In Katherine Paterson's Lyddie, which ethnic group is receiving most employment at the Concord Corporation?

More and more Irish immigrants are coming to work at the Concord Corporation. The factory likes being able to hire the Irish because they don't room in the company boarding houses, so the company saves money by employing them. Even very young children from Irish families work at the Concord Corporation; children as young as seven or eight years old work as doffers.

The Irish families live in a very poor part of town called the Acre, where their homes are nothing more than shacks, despite the fact that the immigrants tend to have large families with up to a dozen children. The Irish are looked down upon because of their poverty, their poor dress, their body odor, their language, and their religion. Lyddie thinks of them as "papists"--meaning that they are Catholic rather than Protestant--a derogatory term Lyddie uses even though she herself is not particularly religious.

Lyddie at first has very little patience for training Brigid, her Irish coworker, not only because she doesn't want to decrease her own production at the factory, but also because she harbors prejudices against her ethnicity. She doesn't like the thought of placing her mouth over the hole of the quill where Brigid has put her mouth. In fact, Lyddie does end up getting sick, presumably from Brigid, whose mother is very ill. This shows how the immigrant population was more prone to illness because of the relative squalor in which they lived. When Lyddie visits Brigid's home after Lyddie gets dismissed, she finds the home to be messy and smelly with only beds to sit on. 

The novel reflects the historical reality of the influx of Irish immigrants during the potato famine from 1845 to 1855. The immigrants lived in slum-like areas of cities, especially in the manufacturing towns of the Northeast. Although they faced extreme discrimination at first, they soon assimilated into American society and became valued members in the same way Brigid shows herself to be a valuable friend to Lyddie. Education helped the Irish families rise out of poverty, and in 1960 the great-grandson of an Irish immigrant who had fled the potato famine, John F. Kennedy, became President of the United States.

What connotation is implied by saying, “He’s just a Cunningham” in To Kill a Mockingbird (pg. 20 or 24)? All the town folks knew the...

The Cunninghams are poor and therefore low on the totem pole of Maycomb society.

There are certain families in Maycomb that are very well known. The Cunninghams are farmers and are fairly impoverished. They are described as an “enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern part of the county” (Ch. 1). Scout's classmate, Walter Cunningham, is clearly poor.

Walter Cunningham’s face told everybody in the first grade he had hookworms. His absence of shoes told us how he got them. People caught hookworms going barefooted in barnyards and hog wallows. (Ch. 2)

Miss Caroline is not from Maycomb, and does not understand the community’s ways. She asks Walter Cunningham where his lunch is and then tries to lend him money when he doesn’t have one.  Scout explains that you do not lend money to a Cunningham.

“Walter’s one of the Cunninghams, Miss Caroline.”

“I beg your pardon, Jean Louise?”

“That’s okay, ma’am, you’ll get to know all the county folks after a while. The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back—no church baskets and no scrip stamps. (Ch. 2)

No Cunningham will take money from someone without paying it back. Scout knows about the Cunninghams because when Walter’s father needed Atticus's services he paid for them with goods instead of money. Atticus explained to Scout that the farmers were poor, and that often led to professionals like himself also being poor because no one was able to pay them.

When Walter doesn’t have any lunch, Scout invites him home to eat with her. He pours syrup over his food and she is so surprised that she comments on it. Calpurnia scolds her, and she tells her that Walter is not company, “he’s just a Cunningham-” (Ch. 3). To Scout, Walter’s lower social class makes him less significant and not worthy of special respect.

Atticus and Calpurnia do treat Walter respectfully, however.  Atticus talks with Walter as if he were an adult, and Calpurnia tells Scout that anyone who is in her house is her company and she has no right to be “so high and mighty” as to comment on things that he does as if she is better than him.

Describe the relationships between the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice.

The most significant relationship among the five Bennet sisters is between Jane and Elizabeth, the oldest and next oldest, respectively. Jane's beauty and charms are somewhat affected by her shy and quiet demeanor; and the outspoken and confident Elizabeth is rather protective of her for this reason.  When Jane's courtship with Bingley is put on hold, and Elizabeth witnesses Jane's disappointment and sadness, Elizabeth defends her sister's shyness to Darcy, who is Bingley's close friend.

...

The most significant relationship among the five Bennet sisters is between Jane and Elizabeth, the oldest and next oldest, respectively. Jane's beauty and charms are somewhat affected by her shy and quiet demeanor; and the outspoken and confident Elizabeth is rather protective of her for this reason.  When Jane's courtship with Bingley is put on hold, and Elizabeth witnesses Jane's disappointment and sadness, Elizabeth defends her sister's shyness to Darcy, who is Bingley's close friend.

The middle sisters Mary and Katherine (Kitty) are not close enough to marrying age to be a focal point for the meddling Mrs. Bennet (who nevertheless wishes to see all of her daughters married as soon as possible), but their character flaws do affect their marriage prospects. Mary is bookish and has many talents, but, as Austen describes her, has "a pedantic air and a conceited manner." Kitty is rather naive and lacks the intelligence of her older sisters, and is prone to follow the lead of Lydia, the youngest. Lydia is somewhat precocious, being tall and attractive, and is prone to speaking and behaving recklessly. She is also flirtatious, and despite her youth, it is not terribly surprising when she runs off with Wickham. Lydia's older sisters are horrified by her behavior, as it damages not only Lydia's reputation but that of their entire family, and are annoyed when Lydia puts on airs about being a "married woman" so soon after her elopement with Wickham threatens to destroy the family's social standing.

It is Darcy who rescues the situation, and he does so out of respect for Jane and love for Elizabeth; he pays Wickham's debts and also pays for a legitimate wedding for the couple so that they are not living in disgrace. We learn that Darcy has great fondness for his own younger sister, and it is his role as her protector that leads him to show such kindness to the Bennet sisters, who are lacking a brotherly figure to lean upon.

In the book The Call of the Wild, after the great fight with Spitz, Buck begins to “see” a hairy man, squatting by his campfire. Who is the...

In chapter 7 of the novel The Call of The Wild, we are introduced to a ''hairy man'' whom Buck sees crouching next to a fire.

''When he watched the hairy man sleeping by the fire, head between his knees and hands clasped above, Buck saw that he slept restlessly, with many starts and awakenings at which times he would peer fearfully into the darkness and fling more wood upon the fire. Did they walk by the beach of a sea, where the hairy man gathered shellfish and ate them as he gathered, it was with eyes that roved everywhere for hidden danger and with legs prepared to run like the wind at its first appearance'' (Stasz).

The man is actually merely a vision Buck is having.  To Buck, the man symbolizes one who is more primitive in nature, and symbolizes how he must exist in his new world if he is to thrive.  He sees the man gather his own food in order to stay nourished, sees him use fire to stay warm, and sees him constantly on guard for any danger, ready to take action to survive.  Throughout the novel, as Buck slowly adjusts to life in the wild, he, like the man he is visualizing, becomes more primal, as he must now survive in adverse conditions.  He gradually becomes more in tune with nature, and more aware of how he must live, and how he must react to his surroundings in order to stay alive.

According to .com, ''Under the harsh conditions of trail life, he [Buck] develops certain primal traits: he becomes more cunning, deliberate, and calculating. He learns how to kill mercilessly and to show no sign of weakness.''  The man Buck sees by the campfire is nothing more than a figment of his imagination, a vision of the primitive being he must become in order to be successful in his wild new world.

If you were a lawyer and Lennie were your client, how would you make your case for his innocence in the killing of Curley's wife?

In Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men,Lennie kills Curley's wife in chapter five. Even the best of lawyers would have a difficult time defending Lennie's behavior, but certainly the man's mental condition would be used in his defense. The death is most certainly accidental, since we know that Lennie often doesn't know his own strength. It takes several men to restrain him after he crushes Curley's hand in chapter three. He kills his puppy at...

In Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Lennie kills Curley's wife in chapter five. Even the best of lawyers would have a difficult time defending Lennie's behavior, but certainly the man's mental condition would be used in his defense. The death is most certainly accidental, since we know that Lennie often doesn't know his own strength. It takes several men to restrain him after he crushes Curley's hand in chapter three. He kills his puppy at the beginning of chapter five and he is positively deadly to any other small animal he gets his hands on. George realizes that the death of Curley's wife, no matter how inadvertent, is the last straw. He is probably right in putting Lennie down, just as Carlson had put down Candy's dog. In the 1930s, Lennie would have been chained up, thrown in a cell and treated harshly. He would not have understood his treatment.

A good lawyer would most certainly try to plead insanity. He would argue that Lennie was mentally challenged and wasn't in control of his actions. The lawyer might use psychologists to diagnose Lennie with a mental disease. Doctors could administer a test (such as the "irresistible impulse" test) which would prove that Lennie suffered from a mental disorder preventing him from appreciating the criminality of his act.

This defense may work because the reader knows that Lennie has a problem. He can only remember things that George tells him. He is obsessed with petting soft things. He also suffers from hallucinations like the ones in chapter six when he is berated for his conduct by an imaginary rabbit and his Aunt Clara, summoned from the dead. The delusions never focus on what he actually did wrong, but on how George will react. Although this defense could very well succeed, Lennie would probably still be locked up. At the time of the story, it would not have been a pleasant experience for Lennie as mental hospitals were often primitive and brutal.

On what does the raven perch? What is the only word it speaks?

When the raven flies into the narrator's study, he alights on a bust of the Greek goddess, Athena.  The poem's narrator says that the raven entered "with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— / Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door" (lines 40-41).  Thus, the bird conducts itself with somewhat of a noble bearing, acting like a lord, and flew to the statue of Athena that sits...

When the raven flies into the narrator's study, he alights on a bust of the Greek goddess, Athena.  The poem's narrator says that the raven entered "with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— / Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door" (lines 40-41).  Thus, the bird conducts itself with somewhat of a noble bearing, acting like a lord, and flew to the statue of Athena that sits above the door to this room. 

The bird will only utter the word "Nevermore" to whatever question the narrator asks.  Now, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, among other things, and so this is a bit ironic because the bird -- the narrator knows -- does not speak out of any wisdom of its own.  It speaks only because its master must have taught it to say this one word.  The narrator says, "[...] what it utters is its only stock and store / Caught from some unhappy master [...]" (62-63).  He assumes that the bird's owner must have met with some unfortunate circumstances and uttered this word so often that the bird picked it up.  

Read this sentence from “The Gift of the Magi” and answer the question. Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of...

Jim stops frozen in his tracks. His reaction is probably that he thinks he may have entered the wrong apartment by mistake. He doesn't even recognize his wife at first. He thinks he is looking at a stranger, and he doesn't understand what this strange woman is doing in his apartment and what has become of Della. Della was expecting a strong reaction from her husband when he saw her without her long hair--but she didn't know what kind of reaction to expect. Jim's reaction is completely outside the bounds of anything she might have expected because she can't really see herself as another person might see her. She has already become familiar with her new appearance, since she has spent hours looking at herself in the mirror and trying to do something with her short remaining hair. 

Jim's reaction shows the enormous change that has taken place in Della's appearance. He is, of course, used to coming home every night and seeing the same young woman with the same long hair. This is actually the first time that the reader gets a full realization of how different Della must look. Jim's reaction would not be one of surprise, shock, astonishment, dismay, or any such emotions. It would be one of complete disorientation. Where am I? How did I get in here? Who is this woman? What is she thinking? Is she going to scream for help? This is because he expected to see one familiar woman and sees a complete stranger. The transformation was so radical because women wore their hair so long in those days. 

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her.

Then his own wife gradually comes into focus in his brain with her new look. O. Henry has done a masterful job of describing Jim's reaction. The reader, like Della, didn't know what to expect of Jim when he saw her. O. Henry hit upon exactly the right reaction of disorientation. Jim was not expecting anything new. Jim's reaction is funny and was intended to be funny. 

What is the negative impact of beauty contests on society?

While preferences for certain physical features do have a basis in evolution and reproduction, most ideals or standards of beauty are culturally dependent and heavily shaped by notions of class, purity, race and ethnicity, gender norms, and abelist body norms.

From an evolutionary standpoint, certain physical features or phenotypes (how the genes manifest themselves) are indicative of reproductive fitness. Features such as facial symmetry, having all of one's teeth, and even certain bodily proportions can indicate to others that someone is genetically fit. In non-cultural animals, this may manifest as the largest males of a species having better access to females because he can fight off other potential mates. Traits like being able to camouflage or having large teeth or horns can also be advantageous in the long-game of reproduction.

Only so much of human beauty ideals are determined by evolutionary advantage, though. In a way, the human preference for certain types of beauty is a very drawn out and complex means of determining reproductive fitness. Because this fitness is culturally determined and dependent upon beliefs about gender, race, class, and so on, there is no real guarantee of this perceived fitness. Such characteristics are much more indicative of social success than reproductive. It is because certain characteristics are held as beautiful that they contribute to social success, but not necessarily reproductive.

For example, many cultures favor women with light skin as beautiful. Historically, having lighter skin has been indicative of class, as people who worked in the fields were darker from sun exposure. Even today, light skin in women is favored as a sign of a leisurely lifestyle, one that is lower in physical stress compared to that of someone who labors outdoors. A woman with light skin may be considered more beautiful and thus have an easier time navigating certain social spheres, but it is no real indicator of her levels of physical stress and reproductive capability.

Some other things to consider are face shape, eye and hair color, height, and body shape. Much of the modern, Western beauty ideal has its origins in the colonial period, where the ruling class was primarily composed of fair-skinned, light-haired people from Europe. Part of this Eurocentric beauty ideal is influenced by the fact that it contrasted with the populations of dark-haired, dark-skinned, colonized people. Western culture also holds physically fit, able bodies with "appropriate" amounts of fat as the ideal of beauty. This is influenced by beliefs of excess and morality- oftentimes excess body fat is equated with glutton and sin. Able-bodiedness has a long history of being a beauty ideal, as up until the past few centuries, people who were impaired in some way did not typically survive. Even if they did live to adulthood, they rarely had children. Life was too demanding and stressful for someone with an impairment to keep up. Unfortunately, even though much of the world can accommodate people with physical limitations, beauty ideals still often exclude people who have these impairments.

Beauty contests are controversial because they reward people for fitting into an essentially random set of determinants for beauty. Genetics functions through the processes of randomization and mutation to come up with the most adaptations as possible, in the hopes that one phenotype might offer better fitness. Even though there are definite patterns of hereditary traits (for example, I inherited brown hair from my father), those which are deemed to be "most beautiful" is highly variable from one culture to another. Beauty contests serve to reinforce arbitrarily determined standards of beauty, and equate this beauty with success. 

From a feminist point of view, beauty contests motivate and reward women for fitting into these beauty categories which may be unattainable for a significant portion of the population. It equates women's success with beauty and detracts from achievement in other areas of life. Placing such an importance on beauty and a beauty contest mindset contributes to the attitude that even if a woman is successful in her career, she will not be respected unless she is beautiful. Beauty contests reinforce the belief that a woman's value is dependent upon her ability to fit into very restrictive and oppressive beauty ideals.

What does "The Veldt" have to do with honesty?

A critique of technology lies at the heart of "The Veldt," and that critique rests on the premise that the promises of technolgy are deceptive. Technology, in a word, lies to us. 

The Hadleys buy the HappyLife home because it promises them the good life: the house will do everything for them. It rocks them to sleep and raises their children. But the Hadley parents soon find that this idea of the good life is...

A critique of technology lies at the heart of "The Veldt," and that critique rests on the premise that the promises of technolgy are deceptive. Technology, in a word, lies to us. 

The Hadleys buy the HappyLife home because it promises them the good life: the house will do everything for them. It rocks them to sleep and raises their children. But the Hadley parents soon find that this idea of the good life is a lie: the house has robbed them of actually living their lives: Lydia Hadley, in particular, feels empty and useless. 

While the parents begin to understand that the easy life technology offers is far more nightmare than sweet dream,  their children, Peter and Wendy, are completely seduced by the technological wonders of their nursery. The viewscreen has become their true parent and through its endless repetition of scenes of the "survival of the fittest" on the veldt, brainwashes the children into its own lack of morality. Survival is its creed, and the children quickly begin lie to help this "parent" survive. When the parents reveal they are worried about what the children are watching in the nursery, the children change the viewscreen to pretty pictures when the parents enter, though the smell of blood from the veldt is still in the air. At the end, the children lie to lure the parents to the nursery, slamming the door and locking them in to be devoured by lions. 

Bradbury's message appears to be that we must do the hard, honest work of living life or technology will devour us. 

What is Hazel's cancer miracle story in The Fault in Our Stars?

We learn the details of Hazel's "cancer miracle story" in Chapter 2, when she relates it to Augustus, her new friend and love interest.

When she was thirteen, Hazel was diagnosed with "Stage IV thyroid cancer." ("Stage IV" means the cancer has already advanced significantly within the body, so it's a very serious diagnosis.) Her doctors use surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to try to keep her cancer in check, but Hazel comes down with a...

We learn the details of Hazel's "cancer miracle story" in Chapter 2, when she relates it to Augustus, her new friend and love interest.

When she was thirteen, Hazel was diagnosed with "Stage IV thyroid cancer." ("Stage IV" means the cancer has already advanced significantly within the body, so it's a very serious diagnosis.) Her doctors use surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to try to keep her cancer in check, but Hazel comes down with a serious case of pneumonia and feels like she's drowning from the fluid in her lungs. She is very close to death, even holding her parents' hands and saying her goodbyes to them, when, incredibly, her doctor is able to remove the fluid from her lungs and she survives. At that point, she's given an experimental drug, which are notorious for not working very well, but it works for her and keeps her tumors at bay.

For the year and a half before Hazel has this conversation with Augustus, she has been taking that "miracle" drug, receiving help for her lungs from an oxygen machine, and surviving. She considers her story to be somewhat miraculous, although Hazel's sarcasm may be at play here; she may be indicating that her story is actually pretty common. And she also moderates the heartwarming aspect of the story by thinking about how her time is still limited, that the drug could stop working at any point.

Because this question asks about a main character's backstory, we know to look for the answer near the beginning of the book. But we won't always find a character's backstory in the prologue or the first chapter of a novel. Why? It's more interesting for an author to begin the story with action, with something exciting happening, rather than with all the potentially tedious details of what the character has experienced up until the real beginning of the story. So, one way that authors can include background information in an interesting way is by allowing one character to reveal that information to another character whom she's recently met. For that reason, it's a good idea to look for important conversations between characters who have just met if you need to find their backstories.

What metaphors are used in The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton?

By definition, a metaphor is something that offers a comparison of two, seemingly unlikely things, without using the words, 'like' or 'as'. In The Outsiders, metaphors are prevalently used.

One of the most memorable metaphors in the novel happens in Chapter Five, where Johnny and Pony are discussing their looks. Pony quipps about their appearances being a Halloween costume that neither he nor Johnny can remove. Johnny retorted with

...it's our looks or us

In the above metaphor, Johnny compares their Greaser look with their lives in general. This metaphor speaks directly to one of the central conflicts in the novel, person versus self. By making the statement, Johnny also asserts that the boys can be separated from what they represent with their looks.

Another metaphorical example occurs again in Chapter 5 as Pony explains his understanding of the gang. Pony states,

Dally was real.

This metaphor must be explained in the context of the story. Immediately preceding the above quote, Pony explicates that he finally understands Johnny's "hero-worship" of Dally. He then goes on to compare Soda, Two- bit, and Darry to the heroes in the novels that he reads. He acknowledges that those guys all have shining, somewhat fictional, qualities about them. However, Dally represents the reality that scares Pony. He represents the reality that Pony often wants to escape in his reading of fictional heroes.

Another example of a metaphor in the novel comes from Chapter Six, as Pony describes Johnny's features and what makes others drawn to him. He states,

I don't know what it was about Johnny--maybe that lost-puppy look....

This metaphor compares Johnny to a lost puppy. If you are a dog lover, you get the reference. If not, this metaphor essentially shows Johnny's sweet, innocent, and engaging appeal--which draws a person into him--and makes them want to take care of his needs.

The last metaphor I'll discuss is one of the more famous lines from the book. In this line, Johnny is in the hospital about to die, and he tells Pony to "stay gold." The metaphor is comparing Pony to the value of gold. It also makes a loose connection to the book's consistent references of gold being favorable, desired, and authentic. Thus, Johnny has attributed all of those qualities to his friend Pony. He believes that Pony is invaluable, desired, and authentic. He wants Pony to understand that about himself, and recognize his own, inherent worth; both as a person and as a member of the Greaser gang. The metaphor is also an allusion to a Robert Frost poem which d the beauty of nature as being gold. It helps to consider how Pony sees sunsets, and the value that he places on nature alone. Then, consider the images of sunsets as you consider Johnny's request for Pony to stay gold.

What is the saddest word in James R. Lowell's poem "Serenade"?

In line 20 the poet identifies the saddest word that the ear of man has ever heard. That word is "alone."Indeed, line 19 says it is a "bitter and dreary word." "Bitter" implies not only that it is not sweet, but also that it leaves one hurt or resentful because of the way one has been treated. It is a dreary word because it is depressing and dull; when one is alone, life is...

In line 20 the poet identifies the saddest word that the ear of man has ever heard. That word is "alone." Indeed, line 19 says it is a "bitter and dreary word." "Bitter" implies not only that it is not sweet, but also that it leaves one hurt or resentful because of the way one has been treated. It is a dreary word because it is depressing and dull; when one is alone, life is boring and it is hard to have hope for the future.

The entire poem builds up the sadness of the word "alone" even before it reaches line 20. The end of each stanza is the doleful refrain, "Alone, alone, ah woe! alone!" The repetition of the word within the line and the repetition of the line at the end of each stanza reinforces the ongoing, relentless sadness of the state of loneliness. The poet uses assonance, repetition of vowel sounds in adjacent words, to further emphasize the sadness of the word. The long /o/ sound in the words "alone" and "woe" is the sound of someone wailing or moaning, a sound of sadness, hopelessness, and sorrow. The word "woe" means great sorrow or distress; its repetition and placement next to the word "alone" enhances the sadness of the word. The poem doesn't just state that "alone" is the saddest word; it allows the reader to experience that feeling through the poetic devices it employs. 

What are the formula of ions formed by the following elements? Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine.

The ions (whether cations or anions) formed by an element, depend upon the number of electrons that need to be lost or gained, in order to achieve a fully filled orbital. When electrons are lost, cations are formed. When electrons are gained, elements form anions.

For example, hydrogen has only 1 electron and it loses it to form a cation `H^+` . In comparison, helium has 2 electrons and fully filled electronic orbital and hence...

The ions (whether cations or anions) formed by an element, depend upon the number of electrons that need to be lost or gained, in order to achieve a fully filled orbital. When electrons are lost, cations are formed. When electrons are gained, elements form anions.

For example, hydrogen has only 1 electron and it loses it to form a cation `H^+` . In comparison, helium has 2 electrons and fully filled electronic orbital and hence does not require any electron gain or lose. Thus, helium is a noble gas and does not form an ion. Similar to hydrogen, lithium loses one electron and becomes `Li^+` . In comparison, beryllium is form `Be^(2+)` . Boron forms `B^(3+)` , nitrogen forms `N^(3-)` , oxygen form `O^(2-)` and fluorine form `F^-` . 

Hope this helps.

How would you summarize the first paragraph in Chapter 6?

Summary of the first paragraph in Chapter 6:

Early American pioneers such as the Puritans viewed immigration to the New World as a vehicle for unmitigated success, whether for themselves or for future generations. Their convictions were such that they resolved never to be resigned to a zero-sum solution to their problems. Subsequent generations of Puritans have been less circumspect; their focus is trained on the present, and they prefer to trust that future spiritual...

Summary of the first paragraph in Chapter 6:

Early American pioneers such as the Puritans viewed immigration to the New World as a vehicle for unmitigated success, whether for themselves or for future generations. Their convictions were such that they resolved never to be resigned to a zero-sum solution to their problems. Subsequent generations of Puritans have been less circumspect; their focus is trained on the present, and they prefer to trust that future spiritual reward will be predicated on current decisions and actions.

A word on zero-sum solutions.

Zero sum solutions occur when a win for one party results in a corresponding loss for another party. For example, any money Congress allocates for certain pet projects results in less money for other desired programs. So, in the case of the Puritans, these early American pioneers were not merely interested in securing benefits for their own generation. They resolved to labor for succeeding generations even if they failed to secure the necessary progress critical to their own happiness during this lifetime.

Why did the Quit India Movement fail?

During World War II, Mahatma Gandhi led the Quit India Movement, a non-violent resistance against British rule in India. Gandhi hoped that, due to its military involvement in the war, Britain would capitulate and give India self-rule.

However, the Quit India Movement failed because its leaders did not present a clear plan of action and some supporters began to enact violence against buildings owned by the British government. Additionally, Great Britain acted swiftly to suppress...

During World War II, Mahatma Gandhi led the Quit India Movement, a non-violent resistance against British rule in India. Gandhi hoped that, due to its military involvement in the war, Britain would capitulate and give India self-rule.

However, the Quit India Movement failed because its leaders did not present a clear plan of action and some supporters began to enact violence against buildings owned by the British government. Additionally, Great Britain acted swiftly to suppress the revolt, even going to so far as to imprison most of the India National Congress for most of the remainder of World War II. Britain also imprisoned as many as 100,000 Indian nationals for supporting the movement.

Nevertheless, the Quit India Movement may have contributed to the British government's eventual pull-out from India. They feared additional protests which would perhaps be even more violent. Thus Britain--weakened by World War II--decided that governing India was more trouble than it was worth. 

When does Fortunato realize that Montresor plans to harm him?

Fortunato does not realize that Montresor plans to harm him until he has had a little time to sober up. It would appear that he begins to realize the terrible situation he is in at the following point in the story.

I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was not the cry of a drunken man.

Fortunato has to go over a whole series of incidents in his mind. He met Montresor up on the street. Montresor said he had a pipe of Amontillado he needed to have an expert sample. They came back to Montresor's palazzo together, down the stairs, along some passages--and now he is chained to the granite wall of a narrow niche, and Montresor, whom he thought was his friend, is starting to build a wall. The "low moaning cry" must represent Fortunato's realization that he has been tricked. Montresor has been deceiving him for years and has made a fool of him.

There was then a long and obstinate silence. 

Fortunato, now fully sober, must be feeling the chains, the padlock, and the bolts holding the chains to the rock wall. He is hoping to find a weak spot of some sort. But he wouldn't want to break free as long as Montresor was still there. Montresor might kill him. He is thinking of waiting until Montresor finishes the wall and then breaking the chain or the padlock. The mortar in the wall would still be damp, and he could knock out enough stones to get free of the niche. He is doing everything in silence because he doesn't want Montresor to guess what he is up to..

I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain.

Fortunato has failed to find any weak place in the chains or padlock. Now he is desperate and starts struggling. It is futile.

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back.

Fortunato is panicked. But he finds out that screaming for help is useless when Montresor starts screaming along with him. They are deep underground. Nobody could possibly hear them.

“Ha! ha! ha!—he! he! he!—a very good joke, indeed—an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo—he! he! he!—over our wine—he! he! he!”

As a last resort, Fortunato pretends that he believes this is all a practical joke. He is giving Montresor an excuse for changing his mind about killing him. He knows that Montresor might have some misgivings about having been seen with him just before he disappeared. He thinks he can make Montresor believe that he was expected at home that night and people would be out searching for him if he failed to appear. So he tries to plant some fears in Montresor's mind.

“He! he! he!—he! he! he!—yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us be gone.”

He says "awaiting us" to suggest that many people had observed them together and assumed they were on their way to Fortunato's palazzo. Montresor had previously established that Fortunato was not expected anywhere. He had twice pretended he thought Fortunato had an "engagement," and the second time he had suggested this, Fortunato had said: “I have no engagement;—come.”

So the first indication that Fortunato realizes Montresor is his enemy, not his friend, and that his enemy has him in his power and intends to kill him, is when he utters that "low moaning cry from the depth of the recess." Fortunato never really believes this is a practical joke. He tries desperately to escape and uses psychology as a last resort, but in the end he is left to die. Montresor concludes his narrative with these words:

Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat!

Discuss the significance of the handkerchief to the tragedy of Othello.

The handkerchief, or "napkin" as it is often called in the play, is a central plot device in Othello. Essentially, Iago uses the handkerchief to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him with Michael Cassio. Iago gets the handkerchief when Emilia, his wife, picks it up after Desdemona drops it. The handkerchief was Othello's first gift to Desdemona, and so it serves as a symbol of their love and her loyalty to him....

The handkerchief, or "napkin" as it is often called in the play, is a central plot device in Othello. Essentially, Iago uses the handkerchief to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him with Michael Cassio. Iago gets the handkerchief when Emilia, his wife, picks it up after Desdemona drops it. The handkerchief was Othello's first gift to Desdemona, and so it serves as a symbol of their love and her loyalty to him. The scheming Iago determines to drive a wedge between Othello and his wife by placing the handkerchief in Michael Cassio's room, and arranging for Othello to find out. After talking with Iago, Othello asks his wife for the handkerchief, which, he says, came from Egypt, where it was woven with silk from sacred worms and embroidered with berries dyed with the blood of mummified virgins. When Desdemona admits that she does not have the handkerchief, Othello is outraged. When it is revealed that Cassio (through the schemes of Iago) has come into possession of it, Othello assumes that Desdemona gave it to him. Iago pushes the scheme even further by making Othello believe that Cassio's comments about Bianca, his mistress (to whom he gives the handkerchief) are actually about Desdemona. The fact that Desdemona consistently advocates for Cassio before her husband (at Cassio's behest) only adds to Othello's suspicions, which eventually reach a boiling point. So the handkerchief is the plot device that Shakespeare places at the center of the fatal and tragic split between Othello and Desdemona.

What were the effects of the Dust Bowl?

The Dust Bowl had a dramatic effect on agriculture in the United States. The event was an ecological disaster caused by generations of misuse of the land. A sustained drought ruined farmland across four states as heavy winds picked up the topsoil and carried it for miles in dust clouds. A mass exodus to the west occurred as farms became worthless. Over sixty percent of the population of the effected area moved from the region....

The Dust Bowl had a dramatic effect on agriculture in the United States. The event was an ecological disaster caused by generations of misuse of the land. A sustained drought ruined farmland across four states as heavy winds picked up the topsoil and carried it for miles in dust clouds. A mass exodus to the west occurred as farms became worthless. Over sixty percent of the population of the effected area moved from the region. This had its own set of problems as states to the west were not prepared for the influx of new migrants.

Despite the loss of farms and the crippling impact that it had on the economy, the Dust Bowl did mark a positive change in American history. This was the desire of the federal government to manage farmland and prevent future ecological disaster by subsidizing farmers. This meant that farmers would receive government money to not plow over essential grasslands. Farmers also received bonuses for responsible use of the land. The federal government also purchased land to set aside as protected land to prevent future soil problems.

How can I respond to "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr?

The first question to consider in responding to Nicholas Carr’s essay is whether or not you agree with Carr’s central argument. Do you agree with Carr and believe that the human mind is shaped by tools of thought?

The answer to this question will inform your thesis.

In writing your response, you will also want to consider these questions:

• What is the most important point made in the article? Why is it the most important and do you agree or disagree with the implications attached to that point?


• Does Carr’s set of historical examples draw a compelling warning about how technology may be harmful to our essential humanity? Or do the examples instead merely show that we are pursuing an evolution of technology that will affect our thinking but not necessarily in ways that undermine our humanity?


• Is Carr implicitly suggesting that we should be skeptical of modern systems of organization (as in his factory efficiency example) and that we should prefer a non-technological world?

You might also choose three specific points made in the article and evaluate each one. He discusses technology’s impact on our thinking, the ubiquity and power of the internet, and qualifications/definitions of human thought (or what makes human thought specifically human). You can summarize the points Carr makes briefly then shape your response as an evaluation of the power and relevance of the conclusions presented therein.  

Carr presents a number of specific instances from history and from culture at large to illustrate the notion that human thought is shaped by the tools used to express that thought (and also that the nature of our thinking is in part determined by the what we read and where/how we read). Carr quotes sociologist Daniel Bell to introduce the term “‘intellectual technologies’” and associates this concept of thought-mediating technology with things as diverse as clocks and typewriters.

The clock, Carr reports, “helped bring into being the scientific mind and the scientific man. But it also took something away.” The invention of mechanical clocks changed the way we think about time. Thus the technology we use to communicate measurements of time substantially shifted our relationship to this basic and once relatively fluid concept. Time as we know it was literally changed by the invention of the mechanical clock.

Similarly, the typewriter changed the way that Friedrich Nietzsche wrote because it changed the way he thought. The method of communication (in this case, the technology used in writing) directly caused a shift in the kinds of ideas that were communicated.

The diversity and ubiquity of the internet is connected to this set of examples and Carr suggests that “[n]ever has a communication system played so many roles in our lives - - or exerted such broad influence over our thoughts.” Carr argues bluntly that the internet is “reprogramming us.”

Given these correlations between the content of human thought and tools of thought, the essay poses an argument that you can agree or disagree with. His conclusion is that if our thinking is thoroughly shaped by the internet it will not truly count as “thinking” anymore, at least not in the traditional human sense of the term.

Do you agree with Carr that the internet is reducing and/or erasing our ability to think deeply and turning us into robotic and superficial “‘pancake people,’” our concentration spread across too wide an area to function as true concentration anymore?

Decide first if you agree or disagree then develop reasons to support your position. With those ideas in place, you should be able to write a solid three paragraphs in response to the article, directly addressing the material and ideas Carr offers in the piece.

What is the symbol for choice in the poem "The Road Not Taken"?

The physical symbol of the moment of choice is the divergence of the two roads. The speaker is speaking literally about choosing between one of two roads, but the metaphor is that he must choose between one of two "paths" in life. That being said, each road represents a potential choice. 

Some interpret the poem to mean that the speaker is a nonconformist and he chooses the less traveled road. In other words, he chooses...

The physical symbol of the moment of choice is the divergence of the two roads. The speaker is speaking literally about choosing between one of two roads, but the metaphor is that he must choose between one of two "paths" in life. That being said, each road represents a potential choice. 

Some interpret the poem to mean that the speaker is a nonconformist and he chooses the less traveled road. In other words, he chooses the path that most people do not take. However, evidence in the poem shows that he does not knowingly choose a less traveled road. In the second stanza, he notes that "the passing there / Had really worn them about the same." The two roads look equally worn and therefore, equally traveled. So, he is faced with two choices which look the same. He can not know, at this point, which has been less traveled, which is the path of nonconformity. 

He repeats the moment of choice in the last stanza: the divergence of the roads. He says he has taken the "road less traveled by" but he says this with a "sigh" indicating doubt, uncertainty, and maybe even regret. The sigh suggests that he can only hope that he had taken the less traveled road and/or that he regrets not choosing the other path. 

Why are the pigs accepted as the planners of farm policy in Animal Farm?

The pigs are the organizers of the farm because they are the cleverest animals.

The pig Old Major’s dream for Animal Farm was a completely egalitarian system where the animals looked after themselves so that no humans needed to be involved. In practice, however, the pigs quickly took charge.

The work of teaching and organising the others fell naturally upon the pigs, who were generally recognised as being the cleverest of the animals. (Ch. 2)

...

The pigs are the organizers of the farm because they are the cleverest animals.

The pig Old Major’s dream for Animal Farm was a completely egalitarian system where the animals looked after themselves so that no humans needed to be involved. In practice, however, the pigs quickly took charge.

The work of teaching and organising the others fell naturally upon the pigs, who were generally recognised as being the cleverest of the animals. (Ch. 2)

The pigs are considered the smartest animals on the farm, and maybe that is so. They quickly take control, and then subjugate the next-smartest group, the dogs. The pigs begin by running things mostly democratically, because Snowball and Napoleon are vying for influence.

The pigs quickly begin to collect luxuries for themselves.  The animals assumed that the milk and apples would be shared. The pigs’ mouthpiece Squealer explains why they are taking all of them.

Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well−being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. (Ch. 3)

The pigs also sleep in the farmer’s house, even in the beds.  They claim it is all right because they need the rest and they don’t use sheets. Before long, they are even trading the farm surplus for alcohol. The pigs are the only ones who get these luxuries.

The other animals accept the pigs’ control at first. They do not see anything wrong with it because the pigs seem to make good arguments. However, as time goes on the pigs get more and more abusive. Napoleon and his henchmen use Snowball as a scapegoat and run him off. Soon, the pigs are treating the animals as badly as the people treated them.

Which of the three Johnson women in "Everyday Use" undergoes the most personal growth?

Without question, Mama is the character who undergoes the most personal growth in the story. She begins the story with a dream of being reunited with her daughter, Dee, on a television show,

where the child who has "made it" is confronted, as a surprise, by her own mother and father [....]. On TV mother and child embrace and smile into each other's faces [...] [and] the child wraps [her parents] in her arms and leans across the table to tell how she would not have made it without their help.

She seems to want to please Dee, or to, at least, not be a source of embarrassment to her. By the end of the story, however, having agreed to give Dee a number of items that Dee has never cared about before, things that Mama and Maggie still use, Mama's perspective on her daughters changes. Though Mama had promised Maggie some family quilts, Dee insists that they should be hers instead. After a bit of an altercation, Maggie says that her sister can take them. Mama thinks, "She looked at her sister with something like fear but she wasn't mad at her. This was Maggie's portion. This was the way she knew God to work." Maggie has always played second fiddle to Dee; she is used to Dee getting whatever she wants and Maggie takes the leavings. All of a sudden, Mama has an epiphany. She says,

When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet. Just like when I'm in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout. 

Just then, she snatches the quilts out of Dee's arms and drops them into Maggie's lap, shocking them both completely. And at the end, Mama and Maggie sit companionably, feeling very happy, after Dee has left. It seems that Mama has a new understanding and respect for Maggie and it has made them both very content.

Dee ends the story in much the same way that she began: selfish, superior, and ungrateful. Maggie, by the end, seems somewhat happier, but this seems to be caused more by Mama's new understanding and appreciation of her rather than any fundamental change to herself.

What significant comparisons are made between Daisy and Jordan in chapter one of The Great Gatsby ?

The description of the two girls is conveyed by the narrator, Nick Carraway, who is Daisy's cousin. He was invited to spend the evening at the Carraway house in East Egg.

Nick's descriptions of Daisy and Jordan sketches a picture of similarity in the two. When he first sees them they are languidly lazing on a huge couch that looked like a balloon with the two buoyed upon it. The image is almost as one out of a children's storybook, something like a fairytale. Both girls are dressed in white and

their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house.

This image emphasises the almost surreal look painted by the two girls. It suggests a lightness, both literally and metaphorically, about them - they are like two fairies. It is ironic that Nick uses these descriptors since white also suggests innocence and purity, which was most definitely lacking in both girls, as one discovers later in the novel.

Nick's attention is initially focused on Jordan Baker, whom he describes as 'the younger of the two.' He did not know her and, in a slightly mocking tone, suggests that she has a somewhat snobbish air about her

'with her chin raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall.' 

She came across as so superior that he felt he owed her an apology for disturbing them. She acted as if she hardly noticed him, probably to create an affectatious air of mystery around her and gave him an almost imperceptible nod. Daisy, on the other hand, acknowledged him better and made an attempt to rise, giving a silly little laugh which Nick found charming. Daisy made an attempt to appear 'conscientious', a quality she later in the novel proves to lack. 

Jordan Baker, in her slight acknowledgement of him, lost a bit of her composure and instantly tried to regain it by lifting her chin. Nick was impressed by the air of independence she projected. He almost apologised again. Nick describes Daisy's voice as alluring and sees her face as pretty but sad, although both her eyes and lips are bright. There was an exciting lilt to her voice which men would find attractive. In slight contrast, he sees Ms Baker's face as 'wan, charming and discontented.'

It is quite evident that Daisy's 'sad' and Jordan's 'discontented' face suggest a smidgeon of unhappiness, which both girls seem to want to mask. Their language is quite frivolous and generally inane. Nick does not provide a full physical description of Daisy but he seems to like what Jordan has to offer and enjoyed looking at her.

She was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet.

As already mentioned, Daisy and Jordan's conversation is littered with unimportant references and inane little remarks and suggestions. They, for instance, tell a story about 'the butler's nose' which Nick jokingly suggests he had travelled all the way to hear. Even Daisy's comparison of Nick to a rose suggests a forced sentimentality and romanticism which does not impress him at all. 

The two women are clearly bored and seem to pass the time just lazing about, drinking cocktails and expensive liquor and being served food at appropriate times. They are obviously careless and generally disinterested in more important affairs.

The one significant event which does seemingly affect both girls is when Tom is summoned for a telephone call. This little interlude dramatically changed the atmosphere and showed Jordan up as something of a gossip. She informed Nick that Tom was having an affair with a woman in New York. When the phone rang later, it caused an even greater disturbance. 

Nick noticed that Jordan Baker had been able to master 'a certain hardy skepticism' and Daisy later confided in him about the birth of her daughter and the fact that Tom had not been present. It is quite evident that both women had to find ways to deal with the little discomforts in their veritably fairy tale lives. Jordan adopted a somewhat supercilious air and a skeptical attitude whilst Daisy, in moments of distress, sought compassion by creating guilt in others as she does when she tells Nick about not attending her wedding.

The descriptions of the two women are used to convey the shallowness and essential emptiness of lives of privilege. Although Jordan, unlike, Daisy actually has a profession, she has adopted the values and practices of the idle rich.     

Why can't a cell solely rely on simple diffusion to transport substances across its membrane?

Diffusion is a form of passive transport, which means that it does not require the use of energy. Diffusion is defined as the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In other words, particles experiencing diffusion move “down their concentration gradient."  Cells move directly across the cell membrane during simple diffusion.

However, some particles are too large to pass through the cell membrane and cannot undergo simple...

Diffusion is a form of passive transport, which means that it does not require the use of energy. Diffusion is defined as the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In other words, particles experiencing diffusion move “down their concentration gradient."  Cells move directly across the cell membrane during simple diffusion.

However, some particles are too large to pass through the cell membrane and cannot undergo simple diffusion. In this scenario, facilitated diffusion is utilized. During facilitated diffusion, particles still move from high concentration to low concentration. Thus, facilitated diffusion is also passive and does not require the use of energy. Unlike simple diffusion, the large particles pass through a protein channel that is embedded within the cell membrane during facilitated diffusion.

Other times, particles move against their concentration gradient. This means that the particles move from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration. This process requires the use of energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Therefore, this process is known as active transport. Like facilitated diffusion, active transport utilizes a protein carrier to transport substances across the cell membrane.

What is the most dramatic event in "The Leap" by Louise Eldrich?

The most dramatic event in "The Leap" is the mother's rescue of the daughter from her burning bedroom.

While the leap of Mrs. Avalon under the circus tent is, indeed, dramatic, it is not described with the amount of detail that is present in the daughter's narration of her own rescue by her mother. With so much description of the incident and the daring of the mother's leap onto fragile tree branches, added to the fact that the daughter was successfully rescued, there seems to be a more heightened emotional impact upon the reader. Added to this, the daughter/narrator ties the first leap of her mother to the rescue of herself that she always recalls as she sits sewing in the rebuilt house where her childhood bedroom once was.

I would...tend to think that all memory of double somersaults and heart stopping catches had left her arms and legs were it not that for fact that sometimes...I hear the crackle, catch a whiff of smoke from the stove downstairs and suddenly the room goes dark....and I am sewing with a needle of hot silver, a thread of fire.

The sewing room of the narrator was once her bedroom that caught fire when her father may have inadvertently emptied warm coals that he presumed cold into a wooden or cardboard container.  While the parents were out for the evening, the baby-sitter, unfortunately, had fallen asleep in the den, and she awoke to find the stairway already cut off by flames.

When the narrator's parents returned home, volunteers had already drawn water from the fire pond and were trying to wet the outside of the house and then go inside and rescue the narrator. However, they did not realize that there was only one stairway and it was ablaze, cutting off the bedroom above. Then, when someone tried to climb the extension ladder, it broke. The noise awakened the narrator, who touched her door and realized the fire was outside it. She rolled up the rug and shoved in under the door; then she waited.
By this time the narrator's mother realized that there was no rescue; she looked at the tree and saw only a narrow branch that just "scraped the roof." Appearances suggested even a squirrel would have difficulty jumping onto the roof from this branch; however, the mother reached a different decision.

Her mother stripped off her dress and climbed what was left of the ladder in her underclothes. She reached for branches and inched along on her stomach to a bough that curved above the narrow branch over the roof. Balancing on the bough, she leaped, caught the narrow branch that broke in her hands, but only after she had already vaulted toward the edge of the house's roof.

I didn't see her leap...only heard the sudden thump and looked out my window. She was hanging by the back of her heels from the new gutter we had put in that year, and she was smiling.

The mother tapped gently on the daughter's window. When the girl opened it, her mother told her to prop it open with a stick. Then she swung down, and crawled into the bedroom. She picked up her daughter, held her girl in her lap, and with toes pointed downward, the two leaped toward the target on the firefighter's net.

I know that she's right. I knew it even then. As you fall there is time to think.

This is what the mother has always explained to her daughter about her own leap when she was young with her first husband as the Flying Avalons. No one but an experienced trapeze artist could accomplish such life-saving feats. Indeed, the narrator owes her life to her mother.

How is Dill looked at as an outsider in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Dill's heightened sensitivity is one characteristic that makes him an outsider of Maycomb in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Since he is from Meridian, not Maycomb, Dill is not influenced by Maycomb's racism and is able to view Maycomb's people critically.

We especially see Dill's sensitivity during Tom Robinson's trial. During Robinson's cross-examination by Mr. Gilmer, Dill must be escorted out of the courthouse by Scout because he is sobbing. When Scout asks why he is crying, Dill explains he couldn't stand the way Mr. Gilmer was treating Robinson, "talking so hateful to him" (Chapter 19). In contrast to Dill's sensitivity to the situation, Scout argues it is Mr. Gilmer's job to treat Robinson that way. She even makes a very racist remark that shows she has not been able to escape Maycomb's racist influence, despite being Atticus's daughter:

Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro.

This contrast between Scout and Dill shows us Dill, as an outsider, has not been sucked into Maycomb's racist thinking like Scout has.

The day after the trial, Scout, Jem, and Dill emerge from the Finches' house to see Miss Stephanie Crawford gossiping to Miss Maudie Atkinson and Mr. Avery about the trial and where the children had been. The children retreat to the security of Miss Maudie's house but emerge sometime later to see Miss Stephanie and Mr. Avery still gossiping. At the sight of the gossiping, Dill articulates his criticisms of the gossips by talking about his desires to laugh at their ridiculousness:

I think I'll be a clown when I get grown. . . Yes sir, a clown. . . There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off (Chapter 22).

He further explains that he'll be a "new kind of clown," a kind who laughs at people rather than be laughed at by others. Dill's comment that people, especially Maycomb's prejudiced gossips, are worthy of being laughed at shows us that, as an outsider of Maycomb, Dill is not afraid to judge Maycomb's people with a very critical eye.

Brutus believes the conspirators will be seen as what in Julius Caesar?

Brutus believes that the conspirators will be seen as liberators.

Brutus was an idealist.  He truly believed that the Roman people would see the conspirators as tyrant-killers and liberators.  When preparing the conspirators, Brutus told them that they were not going to kill anyone but Caesar.  Image was very important to him.  He wanted the conspirators to have a positive image with the Roman people.

BRUTUS

… Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius....

Brutus believes that the conspirators will be seen as liberators.

Brutus was an idealist.  He truly believed that the Roman people would see the conspirators as tyrant-killers and liberators.  When preparing the conspirators, Brutus told them that they were not going to kill anyone but Caesar.  Image was very important to him.  He wanted the conspirators to have a positive image with the Roman people.

BRUTUS

… Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,
And not dismember Caesar! (Act 2, Scene 1)

Brutus was so convinced, in fact, that the conspirators would be seen as liberators, that he had them bathe their hands in Caesar’s blood, so that they could walk through the streets with it on their hands and weapons showing the people who saved them.  It sounds gruesome, but this was really his plan.

BRUTUS

Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords:
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place,
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!' (Act 3, Scene 1)

Brutus then made a speech at Caesar’s funeral, in which he explained why they killed Caesar. Caesar was ambitious, Brutus told the people of Rome, and for that he needed to be killed.  Brutus was doing well, too.  They believed him until Mark Antony took the podium.  Antony convinced everyone that Brutus and the other conspirators were nothing more than murderers.  Brutus gave him permission because he thought he would be supportive.  It backfired.

In chapters 4, 5, and 6 of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, what is the main idea in those chapters?

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbirdis so complex that there seems to be multiple themes going on at one time. When considering the main idea, or theme, in a work of literature, take the events that occur and see what they all have in common. The main idea or theme for chapters 4, 5, and 6 centers around the mysterious Boo Radley. First, Dill and Jem are determined to get the neighborhood phantom to come...

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is so complex that there seems to be multiple themes going on at one time. When considering the main idea, or theme, in a work of literature, take the events that occur and see what they all have in common. The main idea or theme for chapters 4, 5, and 6 centers around the mysterious Boo Radley. First, Dill and Jem are determined to get the neighborhood phantom to come out of his house and they resort to adventurous scheming; next, the kids act out the story of the Radleys in their front yard; then, Scout has a down-to-earth talk about the Radley family with Miss Maudie; and finally, these chapters also consist of Scout and Jem finding little treasures in the knothole in the Radley tree. 

When Atticus finds out that the kids are in fact acting out the neighbors' lives in their yard, he lays into them as follows:

"What Mr. Radley did was his own business. If he wanted to come out, he would. If he wanted to stay inside his own house he had the right to stay inside free from the attentions of inquisitive children, which was a mild term for the likes of us. . . Furthermore, had it never occurred to us that the civil way to communicate with another being was by the front door instead of a side window?" (49).

This lecture doesn't stop the kids completely because Jem sneaks over one night to peak into the house and Nathan Radley scares him away with a shotgun. Jem's pants get caught in the fence as he runs away and must go back for them after Atticus goes to sleep. Jem realizes that he is the subject of a kindness when he discovers that his pants are mended when he returns for them.  If all the events and lectures are added together, and the growth of the children is assessed, the children learn lessons of tolerance, patience, and respect for others and not to listen to gossip or to perpetuate neighborhood legends.

Who are the five people who helped Bud throughout the book?

Many people help Bud on his way to try and find the man he believes is his father. Bugs, another orphan from the home, hears that Bud is on the run and finds him at the library. Bugs helps Bud to learn about how to ride the trains so that he can get to where he thinks his father may be.

Deza Malone lives at Hooverville, a town of cardboard shacks. She helps teach Bud...

Many people help Bud on his way to try and find the man he believes is his father.

Bugs, another orphan from the home, hears that Bud is on the run and finds him at the library. Bugs helps Bud to learn about how to ride the trains so that he can get to where he thinks his father may be.

Deza Malone lives at Hooverville, a town of cardboard shacks. She helps teach Bud how the community of homeless people operates. She teaches him about things like how to clean up the dishes after the shared meal.

Lefty Lewis finds Bud walking along the road and convinces Bud to let him help him. He helps insure that Bud gets a meal, a good night's sleep and to the man that Bud is sure is his father.

Miss Grace Thomas is the singer in Mr. Calloway's band. She takes Bud in when Mr. Calloway is not sure about him and provides him with comfort, safety and a maternal influence.

Steady Eddie is just one of the band members who is kind to Bud and takes him in as one of their own. He gives Bud advice and starts him on the road to being a musician by giving him a recorder. He also gives Bud a saxophone.

Where do cells come from?

Cells come from pre-existing cells. This is one of the basic tenets of the cell theory. Earlier it was believed that the cells can arise spontaneously, however, this was proven wrong and the view has been rejected. Now we know that the cells can only arise from already existing cells, through the process of cell division. In this process, a cell divides to form two daughter cells and this way, new cells are generated.

...

Cells come from pre-existing cells. This is one of the basic tenets of the cell theory. Earlier it was believed that the cells can arise spontaneously, however, this was proven wrong and the view has been rejected. Now we know that the cells can only arise from already existing cells, through the process of cell division. In this process, a cell divides to form two daughter cells and this way, new cells are generated.

One may question, where the very first cell (or cells) came from, if every cell comes from a pre-existing cell. The origin of first cells is difficult to trace, since there are no fossils of single cells. However, this is clear that various macromolecules organized themselves and grouped together to form the original cells. 

Hope this helps.

What are types of sampling, purposive sampling, descriptive sampling difference?

Sampling is defined as a process that is used in statistical analysis in which a predetermined number of observations will be taken from larger population. 

In the question given we will be looking at two types of sampling: 

• Purposive Sampling


• Descriptive Sampling

1. Purposive Sampling

Also known as judgmental sampling, purposive sampling is a form of non-probability sampling technique. It is defined as the sampling used in a cases where there us a specialty of...

Sampling is defined as a process that is used in statistical analysis in which a predetermined number of observations will be taken from larger population. 

In the question given we will be looking at two types of sampling: 

• Purposive Sampling


• Descriptive Sampling

1. Purposive Sampling

Also known as judgmental sampling, purposive sampling is a form of non-probability sampling technique. It is defined as the sampling used in a cases where there us a specialty of authority that can be used as a means of a representative sample in order to bring more accurate results that using probability sampling techniques. Basically, the process requires handpicking individuals from the population based on the individuals knowledge, authority or judgement, and this forms the sample representation for the entire population.

Example: A research wants to determine how to obtain a perfect score for one's SATs, and the only individuals that can answer this question is students who excel at their SATs. 

2. Descriptive Sampling 

Descriptive sampling (also called descriptive statistics) is defined as a sample of data that enables the analyzing of data that helps describe, show or summarize data in a meaningful way.

Example: The class average for mathematics for grade 10 was 60%. This only tells us the mean of the class. We know that not everyone scored 60%, some scores will be very high and some very low. Now descriptive sampling allows us to determine how widespread the data with the use of standard deviation, range, inter quartile range and variance. 

What is comparative politics? |

Comparative politics is, as the name implies, the field of study in which scholars compare the political systems of various states.  When scholars do this, they are trying to look at the major ways in which various states’ political systems are similar and different.  By looking at these similarities and differences, they hope to understand how politics in general works across different contexts and they hope to understand how to improve any given state’s political...

Comparative politics is, as the name implies, the field of study in which scholars compare the political systems of various states.  When scholars do this, they are trying to look at the major ways in which various states’ political systems are similar and different.  By looking at these similarities and differences, they hope to understand how politics in general works across different contexts and they hope to understand how to improve any given state’s political system.

Comparative politics exists as a discipline because the world is a diverse place.  There are hundreds of different states in the world, each with its own political system.  There is no one way of running a political system that every state in the world agrees on.  Instead of having a world where every state runs in the same way, we have a very diverse world.

Because we have diversity, we also have questions about what is best.  The diversity of political systems in the world means that have many different ways that we could potentially choose to do things.  We could, for example, have single-member legislative districts, proportional representation, or a combination thereof.  As human beings, we naturally want to know which of these systems is best for us.  This is where comparative politics comes into play.

Comparative politics looks at the different political systems of the world.  It asks how they came to be different.  It tries to understand how the differences in the political systems affect how well they work.  For example, it might look at the different electoral systems mentioned in the previous paragraph and try to determine what effect each has on the types of political parties that arise in a given state.  It might then look at what effect there is on a state when it has many small political parties as opposed to two or perhaps three major political parties.  In other words, comparative politics looks at the differences between political systems and tries to understand why they exist and how/why they matter.

Comparative politics, then, is about the differences in political systems around the world.  It examines the differences (and similarities) and tries to determine how they came about and how they affect the states in which they exist.

How does "All Summer in a Day" begin?

The story begins with the children looking outside at the rain and discussing the sun coming out.

The story takes place on Venus.  It rains almost all the time.  In fact, the sun has not come out for seven years.  At the beginning of the story, a group of nine-year-old children is looking outside at the rain discussing the imminent presence of the sun.

"Ready ?"

"Ready."

"Now ?"

"Soon."

"Do the scientists really know?...

The story begins with the children looking outside at the rain and discussing the sun coming out.

The story takes place on Venus.  It rains almost all the time.  In fact, the sun has not come out for seven years.  At the beginning of the story, a group of nine-year-old children is looking outside at the rain discussing the imminent presence of the sun.

"Ready ?"

"Ready."

"Now ?"

"Soon."

"Do the scientists really know? Will it happen today, will it?"

"Look, look; see for yourself!"

The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so many weeds, intermixed, peering out for a look at the hidden sun.

The children are excited because they were so young when the sun came out last that they barely remember it.  It is a really special occasion.  We are introduced to a girl, Margot, who is from Earth.  Unlike the other children, she has seen the sun recently and remembers it.  This makes her somewhat of an outcast.

Margot stood apart from them, from these children who could ever remember a time when there wasn’t rain and rain and rain. They were all nine years old, and if there had been a day, seven years ago, when the sun came out for an hour and showed its face to the stunned world, they could not recall.

The children think that the rain is starting to stop.  This is important because they always argue and fight with Margot.  They bully her, and she keeps herself separate and apart from them.  You would think, though, that this reappearance of the sun would bring the group together.  It won’t.  The children target Margot because she is different.

Bradbury starts the story with the brief lines of dialogue to create suspense.  We do not know what the children are so excited about at first.  The sun coming out for the first time in years is very important to the story, because it demonstrates the children’s cruelty when they don't let Margot see it.

Does the book ever mention how many times Atticus had appealed the case of Tom Robinson?

Atticus was never able to file an appeal because that can only happen after a trial when one party is not satisfied with the ruling. Just days after the Tom Robinson trial ends, Tom dies before Atticus can file the appeal. In addition, Atticus told Tom that they would probably lose at first, but he had high hopes saving Tom in the appeals process. Atticus mentions his plans to his brother Jack in the following...

Atticus was never able to file an appeal because that can only happen after a trial when one party is not satisfied with the ruling. Just days after the Tom Robinson trial ends, Tom dies before Atticus can file the appeal. In addition, Atticus told Tom that they would probably lose at first, but he had high hopes saving Tom in the appeals process. Atticus mentions his plans to his brother Jack in the following passage:

"Before I'm through, I intend to jar the jury a bit--I think we'll have a reasonable chance on appeal, though. I really can't tell at this stage, Jack. . . You know what's going to happen as well as I do, Jack. . . Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand" (88).

Atticus says this to his brother at Christmas time, about six or more months before the trial. First he states that he hopes to have a reasonable chance at an appeal and that he and Jack both know "what's going to happen." That means they know that no white jury in the South will ever side with a black man in a case against a white. After Tom dies, Atticus says the following:

"We had such a good chance. . . I told him what I thought, but I couldn't in truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own" (235-236).

In summary, there was no appeal ever filed because the trial had to happen first. The evidence provided above backs that up as well as revealing the racist nature of the Southern justice system during the 1930s. Atticus felt better about the appeal after the trial, too, because the jury stayed out longer than he had expected, which meant that the all-white jury actually debated the issue rather than simply convicting Tom in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, Tom didn't see it that way.

In The Canterville Ghost, what is the story's main conflict?

In a story about a ghost, a reader might assume that the main antagonist is going to be the ghost.  That's how "The Canterville Ghost" begins too.  Sir Simon has been haunting the house for generations, and he has been successfully scaring away owner after owner.  That is until the Otis family moves in.  From that point forward, the Otis family is a larger antagonist than Sir Simon is.  The external conflict that exists between...

In a story about a ghost, a reader might assume that the main antagonist is going to be the ghost.  That's how "The Canterville Ghost" begins too.  Sir Simon has been haunting the house for generations, and he has been successfully scaring away owner after owner.  That is until the Otis family moves in.  From that point forward, the Otis family is a larger antagonist than Sir Simon is.  The external conflict that exists between Sir Simon the ghost and the Otis family is the main conflict in the story.  Sir Simon continually comes up with new ideas to frighten and bother the Otis family with, but the Otis family repeatedly foils his attempts.  More often than not, the Otis family ends up pestering Sir Simon.  That is most obvious in the case of the twins.  The wreak havoc on Sir Simon, and he actually becomes afraid to reveal himself and continue haunting.  

What are three examples of person versus self in "The Diary of Anne Frank"?

When there is a conflict of person versus self in a work of literature, this usually means that there is an internal struggle being fought within someone's mind against him or herself. In "The Diary of Anne Frank," Anne, Mr. Van Daan, and Peter can be seen struggling within themselves to fight back certain urges. First, Anne struggles with herself to behave more like an adult; then, Mr. Van Daan struggles to control his urge to smoke and to steal food; and finally, Peter fights to control his temper with his father.

In act 1, scene 4, Anne speaks to her father about her struggle to behave better. She has just rejected her mother's comforting love and made her cry. Her father tells her that making her mother cry is not proper behavior. Anne reveals her personal conflict by saying the following:

"Oh, Pim, I was horrible, wasn't I? And the worst of it is, I can stand off and look at myself doing it and know it's cruel and yet I can't stop doing it. What's the matter with me? Tell me. Don't say it's just a phase! Help me."

Pim tells her that she must find the answer within herself. Parents can be good examples, he explains, but ultimately she must decide to behave better.

Next, Mr. Van Daan not only struggles through the play worried about where he will get his next cigarette to fuel his addiction, but in act 2, scene 3, he is caught stealing food in the middle of the night. Everyone in the annex is furious at him. Mrs. Frank threatens to throw him and his wife out because his actions show that he is low enough to steal bread from children. Mr. Van Daan doesn't seem remorseful until Miep arrives with news that the Allies have invaded Normandy. Then Mr. Van Daan admits his fault and internal conflict by saying, "To steal bread from children! . . . No one is as bad as me!"

Finally, in act 1, scene 5, Peter puts up with his father's verbal abuse throughout the whole play. When Peter accidentally lets a light crash to the floor while a burglar is on the premises, he puts up with more abuse from his father. For example, as Peter goes to help Mr. Frank, his father pushes him violently away and tells him he's caused enough problems already. At this, Peter picks up a chair and threatens to hit his father with it. Fortunately, he puts the chair down without any further incident, but Peter's violent demonstration implies that he struggles to respect his father and control his temper at the same time.

Why is the time motif significant to the development of Welty's theme?

In Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path," Phoenix Jackson makes a journey into town to get her grandson medicine. The motif of time is an important element in the story. Although Phoenix can make the trip into town in the course of a day, the sense Welty portrays is that it is an epic journey--one an old woman makes past many obstacles and is repeated every year. While Phoenix's age isn't specified, she is viewed as...

In Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path," Phoenix Jackson makes a journey into town to get her grandson medicine. The motif of time is an important element in the story. Although Phoenix can make the trip into town in the course of a day, the sense Welty portrays is that it is an epic journey--one an old woman makes past many obstacles and is repeated every year. While Phoenix's age isn't specified, she is viewed as very old, possibly close to 100, and her time is running out when she will be able to make these trips into town. The fact that she climbs over logs and makes her way past hostile hunters at her age is remarkable. 

In addition, there is a sense of urgency to her journey. She must hurry to get her grandson's medicine and nothing can keep her from her mission. At one point, she looks up at the sun and says, "The time getting all gone here." She knows her time to get to the doctor's office is running out as is her life, hence her chances to make this journey. A theme in this story is the importance of the journey, of persevering, regardless of the obstacles or limits of time a person faces.  

What does Walter want from Ruth, which he tries to explain to her over breakfast?

The most important thing that Walter wants from Ruth is support. He feels trapped in a limiting job and hopes for more for himself (and for his family). 

Many of the requests Walter makes early in the scene are reciprocated by Ruth and they are somewhat trifling quibbles and repeated remarks. Ruth offers to make Walter eggs and he asks for them not to be scrambled. She scrambles them. Ruth asks Walter not to bother her about the same old things. He insists on bringing up the same old things. Walter asks if the insurance check has come and Ruth tells him not to talk about money in the morning. 

All this builds up to a conversation about Walter's dream of going into business. He complains that Ruth does not respect his friends and does not believe in their business plan as a realistic idea. 

At one point Ruth responds to Walter's plans by telling him to eat his eggs. He sadly comments on this exchange.

"That's it. There you are. Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs."

Walter implores Ruth to take him seriously and to support his dreams.

"That is just what is wrong with the colored woman in this world...Don't understand about building up their men and making 'em feel like they somebody. Like they can do something." 

During this scene, Travis asks for money for school. Ruth refuses the money saying that the family does not have fifty cents to spare. To prove a point, Walter gives Travis some money. After Travis is gone, Walter laments the fact that in raising his son he has so little to offer him beyond "stories about how rich white people live." 

The conflict here is financial but goes deeper than that. Walter and Ruth are at a crossroads. She knows that she is pregnant. Facing this reality with a husband who is now profoundly embittered, Ruth seems to have lost patience with her husband. And he has lost patience with her. They crave a change but cannot agree on how that change should be wrought. 

Walter is asking out loud for support from Ruth in his efforts to build his vision of change. Ruth, for her part, has come to a desperate place. 

"She realizes that her husband’s feelings of inadequacy and lack of self-worth have contributed to the deterioration of their relationship. She is willing to do anything to alleviate their desperate situation, even if it means the abortion of their unborn child."

The bombast and likely impracticality of Walter's hope to buy a liquor store with two questionable friends leaves Ruth in a position where she cannot even ask Walter for what she wants. She can only tell him to eat his eggs. 

Who is the speaker and what is subject of the poem "Caged Bird"?

"Caged Bird" is a poem by Maya Angelou. It consists of six stanzas, of which two discuss the thoughts of the "free bird" and four the thoughts of the "caged bird." The poem is written in the third person and the speaker is not identified. The point of view is omniscient. The speaker has access to the minds and interior thoughts of both birds. The birds are presented as highly anthropomorphized with both birds having human thoughts and feelings, albeit with the caged bird being the more humanized of the two. While the free bird sings of ordinary events in the life of birds, the speaker states:

for the caged bird   

sings of freedom

While on the literal level, this poem compares and contrasts two types of birds, on a metaphorical level this is a poem about black people in the United States. The "caged bird" is a reference to slavery and to the white oppression of black people. The song of the caged bird is artistic creation, particularly the musical and literary creations, of African-Americans.

Are there anti-European feelings in Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant?"

Anti-European feelings drive the narrative in "Shooting an Elephant." The story's narrator sets the tone in the first sentence by saying, "In lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people." These people, as he goes on to explain, are the native Burmese, who hate their European colonizers. The narrator says the "anti- European feeling was very bitter." Nobody has the nerve to openly rebel, but the native people do all sorts of small...

Anti-European feelings drive the narrative in "Shooting an Elephant." The story's narrator sets the tone in the first sentence by saying, "In lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people." These people, as he goes on to explain, are the native Burmese, who hate their European colonizers. The narrator says the "anti- European feeling was very bitter." Nobody has the nerve to openly rebel, but the native people do all sorts of small things that make the narrator's life, as a police officer and representative of the British empire, a misery: they trip him on the football (soccer) field while the referee looks the other and in the town, "hoot ...insults" at him when he is too far down the street to retaliate. He says the Buddhists priests are the worst: they seem to have nothing to do but "stand on street corners and jeer at Europeans." 

It is this tense, hostile relationship between the narrator and the natives that leads him to feel he has no choice but the shoot the elephant, even though he knows it is the wrong thing to do. Europeans are not supposed to show fear in front of the natives. He shoots the elephant, even though it causes the animal to suffer, because he can't afford to lose face in front of the Burmese.

How does Lyddie respond to her injury in Lyddie?

Lyddie does not want to stop working even after she gets hurt.

Factory work is a dangerous business. Lyddie is very good at her job, but even someone like Lyddie can get tired and careless. When this happens, the results can be deadly. Lyddie was hit in the head with a shuttle one day. Although she did not die, it was a serious accident and she was badly hurt.

Before she could think she was...

Lyddie does not want to stop working even after she gets hurt.

Factory work is a dangerous business. Lyddie is very good at her job, but even someone like Lyddie can get tired and careless. When this happens, the results can be deadly. Lyddie was hit in the head with a shuttle one day. Although she did not die, it was a serious accident and she was badly hurt.

Before she could think she was on the floor, blood pouring through the hair near her right temple . . . the shuttle, the blasted shuttle. She tried to rise, she needed to stop the loom, but Diana got there almost at once … (Ch. 13)

Even though Lyddie has been hurt, she does not want to go home because it is not quitting time. Money is very important to Lyddie. Although she is probably partially in shock, she is also just a very dedicated worker. Even with the speed up, Lyddie maintained her focus and managed four machines at once. She was one of the best workers.

Even when injured, Lyddie thinks about money. She does not want Diana to use her apron on the bleeding wound.

"How about your stomach? Do you feel sick?" Lyddie shook her head, then stopped. Any movement seemed to make the pain worse.

There was a sound of ripping cloth at Lyddie's ear. She opened her eyes.

"Your apron," Lyddie said. "Don't‐" Aprons cost money. (Ch. 13)

Lyddie is troubled by the incident. Diana takes her to her doctor friend. Lyddie is just happy that the doctor does not charge her for the visit.

The pain is terrible. Lyddie wishes she had some kind of painkiller. It is even hard to lie down, because it makes her head throb. After the incident, Lyddie goes back to work and works as hard as ever.

Why does Tom come home after running away in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Tom returns home because he found out their families thought they were dead.

Tom and Joe run away because Tom is feeling sorry for himself because he is worried about Betsy.  He runs into Joe, who is also feeling sorry for himself.

Tom is “gloomy and desperate.”  He feels like nothing is going well in his life.  He can’t see Betsy, and he has been depressed.  Aunt Polly keeps trying natural remedies on him to...

Tom returns home because he found out their families thought they were dead.

Tom and Joe run away because Tom is feeling sorry for himself because he is worried about Betsy.  He runs into Joe, who is also feeling sorry for himself.

Tom is “gloomy and desperate.”  He feels like nothing is going well in his life.  He can’t see Betsy, and he has been depressed.  Aunt Polly keeps trying natural remedies on him to make him feel better.  He got so upset he gave some to the cat.

When Tom is alone, he runs into Joe.

Tom, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, began to blubber out something about a resolution to escape from hard usage and lack of sympathy at home by roaming abroad into the great world never to return; and ended by hoping that Joe would not forget him. (Ch. 13)

Joe, it turns out, is also running away from home. He got in trouble for drinking cream “which he had never tasted and knew nothing about.”  He assumes that his mother is no longer interested in him.

Huck Finn, Tom and Joe steal a raft and camp out on an island.  Huck basically has no family anyway, and the other two are running away from families they consider unworthy.

Tom sneaks back home and listens through the window.  He realizes that their parents think they are dead.  Joe’s mom and Aunt Polly both feel bad about how they treated their boys.

Tom returns, showing up at his own funeral.

First one and then another pair of eyes followed the minister's, and then almost with one impulse the congregation rose and stared while the three dead boys came marching up the aisle … They had been hid in the unused gallery listening to their own funeral sermon! (Ch. 17)

Tom and the others feel very sheepish.  The town is shocked, but their mothers throw themselves on them, kissing them.  The minister calls it a miracle.  They are forgiven for their transgression, because Aunt Polly and Joe's mother are so happy to see them.