How does The Lord of the Flies support the view that evil is not inherent in human beings, but rather a product of the choices one makes as an...

William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in response to R.M. Ballantyne's novel Coral Island. In Coral Island, a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island manage to create a commendable, orderly society. Golding did not think this was realistic. Having recently lived through the years of World War II, Golding's view of man's trajectory was far less optimistic than Ballantyne's. 

Lord of the Flies illustrates that evil is inherent in man. The best quote to illustrate this comes from the scene from which the title of the book is taken. When Simon, the spiritually sensitive boy, has a vision of the Lord of the Flies, the quintessential symbol of evil, the "Beast" tells him, "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are the way they are?" This presents the view that evil is inherent in human beings, even in Simon, who of all the boys has the most loving, gentle, altruistic personality. 

The characters of Roger and Jack also support Golding's proposition that evil comes from within. Roger seems to be a natural bully. He gleefully destroys the littluns' sandcastles and only fails to hit Henry with the rocks he throws at him because of respect for a "taboo," not because he has any compunction about hurting others. Indeed, he takes great pleasure in providing the death stab to the sow, and later all outer constraints on his behavior disappear, causing him to whiz rocks at Ralph from Castle Rock, to dislodge the rock that causes Piggy to fall to his death, and to "sharpen a stick at both ends" with the purpose of hunting and killing Ralph. Jack also succumbs easily to his feelings of jealousy and lust for power, descending into savagery, denying the other boys their rights, and instigating a tribal dance that ends up murdering Simon.

Ralph is the character who shows that, despite having internal tendencies toward evil, one can choose to follow the good and control the evil. He has the same temptations toward savagery as the other boys. When the boys have a mock pig hunt with Robert as the pig, Ralph finds the urge to pinch and hurt almost irresistible. He gets excited when his spear hits a boar, and of course, he takes part in the murderous frenzy of Jack's dance. However, he fights those urges and chooses to devote himself to actions that will help others, not hurt them.

Golding's characters reveal that evil is inherent within mankind, but that man can choose whether to give himself to evil or whether to pursue good. Roger and Jack choose to follow their evil impulses, while Ralph, for the most part, chooses to keep his under control. 

What is Black Beauty's third home in Anna Sewell's story?

If we count Farmer Grey's as Black Beauty's first home, the farm and meadow upon which Beauty was raised as a colt and broken in, then Earlshall Park would be considered Beauty's third home in Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.Squire Gordon of Birtwick Park had to sell his horses and close up his estate to tend to his wife's health. He sold Ginger and Black Beauty to the Earl of W-- of Earlshall Park,...

If we count Farmer Grey's as Black Beauty's first home, the farm and meadow upon which Beauty was raised as a colt and broken in, then Earlshall Park would be considered Beauty's third home in Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.

Squire Gordon of Birtwick Park had to sell his horses and close up his estate to tend to his wife's health. He sold Ginger and Black Beauty to the Earl of W-- of Earlshall Park, thinking they would be well cared for their. If they had only been cared for by the coachman, Mr. York, they certainly would have been. Mr. York is described by Beauty as being very careful with horses; he especially wants to do all he can to manage their tempers and is very understanding when he hears Ginger's temper was influenced by harsh treatment and being made to wear the check-rein and gag bit. Mr. York also prefers the lose rein and gets very upset when the horses are harassed by the check-rein.

However, aside from Mr. York, others of the household are very foolish, which leads to both Beauty and Ginger soon being ruined. The first example of foolishness is that Lady W-- insists her carriage horses wear the check-rein for the sake of fashion. The second example of foolishness is that York, out of kindness and compassion, insists on keeping Reuben Smith as a groom, an alcoholic who tends towards binge drinking. Though when sober he is an excellent groom, one day with Beauty while drunk, he has a terrible accident that takes his own life and breaks beauty's knees, making Beauty no longer fit for carriage work, only fit for hard labor. A third example of foolishness is that Lord George, the Earl of W--'s son, though warned not to, ruined Ginger's breathing by running her too hard during a hunt.

Is the purpose of a management course to teach students about management or to be managers?

The simple answer to the question—whether the purpose of a management course is to teach students about management or to be managers—is "both." It really is, to use a somewhat platitudinous phrase, a distinction without a difference. The core curriculum of business schools is designed to educate students on management theories and leadership skills, but with the end result being a career in business management. Otherwise, why take the courses? This may seem tautological, but...

The simple answer to the question—whether the purpose of a management course is to teach students about management or to be managers—is "both." It really is, to use a somewhat platitudinous phrase, a distinction without a difference. The core curriculum of business schools is designed to educate students on management theories and leadership skills, but with the end result being a career in business management. Otherwise, why take the courses? This may seem tautological, but school is, after all, a part of a process. Certainly, there are many individuals who take courses solely out of interest in the subject matter irrespective of long-term academic and professional goals. That is why electives exist. Business management courses, however, are geared overwhelmingly towards those who intend to pursue a career in business management. 

There is, of course, a difference, sometimes substantial, between theory and practice. In the world of business, however, that difference is minimal. Management theories are the product of years of experimentation as well as lessons learned from years of practical experience. The theories are rarely esoteric and usually derive directly from the successes and failures of those who have actually run corporations or at least were employed in them at middle and upper management levels. Political theory often bears little if any resemblance to the actual practice of politics. Business theory, in contrast, is generally applicable to real-life situations. The more gaming and textual study accomplished in business courses, the better prepared are students to enter the corporate world after attaining their degree.

It is important in discussions of business courses to emphasize that students routinely receive academic credit for internships spent in functioning business environments. Modeling is useful; interactions with the actual public in situations in which failure means lost business (and, consequently, lost revenue) is invaluable in preparing students for "the real world." Such exposure to actual business operations serves as an important supplement to the lessons learned in the classroom.

Provide some quotes about Aunt Alexandra being proper in Chapter 13.

Aunt Alexandra certainly believes that she and the Finch family belong to an upper class. Scout notes that Aunt Alexandra never misses an opportunity to demonstrate this "royal" position, especially in instructing others: 

She was never bored, and given the slightest chance she would exercise her royal prerogative: she would arrange, advise, caution, and warn. 

Aunt Alexandra's penchant for proper behavior gives her a sense of entitlement, and she thinks this justifies her criticisms of...

Aunt Alexandra certainly believes that she and the Finch family belong to an upper class. Scout notes that Aunt Alexandra never misses an opportunity to demonstrate this "royal" position, especially in instructing others: 

She was never bored, and given the slightest chance she would exercise her royal prerogative: she would arrange, advise, caution, and warn. 

Aunt Alexandra's penchant for proper behavior gives her a sense of entitlement, and she thinks this justifies her criticisms of other people. According to Scout, Aunt Alexandra would have something to say about everyone: 

Everybody in Maycomb, it seemed, had a Streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak. 

Aunt Alexandra insists (to Atticus) that the children learn of their family heritage. She feels that the Finches are of a higher class than most and the children should therefore live up to that proper station and behave properly. Near the end of the chapter, Atticus sits down with the children to impart this notion: 

Atticus persevered in spite of us: “She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly,” he concluded at a gallop. 

Atticus knows this is condescending to other people. He is just trying to placate Alexandra. However, he then comes to his senses and tells the children to forget about being proper and living up to the family name.

What is the difficulty/ dilemma that Winston faces in the book, 1984?

In 1984, we can sum up Winston's dilemma in the following way: he has become conscious of the party's control over himself and other citizens of Oceania and he wants to overcome it. This dilemma is a driving force in 1984 and we see numerous examples of how it plays out.

In Part one, Chapter One, for instance, Winston buys a diary but instead of writing in it, he spends a long time "gazing...

In 1984, we can sum up Winston's dilemma in the following way: he has become conscious of the party's control over himself and other citizens of Oceania and he wants to overcome it. This dilemma is a driving force in 1984 and we see numerous examples of how it plays out.

In Part one, Chapter One, for instance, Winston buys a diary but instead of writing in it, he spends a long time "gazing stupidly" at the paper. He is terrified of the telescreens in his apartment and of being found out by the party. When he finally plucks up the courage to write, he scribbles frantically all over the paper, as a sort-of cathartic release of his pent-up desire to be free. Over the course of Part One, Winston writes in his diary more frequently, as a symbol of his growing confidence in overcoming the party's control over his thoughts and actions.

In Part Two, it appears that Winston has finally found a solution to his dilemma. Firstly, he begins a relationship with Julia who encourages him to express his rebellious desires in a physical and sexual way. In addition, through conversations with Julia, he articulates memories about his early life, which he had previously repressed. Secondly, in Chapter Eight, Winston and Julia go to O'Brien's apartment where they openly discuss the underground resistance against Big Brother. It seems, then, that Winston has finally found a legitimate way of venting his inward rebellion and that, by becoming a member of the resistance, he will no longer have to demonstrate outward conformity.

But this is not to last. At the end of Part Two, Winston and Julia are arrested by the Thought Police. Imprisoned at the Ministry of Love, Winston expresses his lingering hopes of resistance to O'Brien, a member of the Thought Police. His dilemma has finally been solved but not in the way we expect. Through torture and Room 101, Winston is re-educated and reintegrated into society. He no longer harbours those same feelings of rebellion and independent thought because he now loves Big Brother and has no desire to overthrow him.  

In To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus considered to have good self-control?

Yes. Atticus is the novel's morally upright character, and there are numerous scenes that depict Atticus displaying self-control. In Chapter 11, Scout recounts how her father reacts to Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's ignorant comments. Scout mentions that every time Atticus would pass her house he would politely say, "Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a picture this evening," and would wish her a happy day. (Lee 134) Atticus is aware that she makes derogatory comments directed towards him and the children. He tells Jem that it's his job to not let her make him mad. Atticus displays tolerance and self-control by not reacting aggressively or taking offense to her comments. Instead, Atticus keeps a "level head" and treats her with respect and kindness.

Later on in the novel, Bob Ewell runs into Atticus at the post office following the trial. Bob Ewell is bitter and begins to curse and insult Atticus in public. When Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face, Atticus calmly takes out his handkerchief and wipes it off. Bob even challenges him by saying, "Too proud to fight, you nigger-lovin' bastard?" and Atticus simply says, "No, too old" and walks away. (Lee 290) This is the clearest example of Atticus displaying self-control in the novel. He understands Bob's difficult position and lets him vent his anger. Instead of reacting with anger, Atticus endures Bob's insults and calmly walks away.

Discuss the Children’s Internet Protection Act and its evolution.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act, CIPA, as a safeguard for minors using technology and the Internet in institutions receiving e-rate funds. If a school or library is using funds from the federally funded e-rate program, they must certify that they are enforcing the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Filters that protect minors from inappropriate information on the Internet have to be in place before e-rate funds are released.The act was first established and implemented in 2001...

The Children’s Internet Protection Act, CIPA, as a safeguard for minors using technology and the Internet in institutions receiving e-rate funds. If a school or library is using funds from the federally funded e-rate program, they must certify that they are enforcing the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Filters that protect minors from inappropriate information on the Internet have to be in place before e-rate funds are released.The act was first established and implemented in 2001 and updated in 2011.

When applying for e-rate discounts the institutions certify that they are able to filter images that are “a) obscene; (b) child pornography; or (c) harmful to minors (for computers that are accessed by minors).” E-rate discounts are not available to schools, libraries, or other qualified institutions until the safety measures are in place on any computers that are accessible by minors.

Schools have even more stringent stipulations to meet certification regulations. E-rate funded schools must demonstrate that they have an Internet safety curriculum in place. The curriculum educates students about safe online interactions, and how to behave responsibly on social media and in chat rooms. In addition, the implications of cyberbullying have to be addressed in the lessons. The ability to monitor, but not track, online activities of minors is another issue that schools have to address and implement to receive e-rate money.

What are some things that leap?

This is a cute question -- I assume related to Leap Year.

My first thoughts go to animals that leap.  Some of the more common ones would be frogs or anything in that family, including toads.  Rabbits and hares are probably some of the most famous leapers.  Squirrels seem to jump a lot as they move from tree to tree; in fact, the animals that we call "flying squirrels" do not actually fly, but because of...

This is a cute question -- I assume related to Leap Year.

My first thoughts go to animals that leap.  Some of the more common ones would be frogs or anything in that family, including toads.  Rabbits and hares are probably some of the most famous leapers.  Squirrels seem to jump a lot as they move from tree to tree; in fact, the animals that we call "flying squirrels" do not actually fly, but because of skin flaps that connect their legs to their bodies, they appear to glide as they leap from the top of one tree and sail to another.  Deer, and other animals in that family, such as gazelles, antelopes, and the like, can leap for very long distances when they are running at full speed.  Kangaroos are incredible leapers.  In fact, I have heard that there are places in Australia where car accidents have occurred on the highway because a kangaroo that was not even in sight leapt across the road and collided with a moving vehicle.  Because of the great distance of the leap, the driver had no way to avoid it.

On a happier note, children leap when they run and play.

I'm sure you can also think of many other examples.

We find out that Atticus knows about the incident with Jem's pants in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. How does this affect Scout's perception...

In Chapter 26 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout begins fantasizing again about daily seeing and conversing with their neighbor Arthur (Boo) Radley. When she unconsciously brings up with her father her desire to see Arthur before she dies, he warns her not to start up that nonsense again and further warns her of the dangers of wandering the Radleys' property since "Mr. Nathan shoots at every shadow he sees." These warnings let Scout know Atticus had known much more about what the children had been up to that summer than he let on to. After she gets the hint, she shuts up and thinks to herself about how she "marveled at Atticus."

One reason why she feels "marveled" is because, like many innocent children are prone to do, she thinks that she, her, brother, and Dill had successfully tricked Atticus into believing they had been up to completely different things; she thinks they had successfully kept a secret from him.

Another reason why she marvels is because she is astonished to see the amount of freedom Atticus has given his children. Rather than punishing them for wrongdoings he is secretly well-aware of, he gives them freedom to make and grow from their own mistakes.

At the same time, Scout still seems to be a bit conflicted in her perceptions of her father. Early in Chapter 4, she reflects that Atticus and Uncle Jack are the smartest people she knows. Yet, in Chapter 26, when she feels perplexed by her third grade teacher's demonstration of hypocrisy by speaking out against Hitler's treatment of the Jews while at the same time supporting unfair treatment of African Americans, Scout decides to talk to her brother about her perplexity, not her father. She starts to explain her problem to Atticus, but then stops, thinking to herself, "Jem understood school things better than Atticus." Unfortunately, Jem does not give the reaction she is expecting, and Atticus must comfort her. Atticus's comfort gives her further opportunity to marvel when he explains the following perceptive point of wisdom that Scout narrates in her own words:

Atticus said that Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he was really doing was storing it away for a while, until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out. When he was able to think about it, Jem would be himself again. (Ch. 26)

Hence, all in all, while Scout appreciates her father's perception, intelligence, and compassion and is beginning to marvel at them, she is still young, growing, and getting to know and further appreciate her father. Her youth still makes her feel conflicted about how she perceives her father.

Which qualities do George and Lennie bring out in each other and how do they do this in the novella Of Mice and Men?

George and Lennie have an almost older/younger brotherly relationship, and there is a psychological dependency on both their parts.

In the opening scene of Steinbeck's novella, George and Lennie enter the clearing where they will camp for the night before going to work at the ranch the next day. While they are there, George has to scold Lennie to not drink too much water when they find the pond; then, he cautions him again to avoid water if it is not running. Later, in a childish fashion Lennie complains that he wants ketchup on his beans despite George's insisting that he has none. George must scold Lennie for playing with a mouse; in disgust, he tells Lennie that he could get along well without Lennie, and he could even have a girlfriend. But, when Lennie threatens to run off, in brotherly fashion, George confesses, 

"I want you to stay with me, Lennie....somebody'd shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself."

While it is merely a pipe dream, there is much truth in George and Lennie's recitation of their hopes of owning a farm. When George recites how men like them have "nothing to look ahead to," Lennie becomes delighted, asking George to continue.

"With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us...."

Lennie breaks in, "But not us! An' why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why."

After a while, George confesses that with Lennie he has begun to believe in the dream. Just as Crooks speaks of the need of a man to have someone else by whom "to measure" himself, George and Lennie have each other, a fraternity, that gives their lives some meaning. While George tries to protect the child-like Lennie and offers him friendship. Lennie provides George companionship, meaning in life, and affection. All this is expressed in their recitation of their dream.

Robert Browning once wrote,

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?

George and Lennie give each other a grasp of something beyond the next ranch, the next job, the next meal. They give each other some hope during a time of great despair in America; they provide each other comfort in a comfortless world.

In the poem "London" by William Blake, why do you think the speaker never actually says the word "London" in the poem itself? Could this poem be...

While it is possible that the poem could be about other cities, at the time of writing (1794, contained in Blake's collection Songs of Experience), London was one of the largest cities in the world, and certainly one of the largest cities in Europe. Unlike many of the poems written for the collection Songs of Experience, the poem "London" does not have a corresponding poem in Songs of Innocence, suggesting the poet...

While it is possible that the poem could be about other cities, at the time of writing (1794, contained in Blake's collection Songs of Experience), London was one of the largest cities in the world, and certainly one of the largest cities in Europe. Unlike many of the poems written for the collection Songs of Experience, the poem "London" does not have a corresponding poem in Songs of Innocence, suggesting the poet could not bring himself to write about London from that perspective.

Since the poem's title names the city he writes about, it is not necessary to mention it within the poem itself. But it's plausible to suggest that even without that title identifying the city, most readers would understand that Blake is describing London. The imagery is specific to London, including the Thames (the river that flows through the city that makes up a significant portion of its landscape), and the capitalization of the word "Palace" suggesting Buckingham Palace. As well, the reference to "every blackning church appalls" suggest a major industrial city where soot would blacken stone walls, and at the time London was the center of industry in Europe.

The poem could certainly serve to reflect the horror and drudgery of living in a large city during the time period at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, which took place between 1760 and 1840, beginning in Great Britain.

What are some of Jacques Derrida's points in "Structure, Sign, and Play"? What are good questions for a class discussion?

I reread this classic essay, and it holds up as well now as when I was in graduate school. If you read only one Derrida essay to understand deconstruction (a term today misapplied indiscriminately to almost any kind of analysis or interpretation) this would be the essay to read.

Derrida begins by discussing how thinkers like Nietzsche, Freud and Heidegger radically critiqued the very disciplines they worked in. The problem with all three, however, was that they critiqued the discipline by using the structure (the way the discipline organizes its thinking) of the discipline they were critiquing. Nietzsche, for example, might have undone philosophy as we understood it to that point, but he did it within the structure of philosophical thought. 

That would be like a radio announcer announcing the death of radio but only ever using the radio as his medium or a person announcing the death of smoke signals a a medium of communication using only smoke signals. What we need, Derrida, is a rupture.

Derrida finds that rupture in the work of ethnologist Claude Levi-Strauss. He owes a great debt to Levi-Strauss's self conscious understanding and articulation of the limits of his own discipline. What happened was that Levi-Strauss (and almost everyone else in his field), in studying cultures from around the world, used a binary model of pitting "nature" against "culture." If a practice cut across all cultures, Levi-Strauss (and other anthropologists and ethnologists) called it "natural." If a practice was specific to one or only a few cultures, it was called "cultural." What Levi-Strauss noticed was that incest taboos were both universal (all cultures have them) and yet specific (the rules vary from culture to culture.) They were thus both "natural" and "cultural." Yet how could that be? That would be like saying a person was both a man and a woman. The binary rules of the game said that a practice (or person) was either one OR the other.

Levi-Strauss solved this problem by arguing that the structures we use to understand our disciplines are not perfect, transcendent, Platonic forms, but kluges: tools that serve a purpose. We use binary thinking as a tool to help us understand ethnography, but the tool itself is a flawed improvisation. We use, so to speak, whatever we can find on our junk truck to hold the building up. Levi-Strauss and Derrida called the tool at hand a bricolage. 

From there, Derrida makes his leap: there is no transcendent signifier, no perfect structure that stands outside of the mess of language and reality. We want a perfect form, a perfect structure, a perfect system, perfect stasis, perfect presence but we can't have it. Instead we have freeplay, large areas of indeterminacy in sign systems where meanings are fluid and changing.

Derrida notes that Levi-Strauss gives up the idea that we can pinpoint or determine a moment when the first word develops in the human consciousness. We jump, says Levi-Strauss, from no language to language fully formed. There is no determinate point of origin. We also create grammars of language based on small samples: we can never encompass an entire language in its totality in any one grammar because meanings are always changing and we know, too, that in the future, language will add words, and we can't know now what those words will be. This inability to totalize a system is called indeterminacy. So Levi-Strauss shows again that our structures are imperfect, punctuated by freeplay. Likewise, Levi-Strauss says we can't capture the mythology of a culture completely and the mythology we construct as we gather mythologies itself creates a new mythology. We also can't locate an original, first myth: myths are ever changing. This structural fluidity is true, says Derrida, not just for ethnography, but for all disciplines. Our sign systems (be they spoken languages or the dialect of a particular discipline or mythologies) are open-ended and indeterminate and the structures we use to understand them are imperfect as well. Locating the contradictions or inconsistencies in a structure (such as where binaries dissolve, as in the case of the incest taboo) is the work of deconstruction. 

According to Derrida, we can keep trying to impose rigid structures on our disciplines to attempt to create what he deems an "impossible" presence or we can accept and enjoy what "freeplay" (or play) has to offer us.

Questions: What is a binary opposition? Give an example from Levi-Strauss.

What does Derrida say about the transcendent signifier?

Anywhere in life, what are some examples of bricolage?

How might Derrida's emphasis on indeterminacy make us uncomfortable? 

How the arrival and departure of Dill helps signify the passage of time in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Dill comes every summer, which helps signify the passage of time.

Dill is a friend of Scout and Jem who comes every summer to stay with his Aunt Rachel, and leaves at the end of the summer.  The children begin to count time by when Dill shows up.

Dill was from Meridian, Mississippi, was spending the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel, and would be spending every summer in Maycomb from now on. His family was from...

Dill comes every summer, which helps signify the passage of time.

Dill is a friend of Scout and Jem who comes every summer to stay with his Aunt Rachel, and leaves at the end of the summer.  The children begin to count time by when Dill shows up.

Dill was from Meridian, Mississippi, was spending the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel, and would be spending every summer in Maycomb from now on. His family was from Maycomb County originally… (Ch. 1)

Dill, Jem, and Scout are like the Three Musketeers.  They do everything together all summer long.  Their favorite pastimes are acting out books and trying to make Boo Radley come out.

Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill. (Ch. 4)

Dill does not have a very good home life.  His mother remarries and Dill does not really like the new man.  He feels like his parents are not paying any attention to him, and runs away to Maycomb.  Dill is used to going to Maycomb every summer and looks forward to it just as much as Scout and Jem do.  They are his second family.

Since Dill is in Maycomb, he attends the trial proceedings with Scout and Jem.  Dill turns out to be just as sensitive as Jem.  He does not understand racism any more than Jem does and he has a violent physical reaction to the way that Tom Robinson is treated during the trial.

Dill is playful, creative, and loyal.  He is a good friend to Scout and Jem, and is an important character in the book.  The book's events are a coming of age journey for Scout and Jem, but for Dill as well.

Why does Paul think he can be lucky through his own efforts in D. H. Lawrence's "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

There are two reasons why Paul thinks he can be lucky on his own in D. H. Lawrence's "The Rocking-Horse Winner." First, he feels desperate to help his mother. Since his father cannot provide the life his mother wants, Paul is determined to help his mother himself. His determination makes him think optimistically. Secondly, he is characterized as a very special boy in that he is far more observant and sensitivethan others. It can...

There are two reasons why Paul thinks he can be lucky on his own in D. H. Lawrence's "The Rocking-Horse Winner." First, he feels desperate to help his mother. Since his father cannot provide the life his mother wants, Paul is determined to help his mother himself. His determination makes him think optimistically. Secondly, he is characterized as a very special boy in that he is far more observant and sensitive than others. It can be said that his awareness of his unique observation skills makes him feel certain he's a lucky person and that he will be able to bring luck to his mother. In fact, many scholars will argue that D. H. Lawrence is suggesting through his text that "all children possess extrasensory perception" because all children have "intuitive knowledge" that gets lost the older we grow and the more we doubt ourselves .

We see Paul's unique observation skills during his conversation with his mother about why their family does not have enough money. When he asks his mother why she thinks she's an unlucky person and she tries to move past the question by saying, "Well—never mind! Perhaps I'm not really," Paul is able to see, using his strong observation skills, that she doesn't really mean the response she gives him:

But he saw, by the lines of her mouth, that she was only trying to hide something from him.

In addition, Paul says that "God told [him]" he is a lucky person, which shows us he feels that he hears things most other people do not hear. It is because he sees and hears things other people don't normally notice that he feels certain he'll be able to find the luck his mother needs.

`int_1^oo (x)/(2x^2-2c) Find a unique real number "c" which will allow the integral to converge. How would you do this problem?

Hello!

Let's transform the expression under the integral sign:

`x/(2x^2-2c)-c/(x+1)=(x^2+x-2cx^2+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))=(x^2(1-2c)+x+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))=`

`=(x^2(1-2c))/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))+(x+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1)).`

The second fraction behaves as `1/x^2` at infinity and therefore the integral of it converges at infinity, even absolutely. Consider the first fraction, it must converge also for the sum to converge.

For `1-2c!=0,` i.e. for `c!=1/2,` this fraction behaves like `1/x` at infinity. More precisely, for `1-2cgt0,` i.e. `clt1/2,`

`(x^2(1-2c))/((2x^2-c)(x+1))gt=(1-2c)*(x^2)/(3x^2*2x)=(1-2c)/6*1/x` for sufficiently large `x.` So this integral diverges at infinity. The similar...

Hello!

Let's transform the expression under the integral sign:

`x/(2x^2-2c)-c/(x+1)=(x^2+x-2cx^2+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))=(x^2(1-2c)+x+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))=`

`=(x^2(1-2c))/((2x^2-2c)(x+1))+(x+2c^2)/((2x^2-2c)(x+1)).`

The second fraction behaves as `1/x^2` at infinity and therefore the integral of it converges at infinity, even absolutely. Consider the first fraction, it must converge also for the sum to converge.

For `1-2c!=0,` i.e. for `c!=1/2,` this fraction behaves like `1/x` at infinity. More precisely, for `1-2cgt0,` i.e. `clt1/2,`

`(x^2(1-2c))/((2x^2-c)(x+1))gt=(1-2c)*(x^2)/(3x^2*2x)=(1-2c)/6*1/x` for sufficiently large `x.` So this integral diverges at infinity. The similar estimate works for `cgt1/2.`

So the only candidate is `c=1/2,`  for this `c` only the integral converges at infinity. But we have to check also the other possible critical points at `[1, oo).` They are the points where the denominator equals zero.

One of them is where `x+1=0,` i.e. `x_1=-1.` It is outside `[1,oo).` The next is where `2x^2-2c=2x^2-1=0.` They are `x_2=1/sqrt(2)` and `x_3=-1/sqrt(2),`  also outside the realm of integration. Good, no more critical points!

The answer: the only such `c` is 1/2.

He had directed, in great part, the movable embellishments of the seven chambers, upon occasion of this great fête; and it was his own guiding...

As for figurative language, Poe makes an allusion to the Victor Hugo play, Hernani, first performed in 1830, in order to enrich his own imagery by relying on the splendor associated with another famous production.  Poe also personifies the clock, giving it a voice, and thus making it seem more powerful and symbolic than we might otherwise consider it to be.  He also compares the masqueraders to living dreams via metaphor.  The personification...

As for figurative language, Poe makes an allusion to the Victor Hugo play, Hernani, first performed in 1830, in order to enrich his own imagery by relying on the splendor associated with another famous production.  Poe also personifies the clock, giving it a voice, and thus making it seem more powerful and symbolic than we might otherwise consider it to be.  He also compares the masqueraders to living dreams via metaphor.  The personification of the clock continues when the narrator describes its chimes as dying.

In terms of imagery, the descriptions of the masqueraders allows us to visualize what the scene must look like.  They are all "glare and glitter and piquancy and phantasm" in one, "writhing" in and out of the various colored rooms, taking their own hue from the colors around them.  The description of the "ebony clock which stands in the hall of the velvet" is visual imagery as well, and auditory imagery is used to describe its chimes ringing out in the dead-silence that envelops the courtiers when the hour arrives: "all is still, and all is silent save the voice of the clock."  We get further visual imagery from the description of the light in the room where the clock is located: the ruddy light pours in through "blood-coloured panes," seeming to soak the whole room.

Poe repeats words such as "dreams" and well as descriptors that signal something strange (like "grotesque" and "disgust") to emphasize that what is happening in these rooms is simply not natural, and thus the mood is one of both anticipation and dread of the outcome.  These feelings are furthered by the repetition of words that mean black -- sable, ebony -- and red -- blood, ruddy -- making the mood that much more deadly and dreadful.

What does Jonas describe as a "terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure" in The Giver? Who is he referring to?

Jonas is talking about release, which is a terrible punishment and a failure for the community.  He is referring to the jet pilot who flew over the community by mistake.

Jonas’s community controls its citizens’ every move.  The goal of Sameness is to ensure that all people are safe and no one is ever uncomfortable.  For example, when Jonas sees a jet plane fly overhead, he is afraid.  Apparently everyone in the community is, because...

Jonas is talking about release, which is a terrible punishment and a failure for the community.  He is referring to the jet pilot who flew over the community by mistake.

Jonas’s community controls its citizens’ every move.  The goal of Sameness is to ensure that all people are safe and no one is ever uncomfortable.  For example, when Jonas sees a jet plane fly overhead, he is afraid.  Apparently everyone in the community is, because the Speaker orders everyone inside.  It turns out that the jet flying over the community was just an accident, but the damage is done.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE WILL BE RELEASED, the voice had said, followed by silence. There was an ironic tone to that final message, as if the Speaker found it amusing; and Jonas had smiled a little, though he knew what a grim statement it had been. (Ch. 1)

For a “contributing citizen” to be released is a big deal.  Old people are released all of the time.  Apparently they can no longer contribute.  However, a person who breaks three rules, or makes a major mistake, can also be released.  This is considered a failure of the community.

Most of the citizens have no idea what release actually is.  All they know is the euphemism and the idea that once a person is released, he or she goes to Elsewhere.  As far as they know, Elsewhere is a place. However, when they release a person what they are really doing is killing him with a lethal injection.

There is another instance of release other than punishment and the elderly.  If a baby does not meet the requirements of the community, they terminate it.  Jonas witnesses the release of a twin, killed for being the smaller one of an identical set.

As he continued to watch, the newchild, no longer crying, moved his arms and legs in a jerking motion. Then he went limp. The head fell to the side, his eyes half open. Then he was still. (Ch. 19)

Release of a newchild is considered sad, because babies have done nothing wrong.  Release of the elderly is celebrated, because they have lived a long life.  Release of adults who have broken the rules is considered a failure of the community to get people to conform.

What literary device does Wiesel use to illustrate his disillusionment with God?

While they could also be considered literary devices, Wiesel adopts common rhetorical devices to express his disillusionment with God, including anaphora and hypophora. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and in his book Night, Wiesel very much wants to convince the reader that God not only abandoned the Jews during the Holocaust but singled them out as a group to be persecuted.

In section three at Birkenau, just after the selection, Elie witnesses children...

While they could also be considered literary devices, Wiesel adopts common rhetorical devices to express his disillusionment with God, including anaphora and hypophora. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and in his book Night, Wiesel very much wants to convince the reader that God not only abandoned the Jews during the Holocaust but singled them out as a group to be persecuted.

In section three at Birkenau, just after the selection, Elie witnesses children being thrown into a pit of flames. This atrocity seems to be the spark of his retreat from God. He uses the rhetorical device of anaphora in his memory of that first night in a death camp. Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases or sentences:

Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never.

The repetition of the word "Never" has a chilling effect. The senseless killing and torture are something he can never forget. Moreover, he can never forgive God for allowing it. 

In section five the Jews gather together during Rosh Hashanah for prayer. Elie questions why God should be blessed and again uses anaphora in his condemnation, this time repeating the word "Because":

Why, but why should I bless Him? In every fiber I rebelled. Because He had had thousands of children burned in His pits? Because He kept six crematories working night and day, on Sundays and feast days? Because in His great might he had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many factories of death? 

In section four, Wiesel uses the rhetorical element of hypophora in his expression of disillusionment with God. Hypophora consists of raising a question and then providing an immediate answer. The Jews at Buna witness the hanging of a young boy. The boy doesn't die right away and lingers between life and death for some time while each of the prisoners is made to look into his face. A man near Elie asks a question about God, to which Elie has a quick response:

Behind me, I heard a man asking:

"Where is God now?"

And I heard a voice within me answer him:

“Where is He? Here He is—He is hanging here on this gallows….”

In The Bronze Bow, how does Daniel meet Nathan?

In chapter 12, Daniel is living in the village and working as the blacksmith. He ends up recruiting about twenty young men to be an army for Rosh working in the village. Nathan is the first one Daniel recruits for this band.

Nathan originally comes to Daniel as a customer--he has a scythe that he needs mended. Daniel notices that Nathan has a black eye and is agitated as he waits for Daniel to complete...

In chapter 12, Daniel is living in the village and working as the blacksmith. He ends up recruiting about twenty young men to be an army for Rosh working in the village. Nathan is the first one Daniel recruits for this band.

Nathan originally comes to Daniel as a customer--he has a scythe that he needs mended. Daniel notices that Nathan has a black eye and is agitated as he waits for Daniel to complete the repair. Uncharacteristically, Daniel strikes up a conversation with the boy and finds out that his father has recently started working for the tax collector. The boy's own friends jumped him the previous night and beat him up because of their hatred for tax collectors. 

Daniel sees promise in the boy, so he offers to walk home with him to protect him from further assault, but Nathan is offended at the offer. Daniel modifies the request so that it is more palatable, and the two leave together. When the expected onslaught comes, Daniel helps Nathan make short work of the six or seven attackers. Daniel then recruits Nathan to "use those fists ... for a good purpose." 

In the poem "The old woman's message" by Kumalau Tawali, what does the speaker order the addressed to do in the first 5 lines of the poem?

In “The Old Woman’s Message,” by Kumalau Tawali, the first five lines of the poem are an important part of the message, which is mentioned in the title. The poem, overall, is about a woman—a mother—who is dying and wants her sons to come back to her before she passes. She is sad that they are gone and have stayed away for so long, when other mothers’ sons return. They are possibly away working, but...

In “The Old Woman’s Message,” by Kumalau Tawali, the first five lines of the poem are an important part of the message, which is mentioned in the title. The poem, overall, is about a woman—a mother—who is dying and wants her sons to come back to her before she passes. She is sad that they are gone and have stayed away for so long, when other mothers’ sons return. They are possibly away working, but in her desperation and love, she longs to see them one last time.

The first five lines of the poem are the action and driving force for the rest of the poem. The speaker, who is the mother, gives a message to take to her missing sons. Asking someone to stick the message in their hair is like saying to put the message somewhere safe where you can carry it with you. She tells the person to take the words (her message for the boys to return to her) to her two sons, Polin and Manuai.

She speaks of ripe fruit falling and returning to the trunk, which is a way of saying that her grown sons should return to their mother. The speaker expresses concern and sadness that her sons have not returned to her and may not before she dies.

How do you get rid of scars?

A scar results whenever the skin is cut or damaged through its full thickness. A scar can be made less visible by reducing its size or changing its appearance, but it is almost impossible to remove it completely without leaving any mark.

The method of treating a scar would depend on the type of scar, the scar's location, its size, the depth of the cut which created the scar, and the person's age, ethnicity, and...

A scar results whenever the skin is cut or damaged through its full thickness. A scar can be made less visible by reducing its size or changing its appearance, but it is almost impossible to remove it completely without leaving any mark.

The method of treating a scar would depend on the type of scar, the scar's location, its size, the depth of the cut which created the scar, and the person's age, ethnicity, and genetic disposition.

Keloid scars commonly occur among people of dark skin and they result from an unduly aggressive healing process. They tend to extend beyond the boundaries of the injury. They can be removed surgically, but this must be combined with injection of corticosteroids at the site of the removal to prevent recurrence.

Keloids can also be flatted with silicon sheets. If the keloid is a small one, it can be treated with cryotherapy, a form of freezing therapy that uses liquid nitrogen.

Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloids but do not extend beyond the boundary of the injury. They can also be treated by the administration of corticosteroid injections or flattened with silicon sheets. If treated surgically, hypertrophic scars may leave a new scar which may be worse after the surgery.

Severe acne can leave a scar which may be angular or wave like in appearance. A doctor would need to evaluate the scar carefully to determine treatment options. Similarly, contracture scars require a doctor's careful evaluation because the scars may have affected deeper structures such as muscles and nerves and could have impaired or restricted movements.

Other methods such as laser therapy, injection of dermal fillers, and skin needling may yield results that vary considerably in efficacy. The benefits of these options should be discussed with qualified medical specialists before considering them. Low-dose superficial radiotherapy is reserved for the most serious cases of hypertrophic and keloid scars after surgery.

How are dreams significant in Of Mice and Men? What messages and ideas does Steinbeck convey using the theme of dreams?

In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George are sustained in their hard and uncertain lives as ranch hands by their dream of owning their own small farm. When Lennie asks, “George, how long’s it gonna be till we get that little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’[fat of the land]—an’ [have] rabbits,” George provides a detailed description of what this farm will be like. It will be on ten acres, have a windmill and an orchard full of fruit trees, include the rabbits in hutches and chickens and pigs and a garden. The two men will own pigeons. They will be able to sell eggs and milk. But more importantly, the farm will give Lennie and George independence: they won't have to sleep in a bunkhouse anymore with strangers. They can tell people they don't like to leave, and they can have a spare bed to invite a guest to spend the night, something they can't do in a bunk house. If they want to take a day off, they'll be able to. It will be a place where they "belong." They will no longer have to be "runnin' around the country" looking for work. They will only have to work six or seven hours a day, not eleven. George will go on to say:

“An’ we could have a few pigs. I could build a smoke house like the one gran’pa had, an’ when we kill a pig we can smoke the bacon and the hams, and make sausage an’ all like that. An’ when the salmon run up river we could catch a hundred of ‘em an’ salt ‘em down or smoke ‘em. We could have them for breakfast. They ain’t nothing so nice as smoked salmon. When the fruit come in we could can it—and tomatoes, they’re easy to can. Ever’ Sunday we’d kill a chicken or a rabbit. Maybe we’d have a cow or a goat, and the cream is so God damn thick you got to cut it with a knife and take it out with a spoon.”

The aged Candy, who has lost a hand, eagerly buys into this dream, offering to throw in money to help it become a reality. He dreams of a safe place to retire, where he can live with dignity. Crooks also becomes interested in the dream of a farm, saying he'd come in "to work for nothing--just his keep." A short time later, he realizes the impossibility of this for a black man, and says it's not what he wants, although we as readers know it is what he wants because we have seen his flash of longing for it. 

In having Lennie refer to this dream over and over, and in having George repeat it, it becomes a central image at the heart of the novel, showing the gap between what the men have and what they desire. As Crooks says, everybody talks about having a farm. And Steinbeck makes clear, through Crooks, that blacks want this as much as whites, even if it is even less possible for them to have it. 

The dream is both a paradise and, in George's comforting tale, without any problems, but it is also, as Steinbeck implies, the core American Dream: a dream of independence, of small farming, of every man his own master that goes back deeply into the psyche of what it means to be an American. It's why people came to America. Steinbeck shows that for many that crucial dream was lost in the Great Depression. It is a simple dream: what Lennie and George aspire to is not mansions and limos, but a modest farm and a marginal living, with a wood burning stove, enough to eat and the chance to work for themselves. People deserve such an opportunity, Steinbeck believes, and part of the novel's pathos is in showing how impossible such a simple dream is for these men to achieve. Steinbeck would like to move readers to support a world in which it would be easier for ordinary, if damaged, people like Lennie and Candy and Crooks to live with dignity.

What are some reasons and explanations for why Lyddie had to leave her family to pay off debt?

You answered the question nicely in the question.  Lyddie had to leave her family to pay off the family debt.  I would like to clarify though that Lyddie did not do the actual leaving of the family in the first place.  After the semi-bear attack in the first chapter, Lyddie's mother leaves the family farm to live with other relatives.  She takes all of the family with her except Lyddie and her brother.  Together, the...

You answered the question nicely in the question.  Lyddie had to leave her family to pay off the family debt.  I would like to clarify though that Lyddie did not do the actual leaving of the family in the first place.  After the semi-bear attack in the first chapter, Lyddie's mother leaves the family farm to live with other relatives.  She takes all of the family with her except Lyddie and her brother.  Together, the two of them work the farm through the winter and care for the place.  Unfortunately, all of their hard work is to no avail, because the mom sold the farm.  The mother also sold Lyddie and her brother to indentured servitude.  Lyddie was sold to a local tavern and had to do all of the grunt work in order to help pay off the family debt.  The debt that I keep referring to is there because Lyddie's father presumably went off west in search of gold and has never returned.  He left the family with all of the financial burdens.  By the time that Lyddie decides to become a factory girl in the city, she has already been separated from her family (and not by her choice).  Lyddie's choice to work the factory is because she sees it as a chance to earn more money in a quicker fashion than she currently is able to.  

How have Lyddie's feelings about the petition changed in Lyddie?

Lyddie changes her mind and decides to sign the petition, but it is too late.

Lyddie takes her job as a factory worker very seriously.  She values her work because she wants to make enough money to pay off her family’s debts so that she can get the farm back.  This is why she is so against the petition at first. She does not want to risk getting fired.

The petition for a ten-hour day has been circulating among the factory workers.  Lyddie’s friend Diana is one of the organizers.  She has been at the factory for fifteen years, and acts as a mother or big sister to all of the girls.

Lyddie’s friend Amelia explains why she wants to sign the petition.

"Wouldn't I just? When I started in the spinning room, I could do a thirteen‐hour day and to spare. But in those days I had a hundred thirty spindles to tend. Now I've twice that many at a speed that would make the devil curse. I'm worn out, Amelia. We're all worn out." (Ch. 12)

 Lyddie explains to Betsy and Amelia that she can’t sign the petition because she needs the money.  In her mind she keeps telling herself that she isn’t a slave.  She has to work at the factory, and she works hard, but she does it by choice.

Lyddie gets hurt one day working in the factory.  She gets hit in the head with a shuttle from the loom.  Diana helps her, taking her to a doctor friend of hers.  Lyddie has to miss work until she is strong enough, and she is grateful to Diana.  Lyddie gets a package, delivered by Luke Stevens, which includes $50.  He is paying her back her loan. 

She told no one about the money. She wanted to tell Diana. Diana, she knew, would rejoice with her, but she decided to wait. She was so close now to having the money she needed, and when she did, she would surprise Diana by signing the petition. (Ch. 15)

Lyddie now no longer needs the job so badly.  She decides to sign the petition, to help Diana.  Unfortunately, when she shows up at the meeting she learns that the petition has already been submitted and failed.  Diana appreciates the thought.

Lyddie was never against the idea of the petition.  She just feared for their jobs.  She knew that anyone who signed the petition would be fired, and she cared about money more than anything else.  She saw girls getting sick and hurt around her, and even heard about deaths, but what mattered was the money.  As soon as she had it, she was ready to sign.

How do the children plan to spend Dill's last night Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird?

On Dill's last night in Maycomb, Jem and Dill try to deceive to Scout into believing that they are just going for a walk down the street, but by persisting she gets them to reveal their plan to look into a back window of the Radleys' house.

In order to accomplish this, the boys decide that they must enter through the back yard by going under "the high wire fence" where they are less likely to be discovered. However, they find themselves dodging chicken manure and avoiding the garden of collards before reaching the back porch. There Jem and Scout hold their arms together and lift little Dill onto the porch, but Dill cannot see anything through a curtained window. "Let's try the back window," Dill suggests. This time Jem tries. He puts his foot on the porch, teeters a bit, then drops to his knees and crawls to a window. As he does so, Scout notices a shadow of a man with a hat on. It crosses Jem, who cringes. But the shadow stops, turns, and goes back around the side of the house. The quiet of the night is shattered by the sound of a shotgun blast.

It is a terrified Jem who leaps swiftly from the porch and equally frightened Dill and Scout who follow him toward the fence by the school yard. Once there, Dill and Scout notice that Jem is not with them; they perceive through the darkness that Jem struggles with the fence, kicks off his pants, and runs to the oak tree in his underwear. "We gotta get home, they'll miss us," he whispers. So, they race until they reach their front yard. Looking down the street, they see the neighbors gathered outside. True to her reputation, Miss Stephanie has the full story of Nathan Radley's account of shooting at "a Negro in his collard patch." Then, in response to Miss Stephanie's screeching of Jem's name, Atticus asks his son what has happened to his pants.

Quickly, Dill fabricates a story about how he and Jem were playing strip poker. Hearing the word "poker" sets off Miss Rachel who tells Dill, "I'll strip poker you, sir!" Atticus calms her by saying that he has never known them to play poker. "Were you all playing cards?" he quickly asks. Jem lies to his father: "No sir, just with matches."  His eyes are closed while he says this.

Later, it is because of his having lied that Jem insists upon retrieving his pants; he explains to his sister that he cannot let Atticus know that he has deceived him. He tells Scout that he wants to maintain his relationship with his father and not have him disappointed in him. So, he is willing to risk the danger of getting his pants off that fence despite all of Scout's protests. Defeated in her argument, Scout loyally insists upon accompanying Jem part of the way. She waits anxiously for him, but soon sees his white shirt in the dark. At home, having resumed their positions on the back porch, Scout hears Jem's trembling cot.

In "The Birds," how do the BBC radio announcements create suspense as the story progresses?

At first, Nat and his wife derive some comfort from the announcements over the wireless, as these announcements inform him and his wife about what is going on. The wireless broadcasts also provide some relief that perhaps the authorities will take care of the problem of the birds, and the calmness of the announcer's voice quiets Nat's fear to some extent. The author writes about the radio announcer, "Nat had the impression that this man,...

At first, Nat and his wife derive some comfort from the announcements over the wireless, as these announcements inform him and his wife about what is going on. The wireless broadcasts also provide some relief that perhaps the authorities will take care of the problem of the birds, and the calmness of the announcer's voice quiets Nat's fear to some extent. The author writes about the radio announcer, "Nat had the impression that this man, in particular, treated the whole business as he would an elaborate joke." The announcer at first seems to regard the birds as a silly nuisance rather than as a serious problem.

Nat relies on the wireless to give him directions about what to do, and the broadcasts steady his nerves. However, the wireless announcer then says that there will be no more broadcasts at night, and although Nat eagerly awaits the promised 7 a.m. broadcast, the wireless does not receive any service in the morning. His radio can only receive foreign broadcasts, as the BBC is making no broadcasts. There is literally radio silence coming from London, which adds to the suspense of the story because it suggests that London has been decimated by birds.

Identify one specific quality of the speaker in "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa, then offer one or more quotes from the poem to support your point.

In Yusef Komunyakaa's poem “Facing It," a quality the narrator demonstrates is, hauntingly, traumatization due to his experience in the Vietnam War. As he stands in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he has a flashback to a harrowing experience in which a mine explodes. He tries to convince himself he is immune to the anger and trauma he feels.

I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears.

I'm stone. I'm flesh.

As he searches through...

In Yusef Komunyakaa's poem “Facing It," a quality the narrator demonstrates is, hauntingly, traumatization due to his experience in the Vietnam War. As he stands in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he has a flashback to a harrowing experience in which a mine explodes. He tries to convince himself he is immune to the anger and trauma he feels.

I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears.

I'm stone. I'm flesh.

As he searches through the names on the memorial wall, he “half expects” to find his own. Even as a survivor, he cannot let go of the haunting memories, knowing how many others died.

I go down the 58,022 names,

half-expecting to find

my own in letters like smoke.

His enduring mental trauma is exposed when he describes the mine explosion that killed his fellow serviceman. He returns to the moment of the explosion when he sees the name.

I touch the name Andrew Johnson;

I see the booby trap's white flash.

He continues to look at the memorial from different angles. He sees a man who lost an arm. Then he sees a woman who, in his imagination, is trying to erase names from the monument, but she is only fixing a little boy’s hair. His memory does not allow his mind to erase the terrible things he endured during the Vietnam War.

Distinguish between a "scholar" and "bookworm" according to Emerson.

Books are, to be sure, an important part of a scholar's training according to Emerson. But a "bookworm," as he puts it, is someone who places too much stock in the writings of the past, someone constrained to stay within the ideas and the literary conventions found within canonical books. This, according to Emerson, is an unfortunate and all-too-common phenomenon among the intellectuals of his day:

Genius is always sufficiently the enemy of genius by...

Books are, to be sure, an important part of a scholar's training according to Emerson. But a "bookworm," as he puts it, is someone who places too much stock in the writings of the past, someone constrained to stay within the ideas and the literary conventions found within canonical books. This, according to Emerson, is an unfortunate and all-too-common phenomenon among the intellectuals of his day:

Genius is always sufficiently the enemy of genius by over influence. The literature of every nation bear me witness. The English dramatic poets have Shakspearized now for two hundred years.

The point was not that nobody should read the classics, or that Shakespeare was not worthy of scholarly attention. Emerson was arguing that American intellectuals should forge their own way intellectually. The "American Scholar" had to be what Emerson called a "man thinking," which he saw as a creative act rather than one that should be overly emulative of European or past writers and intellectuals. Inspiration should be drawn from nature and within one's self rather than solely from the minds of dead authors. A true scholar would be creative, not simply reproducing work based on old ideas.

What happens in chapter 7 of "The 13th Valley"?

Chapter 7 begins with "the big soldier" alone in the enlisted men's club. The bartender is upset because they have too much Fresca. The big soldier, AKA Whiteboy, is playing solitaire and chatting with the bartender. They discuss what happens when they get incoming fire and about why they're in the war.

As other people come in, the bartender and White boy sing a song called "Boonie Rats." A white soldier begins pretending to broadcast...

Chapter 7 begins with "the big soldier" alone in the enlisted men's club. The bartender is upset because they have too much Fresca. The big soldier, AKA Whiteboy, is playing solitaire and chatting with the bartender. They discuss what happens when they get incoming fire and about why they're in the war.

As other people come in, the bartender and White boy sing a song called "Boonie Rats." A white soldier begins pretending to broadcast about the war as if it is a boxing match, and then an old-fashioned radio show. Jax orders a soldier named Chelini to take off his dog tags and then his boots, then laces them together and throws them at their owner. 

Jax joined the army at 17, after nearly failing out of school, and received his GED and got married before he was sent to Vietnam. He got in trouble for fighting a few times but eventually ended up here. 

Chelini asks the men what he is supposed to do the next day, as he is not trained to be an 11-Bravo. The men laugh and say none of them are, then describe a little of a combat situation. 

Monk tells a story of a man who stopped an attack by playing the bagpipes terribly, but then gets shot. The men continue drinking, although many soldiers are leaving the club.

Alpha Company 402D is made up of many men who have extended their enlistment in order to be able to automatically discharge when they return home. Most of these men have been working together for a long time. They discuss at politics and the idea of revolution, which will never happen among American soldiers at war. Chelini/Cherry quietly listens and feels he is being educated.

Many soldiers leave, but Whiteboy remains and begins singing "Boonie Rats" again. The bar quiets as the bartender joins in. The noise resumes seconds after the song ends. The remaining men discuss women and how they are like cats, then get into a heated discussion of racism. This eventually begins a bar fight in which Doc gets slammed into the table by a white soldier, Molino the bartender frantically tries to kick everyone out, and black soldiers and white soldiers fall out the door still flailing at one another.

I have some questions about the poem "Cooks Brook" by Al Pittman. First, why does he say: "It would be better to die / skull smashed open in the...

Al Pittman (April 11, 1940 – August 26, 2001) was a poet who grew up in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. This poem recounts a childhood experience of diving off a high ledge into a natural pool formed in a brook.

The narrator seems to be looking back at the antics of his younger self and his friends, thinking about the emotions experienced. Diving off a high ledge is frightening, especially when, as described in the poem, there...

Al Pittman (April 11, 1940 – August 26, 2001) was a poet who grew up in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. This poem recounts a childhood experience of diving off a high ledge into a natural pool formed in a brook.

The narrator seems to be looking back at the antics of his younger self and his friends, thinking about the emotions experienced. Diving off a high ledge is frightening, especially when, as described in the poem, there is a rocky area jutting into the pool, so that if you do not jump far enough out, you will die. On the one hand, common sense and our natural fear of heights would prompt us not to make the dive. On the other hand, especially for teenage males, diving off the high ledge is a proof of courage and masculinity. Backing down from the ledge would not only require going against peer pressure but might result in moving down in the informal school pecking order and being subjected to humiliation or bullying by peers while as successful dive would increase ones social stature, as seen in the statement:

Not everyone had guts enough

To dive from the top ledge

The relevance of the poem is the social dynamic in which peer pressure causes young people to act in ways that are risky, perhaps by experimenting with drugs, engaging in criminal behavior, or in having unprotected sexual encounters. Even in an urban setting, the sense of peer pressure leading teens to make unwise choices remains constant. 

Why is carrying capacity of populations important to a healthy ecosystem?

The carrying capacity is a measure of how many individuals can a given ecosystem provide for. An individual and its population is dependent on various components of its ecosystem for necessities such as food, habitat, etc. An ecosystem can only successfully support a given population. If the population exceeds beyond that limit, in other words, if the carrying capacity is exceeded, the ecosystem will no longer be able to support the additional population. Such an...

The carrying capacity is a measure of how many individuals can a given ecosystem provide for. An individual and its population is dependent on various components of its ecosystem for necessities such as food, habitat, etc. An ecosystem can only successfully support a given population. If the population exceeds beyond that limit, in other words, if the carrying capacity is exceeded, the ecosystem will no longer be able to support the additional population. Such an excess causes chaos and then rebalancing of populations. For examples, if a grassland can only support, say 200 deer and the population exceeds that number (whether by additional births or by introduction of deer, etc.), there will not be enough food for all the deer. This will mean rapid decline in amount of grass in the grassland. Temporary increase in deer population will also provide additional food for predators and their population will also rise. But, ultimately, reduction in food will result in decrease in population of both deer and their predator and a new equilibrium will be established. Thus, ecosystem health is severely affected if the population grows beyond the carrying capacity.

Hope this helps. 

Why are the novel and the movie named The Silence of the Lambs?

The novel, The Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris, and the film adaptation tell the story of Clarice Starling and her investigation of a series of murders. Throughout the story, Clarice visits with the famous serial killer Hannibal Lecter- who is the main character in several other of Harris' works. Clarice recognizes Lecter's intelligence and despite his criminal status, hopes that his work as a forensic psychiatrist can be of some help in her...

The novel, The Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris, and the film adaptation tell the story of Clarice Starling and her investigation of a series of murders. Throughout the story, Clarice visits with the famous serial killer Hannibal Lecter- who is the main character in several other of Harris' works. Clarice recognizes Lecter's intelligence and despite his criminal status, hopes that his work as a forensic psychiatrist can be of some help in her current, perplexing case.

Both the book and film earn their title from some events in Clarice's childhood. After her father's death, she went to live on her uncle's farm and was traumatized by the sounds of the slaughter of lambs. During the duration of the story, Lecter references this part of her childhood with a double meaning. In a letter, he asks her if the lambs have stopped screaming yet. This question may be interpreted two ways. First, Lecter may be asking whether Starling feels she has recovered  from her childhood traumas. An alternate interpretation may be that Lecter is asking whether Starling has any real power in her job as an FBI agent, as she was able to rescue a potential victim from "slaughter" by a serial killer.

In The Giver how are the community's rules related to ours?

The community has a lot of rules.  Most of the rules are designed for the preservation of what the community calls Sameness.  They enforce proper behavior and prevent anyone from doing anything that will upset anyone.

Two Child Policies and Naming Limitations

The community has very carefully regulated family units.  Everyone is required to take birth control pills for what they call Stirrings.  This causes the citizens to stop caring about the opposite sex and prevents any unwanted pregnancies.  All children are created through genetic modification.  None of this is similar to our world, but there are some countries that do regulate the number of children a family can have.

"Lily," Mother reminded her, smiling, "you know the rules."

Two children--one male, one female--to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules. (Ch. 1)

In China, parents are allowed to have two children.  The law was previously requiring one child, but was changed in January 2016.  Although these families have their babies the old-fashioned way, it does demonstrate that limiting children is not unheard of in our world.  Families are also allowed to name their own children, but in some countries parents are limited in what they can name them.

Rules Made by Committee

There really isn’t much difference between the rules in Jonas’s community and the laws in ours.  Their rules are enforced as laws.  They are created by committees, just as ours are created by legislatures.

When something went to a committee for study, the people always joked about it. They said that the committee members would become Elders by the time the rule change was made. (Ch. 2)

We elect officials who create and pass laws in committees in our legislatures.  In Jonas’s community, there is a Receiver who keeps the community’s memories and advises on rule changes.  This is similar to our court system, because judges review significant documents and advise on whether or not laws should be changed.

Three Strikes and Lethal Injection

They even have the death penalty for those who break more serious rules.  In Jonas’s community, a person can be punished with release for serious rule-breaking, but also for breaking a rule three times.  Many states have a three strikes policy for laws.  If you break a law three times you face a more serious prison sentence.

Release is conducted by lethal injection in Jonas’s community.

His father turned and opened the cupboard. He took out a syringe and a small bottle. Very carefully he inserted the needle into the bottle and began to fill the syringe with a clear liquid. (Ch. 19)

Lethal injection is commonly used in our world as well.  The laws about lethal injection vary by state and country, but it is a commonly accepted humane method of capital punishment.

Rules Against Theft and Curfews

Jonas's rules against theft are not that different from ours.  Almost every culture has rules against theft.  Jonas's community has these too.  He risks serious punishment for taking food and a bicycle.

First, he had left the dwelling at night. A major transgression.  Second, he had robbed the community of food: a very serious crime, even though what he had taken was leftovers, set out on the dwelling doorsteps for collection. (Ch. 21)

Many communities in our world also have curfews.  A curfew is a law saying that people need to remain at home during certain hours, usually at night.  This is similar to Jonas's community's prohibition against leaving dwellings.

 

I'm doing a project for my English 7-8 class and I need 8 different kinds of archetypes.

According to Merriam-Webster, an archetype is  "the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies :  prototype; also :  a perfect example".  I would be happy to provide you with eight different types of archetypes.

1. The hero (or heroine), one who is the epitome of goodness and perseveres to defeat "the bad guy"- Wesley from The Princess Bride. 

2. The innocent youth, one who needs protection because of their naivety or weakness - Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

3.  The doppelganger, someone who mirrors a character and fulfills their evil desires - Mr. Hyde from The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

4.  The villain, the character who does bad things because they are essentially warped - Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life. 

5.  The scapegoat, the poor individual who takes the fall for all of life's mishaps - Snowball in Animal Farm. 

6.  The mentor, their purpose is to protect the main character - Korbin Dallas in The Fifth Element. 

7.  The sidekick, a complement to the main character - Tonto in The Lone Ranger. 

8.  The parent, someone who protects, guides, and nurtures - The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. 

When will the polar ice caps melt completely? Take it as a given that global warming is real.

"Take it as a given that global warming is real" is a statement I think we should post at the door of Congress. The scientific consensus on global warming is absolutely overwhelming: it is not only happening, but it's also our fault and it will have terrible consequences if we don't do something fast.

To make this specific forecast, we have to be clear about what we mean by "melt completely"; this could mean three things:

1. A complete melting of all polar ice in summer
2. A complete melting of all polar ice for a whole year
3. A complete melting of all polar ice indefinitely

Moreover, all three of these could be applied to either Arctic ice or Antarctic ice, which turns out to be important.

The good news is that Antarctic ice will not disappear completely any time soon, not even in the summer. Right now Antarctica is sloughing off its huge amount of land-based ice into the sea, so sea ice around Antarctica is actually increasing for the time being. There is so much ice in Antarctica that in fact it can probably continue melting for thousands if not millions of years at the current rate without all the ice disappearing. 26.5 million km^3 is 26.5 million gigatons, and the current melt rate is about 70 gigatons per year. Even if it speeds up a thousandfold, we still have centuries.

Now for the bad news. Arctic polar ice in summer is almost gone already. Current models say it won't last more than the next four years. So by the most narrow definition of polar ice melting, it's about to happen.

There will still be Arctic ice during the winter until about 2040 or 2050 by current estimates, and for a decade or two after that there will be cold years that have Arctic ice, but not every year will.

It's actually the Antarctic melting that's a problem, though; Arctic melting doesn't raise sea levels very much, because it's mostly sea ice and sea ice is already at equilibrium with the water. But Antarctic ice is mostly land ice, and as land ice falls into the sea it raises sea levels. If it all melted, sea levels would rise an astonishing 58 meters.

How does Harper Lee present Maycomb’s attitudes towards the Radleys in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Harper Lee uses a variety of characters to comment on the Radleys throughout the novel. Their comments display the Maycomb community's attitudes towards the Radley family. Lee uses the character of Stephanie Crawford to convey the negative rumors about Boo Radley that are shared throughout the community.Miss Stephanie tells Jem that Boo stares into her window at night, and Scout mentions that every small crime committed in the county is blamed on the mysterious...

Harper Lee uses a variety of characters to comment on the Radleys throughout the novel. Their comments display the Maycomb community's attitudes towards the Radley family. Lee uses the character of Stephanie Crawford to convey the negative rumors about Boo Radley that are shared throughout the community. Miss Stephanie tells Jem that Boo stares into her window at night, and Scout mentions that every small crime committed in the county is blamed on the mysterious Boo Radley. Stephanie explains Boo's checkered past which propagates his negative perception. In Chapter 1, Scout mentions that when Mr. Radley died, Calpurnia said, "There goes the meanest man God ever blew breath into." (Lee 15) Miss Maudie tells Scout that Mr. Radley was a "foot-washing Baptist" and was a very strict man who punished his son severely for his childhood pranks. Scout comments that the Radleys were not social people which made them different from their community members.

Lee even uses the children throughout the novel to convey Maycomb's negative perception of the Radleys. At the beginning of the novel, Walter Cunningham Jr. comments that he almost lost his life because he ate one of the Radley's poisonous pecans. Jem and Dill's horrific description of Boo is a combination of the nasty rumors spread about him and their overactive imaginations. Even Atticus comments that the children should leave the Radleys alone, and thinks it's best not to return Boo's blanket after he gives it to Scout. Maycomb's negative perception of the Radleys stems from the fact that they are different. Maycomb is a highly prejudiced community that views anybody or anything different as negative. Their intolerance towards the Radleys not only affects Boo's reputation but hurts his chances of gaining friends throughout the community.

How does Orwell use the symbol of the memory holes to deepen the aesthetic impact of the novel and develop the theme?

In Part One, Chapter Four, of 1984, the reader is first introduced to the memory hole. These holes are prevalent in the Ministry of Truth, where Winston works, and are used for destroying scraps of paper. These scraps, however, contain documents from the past and are transported via the memory hole to the "enormous furnaces which were hidden somewhere in the recesses of the building."

The memory hole, then, is a symbol of the...

In Part One, Chapter Four, of 1984, the reader is first introduced to the memory hole. These holes are prevalent in the Ministry of Truth, where Winston works, and are used for destroying scraps of paper. These scraps, however, contain documents from the past and are transported via the memory hole to the "enormous furnaces which were hidden somewhere in the recesses of the building."

The memory hole, then, is a symbol of the party's control over information. As we see in Chapter Four, Winston destroys documents from the past, like the claim that the party would not reduce the chocolate ration, and replaces them with party-approved information. In the case of the chocolate ration, for instance, Winston creates a new document which states that a ration would "probably be necessary in April." This not only boosts the prestige of the party but also makes it appear as though Big Brother has the interests of the people at heart. 

In the wider context of the novel, the memory hole also represents the party's ability to control the past. By destroying memories and installing new ones, the party moulds and shapes popular understanding of Oceania's history. The problem with accepting the party's version of history, however, is that people will come to accept anything that the party tells them.

Like Winston says, in Part One, Chapter Seven, if the party declares that "two plus two equal five," then, sooner or later, one has no choice but to believe it. 

What is the difference between the Ministry of Love and the Ministry of Truth?

In George Orwell's 1984, there are four different ministries that function as the different branches of government.  They are the Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Love, the Ministry of Peace, and the Ministry of Plenty.  

Despite their harmonious names, the names of each ministry are quite ironic, because they actually function in the complete opposite way from what their names imply.  

The Ministry of Truth is where Winston Smith works.  Supposedly, Winston...

In George Orwell's 1984, there are four different ministries that function as the different branches of government.  They are the Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Love, the Ministry of Peace, and the Ministry of Plenty.  

Despite their harmonious names, the names of each ministry are quite ironic, because they actually function in the complete opposite way from what their names imply.  

The Ministry of Truth is where Winston Smith works.  Supposedly, Winston and his branch of government are in charge of checking the historical accuracy of things; however, that is not what the Ministry of Truth does.  The Ministry of Truth is in charge of Big Brother's propaganda machine.  Winston is constantly changing the official records of things, so that they can better reflect the Party's current stance.  The Ministry of Truth is in charge of spreading lies.  

The Ministry of Love is equally ironic.  It's supposed to be in charge of law and order.  In some ways it is.  The Ministry of Love maintains the thought police and makes sure that nobody even considers thinking a bad thing against Big Brother.  But the Ministry of Love's actions are anything but loving.  In order to have people follow the rules, the Ministry of Love uses fear mongering and torture to keep citizens in line.  

What type of poetry is "Out of the Dust"?

"Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse is a novel written in the form of free verse poetry. Free verse poetry, as the name indicates, is free from the limitations imposed by rhyme and meter. It is not very common for novels to be written with free verse poetry, but the lack of limitations creates a more authentic experience as the story is put forth by the protagonist, Billie Jo Kelby. The absence of rhyme...

"Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse is a novel written in the form of free verse poetry. Free verse poetry, as the name indicates, is free from the limitations imposed by rhyme and meter. It is not very common for novels to be written with free verse poetry, but the lack of limitations creates a more authentic experience as the story is put forth by the protagonist, Billie Jo Kelby. The absence of rhyme and rhythm more closely follow the patterns of normal speech.

Free verse was popularized by the Imagists, poets who prioritized the content of their writing over observing the "norms" of poetic writing. The Imagism movement occurred in the early 20th century and served as precursor to the modernist movement. Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson are considered by many to be the most prominent English-language free verse poets.

There are many great examples of free verse poems available on yourdictionary.com. One of my favorites by Walt Whitman is "After the Sea-Ship," a great example of the free-flowing style found in free verse poetry.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, provide three examples of what Jem says or does that indicates a change in his perspective on Boo Radley.

Jem starts out viewing Boo Radley as the neighborhood spook or boogie-man. When he tells Dill all about the mysterious house and shut-in, he describes Boo mostly using gossip told to him by Miss Stephanie Crawford. Things start to change, however, when Dill challenges Jem to get Boo Radley to come out of the house. This sparks a number of incidents where Jem and the kids are either playing in front of the house, acting out the Radley family history, or trying to peek into it, make contact with Boo, or otherwise entertain themselves with the idea of who Boo Radley is or might be. Three incidents are crucial to Jem changing his mind from Boo Radley being a spook to a real person: the mending of his pants, the gifts found in the tree, and the blanket wrapped around Scout.

First, when Jem and the kids are stalking the Radley place one summer night, Jem's pants get caught in the fence as they try to get away. Jem takes off his pants and leaves them behind in order to escape, but when he goes back for them in the middle of the night, he is shocked to discover the following:

"When I went back for my breeches—they were all in a tangle when I was gettin' out of 'em, I couldn't get 'em loose. . . When I went back, they were folded across the fence. . . like they were expectin' me. . . And something else—They'd been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed 'em, like something' I'd try to do. All crooked. It's almost like. . . somebody was readin' my mind" (58).

This is probably the first time that Jem feels as if Boo Radley is a friend rather than an enemy or spook.

Also, Jem and Scout had found little gifts like gum and pennies in the knothole of the Radley tree. After the pants incident, Jem starts thinking it might be Boo behind the gifts, too. He mentions to Scout that they should write a thank you note to whomever is behind the gifts and leave it in the knothole. As Jem starts writing the letter, he says, "Okay, Dear Mister. . ." The unsuspecting Scout says that it might be a woman like Miss Maudie; whereupon Jem says, "Ar-r, Miss Maudie can't chew gum" (61). This slip of Jem's "Ar-r" is the beginning of Boo Radley's first name, which is Arthur. He accidentally does this a couple of times, which suggests that Jem has figured out that it is Boo who leaves the gifts and possibly mended his pants as well.

A third clue that shows Jem's perspective about Boo Radley changes is the night of Miss Maudie's house fire. As Jem and Scout are standing in front of the Radley home watching the flames on a cold winter night, Scout receives a mysterious blanket around her shoulders. When Atticus later sees the blanket back at the Finch house, Jem realizes that Boo must have put that blanket on Scout's shoulders. Jem says the following about the situation:

"Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you. . . Just think, Scout, . . .if you'd just turned around, you'da seen him" (72).

As a result of the gifts in the tree, the mended pants, and the blanket around Scout's shoulders, Jem's perspective changes along with the evidence. He learns for himself about the character of Boo, and that is one of friendship and peace. Miss Stephanie Crawford would have people believe he's a violent nighttime stalker, but fortunately for the kids, Jem figures out through his own experience that Boo Radley is a friend.

What is the central idea of "La Belle Dame Sans Merci"?

It is important to note that poems are not essays. They do not require a single controlling idea or any ideas per se. While they can be grounded in abstraction, most poems are organized around narratives, perceptions or emotions rather than ideas.

"La Belle Dame sans Merci" is a narrative poem telling the story of a traveler encountering a pale, sickly, melancholy knight. When the traveler asks what the knight is doing wandering around...

It is important to note that poems are not essays. They do not require a single controlling idea or any ideas per se. While they can be grounded in abstraction, most poems are organized around narratives, perceptions or emotions rather than ideas.

"La Belle Dame sans Merci" is a narrative poem telling the story of a traveler encountering a pale, sickly, melancholy knight. When the traveler asks what the knight is doing wandering around in the remote countryside, the knight tells a story of having been seduced by a female fairy or elf. After a ride and extended foreplay, they have a (discretely worded) sexual encounter and while the knight is asleep, the woman leaves. Since then the knight has wandered mournfully around the area of their meeting.

One can read the poem romantically, seeing the knight as a victim, seduced by the beauty of the fairy. The central idea can then be seen as focusing on the longing for beauty being fatal and destructive but still leading to moments of ineffable joy for which the romantic knight or artist sacrifices everything.

One could also look at the poem more realistically. First, the knight blaming the woman for his unhappiness and having him "in her thrall" can be seen as silly. He willingly slept with her. She left. Rather than indulging in melodramatic moping, one could argue that he should get back to his knightly duties. Thus we could also argue that another central idea is that romantic delusions interfere with getting on with one's daily life and duties.

In the story "In Another Country," why does the boy with the handkerchief on his face have no medals?

The story is based on Hemingway's experiences in Italian hospitals after he was wounded in the leg while driving an ambulance in World War I. In the second World War, Italy was on the side of Germany and Japan, but in the first World War, Italy was allied with Britain, France and America. The narrator of "In Another Country" is rather cynical about the medals the Italian government was handing out so profusely. Some are...

The story is based on Hemingway's experiences in Italian hospitals after he was wounded in the leg while driving an ambulance in World War I. In the second World War, Italy was on the side of Germany and Japan, but in the first World War, Italy was allied with Britain, France and America. The narrator of "In Another Country" is rather cynical about the medals the Italian government was handing out so profusely. Some are meaningful and deserved, while others are mere tokens. The boy who wears a black silk bandage over his face did not receive any medals because he had been wounded after serving only one hour at the front, not long enough to qualify for a medal. He had lost his nose and was having his face rebuilt by some early form of plastic surgery. The reader can imagine that the unfortunate young boy will be disfigured for life.

Another boy who walked with us sometimes and made us five wore a black silk handkerchief across his face because he had no nose then and his face was to be rebuilt. He had gone out to the front from the military academy and been wounded within an hour after he had gone into the front line for the first time.

Hemingway was highly regarded for his ability to write dialogue that conveyed information and characterized the speaker. In this story, as elsewhere, he manages to convey the idea that the men are all speaking in Italian although the dialogue is in English. He does the same thing in his story "The Old Man at the Bridge," in which the narrator and the old Spaniard are presumably speaking in Spanish. And he does this exceptionally well in his best novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, in which the dialogue is all in English but understood, mainly because of the syntax and basic vocabulary, to be spoken mostly in Spanish.

A good example of how Hemingway writes dialogue in English that is to be taken as Italian is the following from the Italian major:

"He cannot marry. He cannot marry," he said angrily. "If he is to lose everything, he should not place himself in a position to lose that. He should not place himself in a position to lose. He should find things he cannot lose."

The Maggiore is using simple words and repetitions of important words because he knows the narrator's understanding of Italian is very limited.