What happens at the end of the story "The Canterville Ghost"?

Chapter VII of Oscar Wilde's parodic ghost story resolves the conflicts of the English and the Americans, as it concludes with the marriage of the American Virginia Otis to the Duke of Cheshire, an English aristocrat.

Wilde's tale explores American and English stereotypes. One of these is Mr. Horace B. Otis, an American businessman who is convinced of the power of the American dollar and is unimpressed with the aristocracy of England, who simply inherit...

Chapter VII of Oscar Wilde's parodic ghost story resolves the conflicts of the English and the Americans, as it concludes with the marriage of the American Virginia Otis to the Duke of Cheshire, an English aristocrat.

Wilde's tale explores American and English stereotypes. One of these is Mr. Horace B. Otis, an American businessman who is convinced of the power of the American dollar and is unimpressed with the aristocracy of England, who simply inherit land and live on the wealth of their families. Virginia is another stereotype, as she represents the Puritanical values of a simplistic right and wrong. For instance, when she encounters the ghost, she tells him that if he would behave, he would have no problems with her brothers annoying him constantly. The ghost argues,

It is absurd asking me to behave myself. . . I must rattle my chains, and groan through keyholes, and walk about at night. It is my only reason for existing.

The undaunted Virginia argues against this English decadence:

It is no reason at all for existing, and you know you have been very nasty. Mrs Umney told us that you had killed your wife.

While generations of his relatives have tolerated the ghost for three hundred years, the Otis family -- who uses Puritanical common sense to remove the blood stains and oil the creaking chains -- is able to overcome the tradition of the terror created by the ghost. Further, Virginia assists the ghost in entering the Garden of Death when she agrees to weep and pray for him so he can pass through the wall and into the churchyard.

What is the analysis/theme of the poem "Little Things" by James Stephens?

The analysis/theme of the poem "Little Things" by James Stephens is as follows:

Theme

The theme of this poem is Forgiveness. James Stephens is asking for forgiveness, not just for himself, but for all mankind, for human beings’ dealings with the small creatures on this earth. The poet/narrator recognizes that small, defenseless creatures are at the mercy of the larger world around them. Human beings, knowingly and unknowingly, can harm these creatures who often cannot...

The analysis/theme of the poem "Little Things" by James Stephens is as follows:

Theme

The theme of this poem is Forgiveness. James Stephens is asking for forgiveness, not just for himself, but for all mankind, for human beings’ dealings with the small creatures on this earth. The poet/narrator recognizes that small, defenseless creatures are at the mercy of the larger world around them. Human beings, knowingly and unknowingly, can harm these creatures who often cannot protect themselves.

Therefore, the poet asks these small creatures for forgiveness, for them to be merciful towards human beings. It is the small creatures that deserve protection and mercy from us. However, we often have other priorities in our busy lives and can forget the gentle, small creatures that we share this planet with.

Analysis

“Little Things” is a poem consisting of five stanzas. Each stanza is a couplet (two lines). Therefore, the poem is ten lines long.

Line #1 rhymes with line #3

Line #2 rhymes with line # 4, #6, #8, and #10.

In the first stanza, James Stephens talks of little creatures that run about and also tremble as they fight to survive in their often harsh environments and landscapes. A very strong thought that the poet impresses upon the minds of readers is that these small creatures can, and do, die in “silence and despair." This is an emotionally charged thought that causes the reader to stop and think of the plight of small creatures.

In the second stanza, he writes that small animals and birds and other little creatures are in a daily battle for survival and do fail in this battle. He states that they fall on “earth and sea and air."

The poet furthers these thoughts, in stanza three, on how these small creatures, such as a mouse, are often frightened as well.

In stanza four, he asks for the aforementioned forgiveness, which is the central point of this poem. He asks that human beings be forgiven for “all our trespasses” against all small creatures, who are beholden to people for their safety and protection.

`sum_(n=51)^100 (7n)` Find the partial sum.

`sum_51^100 7n`

The arithmetic sum formula is

`S_n=n/2(a_1+a_n)`

The number of terms in the sequence is n=50.

The first term in the sequence `a_1=7(51)=357.`

The last term in the sequence `a_n=7(100)=700`

`S_n=50/2(357+700)`

`S_n=25(1057)`

`S_n=26425`

`sum_51^100 7n`

The arithmetic sum formula is

`S_n=n/2(a_1+a_n)`

The number of terms in the sequence is n=50.

The first term in the sequence `a_1=7(51)=357.`

The last term in the sequence `a_n=7(100)=700`

`S_n=50/2(357+700)`

`S_n=25(1057)`

`S_n=26425`

What are some things that Timothy taught Phillip?

Even before Timothy realizes that his illness is serious, and that he'd better prepare Phillip to live alone on the island, blindness and all, the kind old man has begun to teach him things of value.

First, notice how he teaches Phillip to make the sleeping mats out of the palm fronds. Sure, the sleeping mats are useful, but the more important thing that Timothy is teaching the boy is that he has the...

Even before Timothy realizes that his illness is serious, and that he'd better prepare Phillip to live alone on the island, blindness and all, the kind old man has begun to teach him things of value.

First, notice how he teaches Phillip to make the sleeping mats out of the palm fronds. Sure, the sleeping mats are useful, but the more important thing that Timothy is teaching the boy is that he has the capacity to work and get things done even though he lost his vision. Phillip keeps trying to get out of doing the work, keeps trying to make Timothy think he's as helpless as he feels. "The hands aren’t blind though," Timothy replies. This assertion instills in Phillip the belief that he has the power to survive.

Next, let's look at what Timothy teaches Phillip after the old man's illness has become serious. In Chapter 13, he teaches the boy how to fish, saying quite reasonably, "Well, you mus' den know how to provite your own self wid feesh." With patience and a soothing voice, Timothy teaches Phillip this invaluable skill and even helps him learn what to do if he falls into the water--something that Phillip is terrified of, ever since falling from the raft.

Later in Chapter 13, Timothy gives Phillip encouragement and help as the boy learns to scale trees to cut down coconuts. This is not just a practical survival skill but also a lesson in perseverance to the young boy: the fact that he previously couldn't climb the tree really bothered Phillip, but now that Timothy taught him successfully how to do it, they feel that "D'palm harass [them] no more." Meaning, of course, that they've conquered the impossible. Phillip feels so accomplished and so happy from eating the coconuts that he even thinks:

"It was almost as if I'd graduated from the survival course that Timothy had been putting me through since we had landed on the cay."

That "survival course" continues as Timothy teaches Phillip how to prepare for a hurricane in Chapter 14, how to tie down supplies and find high ground. As he's learning this from Timothy, Phillip realizes that he's also been taught how to conserve resources:

"I realized then why he had used our rope sparingly; why he had made my guideline down to east beach from vines instead of rope."

Because Timothy has taught all of these practical and psychological survival skills to Phillip, the old man's sad passing doesn't mean that Phillip is helpless afterward. Yes, Phillip is a child, and yes, he's blind, and totally alone on the cay, but Timothy's lessons keep Phillip alive until he is finally rescued.

In what way has Mr. Underwood recently helped Atticus? Why is this behavior surprising?

Mr. Underwood is "the sole owner, editor, and printer" of the Maycomb Tribune (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 15). The newspaper office is located right next to the jail in downtown Maycomb. On the night that the mob approaches, Scout, Jem, and Dill think that Atticus is alone outside the jail, trying to protect Tom Robinson. The children refuse to leave, fearing for Atticus' safety. They later find out that all along, "Mr....

Mr. Underwood is "the sole owner, editor, and printer" of the Maycomb Tribune (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 15). The newspaper office is located right next to the jail in downtown Maycomb. On the night that the mob approaches, Scout, Jem, and Dill think that Atticus is alone outside the jail, trying to protect Tom Robinson. The children refuse to leave, fearing for Atticus' safety. They later find out that all along, "Mr. Underwood and a double-barreled shotgun were leaning out his window above The Maycomb Tribune office."

The next morning, Aunt Alexandra finds out that the children had sneaked out of the house to find Atticus outside the jail. She thinks that this sort of behavior is disgraceful. Aunt Alexandra is very proper, and she believes that children should be in bed at night and not outside, roaming the streets.

Atticus thinks that his children helped disperse the mob, but Aunt Alexandra thinks that their help was unnecessary because Mr. Underwood was there with his gun. Atticus notes that it is strange how Mr. Underwood was willing to defend him from the mob, even though he was protecting Tom, who is black:

"You know, it's a funny thing about Braxton," said Atticus. "He despises Negroes, won't have one near him."

Even though Mr. Underwood most likely thinks Tom is guilty, he is still willing to defend Atticus as he protects the man. Atticus finds this strange and surprising. Calpurnia is nearby when Atticus says this. Aunt Alexandra is surprised that Atticus would say such a thing in front of Calpurnia, who is black. Atticus says that Calpurnia already knows it, and that he will not hide anything from her.

What expressed powers are exercised by which branches of the federal government?

Expressed powers are those that are specifically written in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution grants Congress the most power with over twenty-seven specific expressed powers. Some of the more important expressed powers of Congress include the power to make laws and levy taxes. The expressed powers of the legislature are contained in Article I, Section 8 and include policies for citizenship, granting copyright or patents, and the ability to declare war. The...

Expressed powers are those that are specifically written in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution grants Congress the most power with over twenty-seven specific expressed powers. Some of the more important expressed powers of Congress include the power to make laws and levy taxes. The expressed powers of the legislature are contained in Article I, Section 8 and include policies for citizenship, granting copyright or patents, and the ability to declare war. The Congress also has the power to approve treaties.

Much of the power of the President of the United States has been created by precedence and not constitutional law. Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution states the powers of the president. In this part of the Constitution, the president is made the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and is given the rights to negotiate treaties. The president is also permitted to appoint members and the department heads of his executive departments and cabinet, subject to the approval of Congress.

The judicial branch of the federal government is given very few expressed powers. They are charged with interpreting and hearing court cases that deal with the federal law. Much of the power of the Supreme Court was established through precedence, with the Marbury v. Madison case creating the principle of judicial review for the Court.

What are the points to include in a literary appreciation?

The term "literary appreciation" requires analysis of how an author uses form, structure and technique to create meaning in combination with well reasoned and soundly supported personal opinion in relation to a literary work. It melds minimal description and analysis of a work with your own personal response.

In education, literary appreciation can be used for assignments at various academic levels and is a critical part of the Cambridge IGCSE exams taken by students up to...

The term "literary appreciation" requires analysis of how an author uses form, structure and technique to create meaning in combination with well reasoned and soundly supported personal opinion in relation to a literary work. It melds minimal description and analysis of a work with your own personal response.

In education, literary appreciation can be used for assignments at various academic levels and is a critical part of the Cambridge IGCSE exams taken by students up to 19 years old in which they are asked to respond to a work in a way that blends critical literary thinking with the development of insights about the author's meaning--as expressed through form, structure and techniques--in relation to people and cultures. 

Along with theme, a good starting point for this genre is to look at the characters in the literary work and what they learn and experience as the work progresses. As well as thinking about their experiences, examine how the author gives you an idea of the moral and psychological natures of the characters. You might mention any details which are especially effective in displaying character and the relationship between the narrator and the characters

Next, you should cover a carefully developed opinion, based on many quotations about the work, and what you have learned from your reading and how you can apply it to your own life. For example, the plot of Pride and Prejudice might make you think about the reasons why you shouldn't judge people quickly and superficially or George Orwell's 1984 might make you think about the relationship between language and truth. 

In The Education of Little Tree, what kind of person is Granpa?

The Education of Little Tree, an autobiography by Forrest Carter, begins with Forrest losing his parents and being taken in by his full Cherokee grandparents, Granma and Granpa, despite initially clinging to his half-Cherokee grandfather. Despite Forrest's initial resistance to go home with Granpa and Granma, they both do their best to comfort him and help him feel safe. In this moment and throughout the account, Granpa is depicted as patient, steady and caring...

The Education of Little Tree, an autobiography by Forrest Carter, begins with Forrest losing his parents and being taken in by his full Cherokee grandparents, Granma and Granpa, despite initially clinging to his half-Cherokee grandfather. Despite Forrest's initial resistance to go home with Granpa and Granma, they both do their best to comfort him and help him feel safe. In this moment and throughout the account, Granpa is depicted as patient, steady and caring.

Granpa teaches Forrest many valuable lessons about nature, the world around him, and running the still used to make the whiskey that serves as the income for the family. He refuses to compromise his values and do things, including crafting his whiskey, in the easier, faster ways that others have started to use. Also, when Forrest makes an error in judgement and buys a diseased calf on a trip into town, Granpa does not punish him, but allows him to learn from his mistake. When events happen that Forrest does not understand, Granpa explains them to him. He teaches Forrest what he believes to be one of the most valuable lessons, that to love a person means to understand them.

Why does Shakespeare have Macbeth display certain admirable traits at the end of The Tragedy of Macbeth?

In Macbeth, Macbeth develops and changes drastically throughout the course of the play. He begins as a noble warrior for Scotland and ends as a tyrant and murderer. At the end of the play, Macbeth knows that he will most likely die. He has seen Birnam Wood move to Dunsinane, and he knows that he is fighting Macduff, who is not born of a woman. The witches prophesied that he would be overtaken when these two things...

In Macbeth, Macbeth develops and changes drastically throughout the course of the play. He begins as a noble warrior for Scotland and ends as a tyrant and murderer. At the end of the play, Macbeth knows that he will most likely die. He has seen Birnam Wood move to Dunsinane, and he knows that he is fighting Macduff, who is not born of a woman. The witches prophesied that he would be overtaken when these two things occurred. Therefore, at this point in the play, Macbeth knows he is going to die. However, in his death he does show bravery, courage, and honor. He knows that Macduff will most likely overtake him and kill him. Yet he does not back down. He says, "Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, And thou opposed, being of no woman born, Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff" (Act 5 Scene 8). He does not give up and surrender even though he knows he is going to die. Courage, honor, and bravery are positive characteristics that Macbeth showcases here at the end of his life. In his plays, Shakespeare showcases human nature. Many times we as humans want to end our lives on a positive note. For some people this might mean reconciling with another individual, or it could be donating money to a cause. Macbeth wants to end his life positively to try to "redeem" some of the bad choices he has made. Even though Macbeth deteriorated as a character throughout the play, he ends his life in an admirable way.

In the book Around the World in 80 Days, why were the men at the club convinced that Mr. Fogg had been unsuccessful? Give reasons to support your...

The five men who were involved in the bet were skeptical of his success from the start of the book, so their initial doubt helped to encourage their doubt by the end of the story as well. Chapter 36 provides the most evidence as to why the men continue to doubt Fogg's ability to be successful. When the chapter begins, it is the last day that Fogg has to arrive and there is less than an hour for him to do so. Additionally, all reports of Fogg's whereabouts stopped three days earlier. Nobody knows where he is.  

The 17th of December, the day of James Strand’s arrest, was the seventy-sixth since Phileas Fogg’s departure, and no news of him had been received. Was he dead? Had he abandoned the effort, or was he continuing his journey along the route agreed upon?

On top of Fogg's seeming disappearance, the last confirmed news that the men had about Fogg said that he was still in jail for a crime that he didn't actually commit. That means a lot of lost time for Fogg. As the chapter progresses the tension builds, and the men's doubt grows. The reason for this is because the clock keeps ticking and Fogg is still absent. With about fifteen minutes to go, one of the men claims victory, because he knows that Fogg wasn't on the train that would have put him in town early enough. 

‘Well, gentlemen,’ resumed Andrew Stuart, ‘if Phileas Fogg had come in the 7:23 train, he would have got here by this time. We can, therefore, regard the bet as won.’

Even the reader doubts that Fogg can make it, but with three seconds to spare, Fogg shows up. 

At the fifty-seventh second the door of the saloon opened; and the pendulum had not beat the sixtieth second when Phileas Fogg appeared, followed by an excited crowd who had forced their way through the club doors, and in his calm voice, said, ‘Here I am, gentlemen!’

What is the importance of anatomy and physiology in strength and conditioning?

Knowing how a body responds to physical stressors and different motions will allow a coach or athlete to create a strength and conditioning program that will maximize results while minimizing injury.  

Additionally, every person has a different shape, size, amount of flexibility, strength capacity, and range of motion. Since there is variety among athletes, all athletes on a team should not be expected to perform the same workout regime. It would be unreasonable to expect...

Knowing how a body responds to physical stressors and different motions will allow a coach or athlete to create a strength and conditioning program that will maximize results while minimizing injury.  

Additionally, every person has a different shape, size, amount of flexibility, strength capacity, and range of motion. Since there is variety among athletes, all athletes on a team should not be expected to perform the same workout regime. It would be unreasonable to expect that an individual that is new to a sport will be able to perform in the same manner as a seasoned athlete. Being well-versed in anatomy and physiology will ensure that each individual is prescribed an appropriate routine that will maximize his or her individual physical ability.

Here are eight key principles of successful training.

In the novel Lord of the Flies, why is the "Lord of the Flies" the best leader?

The "Lord of the Flies" could be described as the best leader throughout the novel because the majority of the boys choose to act like savages and subscribe to the belief that they need to make sacrifices to the beast. The "Lord of the Flies" is symbolic of the inherent evil and wickedness present in each individual. It also represents the carnal desire in each human. The boys who chose to join Jack's tribe essentially...

The "Lord of the Flies" could be described as the best leader throughout the novel because the majority of the boys choose to act like savages and subscribe to the belief that they need to make sacrifices to the beast. The "Lord of the Flies" is symbolic of the inherent evil and wickedness present in each individual. It also represents the carnal desire in each human. The boys who chose to join Jack's tribe essentially follow their inherent desires, thus choosing to follow the "Lord of the Flies." They neglect civility and opt to become savages. The "Lord of the Flies" is regarded as a significant figure that requires attention from the boys and encourages violence on the island. Flies surround the rotting pig's head, and the name "Lord of the Flies" is the actual translation of the Hebrew word Beelzebub, also known as the Devil. The savage acts of violence and disregard for humanity on the island result from Satan's "leadership" on the island. Murder and intimidation are prevalent, which is why the "Lord of the Flies" can be described as the most successful leader on the island.

How does Mr. Lorry comfort Lucie on her wedding day in A Tale of Two Cities?

On her wedding day, Mr. Lorry consoles Lucie, who is worried about leaving her fragile father, by assuring her that Dr. Manette will be closely looked after by him and Miss Pross.

In Book the Second, Chapter XVIII, "Nine Days," it is Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay's wedding day. While this is a joyous occasion, as she prepares to leave on her honeymoon, Lucie is anxious about her delicate father, who has endured eighteen years...

On her wedding day, Mr. Lorry consoles Lucie, who is worried about leaving her fragile father, by assuring her that Dr. Manette will be closely looked after by him and Miss Pross.

In Book the Second, Chapter XVIII, "Nine Days," it is Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay's wedding day. While this is a joyous occasion, as she prepares to leave on her honeymoon, Lucie is anxious about her delicate father, who has endured eighteen years in the Bastille. But, Mr. Lorry comforts her with these words, 

"You leave your good father, my dear, in hands as earnest and as loving as your own; he shall be taken every conceivable care of....And, when, ...he comes to join you and your beloved husband...you shall say that we have sent him to you in the best health and in the happiest frame."

Ironically, however, Mr. Lorry has no idea of the trauma and relapse which Dr. Manette will soon suffer when Charles Darnay talks with him. For, in accordance with his promise made to Dr. Manette, Darnay has agreed to reveal his real name on his wedding day, only after having been successful in wooing Lucie. On this day Dr. Manette will learn what he has feared to hear earlier simply because he must.

What does Act 1, Scene 3 tell us about the witches' power?

This scene shows us that the witches do have some supernatural power, although we cannot know for certain just how much.  

They tell Macbeth that he will be made the Thane of Cawdor, and this is not technically a prophecy because it has already happened: Duncan told Ross at the end of the prior scene to go and execute the Thane of Cawdor for treason, "And with his former title greet Macbeth" (1.2.76). Macbeth...

This scene shows us that the witches do have some supernatural power, although we cannot know for certain just how much.  

They tell Macbeth that he will be made the Thane of Cawdor, and this is not technically a prophecy because it has already happened: Duncan told Ross at the end of the prior scene to go and execute the Thane of Cawdor for treason, "And with his former title greet Macbeth" (1.2.76). Macbeth isn't aware that this has happened, however, and so when Ross approaches him to present him with his new title, it seems as though the Weird Sisters have foretold the future. It is possible that when they tell him that he will be king, they aren't prophesying but rather telling him something to manipulate him: they might just want to see what he'll be willing to do in order to make this statement become reality. If so, then they perhaps have no real ability to foretell future events.

However, they do vanish (according to the stage direction just after line 81). Being able to disappear into thin air does seem to indicate that they have some supernatural ability, if not the one they claim to possess. At the beginning of the scene, they discuss a number of things which, if they can really do them, would also indicate their supernatural natures: sailing anywhere in a sieve, torturing a man by preventing him from sleeping for a long period of time, controlling the winds, and so on.

What secret whisper does Paul keep hearing from his rocking-horse in D. H. Lawrence's story "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

At the start of D. H. Lawrence's story "The Rocking-Horse Winner," Paul and his sisters hear the words whispered through the springs of the rocking-horse, "There must be more money! There must be more money!" Additionally, they hear the same words whispered all throughout the house.Towards the end of the story, we learn that Paul's rocking-horse also whispers the names of winning horsesin upcoming races. This is a belief Paul develops after...

At the start of D. H. Lawrence's story "The Rocking-Horse Winner," Paul and his sisters hear the words whispered through the springs of the rocking-horse, "There must be more money! There must be more money!" Additionally, they hear the same words whispered all throughout the house.

Towards the end of the story, we learn that Paul's rocking-horse also whispers the names of winning horses in upcoming races. This is a belief Paul develops after first talking with his mother about luck, a conversation that leads him to feel determined to be a lucky person. Feeling the need to do something to bring his mother luck, Paul rides his rocking-horse in a frenzied manner, certain his horse can take him to where luck is, just as a real horse would be able to take him to a destination.

We learn that Paul wildly rides his rocking-horse until he hears it whisper the name of the winning horse once Paul becomes obsessed with earning more money for his mother. When she is disappointed that his secret gift of 5,000 pounds is so little, he begins feeling an urgent need to be certain of the winner for the next big races. Sadly, he loses money in the Grand National and the Lincoln, which makes him even more determined to be certain of the winner for the Derby. He is so determined that he begs his mother to let him postpone his seaside holiday so that he can ride his rocking-horse.

How does Eliot employ the elements from poetry in Murder in the Cathedral?

T.S. Eliot was first and foremost a poet, and in this 1935 play, commissioned by George Bell, the bishop of Chichester, to critique Nazi abuses of power, Eliot writes primarily in verse. In fact, the only two parts of the play not written as poetic verse are Thomas's Christmas day sermon and the apologies the knights make for their crimes.

Eliot has both the play's chorus and its actors use poetic devices to evoke a...

T.S. Eliot was first and foremost a poet, and in this 1935 play, commissioned by George Bell, the bishop of Chichester, to critique Nazi abuses of power, Eliot writes primarily in verse. In fact, the only two parts of the play not written as poetic verse are Thomas's Christmas day sermon and the apologies the knights make for their crimes.

Eliot has both the play's chorus and its actors use poetic devices to evoke a mood of darkness, chill, expectation and foreboding. These devices include alliteration, repetition, and use of imagery.

We find alliteration, or using the same consonant at the beginning of more than one word in a line, when the chorus repeats "w" words in "... a waste of water and mud,/The New Year waits, breathes, waits, whispers ... "

Repetition occurs as both the chorus and the First Priest repeat the words "seven years:"

Seven years and the summer is over/Seven years since the archbishop left us.

Eliot uses poetic imagery throughout the play, for example, when he has Thomas say:

For a little time the hungry hawk/Will soar and hover, circling lower,/Waiting excuse, pretence, opportunity.

Here we can see the hawk in our mind's eyes, a predatory animal, circling and waiting for the kill, a metaphor for Henry II awaiting an opportunity to destroy Thomas, but also a timeless metaphor that can be applied to the Nazi quest for power.

Likewise, the chorus's images of how "golden October declined into sombre November" sets a tone of foreboding, both in terms of events that will unfold in medieval England with the murder of Thomas and the chilling events unfolding in 1930s Germany. 

Eliot's play is not primarily a realistic reenactment of the Archbishop of Canterbury's murder, though that was a real event in history, but a poetic meditation on the politics of evil across the ages. 

Explain the confrontation between Lula and the Finch kids.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, racial tensions are high. African American people and whites have separate water fountains, entrances, neighborhoods, and churches. In this time period in the South, whites and blacks did not attend church together. Therefore, the Finch kids caused quite a stir when they entered First Purchase Church with Calpurnia. Most of the congregation were kind to the Finch kids because they understood that they were children, and they respected their...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, racial tensions are high. African American people and whites have separate water fountains, entrances, neighborhoods, and churches. In this time period in the South, whites and blacks did not attend church together. Therefore, the Finch kids caused quite a stir when they entered First Purchase Church with Calpurnia. Most of the congregation were kind to the Finch kids because they understood that they were children, and they respected their father, Atticus, for all that he was doing to help Tom Robinson. However, Lula, a member of the congregation, does not want the Finch kids at First Purchase Church. She says that they have their own church and should not be there. Harper Lee uses Lula to showcase the fact that there are some African American people that do not accept Atticus and his family even though he is trying to help the cause of African Americans as a whole through the Tom Robinson case. Lula can also help the reader understand how prejudice may beget prejudice—Lula's frustration and anger are the products of the treatment she has received as she has been excluded from white society. Much as we sympathize with Scout and Jem, Lula's perspective too is understandable: why should white people be allowed in her church when she has never been allowed in theirs?

What are some of the narrator's personal characteristics?

Nick Carraway, the narrator, comes from old money and graduated from Yale (though his financial circumstances are somewhat reduced at this point in his life).  He fought in World War I, and, when he came home, he no longer felt satisfied by his home in the Midwest.  He decided to move east, to New York, to learn the bond business, and his father agreed to finance his endeavors for one year.  As he tells us...

Nick Carraway, the narrator, comes from old money and graduated from Yale (though his financial circumstances are somewhat reduced at this point in his life).  He fought in World War I, and, when he came home, he no longer felt satisfied by his home in the Midwest.  He decided to move east, to New York, to learn the bond business, and his father agreed to finance his endeavors for one year.  As he tells us in the first chapter, Nick is "inclined to reserve all judgments" when it comes to other people because he agrees with his father that not everyone has had the advantages that he's had.  He has a sense of humor, a trait we see in his first interaction with his cousin, Daisy.  Nick is obliging and patient, waiting quietly and awkwardly while Tom sleeps with his mistress in the next room when they go to New York City.  In the beginning at least, though he has seen a lot in war, Nick is still relatively innocent and naive; by the end of the novel, however, he seems a great deal less innocent and more disillusioned by what he has seen of society.

What does Pip learn about friendship in the novel Great Expectations, and how does Dickens show ways in which friendship can be affected by social...

Pip learns not to base friendship on social class. Instead he learns to recognize that some of the best-hearted and most honest people in the world, the people who are his true friends, come from the lower classes.

Pip spends much of the novel driven by ambition, struggling to become a gentleman so that he can marry Estella. In the process, he snubs his true friend, the working class blacksmith and father figure, Joe. Pip...

Pip learns not to base friendship on social class. Instead he learns to recognize that some of the best-hearted and most honest people in the world, the people who are his true friends, come from the lower classes.

Pip spends much of the novel driven by ambition, struggling to become a gentleman so that he can marry Estella. In the process, he snubs his true friend, the working class blacksmith and father figure, Joe. Pip is likewise horrified and, at first, embarrassed and unappreciative when he discovers that his secret benefactor, the person who set him up as a gentleman, is the rough convict Magwitch. As Pip journeys to maturity he comes to appreciate that the humble Joe and Magwitch, are, in fact, his true friends. He learns that it is not outward status that makes a friend, but the quality of a person's character. 

Through Pumblechook, Dickens shows how friendship can be affected by social class. Pumblechook treats the young Pip badly early on in the novel, for instance feeding him dry bread for breakfast while he, Pumblechook, dines well. Later, as Pip becomes successful and rises to become a gentleman, Pumblechook's manner changes to one of deference and kindness, and then, when Pip becomes poor again, to one of scorn. We see Pip affected as well by the English class system when he avoids Joe after his (Pip's) rise in social station, because he fears Joe wouldn't fit into his new, exalted world. 

In The Known World, what is the quote where Augustus is disgusted with Henry for owning slaves?

I believe the quote you are looking for is in Chapter 4 (page 138; this is the 2003 edition of the book), where Henry finally admits to his parents that he owns slaves.

Of all the human beins on God's earth, I never once thought the first slaveowner I would tell to leave my place would be my own child. I never thought it would be you. Why did we ever buy you offa Robbins...

I believe the quote you are looking for is in Chapter 4 (page 138; this is the 2003 edition of the book), where Henry finally admits to his parents that he owns slaves.

Of all the human beins on God's earth, I never once thought the first slaveowner I would tell to leave my place would be my own child. I never thought it would be you. Why did we ever buy you offa Robbins if you gon do this? Why trouble ourselves with you bein free, Henry? You could not have hurt me more if you had cut off my arms and my legs.

As a black man, Henry must purchase his own slaves through William Robbins, a white plantation owner.

Using Henry's money, Robbins did all Henry's purchases of slaves before 1850 when a delegate from Manchester had the law changed. Most white men knew that when they sold a slave to Robbins, they were really selling to Henry Townsend (page 50).

Mildred and Augustus are deeply grieved at Henry's confession. Mildred accuses her son of doing things the "same old bad way." She has always taught her son that a man who was once a slave must never own one himself. It would be like going back to Egypt "after God done took you outa there." Meanwhile, Augustus is so furious that he beats Henry with a stick. Eventually, the altercation ends with Henry leaving his parents' house, as his mother looks on sadly.

How does Juliet's character help illuminate the work as a whole?

Juliet symbolizes everything having to do with light. For Romeo at the beginning of the play, he is in the dark clutches of loneliness and depression for having recently lost his first love Rosaline. At Lord Capulet's party he sees Juliet for the first time and says, "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!" (I.v.44). Juliet, like a torch, leads Romeo out of the darkness into the light of love. Then, it is the light in her window by the darkness of night that Romeo is guided through the estate's gardens. To Romeo, this is not just a light, but the sun, which symbolizes the most powerful light and energy that the world knows.

"But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun" (II.ii.2-3).

Then, Romeo compares himself to the moon and asks her for help out of the darkness of his grief, as follows:

"Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief" (II.ii.4-5).

Romeo continues to compare images that are filled with light to Juliet, such as, "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars" (II.ii.19).

For other characters, and the play as a whole, everything happy depends on Juliet. For example, Friar Lawrence believes that the marriage between Romeo and Juliet could help to end the conflict between the two families. Paris wants to brighten his life by marrying her. Her father wishes to stop her tears, as well as his family's grief over Tybalt's death, by marrying her to Paris. All of these other characters hope to find a brighter life through Juliet marrying someone.

Juliet, herself, also brings brightness and hope to the play because of her youthful and happy spirit. She is the one who makes Romeo an honest man by proposing marriage first. This shows that she is pure and pious and wants to do what is right before God, even though she doesn't want to marry her father's choice for a husband. She also brings a youthful hope for a better world as her love for Romeo also shines through troubled times:

"Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night;

For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night.

Whiter than new snow on a raven's back.

Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow'd night,

Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night

And pay no worship to the garish sun" (III.ii.17-25).

The struggle between darkness and light conflict and battle throughout the play as Juliet represents day and Romeo represents night; and the light of the stars will forever claim the "star-cross'd lovers" just as the Chorus announces and proclaims in the Prologue.

How does the story's point of view change at the end of paragraph 7 of the story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?"

Ambrose Bierce uses a variety of points of view within the story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." The story begins with a third person limited point of view. The narration focuses on what is outwardly observable without entering into the minds or thoughts of any of the characters that are described. Thus the motions, positions, and appearance of the captain, the sentinels, the civilian, and the sergeant are described in an objective fashion. Toward...

Ambrose Bierce uses a variety of points of view within the story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." The story begins with a third person limited point of view. The narration focuses on what is outwardly observable without entering into the minds or thoughts of any of the characters that are described. Thus the motions, positions, and appearance of the captain, the sentinels, the civilian, and the sergeant are described in an objective fashion. Toward the end of the fourth paragraph, the perspective changes, and the narration becomes third person limited omniscient and begins to describe what the civilian, who is about to be hanged, is seeing and even thinking. This perspective holds throughout paragraphs five and six, with paragraph five detailing the man's physical sensations and paragraph six disclosing his thoughts. The last sentence of paragraph seven returns to the detached, objective third person limited narration by reporting matter-of-factly, "The sergeant stepped aside." 

The vacillating points of view that Bierce uses allow him to set up the fantastical action of the story without giving away the twist ending, namely, that the action occurs only in Peyton Farquhar's head. Because he uses a third person limited perspective at times at the beginning of the story, the reader is drawn into the realism of the story and assumes that Farquhar's surprising escape is also real. Tracking the shifts in point of view are helpful in understanding how Bierce is able to pull off his trickery so effectively. 

What Illustration and connection does Adam Smith have with JCPENNY and Sears?

The question looks at the connection between Adam Smith, a Scottish author and political philosopher (1723-1790), and the US department store chains of J.C.Penney and Sears-Roebuck & Co.

Adam Smith is perhaps most well-known among students for his treatise "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", published in 1776.  The work is generally thought of as a conceptual foundation for free-market economics, that is economic interaction which is left as...

The question looks at the connection between Adam Smith, a Scottish author and political philosopher (1723-1790), and the US department store chains of J.C.Penney and Sears-Roebuck & Co.

Adam Smith is perhaps most well-known among students for his treatise "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", published in 1776.  The work is generally thought of as a conceptual foundation for free-market economics, that is economic interaction which is left as much as possible as a free-will exchange between producer and consumer (or buyer and seller).  Most importantly, perhaps, is its thesis that people acting in their own natural economic self-interest will automatically result in a system which maximizes total economic value and well-being.  These results occur as if moved by "an invisible hand", rather than having to be designed and engineered by any formal power (such as government).

The core element of this marketplace is the free competition of producers in their efforts to provide the best total value to consumers.  The manifestation of this approach can be seen in the function of the ancient marketplace, such as the Greek agora (see the reference below for a good description of ancient agoras).  Open marketplaces still hold an allure for consumers (e.g. the rising popularity of weekend farmer's markets in major cities).

The breadth and variety of goods available for sale exploded during the industrial age.  As such, a consumer in the 1800's could scarcely go to a single location and peruse an adequate variety of offerings for all of the items of life.  The result was that many consumers, especially in rural settings, were limited to selection among very few competing producers for many manufactured wares.  Sears addressed this gap through its catalog marketing.  Through the catalog, a person could see many competitors for all manner of items, discern differences in quality and price, and make decisions which maximized value.  In other words, the catalog provided the function of an open, free market.  As urban areas grew, the concept led to the development of department stores, in cities with sufficient population to support them.  These provided the same role as the catalogs while also providing the immediacy of being able to purchase many items on the spot.  In both cases, the key concept was providing access to variety and competition, exactly what Adam Smith hypothesized would lead to maximum wealth and well being.

The energy transfer in a(n) _____ is more complex than energy transfer in a food chain because the interaction between many organisms is considered.

In an ecosystem, we have many interactions between organisms, including producers, consumers, detritivores, etc. These interactions can be studied in terms of food chains and food webs. In a food chain, only a particular set of organisms are involved. For example, a food chain in a grassland may include grass (producer), rabbits (primary consumer) and wolves (secondary consumer). This food chain will only consider these organisms. However, in an ecosystem, many organisms interact with each...

In an ecosystem, we have many interactions between organisms, including producers, consumers, detritivores, etc. These interactions can be studied in terms of food chains and food webs. In a food chain, only a particular set of organisms are involved. For example, a food chain in a grassland may include grass (producer), rabbits (primary consumer) and wolves (secondary consumer). This food chain will only consider these organisms. However, in an ecosystem, many organisms interact with each other, either as competitors, prey or predator, etc. The interactions between different food chains or organisms at a much larger level is studied by using food webs. In a food web, various food chains interact with each other. For example, the same grass can be eaten by cows, rabbits, sheep, goats and other herbivores. All such herbivores are preys for a carnivore such as a wolf, tiger, lion, etc. 

Thus, the study of energy interactions is more complex in the case of a food web as compared to a food chain, since many organisms are interacting.

Hope this helps. 

After arriving at Buna, a distant relative asks Elie and his father for news of his family. What is Elie's reply? Why does he say this?

When Elie and his father arrive at their new camp, they are greeted by Stein from Antwerp, a distant relative. Stein asks Elie if he has any news about Stein's family. In reality, Elie has no information about Stein's family; however, he lies and tells Stein that his family is alive and doing well. Why does he do this? At this point, Elie has realized the role of hope in survival. He knows that if...

When Elie and his father arrive at their new camp, they are greeted by Stein from Antwerp, a distant relative. Stein asks Elie if he has any news about Stein's family. In reality, Elie has no information about Stein's family; however, he lies and tells Stein that his family is alive and doing well. Why does he do this? At this point, Elie has realized the role of hope in survival. He knows that if he gives Stein hope, he will increase Stein's chances of making it through the concentration camp. Elie has little materially to offer, but this is something he can give.

Unfortunately, the "gift" is short-lived. When a transport arrives from Antwerp soon after, Stein learns the actual fate of his family and never visits Elie again.

How does Bud change in Chapter 4?

In chapter 4, Bud has been victimized by the Amos family with cruel treatment for some time. As an orphan, he has been taught to be grateful and passive at this new home so that the family will keep him. Up until chapter 4, Bud follows these guidelines and tells adults, even those cruel to him, what they want to hear.

In this short chapter, however, the reader is introduced to a new Bud who...

In chapter 4, Bud has been victimized by the Amos family with cruel treatment for some time. As an orphan, he has been taught to be grateful and passive at this new home so that the family will keep him. Up until chapter 4, Bud follows these guidelines and tells adults, even those cruel to him, what they want to hear.

In this short chapter, however, the reader is introduced to a new Bud who will stand up for himself. Bud changes from a victim to a perpetrator of revenge and justice. He breaks out of the imprisoned situation in which the family had him. He decides to flee and never return to the orphanage. Lastly, he makes one gesture that is both revenge and a measure of protection. He creates a situation, acting in a way he has not before, where he can be sure to cause upset in the Amos family. He causes the Amos' son to wet the bed so that Mrs. Amos will see that her son is not perfect. He hopes that perhaps future foster children will not be as abused as he was by the Amos family because they now will see that their son and not the foster child is the cause of the household turmoil.

How many times a week did the slaves have to dance in The Slave Dancer?

In the book The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox, Jessie is forced to play his fife to make the slaves dance every other day. 

After the slaves are brought onto the ship, Jessie is forced to make the slaves dance by playing his fife every other day. Although Jessie does not initially realize his purpose on the ship, he soon ascertains that he was kidnapped to make the slaves dance.  As Jessie’s thoughts reveal:

...

In the book The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox, Jessie is forced to play his fife to make the slaves dance every other day. 

After the slaves are brought onto the ship, Jessie is forced to make the slaves dance by playing his fife every other day. Although Jessie does not initially realize his purpose on the ship, he soon ascertains that he was kidnapped to make the slaves dance.  As Jessie’s thoughts reveal:

“It was to perform this service every other morning that I had been kidnapped and carried across the ocean.”

Thus, although Jessie has other tasks as well, playing his instrument for the slaves every other morning is his primary purpose. Jessie has other duties as well. For example, he kills mice, fetches items for the crew, and helps clean the ship. However, his primary role on the ship is playing his instrument to encourage the slaves to dance.

Therefore, the slaves dance every other day. Although Jessie has other responsibilities and personally does not enjoy this activity, he is forced to play his pipe to encourage the slaves to dance.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what do we learn at the beginning of Chapter 10 about the way Scout and Jem feel about Atticus?

Chapter ten is about secret powers. Atticus is by far the oldest parent among Scout's friend group. Atticus does not hunt, farm, drive a dump truck, or do any of the outdoorsy jobs that the other parents do. Atticus is too old to play tackle football with his son. When Scout asks Miss Maudie what her father "can do," Miss Maudie says that he can "make somebody’s will so airtight can’t anybody meddle with it." Scout is unimpressed. She is also unimpressed with the other talents Miss Maudie lists (champion checker player and accomplished Jew's harp player). For her, all Atticus does is "sit in the livingroom and read." She is amazed, however, when Atticus is able to kill a rabid dog from a significant distance with a single shot.

Of course, Atticus's real secret power is his sense of justice and his ability to empathize and care for others. These things simply do not matter to Scout. Atticus's history as "one-shot Finch" is a kind of suppressed story; however, Scout learns that often there is more to people—and what they can do—than meets the eye.

What are the linguistic features of "Waltzing Matilda"?

"Waltzing Matilda" relies heavily on colloquialisms, or common, informal words and sayings which are specific to a geographical region. The song is rife with Australian colloquialisms ("jumbug," "tucker bag," "billabong," and so on), and assumes a native audience.

"Waltzing Matilda" is also heavily reliant upon alliteration, or the repetition of consonants ("billy boiled," "swagman / grabbed / glee"). It has a refrain, or a repeating verse ("You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me"). The second and...

"Waltzing Matilda" relies heavily on colloquialisms, or common, informal words and sayings which are specific to a geographical region. The song is rife with Australian colloquialisms ("jumbug," "tucker bag," "billabong," and so on), and assumes a native audience.

"Waltzing Matilda" is also heavily reliant upon alliteration, or the repetition of consonants ("billy boiled," "swagman / grabbed / glee"). It has a refrain, or a repeating verse ("You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me"). The second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme, and the song conveys a narrative (that is, of a criminal who steals a sheep and pays for it with his life). Thus, we can safely say that "Waltzing Matilda" is a ballad, as it tells a story and has a consistent rhyme scheme. Like most ballads, it is a sort of musical poem which lends itself to oral history.

It could also be argued that "Waltzing Matilda" is something of a tragicomedy, as it incorporates both comedic and tragic elements. In some respects it is a fable, as it involves animals and conveys a moral message. However, the song lacks the fantastical elements common to fables, such as talking animals, and the light-hearted treatment of the criminal's death seems to belie any strong morality.

In the poem "Mending wall", How does the poet (Robert Frost) view his neighbor? Is his neighbor practical, illogical, a good neighbor, or a...

In Robert Frost's poem, Mending Wall, the speaker and his neighbor repair/rebuild the stone wall between their property in the spring of each year. The speaker of the poem ponders why they do this as they do not have livestock they need to keep on their own properties, and: 

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines

In the above quote and elsewhere in the poem, the speaker...

In Robert Frost's poem, Mending Wall, the speaker and his neighbor repair/rebuild the stone wall between their property in the spring of each year. The speaker of the poem ponders why they do this as they do not have livestock they need to keep on their own properties, and: 

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines

In the above quote and elsewhere in the poem, the speaker points out that the process of repairing and maintaining the wall is not for practical reasons. Thus, it is unlikely that the speaker would characterize his neighbor as 'practical'.

The speaker may find his neighbor to be 'illogical' in insisting the wall be maintained despite the lack of consequences to its absence, but the two times the neighbor is quoted in the poem seem to lead to the conclusion that the speaker views his neighbor as a 'traditionalist' rather than illogical.

The speaker twice quotes his neighbor's maxim that "Good fences make good neighbours." This quote is not based on practical or logical considerations, but rather on what appears to be traditional wisdom. Further, in the last three lines of the poem, the speaker reveals that his neighbor is repeating the saying of the neighbor's father. This reference back to the neighbor's father strongly supports the idea that the speaker sees his neighbor as a traditionalist, at least with respect to maintaining fences.

Finally, none of the above would indicate that the speaker does not believe his neighbor to be a 'good neighbor.' While the speaker questions the need for the wall, he nonetheless follows the ritual. In so doing, he seems to be acquiescing to his neighbor's maxim. Certainly, the mending ritual, if not the wall itself, helps the speaker and his neighbor remain good neighbors to each other.

How does John Canty react when Prince Edward first insists that he is not Tom, but the Prince of Wales?

Tom Canty was invited to the royal apartments by Edward, the royal prince, after the prince noticed Tom being mistreated by the sentries at the gate. In the royal apartment, the two boys got to talking about their lives and family. The royal prince made inquiries about Tom’s family and found out that Tom’s father and grandmother mistreated the poor boy.

Tom requested the Prince to dress him in royal clothes. Edward indulged him, and...

Tom Canty was invited to the royal apartments by Edward, the royal prince, after the prince noticed Tom being mistreated by the sentries at the gate. In the royal apartment, the two boys got to talking about their lives and family. The royal prince made inquiries about Tom’s family and found out that Tom’s father and grandmother mistreated the poor boy.

Tom requested the Prince to dress him in royal clothes. Edward indulged him, and they exchanged clothes. When they stood in front of the mirror, the boys realized that they shared a very close resemblance in their physique. The Prince noticed a bruise on Tom’s hand and sought to talk to the King. However, because of how he was dressed, the sentry confused him for Tom, and ejected him from the royal precincts.

Prince Edward found himself in unfamiliar territory, but he later reached Offal Court in hopes of convincing Tom’s family that he was actually the Prince and not Tom. Edward met with Tom’s father, who was drunk as usual. Edward pleaded with Tom’s father to take him back home to the king, his father. Tom’s father was stunned at the claims made by the Prince, who he believed was his son. He asked the boy if he had gone mad and dragged him into the house. He further promised him a beating for not bringing any money.

"Believe me, man, believe me!—I speak no lie, but only the truth!—put forth thy hand and save me! I am indeed the Prince of Wales!”

The man stared down, stupefied, upon the lad, then shook his head and muttered— “Gone stark mad as any Tom o' Bedlam!”—then collared him once more, and said with a coarse laugh and an oath, “But mad or no mad, I and thy Gammer Canty will soon find where the soft places in thy bones lie, or I'm no true man!”

With this he dragged the frantic and struggling prince away, and disappeared up a front court followed by a delighted and noisy swarm of human vermin.

How does conduction takes place in solids, liquids, and gases?

Conduction is the transfer of heat energy that occurs between two objects that are touching. Thus, conduction occurs between the particles of solids, liquids, and gases that collide into one another.

During conduction, heat will always transfer from the hotter to the colder object. Temperature is a reflection of the average kinetic energy of the particles of a substance. During conduction, the warmer and faster particles collide into cooler and slower particles. When this occurs,...

Conduction is the transfer of heat energy that occurs between two objects that are touching. Thus, conduction occurs between the particles of solids, liquids, and gases that collide into one another.

During conduction, heat will always transfer from the hotter to the colder object. Temperature is a reflection of the average kinetic energy of the particles of a substance. During conduction, the warmer and faster particles collide into cooler and slower particles. When this occurs, energy is moved from the warmer particles that have more energy to the cooler particles that have less energy. This process continues until the system has reached equilibrium and both objects are the same temperature.

Because the particles of solids are closest to one another and can easily bump into one another, conduction occurs the fastest in solids. Similarly, because the particles of gases are the farthest from one another, conduction is the slowest in solids.

In Lord of the Flies, what was Ralph's reaction to the idea that there were no grown ups on the island?

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is the narrative of a group of male adolescents who have been stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean. It was published in 1954.  At the time, it was not much of what one would refer to as a success. However, over time, it achieved the recognition of making both the board's list and the reader's list of Modern Library 100 Best Novels. It has also been...

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is the narrative of a group of male adolescents who have been stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean. It was published in 1954.  At the time, it was not much of what one would refer to as a success. However, over time, it achieved the recognition of making both the board's list and the reader's list of Modern Library 100 Best Novels. It has also been adapted into film three times.

The story begins with the introduction of Ralph and "the fat boy." They are making their way toward a beach through the heavy vegetation of a jungle. It becomes apparent that they are survivors of an airplane accident. As they interact, they begin to question if there are any other survivors from the planeload of young boys that were being evacuated.

As soon as Ralph realizes that the only adults on board the plane were sitting in areas that fairly ensured that they could not have survived the wreck of the plane, and it's subsequently being washed out to sea, he becomes giddy with the knowledge. He does a handstand right in the middle of the swept-away plane's trench. They are on an island, with no grown ups to rule over them. The possibilities far outweigh any drawbacks at that time.

How is Gatsby a dynamic character?

A dynamic character is a character who changes, grows, or learns through the events of the story. Although Gatsby has changed a lot, most of his changes occurred before the story began, so it's difficult to consider Gatsby a dynamic character.

Throughout the novel, he holds on to the idealistic dream of getting Daisy. Through the course of Nick's narration, we learn that Gatsby fell for Daisy five years before the beginning of the novel,...

A dynamic character is a character who changes, grows, or learns through the events of the story. Although Gatsby has changed a lot, most of his changes occurred before the story began, so it's difficult to consider Gatsby a dynamic character.

Throughout the novel, he holds on to the idealistic dream of getting Daisy. Through the course of Nick's narration, we learn that Gatsby fell for Daisy five years before the beginning of the novel, and spent those years amassing a great fortune to impress Daisy. At the end of Gatsby's story, when he is in his pool just before George shoots him, Gatsby is still holding onto the hope that Daisy will call.

One small change we can see in Gatsby's character is that he becomes more confident around Daisy. When Gatsby and Daisy are first reunited, in Nick's small house, Gatsby is very nervous and even thinks he has made a mistake in reintroducing himself to Daisy. Nick has to tell him to stop acting like a little boy and go talk to Daisy. Later, in chapter seven when Gatsby, Nick, Tom, Daisy, and Jordan go to the Plaza Hotel, Gatsby boldly tells Tom that Daisy loves him and has never loved Tom. By this scene, he is more confident in claiming ownership of Daisy.

Another minor change that can be seen in Gatsby's character also occurs in the Plaza Hotel scene. Gatsby has been very secretive about his past throughout the story, but in the Plaza Hotel when Tom confronts him about Oxford, Gatsby suddenly reveals the truth: that he attended Oxford for five months in an army program. Gatsby has created his mysterious, glamourous persona so that he can win Daisy. Perhaps in this scene he believes that he has achieved his goal, and can begin to be more truthful about his past.

So Gatsby can be thought of as a slightly dynamic character through these two minor shifts in his character: he becomes more confident with Daisy, and he becomes more honest about his past. However, Gatsby dies still erroneously holding on to the dream that he can relive the past with Daisy, so he doesn't learn much through the course of the story.

What truths do we learn about Boo Radley in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

In the beginning of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, all we learn about Arthur Radley, who the neighborhood children call Boo Radley, comes from "neighborhood legend" and Miss Stephanie Crawford, a "neighborhood scold" and gossip (Ch. 1). We learn that Arthur fell in with a bad crowd of boys during his teenage years and was arrested. While the other boys were sent to the state industrial school to receive "the best secondary education to be had in the state," Mr. Radley felt that Arthur should be put under house arrest instead. From Miss Stephanie Crawford, we learn that when he was 33 years old, while apparently still under house arrest, Arthur drove a pair of scissors into his father's leg. All of these rumors and myths serve to attempt to explain why the neighborhood never sees Arthur Radley. As a result of these rumors and myths, the neighborhood children have come to believe that Arthur is a dangerous madman who poses a threat to their lives.

As the story of the novel unfolds, while we never learn the exact reason as to why Arthur remains in his house, we learn a few very important truths about him. The first very important truth we learn is that Arthur is actually a very caring, benevolent person who has developed a genuine fondness for Scout and Jem through watching them play in the neighborhood from his home. We begin to see him display his benevolent and caring nature through gifts he starts leaving for the children to find in a knothole of an oak tree on his property. The gifts include chewing gum, two polished pennies dated 1906, bars of soap carved to look just like the children, as well as many other treasures. He further shows benevolence by mending the pants Jem rips on the barbed wire fence while the children make their escape while being shot at by Nathan Radley the night they decide to sneak on to the Radleys' property to try and get a look at Arthur through a window. Later that night, when Jem goes back to the fence to retrieve them, he finds his pants lying on the fence, neatly folded and mended.

The greatest act of care and benevolence Arthur accomplishes is rescuing the children from Bob Ewell the night Ewell attacks the children, planning to kill them. That night, Scout sees Arthur for the first and very last time, and through her description of him, we learn what some readers interpret as a new truth about Arthur: that he may be a person with albinism. We can deduce this based on the following details of Scout's description:

His face was as white as his hands, but for a shadow on his jutting chin. . . . and his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on top of his head. (Ch. 29)

All of these characteristics match the description of a person with albinism. Due to lack of pigmentation in their eyes, people with albinism have many vision problems, particularly sensitivity to light. Hence, sensitivity to light serves as one possible explanation for as to why Arthur Radley chooses to remain indoors all the time.

Why does the poem refer to the hammer and the anvil?

In "The Tyger," the speaker asks the tiger who or what could have made him. Noting the phrase "immortal hand," the suggestion is that the speaker is asking the tiger what kind of god would create such a fearsome creature. In Blake's companion poem, "The Lamb," he also asks the Lamb "who made thee?" In this poem, the speaker heaps praise upon the Lamb, a reference to Christ. 

In the "Tyger," the speaker asks "Did...

In "The Tyger," the speaker asks the tiger who or what could have made him. Noting the phrase "immortal hand," the suggestion is that the speaker is asking the tiger what kind of god would create such a fearsome creature. In Blake's companion poem, "The Lamb," he also asks the Lamb "who made thee?" In this poem, the speaker heaps praise upon the Lamb, a reference to Christ. 

In the "Tyger," the speaker asks "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" In other words, the speaker is befuddled that a god who could make something so gentle (Lamb) could also make something so ferocious. One could construe a metaphor from this. If God can make such beautiful and peaceful things then why does he allow destructive things to exist as well. This is a repeated theme in some of Blake's other poems: that of oppositions. 

The speaker uses the hammer and anvil as a way to reference the work of a blacksmith. Just as the blacksmith creates hard, sometimes dangerous objects with the hammer and anvil, some "immortal hand" has forged a dangerous creature: the tiger. Blake uses blacksmith imagery of fire and steel to highlight the tiger's strength and ferocity. 

What are some bad things that happened while Theodore Roosevelt was President?

While Teddy Roosevelt was President, many good things happened to our country. However, there were some events that had some negative consequences for us.

When Teddy Roosevelt was President, we intervened in Latin American affairs several times. We helped Panama become independent from Colombia, which then allowed us to build the Panama Canal. We also intervened in the Dominican Republic to be sure that they paid their debts to Europe. These actions by the United...

While Teddy Roosevelt was President, many good things happened to our country. However, there were some events that had some negative consequences for us.

When Teddy Roosevelt was President, we intervened in Latin American affairs several times. We helped Panama become independent from Colombia, which then allowed us to build the Panama Canal. We also intervened in the Dominican Republic to be sure that they paid their debts to Europe. These actions by the United States didn’t sit well with some people in Latin America. The people of Latin America began to view us in negative terms. They viewed us a bossy big brother that looked out only for the best interests of the United States. This feeling continues to exist today in many parts of Latin America.

Big businesses didn’t like Roosevelt’s actions regarding the breaking up of trusts. They felt the government was intervening too much in the affairs of businesses. They also didn’t like the development of government agencies, such as the Bureau of Corporations, which monitored the activities of businesses. From the perspective of some business owners, this government involvement was not a positive development.

There were many good things that happened while Teddy Roosevelt was President. There were a few things that were considered bad by some groups of people.

What happened immediately after Mr. White wished for 200 pounds?

Three things happen immediately after Mr. White makes his wish for two hundred pounds.

A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.

"It moved," he cried, with a glance of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor. "As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake."

Herbert had seated himself at the piano just before...

Three things happen immediately after Mr. White makes his wish for two hundred pounds.

A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.

"It moved," he cried, with a glance of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor. "As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake."

Herbert had seated himself at the piano just before his father made the wish. Herbert is supremely skeptical about the supposed powers of the monkey's paw and obviously intends to make a joke of it. When his father says, "I wish for two hundred pounds," Herbert does his best to play an ominous chord on the piano as a suggestion that something supernatural is transpiring or is about to transpire.

These happenings prove nothing either way. And this is author's intention. He wants to leave the reader in doubt as to whether the monkey's paw had magical powers or whether it was nothing but a mummified relic. Mr. White may have only thought that the paw twisted in his hand. If Herbert had not played that crashing chord on the piano, his father might not have imagined that the paw moved. On the other hand, maybe the paw does have magical powers and maybe it will move any time its possessor makes a wish.

In the beginning of Part 2 of the story, Mr. White brings up what will be a question with everything that subsequently happens.

"Morris said the things happened so naturally," said' his father, "that you might if you so wished attribute it to coincidence."

This  sentence is of prime importance to the story. The reader will never know for sure whether the strange events occurred because of the supernatural power of the monkey's paw or whether they were all coincidences. It was not a coincidence that Herbert got killed by a machine. That could have happened to anybody who worked around machinery. What was a seeming coincidence was that the company paid two hundred pounds to the Whites as compensation for their loss of their son. 

At the horrifying climax to the story, Mr. White uses his last wish to make the knocking cease and for the person knocking to go away. The knocking stops immediately, and there is no one out there when Mrs. White finally manages to open the door. But the reader will never know whether it was the mangled and decaying Herbert doing the knocking or whether it was some harmless stranger who was lost and trying to get directions. It seems unlikely that a stranger would show up at just that time--but it seems equally unlikely that Herbert could climb out of his grave and come back home to live with his parents.

Was there an organization that was against the United States joining World War I?

While there were some groups and individuals that were opposed to the United States being involved in any war, there was no official group that was created solely to oppose the United States being involved in World War I.

People who were against our involvement in World War I would have been against our involvement in any war. Some of these people were progressive reformers such as Jane Addams and business owners such as Andrew...

While there were some groups and individuals that were opposed to the United States being involved in any war, there was no official group that was created solely to oppose the United States being involved in World War I.

People who were against our involvement in World War I would have been against our involvement in any war. Some of these people were progressive reformers such as Jane Addams and business owners such as Andrew Carnegie. During the war, more radical groups opposed our involvement in World War I. These included Marxists and anarchists. There were religious groups that also weren’t in favor of us joining the war. Some individuals did protest the war by not serving in the war when they were drafted.

German-Americans were concerned about the United States joining World War I. These people were concerned they would experience discrimination and poor treatment by the American people.

Overall, there was no major group that was created only to denounce our involvement in World War I. While there were some groups and individuals against our involvement in the war, there was no formal, organized opposition to our involvement in World War I.

I need help writing a report on Aeschylus and his plays. I want to get something across about the themes of his plays, which I'm pretty sure is...

Part of the answer depends on whether you are covering all seven of his plays or just the Oresteia. If the latter, you might want to focus more closely on vengeance and justice. As for a theme, all tragedies have some element of human suffering. A play in which no one suffered would not be a tragedy. Thus you might want to narrow your focus to emphasize that Aeschylus, more than the other Greek...

Part of the answer depends on whether you are covering all seven of his plays or just the Oresteia. If the latter, you might want to focus more closely on vengeance and justice. As for a theme, all tragedies have some element of human suffering. A play in which no one suffered would not be a tragedy. Thus you might want to narrow your focus to emphasize that Aeschylus, more than the other Greek playwrights, seems concerned with the relationship between divine justice and human suffering. 

For your report, you might begin with what little is known about Aeschylus' biography, including his dates, the number of plays he is known to have written, and a list of the seven plays of his that have been preserved with brief summaries of all seven.

Next, you might want to place him in context by describing the state of Greek drama immediately before he began writing and then discuss his innovations. Some of the most crucial were introducing a second actor and adopting the third actor introduced by Sophocles. You should also cover his distinctive features, including the stately, ornate use of language and invention of many compound words, the habit of writing connected trilogies, and the radical innovation of his Persians, which is our only extant Greek tragedy set in a contemporary rather than legendary period. 

You should conclude with the thematic discussion of his plays.

In chapter ten of A Separate Peace, Gene says, "Fear seized my stomach like a cramp." What's he describing in this simile?

In chapter ten of A Separate Peace, Gene visits his friend Leper who has gone AWOL (absent without leave) from the army. The telegram that Gene received from Leper in chapter nine says that he "escaped" and asks that Gene visit him at his home. Curious, Gene takes a train up to Vermont to see Leper and discovers that he's definitely not himself after experiencing the army for a few short weeks. At the beginning...

In chapter ten of A Separate Peace, Gene visits his friend Leper who has gone AWOL (absent without leave) from the army. The telegram that Gene received from Leper in chapter nine says that he "escaped" and asks that Gene visit him at his home. Curious, Gene takes a train up to Vermont to see Leper and discovers that he's definitely not himself after experiencing the army for a few short weeks. At the beginning of their conversation, Gene naturally asks questions to discover the meaning behind Leper's odd telegram and behavior. He asks what Leper means by "escaped" the army because it isn't normal to escape the army. Leper responds as follows:

"Normal . . . You're thinking I'm  not normal, aren't you? I can see what you're thinking—I see a lot I never saw before. . . you're thinking I'm psycho" (143). 

The context behind what Leper says is rather complex for Gene to digest. He quickly thinks of the word psycho and thinks Leper got that word somewhere far from Devon or Vermont. It's this creepy word psycho that sends Gene to thinking, "Fear seized my stomach like a cramp" (144). This simile seems to show Gene's adrenaline rocketing into his stomach in response to the fear he feels; and just as a cramp hurts, it can also cause one to stop what he's doing at the moment in order to relieve the pain. Therefore, Gene's reaction to this fear is felt in his stomach, which then stops him like a cramp. Another way to put it is Gene experiences the abstract feeling of fear mentally and physically, as if it were in his stomach, paralyzing him.

When does the climax of "The Lottery" occur?

The story builds very gradually to a climax as the number of people in jeopardy is narrowed down from about three hundred to a single family of five and finally to a single member of that family, Tessie Hutchinson. She has been protesting against the conduct of this year's lottery ever since her husband drew the slip with the black spot in the first round. Bill and his three kids all draw blank slips in...

The story builds very gradually to a climax as the number of people in jeopardy is narrowed down from about three hundred to a single family of five and finally to a single member of that family, Tessie Hutchinson. She has been protesting against the conduct of this year's lottery ever since her husband drew the slip with the black spot in the first round. Bill and his three kids all draw blank slips in the second round and show them to the crowd. But Tessie keeps her slip tightly folded and clutched in her hand. 

"It's Tessie," Mr. Summers said, and his voice was hushed. "Show us her paper. Bill."

Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand. It had a black spot on it, the black spot Mr. Summers had made the night before with the heavy pencil in the coal company office. Bill Hutchinson held it up, and there was a stir in the crowd.

"All right, folks." Mr. Summers said. "Let's finish quickly."

These words of Mr. Summers seem to represent the climax. The reader has been waiting to see who will get the black spot. By this time the reader knows that the black spot signifies death. The rest of the story finishes quickly, just as Mr. Summers requests. After the emotional high point of a story has been reached, a good fiction writer will bring it to a close with the fewest possible words. The villagers make short work of their long-time friend and neighbor, completely ignoring her pleas and protests. There is still no explanation of what this terrible lottery means or why people keep holding it year after year. Those questions are left for the reader to contemplate. 

"It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.

In "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, why does the angel appear in the form of a very old man?

I always enjoyed having students read this story because, in my opinion, it is a great example of a story for which readers may discover many different yet valid interpretations.

The angel in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" is a mystery when he arrives, and he is a mystery when he leaves. One of the most troubling mysteries concerning the angel is why he is so old and weak, as these are not attributes that...

I always enjoyed having students read this story because, in my opinion, it is a great example of a story for which readers may discover many different yet valid interpretations.

The angel in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" is a mystery when he arrives, and he is a mystery when he leaves. One of the most troubling mysteries concerning the angel is why he is so old and weak, as these are not attributes that people often associate with angels.

One possible interpretation is that he really is very old. Thus, he appears in the form of a very old man because he is a very old angel. His weakness and the eccentric nature of the miracles he performs seem to support this view. And while this interpretation runs contrary to the ideal of angels as possessing strength and eternal youth, perhaps this is what Garcia Marquez wanted the reader to realize -- that angels are not what we think they are, and they can grow old a weary from their labors.

Another interpretation is that the angel appears as a weak and very old man as a test for the people of the house and the town. People who follow Christian beliefs should treat the angel, or any very old man, with kindness and charity. Instead, they treat him little better than an animal, even going so far as turning him into a sideshow attraction. In return, they receive no benefit from his presence other than "consolation miracles, which were more like mocking fun." Perhaps had they treated him with the dignity and charity due to a person, let alone an angel, of his extreme age and weakness, they would have received greater benefit from his presence.

I mainly prefer the second interpretation, although evidence in the story can be found to support both, and perhaps others as well. A favorite of my students over the years has been that the very old man with enormous wings is not an angel at all, but rather is a mutant or alien. The evidence form the story seems more suggestive of angel than mutant or alien to my mind, but those interpretations make the age of the character less troublesome because a mutant or alien would more likely be subject to aging than an angel. 

Why do you think Hans's letters were so brief in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak?

Hans Hubermann's letters in The Book Thiefby Markus Zusak were brief for two reasons. The first is that Hans was not a well-educated man. When Liesel is first learning to read, Hans is committed to helping her, but knows his own limitations in this regard. He himself finds reading and writing challenging. A second, and more significant, reason Hans writes short letters during his time in the second World War is that he does...

Hans Hubermann's letters in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak were brief for two reasons. The first is that Hans was not a well-educated man. When Liesel is first learning to read, Hans is committed to helping her, but knows his own limitations in this regard. He himself finds reading and writing challenging. A second, and more significant, reason Hans writes short letters during his time in the second World War is that he does not want to worry or frighten his wife and foster daughter. When he is called to serve in the military for the second time, he is given an assignment that is an obvious punishment for his sympathetic actions towards Jews. He is assigned to a clean up crew of sorts. These men go into areas during air raids to put out fires, search for survivors, and so forth. Hans would not want to share his day to day activities with Liesel or Rosa because his day to day activities are mostly horrific.

What are the conflicts in the novel Chains?

One conflict evident in the novel is person vs. society.  The best example of this conflict type is found in Isabel's and Ruth's struggle with slavery.  Upon the death of Mary Finch, Isabel and Ruth were to be set free.  Unfortunately, Robert doesn't feel obligated to honor Mary's wishes.  He keeps the two girls in slavery and sells them off to a new family.  The conflict is person vs. society, because Isabel and Ruth are...

One conflict evident in the novel is person vs. society.  The best example of this conflict type is found in Isabel's and Ruth's struggle with slavery.  Upon the death of Mary Finch, Isabel and Ruth were to be set free.  Unfortunately, Robert doesn't feel obligated to honor Mary's wishes.  He keeps the two girls in slavery and sells them off to a new family.  The conflict is person vs. society, because Isabel and Ruth are fighting against a corrupt societal system.  That conflict is further escalated by Isabel agreeing to spy against the Loyalists in exchange for her freedom. 

Another conflict is person vs. person.  Isabel is central to this conflict as well.  Her main antagonist through much of the story is Madam Lockton.  Madame Lockton is not a kind woman, and she is especially mean and difficult toward Isabel.  

Madam Lockton's cruel treatment of Isabel leads to a third type of conflict.  The conflict of person vs. self.  As Madam Lockton escalates her cruel treatment, Isabel must decide what to do.  She can continue to take the punishment, continue to spy and hope for freedom, run away, or forge documents that grant her freedom.   

What is the moral to the story "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant? What sayings sum up the story?

Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" is about a young woman, Madame Loisel, who daydreams about wealth, social status and luxury. When she is able to live her preferred life for one night at a fancy ball, adorned with a new dress and a seemingly expensive necklace, she is truly happy. With the loss of the necklace, a symbol of wealth and material status, her life is forever changed as she is thrown into...

Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" is about a young woman, Madame Loisel, who daydreams about wealth, social status and luxury. When she is able to live her preferred life for one night at a fancy ball, adorned with a new dress and a seemingly expensive necklace, she is truly happy. With the loss of the necklace, a symbol of wealth and material status, her life is forever changed as she is thrown into poverty. In the end, we learn the necklace was actually worthless, proving her original mindset wrong. 

A saying that sums up the moral of the story might be: Be satisfied and grateful for the things you have rather than striving for things that may appear better but often are not.

In the beginning of the story, while Madame Loisel is daydreaming, the reader learns she lives comfortably. After all, she has a maid. She also has a husband who is obviously devoted to her. Realizing she is bored, he tries to brighten her life by bringing home an invitation to the fancy ball and he even uses some of his savings to buy her a new dress. She doesn't appreciate what she already has and foolishly loses the necklace as she hurries away from the ball. The loss of the necklace causes her to lose her youth, her beauty and her dignity. Her life would have been better had she been satisfied with what she already had.

Why is Sameness so important in the book The Giver? Please provide a quote and page number.

Jonas is twelve years old and has just been appointed to be the Receiver of Memory. He works with the Giver, who teaches him about Sameness, which is what the community calls their way of life. It's how the community is able to live without deep emotional, physical, or mental pain—and it all hinges on someone bearing all of these burdens for everyone else. The first time Jonas learns about Samenessis after he receives...

Jonas is twelve years old and has just been appointed to be the Receiver of Memory. He works with the Giver, who teaches him about Sameness, which is what the community calls their way of life. It's how the community is able to live without deep emotional, physical, or mental pain—and it all hinges on someone bearing all of these burdens for everyone else. The first time Jonas learns about Sameness is after he receives his first memory about going down a snowy hill on a sled. Jonas asks why they can't have snow and the Giver explains it to Jonas as follows:

"Climate Control. Snow made growing food difficult, limited the agricultural periods. And unpredictable weather made transportation almost impossible at times. It wasn't a practical thing, so it became obsolete when we went to Sameness" (83-84).

Climate Control is just one aspect of Sameness, which overflows into all other realms of life, such as families, jobs, behavior, and anything else Jonas can think of. With every gain, though, there is a sacrifice. As Jonas starts to understand what the community sacrifices each day to gain a life of Sameness, he assesses its value more and more. The main conflict in the story is, in fact, Jonas vs. Sameness. Jonas must first discover his nemesis, which is camouflaged within his home, family, school and friends, and then decide if it is worth keeping around for another lifetime. If Jonas fully accepts his duties as the new Receiver, that's exactly what he would be doing—perpetuating Sameness for at least his lifetime, until another Receiver in Training is called.

What elements of the poem "Still I Rise" make it inspiring and timeless?

Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” inspires modern readers just as much today as it did when it was published in 1978. Many aspects of life in America have improved since this poem was written. There have been important advances in supporting women’s rights, promoting racial equality, and advancing rights of the LGBT community. However, all it takes is browsing news headlines to see that problems stemming from hate still exist. Whether on a personal...

Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” inspires modern readers just as much today as it did when it was published in 1978. Many aspects of life in America have improved since this poem was written. There have been important advances in supporting women’s rights, promoting racial equality, and advancing rights of the LGBT community. However, all it takes is browsing news headlines to see that problems stemming from hate still exist. Whether on a personal or societal level, Angelou’s words still inspire readers to rise above hate, pain, lies, and fear.

Most people can relate to having been misrepresented like the speaker of the poem who confronts those who write her “down in history with your bitter, twisted lies.” Most people have confronted hatefulness, feeling that someone could “shoot me with your words” or “cut me with your eyes.” Most people have painful memories they would like to shed, “Up from a past that’s rooted in pain.”

Despite the negative circumstances the speaker struggles with, the poem has a bold, uplifting tone. The speaker is determined to rise above this pain, repeating that phrase eleven times in the course of the poem. These repeated words at the end of the poem give the impression that the speaker will continue rising, despite whatever new obstacles may come. This poem shares an empowering message for readers today and into the future.

In Macbeth, what is the significance of the quote by Macbeth to Banquo in Act III in which Macbeth says, "We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed /...

Macbeth is telling Banquo that Malcolm and Donalbain are not admitting to Duncan’s murder.  The speech is foreshadowing Banquo’s death and Malcolm’s return.

When Macbeth killed Duncan so that he could become king, it was important that he also get the king’s two sons out of the way.  In order to do this, he framed Malcolm and Donalbain for the king’s death.  It was not hard for people to believe that one or both of them killed their father, because Duncan had just named Malcolm his heir.

It is important to Macbeth that Banquo not suspect him.  He wants to make sure that Banquo thinks that Malcolm and Donalbain are the real murderers.  In this scene, he is talking to Banquo just before he is supposed to be killed by Macbeth’s three murderers.  

Banquo is indeed suspicious of Macbeth.  He knows about the witches’ prophecies and he even heard one suggesting that his sons would be king.  Not soon after that, Duncan is killed.  Yes, anyone would be suspicious and worry that he would be the next target. 

Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and, I fear,
Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said
It should not stand in thy posterity,
But that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. (Act 3, Scene 1) 

Macbeth wants to make sure that Baquo has no suspicions in this speech.  He himself is worried that Banquo knows too much, and is also annoyed at the prophecy that Banquo’s sons would be king.  Before Banquo can get any ideas, he has to dispatch him.

To be thus is nothing;
But to be safely thus.--Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares;
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. (Act 3, Scene 1)

There is a nice parallelism to these two soliloquies.  Banquo is thinking to himself that he worries that Macbeth killed Duncan, and Macbeth is thinking to himself that he is worried that Banquo thinks that he killed Duncan.  Neither of these speeches is good news for Banquo.  Macbeth is suspicious of him, and Macbeth has the will to act, and fast.

Macbeth’s speech about Malcolm and Donlbain is supposed to allay Banquo’s suspicions long enough for him to be killed, but it also foreshadows, or hints at, Banquo’s death and Malcolm’s return.  By mentioning Malcolm to Banquo, Macbeth reminds us of his former murder.  The comment about Malcolm not confessing gives us insight into Malcolm’s true character as well and foreshadows his return.  Malcolm may have run away, but only long enough to form an army he can use to storm Macbeth's castle and get revenge on his father’s murderer so that he can take bath the throne that should be his.