte? While commedia dell'arte, an Italian art form, was created long after this play was originally performed, many theater companies tackle Lysistrata through Italian clowning. This practice is extremely physical and often funny, and so the acting technique lends itself to modern interpretations of Lysistrata. Finally, how should you tackle the divided Chorus? This Old Comedy technique is exciting and tricky in Lysistrata. A creative team will need to figure out how they portray the divided Chorus. Will men play the Old Men and will women play the Old Women? Will the cast be divided in gender? Will the cast use masks? These are all questions a team can ask themselves and each other. 

What is the turning point in the book Lord of the Flies?

The novel Lord of the Flies explores how human nature can reveal its most sinister, destructive tendencies when the restraints of society are thrown away. When the boys first crash-land on the Pacific island they are stranded on, they try to recreate the society they know for comfort: they vote on ideas and plans, elect a chief, respond to the signal of the conch, etc.

The turning point of the novel is when the boys...

The novel Lord of the Flies explores how human nature can reveal its most sinister, destructive tendencies when the restraints of society are thrown away. When the boys first crash-land on the Pacific island they are stranded on, they try to recreate the society they know for comfort: they vote on ideas and plans, elect a chief, respond to the signal of the conch, etc.

The turning point of the novel is when the boys begin to give up on these vestiges of society, preferring instead to give in to their impulses and baser natures. This starts slowly, with the littluns preferring to play rather than help build shelters and the hunters letting the signal fire go out so they can hunt pigs. If one had to pinpoint the pivotal moment, though, it would probably be after Jack and his hunters reject Ralph and the power of the conch and continue to explore the "fort" they've discovered. When they find a boar and wound it, they celebrate with a savage blood dance. Robert pretends to be the boar and the boys get carried away beating him. Though Robert is not seriously wounded, this giving way to baser human instincts only grows in the boys, who later kill Simon when mistaking him for the beast during another frantic dance. Eventually, the wild hunters begin to hunt and kill the other boys intentionally.

In Night, what did author Elie Wiesel's father do when his name was written down during a selection?

In Night by Elie Wiesel, after Elie and his father have been at the concentration camp Buna for awhile, a selection occurs. Elie passes it, and his father thinks he also has made it through. However, several days later, when the prisoners are getting ready to leave for work, a group of them are told to stay behind. They are the ones who had been marked for death in the earlier selection. Elie's father runs...

In Night by Elie Wiesel, after Elie and his father have been at the concentration camp Buna for awhile, a selection occurs. Elie passes it, and his father thinks he also has made it through. However, several days later, when the prisoners are getting ready to leave for work, a group of them are told to stay behind. They are the ones who had been marked for death in the earlier selection. Elie's father runs toward him to tell Elie that he was told to stay back with them. He had been selected but hadn't realized it because he never saw the Nazis write down his name. Now, there is little time left to say all he wants to say to his son. He gives Elie his spoon and his knife. Elie calls it "the inheritance" because his father is giving him his most prized possessions.

"I'm asking this of you...Take them. Do as I ask, my son. We have no time...Do as your father asks" (Wiesel 71).

While Elie is at work that day, another selection is held, and this time Elie's father passes, so when Elie returns, he is able to give the utensils back to his father.

What line in The Odyssey does Penelope ask for death?

Penelope wishes for death in Book 18, lines 202-204, of Homer's masterpiece, the Odyssey. Specifically, she laments:

How I wish chaste Artemis would give me a death so soft, and now, so I would not go on in my heart grieving all my life, and longing for love of a husband excellent in every virtue.

The reason Penelope wishes for death is that she misses her husband, Odysseus, and does not want to remarry. Unfortunately,...

Penelope wishes for death in Book 18, lines 202-204, of Homer's masterpiece, the Odyssey. Specifically, she laments:

How I wish chaste Artemis would give me a death so soft, and now, so I would not go on in my heart grieving all my life, and longing for love of a husband excellent in every virtue.

The reason Penelope wishes for death is that she misses her husband, Odysseus, and does not want to remarry. Unfortunately, Odysseus has been gone nearly two decades, and all signs indicate that he is dead. To make matters worse, her family, many suitors, and even Odysseus himself (prior to his departure for Troy) have pressured her to remarry, so she does not feel like she truly has a choice in the matter. All she can do is delay the inevitable.

This hopelessness, which causes her to weep throughout the epic and leads the reader to sympathize with her plight, leads her to wish for death. Thankfully, this wish is not fulfilled, for Odysseus returns home, slays the suitors, and reclaims his rightful place as king of Ithaca.

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, what parts of the story can help us infer that one of the overall themes of the story is that knowledge is power?

In Part Two: The Sieve and the Sand, Montag visits Professor Faber at his home to ask for assistance in understanding the texts he is reading. After Faber briefly mentions that he could support a plan that involves planting books in firemen's homes to take the system down from the inside, Montag becomes excited and wants to try it. Faber comments that he is just joking and says,

"You can't guarantee things like that!...

In Part Two: The Sieve and the Sand, Montag visits Professor Faber at his home to ask for assistance in understanding the texts he is reading. After Faber briefly mentions that he could support a plan that involves planting books in firemen's homes to take the system down from the inside, Montag becomes excited and wants to try it. Faber comments that he is just joking and says,

"You can't guarantee things like that! After all, when we had all the books we needed, we still insisted on finding the highest cliff to jump off. But we do need a breather. We do need knowledge. And perhaps in a thousand years we might pick smaller cliffs to jump off. The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They're Caesar's praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, 'Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.'" (Bradbury 82)

Faber is explaining how knowledge of the past can positively impact the way we shape our future. Knowing our past mistakes will help us improve humanity and possibly prevent catastrophic decisions from happening again. Knowledge reminds us of errors that we can fix and possibly prevent in the future.

After Montag reads the poem Dover Beach to Mildred and her friends, he goes to the fire station where he sees Beatty. Beatty asks Montag to join him in a hand of poker and proceeds to rack Montag's brain with famous literary quotes that contradict each other. Montag becomes confused as Beatty says,

"for I was doing a terrible thing in using the very books you clung to, to rebut you on every hand, on every point! What traitors books can be! you think they're backing you up, and they turn on you. Others can use them, too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives." (Bradbury 104)

Beatty depicts the power of knowledge when he displays how authors can challenge valid points with their own intellect. He essentially shows Montag that knowledge can be used as a weapon, and those not bright enough to respond with valid arguments become confused or lose during debates. Montag is not knowledge and almost loses his mind during Beatty's diatribe.

In the book Hoot, what do Roy, Dana, and Beatrice have in common?

I had to read the question over a couple of times to make sure that Dana Matherson was actually included in the character comparison. It is fairly easy to compare the similarities between Roy and Beatrice, but adding in Dana makes it a bit tougher. The difficulty with Dana is that he is the story's antagonist, and he is a caricature of a school bully. He's overweight, aggressive, and dumb as a post.  

Beatrice...

I had to read the question over a couple of times to make sure that Dana Matherson was actually included in the character comparison. It is fairly easy to compare the similarities between Roy and Beatrice, but adding in Dana makes it a bit tougher. The difficulty with Dana is that he is the story's antagonist, and he is a caricature of a school bully. He's overweight, aggressive, and dumb as a post.  

Beatrice and Roy do happen to share one of those characteristics. All three characters are aggressive. All three characters will not back down from a challenge. Roy attempts to find Mullet Fingers with a single-minded focus, and then later, in his attempts to save the owls, he is unwilling to give up. Beatrice is even nicknamed "The Bear" because of how rough and tough she can be. She is that way as a result of her rough home life.  

I would also claim that all three characters are somewhat of loners. Roy starts out this way right from the start of the story. He does make friends as the story progresses, but I would never call him a character that could be popular enough to win homecoming king. Beatrice is a self-inflicted loner, because her home life has hardened her, and her focus is always on making sure her brother is safe. Lastly, Dana, too, is a loner, because he is the school bully. He is not Mr. Popular. In fact, most people avoid Dana, because they don't want to get caught in his crosshairs.

Can you please explain why Gandhi's "Quit India" speech was important?

Gandhi delivered his "Quit India" speech on August 8, 1942. In the speech, he emphasized his belief in ahimsa, a Sanskrit word meaning "not to injure," and dedicated himself to non-violence to achieve Indian independence from Great Britain. He said: 

"Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a nonviolent fight for India’s independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up...

Gandhi delivered his "Quit India" speech on August 8, 1942. In the speech, he emphasized his belief in ahimsa, a Sanskrit word meaning "not to injure," and dedicated himself to non-violence to achieve Indian independence from Great Britain. He said: 

"Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a nonviolent fight for India’s independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up a dictatorship. But under the Congress scheme of things, essentially nonviolent as it is, there can be no room for dictatorship. A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country."

This speech is important because the All-India Congress Committee had decided on a policy to end British rule in India immediately, and they recognized Gandhi as the leader in this campaign. He gave he gave two "Quit India" speeches, one in English and one in Hindi, to launch this non-violent campaign for Indian independence. These speeches mark the beginning of this campaign. However, the leaders of the movement were jailed less than 24 hours after he gave this speech.

Trace a few images throughout the poem and explore how they contribute to the poem's meaning and effect.

T.S. Eliot uses striking images to support his meaning in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Some of the more memorable images are recounted below.

"When evening is spread out against the sky / like a patient etherised upon a table." This image of the night sky spreading out, senseless, above the city corresponds to the other people in Prufrock's social circle, the ones who will say, "that is not it at all," not...

T.S. Eliot uses striking images to support his meaning in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Some of the more memorable images are recounted below.

"When evening is spread out against the sky / like a patient etherised upon a table." This image of the night sky spreading out, senseless, above the city corresponds to the other people in Prufrock's social circle, the ones who will say, "that is not it at all," not realizing that they are the ones who are lulled and drugged by a shallow understanding of life.

"The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window panes" as described in the entire third stanza is way of comparing the settling smog of the city with a cat that curls up and falls asleep. This image gives the poem a sleepy, non-urgent air, which is reflected in line 23: "And indeed there will be time." The poem's mood is one of time dragging by slowly and unproductively until the speaker laments, "I grow old, I grow old" before he has accomplished anything momentous. 

When lines 57 - 58 state, "And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, / When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall," they compare the way people make judgments about the persona with an entomologist mounting an insect for study. This reinforces the persona's feeling of insignificance as well as his self-consciousness in social settings. 

Another powerful image is when the persona says, "I have seen the eternal footman hold my coat and snicker." This is a poignant picture of approaching old age and the realization that one's best days are behind him, and that those did not amount to much. Again, this image reinforces Prufrock's low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with aging because he believes he has contributed nothing of great import to the world. 

These powerful images and many others in the poem help to create a mood of pensive introspection and reinforce Prufrock's social anxiety and desire for meaning in life.

What evidence is there of the physical descriptions of Clarisse and Mildred in Fahrenheit 451?

Bradbury is a master of imagery, similes and metaphors; hence, he uses them to describe people's features and personalities. That said, there are no explicit descriptions, only ones steeped in imagery. For example, Montag smells apricots and strawberries when he is around Clarisse, but he describes her as follows:

"There was only the girl walking with him now, her face bright as snow in the moonlight. . . He saw himself in her eyes. . . as if her eyes were two miraculous bits of violet amber that might capture and hold him intact. Her face, turned to him now, was fragile milk crystal with a soft and constant light in it" (7).

Bradbury uses the words "snow" and "milk" which suggest a white face, but also a pure and young one. He also uses many images of light, such as moonlight and candlelight, to describe how Clarisse radiates brightness and warmth from her person. Her eyes seem to be contrasted with the words violet and amber, but he also says they are dark. This contrast between Clarisse's facial brightness and her dark eyes suggests rare beauty. After talking with her for the first time, he gets home and thinks the following:

"He looked at a blank wall. The girl's face was there, really quite beautiful in memory: astonishing, in fact. She had a very thin face like the dial of a small clock . . . with a white silence" (10).

Again, the color white is used, this time coupled with silence, creating a very thought-provoking image, just like Clarisse's personality and the things she says.

Mildred, on the other hand, is not as impressive or warm—at least not enough for Montag to dwell on her features as he does on Clarisse's. Most of the imagery used to describe Montag's wife has to do with cold, steel, and death.

"His wife stretched on the bed, uncovered and cold, like a body displayed on the lid of a tomb, her eyes fixed to the ceiling by invisible threads of steel, immovable. . . Her face was like a snow-covered island upon which rain might fall, but it felt no rain; over which clouds might pass their moving shadows, but she felt no shadow" (13).

The above passage also uses snow to describe Mildred, but it is only to show coldness because she couldn't feel rain or shadows if she wanted to. Through such images Mildred symbolizes death and Clarisse surely symbolizes life for Montag. That is not to suggest that he doesn't care for his wife. At one point he thinks he wouldn't cry if she died, but he does care about her and the life they could have had. Unfortunately, after he survives the bombing of the city, he says the following:

"My wife, my wife. Poor Millie, poor, poor Millie. I can't remember anything. I think of her hands but I don't see them doing anything at all. They just hang there at her sides or they lay there on her lap or there's a cigarette in them, but that's all" (156).

Of all the things to remember about his wife, Montag thinks of her non-productive hands. He's really rather sad for her loss and the fact that she could have been much more, but she was the product of the society that created her—distracted, lifeless, and one who was as though walking dead.

How is it that Curley's wife's dream in Of Mice and Men is delusional along with George and Lennie's dream? And how is it that the further away you...

Curley's wife is beholden to an apparently delusional belief that she might become a Hollywood film star. She never makes it to Hollywood and instead ends up marrying an insecure bully on a ranch outside of Salinas in central California, living an isolated life where she is by turns threatened and threatening in relation to the men on the ranch. 

She shares her story and her feelings with Lennie, expressing her sense of unrealistic hope and her view of her unenviable position on the ranch. 

"Seems like they ain't none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made something of myself."

She tells Lennie that she met a man at the Riverside Dance Palace who told her he would "put [her] in the movies" and said she was "a natural." While there is a chance that Curley's wife really is as talented and fetching as this story suggests, the more likely truth is that the man was lying about his own position in the film industry, lying about Curley's wife's chances of becoming a star, and merely trying to seduce the young woman. 

Despite the reasonable doubts about her potential that would seem to compel a fully rational person, Curley's wife clings to the belief that she both could have been and, maybe, could still be a movie star.

The scope of her delusion is clear when she expresses the paranoid belief that her mother has intercepted the promised letter from the man at the dance club that would supposedly invite her to come to Hollywood. This paranoid belief drives her to leave her mother's house and marry Curley. She explains her reasons, saying she "wasn't going to stay no place where [she] couldn't get nowhere or make something of [herself], an' where they stole your letters." 

The end result for Curley's wife would seem to be that her delusional dream creates a rift between her and her mother and leads her to marry a man she admits "ain't a nice fella."

In this way, her delusion creates her isolation, making her an unhappily married, friendless young woman on a ranch full of people prudently afraid to socialize with her. 

Of course, not all dreams are delusional. Even this dream may have some credence. There is some chance that Curley's wife actually could have become a star, but we can see some ways that her dream ultimately and ironically manifested itself as isolation nonetheless. Instead of becoming a famous star, loved by many, she is seen as a dangerous "tart" that people are frightened to approach. 

In the case of George and Lennie, their dream of owning a ranch may have been out of reach (and thus delusional) until they meet Candy. When Candy suggests that he can contribute real money to the project, George realizes that the dream may be realistic after all. 

The degree to which this dream of land ownership is realistic or not is disputed in the narrative. Curley's wife claims that it is a false dream. Crooks initially expresses skepticism. The odds are against success. Yet, the dream is not entirely impractical or out of reach until Lennie kills Curley's wife. At that point the vision of what could have been is shattered. 

When Lennie kills Curley's wife, Candy sorrowfully recognizes that the plan is now off and so is thrust back into an expectation of a bleak and socially isolated future.

George has to kill his only real friend and so is also now profoundly isolated. 

Should we blame the dream that these men shared for the isolation that finally defines their circumstances? Or should we note that, for a while, this ambitious dream brought them all together (with Crooks too) in a vision of hope and promise?

We certainly can see some exceptionalism in George's first speech regarding the dream that he and Lennie share (because this dream is, in part, what separates them from and elevates them over other ranch hands and migrant workers).

So, there is a way that the dream functions to isolate the pair early on. However, the importance of the dream of land ownership links this pair and the other men and the novel itself to an important idea.  

Their idealistic dream is eventually destroyed by an unfeeling, materialistic, modern society. The tensions between the characters are inherent in the nature of American capitalism and its class system.

The failure of this particular dream of land ownership is intrinsically linked to notions of social-political change. Their idea, as natural as it is, is revolutionary and radical. To achieve this dream, the men would be escaping and overturning an entire system of capital and labor relations. The fact that such a simple and natural dream can be seen as impossibly revolutionary is one of the book's most powerful messages. 

What are examples of familial love in Romeo and Juliet?

There are three good examples of familial love in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Lord Montague, the Nurse, and Lord Capulet all show their love to either Romeo or Juliet. In Act I, Scene 1, Lord Montague is very concerned about Romeo. Romeo is sad and depressed and his father can't figure out why. He tells Benvolio,

Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow,We would as willingly give cure as know.

Montague...

There are three good examples of familial love in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Lord Montague, the Nurse, and Lord Capulet all show their love to either Romeo or Juliet. In Act I, Scene 1, Lord Montague is very concerned about Romeo. Romeo is sad and depressed and his father can't figure out why. He tells Benvolio,

Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow,
We would as willingly give cure as know.

Montague is a good father and he asks Benvolio to discover Romeo's problem. Romeo, of course, is the victim of unrequited love.

Lord Capulet also shows signs of being a good father. When Count Paris asks for Juliet's hand in marriage, Capulet displays his concern for his daughter by urging Paris to win her love. Juliet's happiness is important and he will not agree to marry her unless she is satisfied with the choice. He tells Paris in Act I, Scene 2,

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;
My will to her consent is but a part.
And, she agreed, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.

Later, Capulet changes his mind. Even then, though, he is thinking of his family when he tries to bring a "day of joy" with a wedding after the death of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin.

The Nurse, who must be considered a member of the Capulet family, is obviously very loving toward Juliet. In Act I, Scene 3, she talks of how she literally nursed the girl. She says,

Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed.

Juliet too is quite fond of the Nurse, and the woman is her closest confidant until Act III, Scene 5 when the Nurse advises her to forget Romeo and marry Paris. Even here the Nurse is just doing what she thinks is right for the girl.

Explain why shallow ocean water appears to be blue in color.

Water is actually transparent and clear. However, water appears blue because of the scattering and absorption of light waves.

The color perceived by humans is the color that an object reflects. The ocean looks blue because red, orange, and yellow wavelengths of the visible light spectrum are largely absorbed by the ocean waters. These colors are associated with long wavelengths of the visible light spectrum. Wavelengths within the blue spectrum of visible light are reflected...

Water is actually transparent and clear. However, water appears blue because of the scattering and absorption of light waves.

The color perceived by humans is the color that an object reflects. The ocean looks blue because red, orange, and yellow wavelengths of the visible light spectrum are largely absorbed by the ocean waters. These colors are associated with long wavelengths of the visible light spectrum. Wavelengths within the blue spectrum of visible light are reflected the most by the water. Blue has a much shorter wavelength.

In shallow waters, the light reflects off of the bottom of the ocean floor. Thus, the blue colors of the ocean waters along the coastline are intensified. The reflection in coastal waters is also intensified by suspended particles that come from the runoff of rivers and the churning of the waters due to tides, waves, and storms.  

Is "dying breath of this love" a metaphor or personification?

It is a personification. A personification is when traits that are usually given to human beings are applied to objects or ideas. In this example, love is described as if it had breath, like a person does, even though, of course, love does not have breath at all. This helps tie the reader more closely to the object of comparison, since as humans, we tend to see things better in human terms.

Metaphors are a comparison in which there is no comparative language used. The writer directly refers to something as if it were the object of comparison. For example, if you wanted to use a metaphor to compare a tree to a castle, you would say, "the tree is a castle," rather than, "the tree is like a castle." Terms such as "like," and "as" are not part of metaphors. They are used in another form of comparison, known as similes.

Rubber, plastic and glass are good examples of these materials.

Rubber, plastic and glass are all good examples of insulatorsor insulating materials. These materials do not conduct electricity, as opposed to conductors or conducting materials (such as copper, aluminum, etc.). The insulators are used to break the electrical connection or provide insulation against current flow. This is the reason why we wear rubber sleepers or shoes while working with electricity (so that we do not get electrical shock and consequent injuries). This is also...

Rubber, plastic and glass are all good examples of insulators or insulating materials. These materials do not conduct electricity, as opposed to conductors or conducting materials (such as copper, aluminum, etc.). The insulators are used to break the electrical connection or provide insulation against current flow. This is the reason why we wear rubber sleepers or shoes while working with electricity (so that we do not get electrical shock and consequent injuries). This is also why the electrical cables are covered with a layer of rubber (to insulate them). And also why the ladders have rubber shoes, especially when we have to work with electricity. Insulators do not have free electrons and hence do not conduct electricity.

Conductors, on the other hand, have free electrons and thus easily conduct electricity. These are used to complete electrical circuits and allow flow of electricity. That is why copper or aluminum wires are used for electricity supply.

Hope this helps. 

What contributes to the mass of a plant?

Mass refers to how much matter is contained within an object. Matter takes up space and is composed of different elements. Mass is measured in kilograms. Weight can be the measurement used for mass, however, this depends on the gravitational pull on the object being measured and it would vary if the weight was measured on another planet with a different gravitational pull.

If one wishes to determine what makes up the mass of a...

Mass refers to how much matter is contained within an object. Matter takes up space and is composed of different elements. Mass is measured in kilograms. Weight can be the measurement used for mass, however, this depends on the gravitational pull on the object being measured and it would vary if the weight was measured on another planet with a different gravitational pull.

If one wishes to determine what makes up the mass of a plant, the matter within it needs to be analyzed to determine the elements that make up a plant.

The main chemical elements in all living matter are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen which comprise 96% of their make up. The remaining 4% includes phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, and potassium, along with other trace elements found in very minute quantities.

Plants contain macromolecules such as proteins, lipids and carbohydrates (sugar, starch and the structural carbohydrate cellulose in their cell walls). Plants also contain nucleic acids like DNA and RNA and these are organic compounds made of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Plants also store large quantities of water in their central vacuoles within their cells. In fact, their cells are mainly water. Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The water in plants makes up the largest contribution to its mass.

Therefore, the structural parts of plants contain the elements described as well as the large amount of water present in their cells. These atoms contribute to the mass of a plant.

In Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," how has equality been achieved?

In Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," equality has been achieved by reducing each citizen to the social lowest common denominator. Specifically, this has been done through the passage of the 211th, 212th, and 213th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In practice, this means that each individual who possesses some trait that makes him or her better than others—intelligence, looks, athletic ability—must wear a handicap that brings him or her down to a lowest common ability. 

An...

In Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," equality has been achieved by reducing each citizen to the social lowest common denominator. Specifically, this has been done through the passage of the 211th, 212th, and 213th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In practice, this means that each individual who possesses some trait that makes him or her better than others—intelligence, looks, athletic ability—must wear a handicap that brings him or her down to a lowest common ability. 

An example of the above is the relationship between George and Hazel Bergeron. George's intelligence is "way above normal," so he has "a little mental handicap radio in his ear" that "would send out sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains." Hazel, however, has "perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn't think about anything except in short bursts." As a result, she wears no handicaps. 

In the opening paragraphs of the story, George and Hazel are watching television and Hazel is crying, but, because of her natural short-term memory, "she'd forgotten for the moment what [the tears] were about." George also forgets what he is watching, but that's because of a buzzer that rings in his mental handicaps, which caused his thought to flee "in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm."

While we might see equality as an idea in which people are allowed to raise themselves to the same social standing as others, Vonnegut uses the term ironically as a warning against allowing ourselves to be reduced to an equal unthinking place.

What techniques does the author use to establish mood in various scenes in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

Mood is the way the reader feels while reading the story and the author's word choice, portrayal of imagery and descriptive language all help to create it. First, Hurst's chooses to open his story with words and phrases associated with nature and death, such as: "summer was dead," "rotting brown magnolia petals," "the last graveyard flowers were blooming," and "speaking softly the names of our dead." These examples all seem to create a mood of...

Mood is the way the reader feels while reading the story and the author's word choice, portrayal of imagery and descriptive language all help to create it. First, Hurst's chooses to open his story with words and phrases associated with nature and death, such as: "summer was dead," "rotting brown magnolia petals," "the last graveyard flowers were blooming," and "speaking softly the names of our dead." These examples all seem to create a mood of death and gloom as the narrator notices such things and chooses to point them out for the reader.

Next, imagery is the presentation of mental images using one or more of the five senses. Hurst uses many concrete, visual images to create an intense and depressing mood in the following passage:

"There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to Doodle. One day I took him up to the barn loft and showed him his casket, telling him how we all had believed he would die. It was covered with a film of Paris green sprinkled to kill the rats, and screech owls had built a nest inside it."

The above passage makes the scene feel disgusting and creepy seeing a baby's casket "sprinkled" with powdered poison and an owl's nest inside. It's also very depressing and sad.

Finally, the use of descriptive language not only encompasses imagery, but figures of speech as well. Hurst uses similes and metaphors to help drive home the feeling of gloom and doom behind the idea he is presenting. For example, when Brother tells about Doodle's real name, he compares it to a kite:

"They named him William Armstrong, which was like tying a big tail on a small kite. Such a name sounds good only on a tombstone."

The connection between Doodle's real name and the kite helps the reader to feel the discrepancy between a big name for a little boy to live up to. And the possibility of Doodle's death makes the name seem too big for the boy to ever completely grasp with a long or eventful life. Then Brother ties the name to a tombstone which leaves no question as to the boy's eventual doom and a feeling of sadness dominates the scene.

What were the core principles of the Enlightenment? Where did these concepts come from, how were they diffused, and in what ways did they lay the...

The essential idea of the Enlightenment was the belief in reason and the ability of reason to guide the way people were governed and the way people thought about the world around them. The ideas of the Enlightenment were far reaching and touched the fields of philosophy, government, science, art, medicine, and religion.

Many factors led to the Enlightenment and gave rise to its central belief in reason. Perhaps foremost among them was the scientific...

The essential idea of the Enlightenment was the belief in reason and the ability of reason to guide the way people were governed and the way people thought about the world around them. The ideas of the Enlightenment were far reaching and touched the fields of philosophy, government, science, art, medicine, and religion.

Many factors led to the Enlightenment and gave rise to its central belief in reason. Perhaps foremost among them was the scientific discoveries that Kepler, Galileo, and others made in the world of astronomy, and the formulation of the scientific method by Bacon. The scientific method relied on the idea that observations, rather than superstition or religion, helped guide the way scientific theories were made. In other words, people could not rely on superstition anymore and had to rely on their powers of observation and reason to make hypotheses about the natural world. In addition, the age of discovery exposed people to new worlds and ideas, making them question old precepts. 

Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire dedicated themselves to understanding how reason governed the way people were ruled. Locke believed in the social contract, the idea that the governed had inalienable rights, rights that could not be taken away by their rulers. These ideas were diffused mainly through writing. For example, the Enlightenment figure Diderot wrote an encyclopedia in which he hoped to capture all knowledge. His multi-volume work helped disseminate knowledge.

The ideas of the Enlightenment inspired revolutionary change, and the ideology of the Enlightenment was one of the factors behind the French and the American Revolutions. The idea that people had certain rights that could not be taken away and that they had to be governed by reason rather than merely by tradition meant that people were no longer tolerant of monarchs who they felt had violated their inalienable rights. The idea of the divine right of kings--that monarchs had a God-given right to rule--was over. The Enlightenment inspired people to question the way they were ruled. 

Of what are cellular materials composed?

Cellular materials are composed of four major biomolecules. The four main biomolecules are proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. The structure and function of each type biomolecule are briefly described below.

• Proteins are composed of monomers called amino acids. Amino acids are composed of a central carbon atom, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and an R-group that differentiates one amino acid from another. Proteins are accredited with being the most structure of a...

Cellular materials are composed of four major biomolecules. The four main biomolecules are proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. The structure and function of each type biomolecule are briefly described below.

• Proteins are composed of monomers called amino acids. Amino acids are composed of a central carbon atom, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and an R-group that differentiates one amino acid from another. Proteins are accredited with being the most structure of a cell. Proteins are also found interspersed throughout the cell membrane. Here, proteins serve as channels through which particles enter and exit the cell. All enzymes are also proteins. Enzymes serve as biological catalysts for reactions.


• 
  Lipids are commonly known as “fats”. Lipids are composed of a glycerol and fatty acid chains. The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer. Lipids serves as energy-storage units for a cell. Cholesterol and other sterols are also composed of lipids.


• 
  Nucleic acids are composed of nucleotides. Nucleotides are composed of a 5-carbon sugar (either deoxyribose or ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base. Nucleic acids are responsible for housing all genetic information within a cell. Both RNA (ribose nucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) are composed of nucleic acids.


• 
  Carbohydrates are composed of monosaccharides. Monosaccharides are largely composed of the atom carbon. In cells, carbohydrates serve as an energy resource. Carbohydrates, such as chitin and cellulose, also provide structure in the cell walls of fungi and plants.

I need to write a speech on the following topic: Your village improvement society has raised a large sum of money to bring either electricity or a...

Obviously, both of these projects would be extremely beneficial for your community. Your first step in writing your speech would be to do some research on which of the two projects has the most merit.

On the one hand, we can live without electricity, but we cannot live without our health. On the other hand, electricity has immediate local benefits, while it may be possible to access health care in a neighboring village. If transportation...

Obviously, both of these projects would be extremely beneficial for your community. Your first step in writing your speech would be to do some research on which of the two projects has the most merit.

On the one hand, we can live without electricity, but we cannot live without our health. On the other hand, electricity has immediate local benefits, while it may be possible to access health care in a neighboring village. If transportation to a neighboring village is frequent, affordable, and convenient, electricity seems to be the better choice, but if most villagers would need to travel for more than a few hours to access health care, then the health center seems the better choice.

Whichever project you choose, you should start out by capturing the goodwill of your audience by praising their money raising efforts and thanking the people who have contributed. Your next section should acknowledge that both projects have merits and that the real goal of the community is to pick one to complete first with the hope that eventually the village will have both.

Next, you should outline the major benefits of the project you favor, giving a list of both the benefits it will bring and the problems it will solve.  After that, you should give some evidence why the village needs your first choice now but can wait for the other. 

You should conclude with a call to action, suggesting that it is now time to honor the hard work of fundraising by making the dream of one of these benefits a reality. 

What is the full story that neither Mrs. Slade nor Mrs. Ansley knows?

In Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever," both Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have incomplete information of the events that took place years ago in Rome that one moonlit night. Mrs. Slade feels she has the upper hand because she knows that she and not Delphin, her fiancé, wrote the letter to Mrs. Ansley. However, Mrs. Ansley knows the bigger secret--that she did actually go to meet Delphin and had his daughter. The full story is the...

In Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever," both Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have incomplete information of the events that took place years ago in Rome that one moonlit night. Mrs. Slade feels she has the upper hand because she knows that she and not Delphin, her fiancé, wrote the letter to Mrs. Ansley. However, Mrs. Ansley knows the bigger secret--that she did actually go to meet Delphin and had his daughter. The full story is the combination of both women's stories and secrets. Wharton masterfully uses the symbol of knitting to show how the stop threads or details are woven together to make a complete story. The irony is that each woman feels as if she has the upper hand because she knows the story, but they later find out that each only knows part of the story.

How did Montresor know that his house would be empty in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Montresor knew the house would be empty because he told the servants to be home.

Montresor is an expert in reverse psychology.  He knows that if he tells his servants that he will not be home, but orders them to stay there, they will all take off.  Who wants to be home during carnival when the boss is away?

Montresor is trying to give himself an alibi.  He tells her servants that he would not...

Montresor knew the house would be empty because he told the servants to be home.

Montresor is an expert in reverse psychology.  He knows that if he tells his servants that he will not be home, but orders them to stay there, they will all take off.  Who wants to be home during carnival when the boss is away?

Montresor is trying to give himself an alibi.  He tells her servants that he would not be home until morning to make sure that they all leave his house. 

There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time. I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned.

If they are questioned, they will tell the police that they were at the house all night for fear of losing their jobs.  Thus Montresor is not there, and the servants are not there, but if anyone would ask they will all say that they were there.  No one will know where he actually was.

If Montresor returns with a trowel and the ingredients to make a brick wall, smelling of nitre from the catacombs, no one will be there to see it.  His servants are all out playing while he kills a man.

Montresor is a very clever man, and he plans the murder out to the most minute of details.  There will be no one to see him out with Fortunato, and even if they did they may not recognize him because of the costume.  Also, many people will be drunk.  There will be no one to vouch for the fact that Montresor was not home or describe the condition he was in when he returned.

What is the significance of the repeated references to rain throughout the story?

The rain signifies nature's way or function of cleansing itself. And, following this nuclear explosion and the decimation of the human population, there is the sense that nature is cleansing itself of the nuclear fallout and of the presence of humanity itself. In the fourth paragraph, the house mechanically sings, wishing the rain to go away, thus subtly symbolizing the conflict between technology and nature. 

The rain is used in other symbolic ways. At the...

The rain signifies nature's way or function of cleansing itself. And, following this nuclear explosion and the decimation of the human population, there is the sense that nature is cleansing itself of the nuclear fallout and of the presence of humanity itself. In the fourth paragraph, the house mechanically sings, wishing the rain to go away, thus subtly symbolizing the conflict between technology and nature. 

The rain is used in other symbolic ways. At the end of this paragraph, the rain hits the roof and the lonely echoes underscore the absence of the family, "And the rain tapped on the empty house, echoing." 

Following the descriptions of the white silhouettes of the family members, the narrator adds, "The gentle sprinkler rain filled the garden with falling light." Although this "rain" is a product of the house, it still does represent a cleansing. It follows the morbid description of what remains of the family members. And the sprinkler rain is "gentle," which is a clear contrast to the violence of the nuclear explosion. The "falling light" also suggests a peaceful sentiment; this is another contrast to the violence of the explosion. 

The rain in the children's nursery is "fresh," again suggesting something more natural and pure than war. Rain also comes up in Sara Teasdale's poem and in the title of this story. They are "soft" rains. This, again, is to show the contrast between the gentle, natural rain and the violent, synthetic nuclear bomb. In the end, the house even tries to save itself with its own mechanical rain. So, rain is once again used as a way to stop further destruction. It is nature's way of cleansing itself. It is also (usually) gentle and this creates a contrast with the violent result of a flawed humanity. 

In "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde, how does the ghost try to frighten the Otis family?

The ghost employs a number of tactics to scare the Otis family when they move into Canterville Chase.

First of all, he uses the blood stain in the library to evoke a sense of mystery and fear. As the housekeeper informs the family, the stain is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, the ghost's former wife, whom he murdered on that spot in 1575. The family, however, are not frightened by the daily reappearance...

The ghost employs a number of tactics to scare the Otis family when they move into Canterville Chase.

First of all, he uses the blood stain in the library to evoke a sense of mystery and fear. As the housekeeper informs the family, the stain is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, the ghost's former wife, whom he murdered on that spot in 1575. The family, however, are not frightened by the daily reappearance of the stain: they simply erase it with Pinkerton's Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent. 

Secondly, the ghost uses traditional haunting techniques to scare the family, like rattling his ghostly chains, groaning and traversing the corridor all night long. Again, these techniques prove futile: the Otises are more annoyed by his antics than frightened. This is best shown in Chapter Two when Mr Otis offers the ghost some Tammany Lubricator to oil his chains and keep the noise down. 

The ghost also uses a number of disguises to try and scare the family. Disguises, like that of "Reckless Rupert, the Headless Earl," proved very successful in frightening former residents of the house, as the reader learns in Chapter Four. The Otises, however, are not as suggestible as the likes of Lady Barbara Modish and the ghost, once again, fails in his attempt to scare the family. In fact, this disguise fails so badly that the ghost "gave up all of hope" of ever frightening them. This leads directly to his encounter with Virginia in Chapter Five and his desire to leave the mortal world in favour of the Garden of Death. 

In Animal Farm, why did Napoleon seem to feel threatened by Boxer's death?

In Chapter Nine of Animal Farm, Boxer injures himself while collecting stone for the completion of the windmill. When word of this accident reaches Napoleon, he has Squealer, his propagandist, tell the animals that he is arranging for Boxer to be treated by a local vet. But the truth is quite the opposite: Napoleon sells Boxer to a horse slaughterer and pockets the money for himself and the other pigs.

When the van comes...

In Chapter Nine of Animal Farm, Boxer injures himself while collecting stone for the completion of the windmill. When word of this accident reaches Napoleon, he has Squealer, his propagandist, tell the animals that he is arranging for Boxer to be treated by a local vet. But the truth is quite the opposite: Napoleon sells Boxer to a horse slaughterer and pockets the money for himself and the other pigs.

When the van comes to collect Boxer, the other animals gather to say goodbye and quickly realise what Napoleon has done. This is a dangerous moment for Napoleon which threatens his position as leader, because every animal on the farm loves Boxer and they are horrified to learn that he has been sent to "the knackers." Napoleon's reaction demonstrates his sense of fear. Through Squealer, he lies to the animals by saying that the vet has recently bought the horse slaughterer's van and has not had time to paint over its sign. Squealer also claims to have been at Boxer's bedside at the time of his death and that his last words were: "Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is always right." This sounds like something that Boxer may have said, as one of the most loyal and dedicated animals on the farm, and so the others believe Napoleon and Squealer's lies. 

This acceptance of lies removes the threat to Napoleon's leadership. But when the other animals see the pigs drinking whiskey, rumours begin to circulate about where Napoleon got the money from. This episode, then, marks the beginning of the animals' realisation about Napoleon, specifically his tyrannical nature and his plans for the future of Animal Farm. 

What are some examples of lexemes in a sentence?

A lexeme is a basic unit of meaning in a language.  A lexeme can be a single word or set of words; any unit that depends upon all its morphological components to be understood qualifies.  In other words, a lexeme is a unit of language that can no longer be understood when broken down into its component parts.  This means that any inflected forms of a lexeme fall under the umbrella of that lexeme.   Any verb, for example walk, is a single lexeme composed of a set of inflected forms, i.e. walking, walks, walked, etc.  In addition, walker and walkers are not inflected forms of the lexeme walk, but forms rather of the lexeme walker; this is due to the difference in word class – walker is a noun, rather than a verb.

Phrasal verbs and compound words are also usually single lexemes, though they are composed of more than one grammatical word.  For example, the word babysitter is a lexeme in the English language – a compound word, composed of baby and sitter, whose meaning cannot be divined by looking at its component parts.  In addition, phrasal verbs like turn off or come back are also single lexemes – their component parts form a new, single meaning when combined.

Name and idioms, as well, are single lexemes – when someone mentions Sherlock Holmes, this name conjures up one single referent; thus there is a single meaning behind the two names.  If you were to call someone a bad apple, you would be using a single lexeme to refer to this person.  The phrase may be two words, but they are combined in such a context they have a single meaning.  Conversely, if you were to see a bad apple among the fresh, shiny pile at the grocery store, this conventional connotation would be gone, and we would have two separate lexemes.

So to address the need for example sentences, you can’t really go wrong with any sentence at all in the English language, for languages are made up entirely of lexemes.  A good sentence would perhaps be something along the lines of the following:

My mother told the babysitter not to come back after the teenager horsed around on the job.

Here we have babysitter, come back, teenager, and horse around as good examples of compound words and phrases as single lexemes, as well as the obvious mother and tell, and the phrase on the job.