Describe the changes in the wounded man's feelings for the king in "Three Questions" by Leo Tolstoy. What brought about this change?

The wounded man initially set out to kill the king to avenge his brother, who was executed by the king. From this, we can reasonably infer that the wounded man's initial feelings for the king were hostile.
However, after the king tends to the man's wounds, the wounded man exclaims that he shall serve the king as his "Most faithful slave." The implication here is that the man's feelings have changed considerably. Whereas once he hated the king, now he feels indebted to him. Whereas once he wanted to kill the king to appease his anger, now he wants to serve the king to pay back the king's kindness.
This relationship between the king and the wounded man serves to answer the king's questions. He learns that the most important man is always the man to whom one is talking at the present moment. And he learns that the most important business, or affair, is "to do that person good."

What amusing picture did Helen paint of her father during her naming ceremony?

Since Helen was the first child of her parent's marriage, she notes that there was a good deal of discussion about what to call her, as everyone agreed that a first child was not to be "lightly named." Her father wanted her to be named Mildred Campbell, after an ancestor of his. Having stated his preference, he then withdrew from the debate.
Helen's mother, however, wished for Helen to be named after her own mother, whose maiden name had been Helen Everett. After Helen's father carried Helen to the church for the naming, he couldn't entirely remember what his wife had told him to say, so when the minister asked him what the baby's name was, he said Helen Adams. Therefore, the intended Helen Everett Keller became Helen Adams Keller.
Helen's father comes across as somewhat of a nervous father, forgetful, and perhaps a bit careless. As Keller puts it:

But in the excitement of carrying me to church my father lost the name on the way, very naturally, since it was one in which he had declined to have a part. When the minister asked him for it, he just remembered that it had been decided to call me after my grandmother, and he gave her name as Helen Adams.

How did the hermit answer the questions of the king through his actions as a live example?

The king wants to know the answer to what he considers to be three very important questions:
What's the right time to begin something?
Who are the most necessary people?
What's the most important thing to do?
The wisest men in the kingdom come from far and wide, hoping to answer the king's questions. But the king isn't satisfied with any of their responses, so he seeks the advice of an old hermit with a reputation for wisdom. Initially, the hermit's not much help; he doesn't say a word in response to the king's questions. Instead, he simply goes about his business, digging the ground in front of his simple little hut.
But when a seriously injured man comes running out the forest, clutching his wounded stomach, the hermit's able to answer all three of the king's questions by action rather than words. The hermit helps the king take care of the injured man, tending to his wounds. It turns out that the man was planning to assassinate the king and was attacked by his bodyguards. Yet on seeing how kindly the king has treated him, he's now full of remorse and seeks the king's forgiveness.
At long last, the king now has the answers to his three questions:
The right time to begin something is always now;
The most necessary people are the ones that you happen to be with at the present moment;
And the most important thing is simply to do good for the person that you're with.

What did Holden do after he hung up the phone?

Since there are multiple scenes in the story that depict Holden hanging up the phone, I will focus on the first phone conversation Holden has upon arriving in New York City. In chapter nine, Holden arrives at the Edmont Hotel, where he ends up calling a woman named Faith Cavendish. Holden had gotten her number from a student at Princeton and was told that she "wasn't exactly a whore" but didn't mind having a good time. Since Holden is "feeling pretty horny," he gives Faith a call and attempts to make his voice sound deeper in hopes of seducing the mysterious woman. Holden asks Faith if she would like to meet up for a cocktail, but she refuses and asks to meet up another time.
After Holden hangs up the phone, he goes downstairs to the hotel's night club called the Lavender Room. In the Lavender Room, Holden introduces himself to three "phony" women, and the waiter refuses to serve him alcohol. Holden then dances with one of the women, becomes disgusted by their affinity for celebrities, and ends up leaving depressed after he pays for their drinks.

Why was Herbert Hoover not reelected?

The timing of Hoover's presidency was unfortunate. Elected in 1928, he took office in March of 1929, shortly before the stock market crash of October of 1929 and the Great Depression that ensued.
Hoover lacked the governmental machinery to respond to the Great Depression in an adequate way. Before Franklin D. Roosevelt took office, the government lacked the ability to respond in a comprehensive way to the far-reaching financial effects of the Great Depression. Instead, Hoover responded by setting up the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), which made loans to businesses—rather than directly helping people.
However, the Great Depression inflicted a lot of suffering on Americans, and they were eager for more help. In 1932, members of the so-called "Bonus Army"—composed of World War I veterans calling for their bonuses (promised in 1945) to be paid early—were forcibly removed from their encampments in Washington, DC, by the military. This event made people believe that Hoover was not sensitive to their suffering during the Great Depression, paving the way for Roosevelt's victory in 1932.

What are some negative traits of Jiro?

The protagonist of Katherine Paterson's novel The Master Puppeteer is a thirteen-year-old boy who runs away to a theater in order to learn the art of making stage puppets. However, Jiro is a clumsy adolescent and, at first, makes mistakes as an apprentice.
The master puppeteer's son, Kinshi, is tasked with teaching Jiro the art of crafting and painting puppets. Very early on, we see the distinction between Jiro and Kinshi. The latter is skilled at what he does and is patient with Jiro whilst teaching him. However, Kinshi has difficulty pleasing his father and is sometimes beaten with a bamboo stick for minor transgressions.
Jiro, on the other hand, is a hard worker, but he seems to forget about those who helped him during his apprenticeship. He does not do this on purpose, but the reader is made to ponder whether Jiro should be obligated to return favors to Kinshi and the others who helped him before his success. Jiro also develops a competitive nature the more apprentices he beats on his way to the top.

How is Rabindranath Tagore's religious philosophy reflected in the Gitanjali?

In Gitanjali, Rabindranath Tagore vividly describes the religious and spiritual significance of man’s purpose in life. Tagore combines metaphysical qualities with subtle nuances of devotion to outline how God exists in finite and infinite forms. The religious philosophy reflected in the poems in Gitanjali is of eternal love for the Divine: how the veil of illusion dispels into thin air once a person attains self-realization.
The rhythm and the mood of the poems evoke a super-sensual thrill in the everyday events of life. Each of the poems conveys the idea of the beauty of life and union with the "Supreme" source of love. For Tagore, religion is a confluence of diverse spiritual experiences. In the poem "The Little Flute," Tagore writes "Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life." The poet here compares the human body to a flute, which plays the divine music.
The simplicity of Tagore’s profound verses captures the fluidity of the every-day world.

Based on both American Ideals and "The Strenuous Life," how do you think Theodore Roosevelt would ultimately feel about where the United States (the country itself, its leaders, and its citizens) has ended up where it is today? Provide evidence from either text to prove your point.

This question is a bit subjective depending on your view of the United State's current situation. However, looking to Theodore Roosevelt's point of view (based on his politics and ideology), we can make some assumptions as to what he would be thinking.
Theodore Roosevelt discusses many ideas that he has about the way to live life in his speech on "The Strenuous Life." He believes that, as a people, we should work hard and almost suffer in order to earn and provide for each other and this country. He believed in avoiding a life of ease and comfort, and he encouraged the American people would strive through difficulty and adversity in order to triumph.
Based off of this mentality, one can argue that he would be disappointed by the US's current political and social climate. It could be argued that today we live in a way which seeks comfort, quick solutions, and avoiding difficulty. This can be seen through the technological revolution of the past thirty or so years, and by the ideas that current politicians promote.
It would be good to avoid generalizing too much, but there is a certain level of subjectivity that comes along with this question. For more knowledge on this, look up his speeches for more details as to what he believed.

Who does Susanne plan to marry in Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman?

In the novel Dance Hall of the Dead, Susanne is a hippie living near the Indian reservation on which the murders happened. As the detective investigates, he interviews Susanne, a woman who knew George, one of the victims. She cooperates with the investigation and attempts to help the police find the missing boy.
Joe, the detective, discerns that Susanne shares a mutual attraction with Ted Isaacs. Isaacs is an anthropologist who works with Professor Reynolds and who is later revealed as the murderer. Susanne expresses a desire for marriage, but she acknowledges that it’s unlikely. While the two are infatuated, he is too busy with work, and when he is finished with his research, he will be too prominent and well-known to care about her.

Dance Hall of the Dead is a 1973 detective novel written by American novelist Tony Hillerman, in which his famed hero, detective Joe Leaphorn, must solve the murder of a young Navajo boy named Ernesto Cata and the mysterious disappearance of his friend George Bowlegs.
Joe's investigation leads him to a Hippie commune named Jason's Fleece (in reference to the myth of the Golden Fleece). This is where we meet Susanne, a young woman who knew George and tries to help with the investigation. Susanne plans to marry Ted Isaacs, a young anthropologist who works with Professor Chester Reynolds (the murderer of the young boys).
We learn of her intentions in a conversation between Joe and Susanne, in which Joe mentions that Ted and Susanne mutually like each other. Joe says, "You like him. He likes you. You could sort of look after one another until I can find George," to which Susanne replies that they can't:

He's got to finish that project and when he does he'll be just about famous, and he'll get a good faculty appointment, and he'll have everything he's never had before. No more being dirt poor and no more being nobody anybody ever heard of.

In what way is "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" an expression of the philosophy of carpe diem. Carpe diem is Latin for "seize the day": meaning take full advantage of present opportunities. This sentiment is found not only in classical literature but in much of English literature as well (e.g., "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may" and "Had we but world enough, and time, / This coyness, Lady, were no crime").

The poem is an example of the genre in that the passionate shepherd is encouraging his lover to seize the moment and make the fateful decision to be with him forever. There's no sense in which he wants her to think things over. As far as he's concerned, he's given her every possible reason to make this life-changing decision and doesn't see why she should hesitate a moment longer.
The problem for the shepherd, of course, is that his lover is immortal, and so time means nothing to her. She can take as long as she likes; there is no moment for her to seize. And, as an immortal nymph, it's unlikely that she'll be impressed by all the earthly goods that the shepherd has to offer her—from the beds of roses to a belt of straw and ivy buds adorned with coral clasps and amber studs.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44675/the-passionate-shepherd-to-his-love

Why is rolling friction less than sliding friction?

Sliding (or kinetic) friction occurs when two surfaces rub against each other. All the small protrusions from both surfaces impede the motion between them and must be overcome. Rolling friction (or rolling resistance) also occurs between two surfaces, but it applies to a spherical or cylindrical object, such as a ball or wheel, moving over a surface. Non-elastic effects are the main cause of this friction, in that not all the necessary energy for movement (or deformation) is recovered when the object is removed. The slippage between the surface and the object also dissipates energy; this is the aspect that is actually friction. Because the points of contact are much smaller in rolling friction, the resistance between them is less than between two large surfaces in contact.
https://www.britannica.com/science/rolling-friction

How does the jury feel about Laura?

During the course of the story, the jury’s opinion of Laura Lee changes, as does that of the judge. When the trial begins, Laura Lee, who is African American, believes that the “so-called trial” is a sham, “a form and a fashion and an outside show to the world.” The jury enters the box but is not described.
In fact, Laura Lee did physically assault Clement Beasley, and it is unlikely that her actions could be considered self-defense, as she was defending her employer’s property more than her own person. When Laura Lee begins her testimony, the reader assumes that the jury is all men, as she addresses them as “jury-gentlemens”; in the early twentieth century, it was most probably all white as well.
The judge allows Laura Lee to present an extended narrative, even after the prosecutor’s objections, and the jury and others in the court pay more attention to her situation: “a murmur of approval” goes around the courtroom. The presentation of the promissory note is the last item that changes their minds. The note, which shows that the loan was far from past due, proves that Beasley has been lying. The jury is able to conclude that the black woman is telling the truth. As the judge dismisses the charges, people show their support for her. “She was instantly surrounded by smiling, congratulating strangers….”
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2016/11/the-conscience-of-the-court/

In what ways does Cather make Jim’s grandparents so significant in My Antonia?

Jim Burden is a ten-year-old orphan who moves from Virginia to Nebraska to live with his grandparents on their farm. Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant, moves to Nebraska with her family. Each is challenged by their circumstances to feel at home in the new land.
Jim's grandfather is a hard-working, generous, and religious man. He is a respected leader of the community. Jim's grandmother is a friendly and pleasant woman, devoted to her husband. Together, the couple maintains a beautiful home and a productive farm. On the other hand, the land of the Shimerdas is not useful, and the immigrants barely survive the first winter. Jim's grandparents try to help Antonia's family and bring them food through the winter. However, the hardships are too much to endure, and Mr. Shimerda commits suicide. Jim's grandfather offers Antonia's brother a job on his farm, while his grandmother employs Antonia in the kitchen. Before leaving Nebraska, Jim's grandmother ensures that Antonia gets a job with the next door neighbors.
It is heartening to see the compassion and generosity of the Burdens in an atmosphere where bigotry towards immigrants was common.

Do you see merit in The Good Place by Michael Schur as an appropriation of utopia?

I think any discussion of merit should address how Shur’s idea of paradise aligns with Christian ideology. For my purposes, whether you accept this ideology isn’t important, as I am evaluating the merit of this appropriation of utopia on the grounds that it reflects historical views of heaven that have characterized religious debates. As such, I believe it has merit. So, to answer your question, I am going to explain my take on Shur’s vision of utopia.
In The Good Place, the way to get to heaven is through good works. When you die, your good and bad deeds are calculated, and if your good deeds outnumber your bad deeds, you are rewarded with a blissful afterlife. You are accountable for your actions, and you cannot cheat your fate. There is the recognition that while in your earthly life, you are watched over and judged for everything you do, and you will be rewarded or punished accordingly. The people who rightfully belong in the Good Place model behavior that reflects what would typically be described as consistent with Christian principles. People are judged by their deeds and their deeds alone; they are not judged by race, gender, or religious affiliation.
Though people have different visions of heaven, or utopia, Shur’s vision reflects the commonly held view that heaven is a beautiful place that mimics what we typically consider a beautiful place on earth. Because the only way we can envision heaven is through our worldly frame of reference, the things that make heaven a wonderful place are the things we covet on earth—a big house, a soul mate, frozen yogurt, etc. These types of ideas have characterized religious debates for centuries, as has the central question of whether the path to heaven is through good deeds or through faith and faith alone. Shur addresses this question when he introduces a twist in the plot—his heaven, in fact, is hell. Therefore, Shur forces viewers to question what it means to be good, and whether, in fact, good deeds are the key to our salvation.

In Out of the Dust, during the drought, what did Polly think Bayard should do?

In order to answer this question, the best poem to read from Out of the Dust would be "Give Up on Wheat."
Polly is Billy Jo's mother (Ma), and Bayard is Billie Jo's father (Daddy). In this particular poem, Ma wants to try putting a pond on the property to help fight the effects of the drought: "Ma says, / 'Try putting in a pond, Bayard.'" However, Billie Jo's dad does not think this is an effective measure, and he argues, "The water'll seep / back into the ground / as fast as I can pump it, Pol."
Polly then suggests that the family attempt planting another crop, instead of wheat. She says, "If we plant the fields in different crops, / maybe some will do better, / better than wheat." Daddy is against this idea as well and wants to stick to growing wheat, because it has grown before on their land and he believes it will grow again. At the end of the poem, Ma and Daddy are in a fight, because Daddy suggests that if Polly really wants to help with the dry land, she should tear down her apple trees, because they use the most water. This upsets Ma greatly, and the reader learns later in the text (in the poem "Apple Blossoms") that the trees are symbolic of the large family Ma had hoped to have with Daddy.

Why did the British allow salutary neglect?

Salutary neglect was, in many respects, shaped by practical realities, given the technological limitations of the time. With an entire ocean separating England and the colonies, in a time period lacking modern communications and transportation, the sheer distance involved was too great to justify a particularly interventionist colonial policy. In many respects, the rewards wouldn't have been worth the costs. That being said, you'll find this calculus will start to change following the French and Indian War.
For an additional layer of context, I would add that colonization (as well as most expeditions which would have been global in scope) was inherently a high-risk proposition, and the English government tended to have a history of divesting itself of a significant amount of this burden. For example, if you were to look at the thirteen original colonies, what you'll find is that every one of them started out as either a proprietary or joint-stock company colony.

How does the Captain meet his end?

The Captain is an arrogant, abusive man who seeks to have total control and power over other loving beings. He is an animal trainer at a circus in which he coerces animals, through abusive tactics, to perform tricks for the circus audiences. The animals are expected to obey the Captain without question as they are considered to be no more than property and sources of entertainment for humans. When the Captain abusively forces the tiger to perform for the entertainment of humans, the tiger eventually chooses to fight back against his oppression and mauls the Captain to death. Through this liberating act, the tiger proves that humans can never truly conquer what is wild. The tiger also proves that those who are oppressed can fight back.

The Captain is an animal-trainer at a circus, and he treats the tiger with appalling cruelty. As with all wild animals at the circus, the tiger's expected to perform tricks for the crowd. But he's a proud animal, a wild animal whose natural habitat is in the forest; he belongs there, not in a circus. The Captain may have trained him to do tricks, but no matter how hard he tries, he’ll never be able to change the tiger into a domesticated animal.
And so it proves when, one day, the tiger turns on the Captain and brutally mauls him to death. Such behavior isn’t out of character for the tiger; he attacked and ate some of the villagers’ livestock as revenge for his family’s being killed by poachers. But as his friendship with a local monk later on in the story testifies, the tiger only does harm to those humans who do harm to him.

How does the old man meets his impending death in "Old Man at the Bridge"?

In meeting his likely death, the old man is much more worried about the welfare of his animals than his own situation.
The story is told from the first-person point of view of a soldier whose task it is to investigate a bridge and then report the enemy's position. When he returns, he finds that one elderly man has been left behind.
Immediately after noting his town of residency, the old man mentions his animals. The narrator makes a vague, "Oh," comment and the old man follows up with "I stayed, you see, taking care of the animals." He lists the exact animals under his care and notes that he realizes that his cat can take care of itself but that he isn't sure what will become of the others. He asks the soldier a couple of times what he thinks will happen to the animals.
This is a man who is seventy-six years old and at this point in his life is "without politics." He has no family and nowhere else to go. The animals and his land were his sense of purpose; without them, he has nothing else.
And so he faces his impending death completely focused on the last meaningful connections he enjoyed in his life: his animals who depended on him.

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Old Man at the Bridge” tells of the narrator’s encounter with an elderly man near a pontoon bridge over the Ebro River during the Spanish Civil War. The man appears to have no family or friends and is fleeing the conflict by himself.
The old man reveals that he was the last person to leave his village of San Carlos because he did not want to leave his animals. Caring for his cat, pigeons, and goats seemed to have provided the elderly man with a purpose for his life. Due to the fighting, the old man was forced to abandon his beloved animals. The Old Man fears for their safety amidst the shelling and fighting in his town. His morale is deflated by imagining his animals' demise.
When the narrator urges the old man to leave the pontoon bridge, he is too tired and uninterested in leaving. He remains seated in the dust, calmly resigned to his fate.
It is important to point out that Hemingway does not explicitly reveal the fate of this elderly man in his story “Old Man at the Bridge.” While it is likely that the man was killed in the ensuing fighting, it is not certain.
I hope this helps!

Why are the Irish slaves forgotten? Were they even slaves or were they indentured servants?

The Irish were not slaves in the chattel sense. This means that their offspring were not sold. Many Irish came to the new world as indentured servants in order to find a new life in America. Since they could not afford the ticket, many worked off their passage for approximately seven years, after which they were free to pursue their own lives. While some who used indentured servants were cruel and prolonged the contract, this is not the same as slavery. Many Irish would die as a result of the bad conditions of the New World such as bad food and water leading to disease, but mortality among the poor of Europe was still high, so one cannot argue that the indentured servants were intentionally placed in harm's way.
The British would also send Irish political prisoners to work in the Caribbean sugar plantations. This would serve as a virtual death sentence since conditions on the islands were extreme in terms of the diseases one could catch. This was considered punishment more than a way to solve a labor shortage. Britain still relied on African slaves for its manual labor needs in the colonies.

What is an explanation of the poem "Stars" by Sara Teasdale?

"Stars" by Sara Teasdale is a charming poem that doesn't seem to want to express anything more than the beauty of the stars on a clear summer's night. Describing them with such simple yet vivid metaphors as "Myriads with beating / Hearts of fire," the speaker seems to be completely in awe of them.
At times, the language suggests that the speaker sees observing the stars as some kind of religious experience. For example, they describe how the starts are climbing "Up the dome of heaven." In this context, the stars are not only a higher force but the highest force, keeping perfectly still and never tiring as they march towards heaven.
The poem ends,

And I know that IAm honored to beWitnessOf so much majesty.

Alone on the hill, the reader gets the feeling that the speaker—like a priest or nun—is ready to dedicate their life to this "heaven full of stars."

This poem by Sara Teasdale is a fairly straightforward expression of awe before the "majesty" of nature. On a dark night, the speaker stands alone near a pine forest, gazing up at the stars. The stars themselves are personified: they are "myriad," and Teasdale's language suggests that they are almost an army, whose supernatural strength means that they will not ever "tire" as they progress on their journey up "the dome of heaven." This army of stars, all ageless as if they have hung in the sky for "aeons," appears "stately and still" to the viewer, a group of majestic celestial beings whose progress across the sky seems to represent an ancient procession toward heaven.
Teasdale's feelings about this vast sky full of stars is appropriate to the choice of language she uses in describing them. The stars are majestic and "stately," and accordingly Teasdale suggests that being allowed to bear witness to their progress is an "honor," this simple natural occurrence overwhelming in its power.

How would you describe the general picture painted by the poet? Is it cheerful?

The poem "The Niche" by Samuel Menashe does not seem to be a cheerful one. In fact, it seems the speaker is tired to the point of weariness. The speaker mentions the space narrowing, which sounds very unpleasant. It brings to mind anxiety and suffocation. Eventually the narrowed space "hones one thin," which sounds like the speaker believes the narrowing of the niche can cause a sharpening in a person's spirit. Finally, the passageway has become so narrow that only a person's bones can fit into the space, bringing to mind death and the dismal reality that all people return to bones, no matter how long they live. Overall "The Niche" is a shrewd observation of life and what a person's journey will do to their full, vibrant expectations of youth. I'd say it sounds quite melancholy. For more information on Samuel Menashe, see the link below.
https://poets.org/poet/samuel-menashe

Does anyone have a short analysis for Lola Ridge's poem "Bowery Afternoon"?

Lola Ridge’s poem “Bowery Afternoon” consists mainly of imagery to convey the mood of Manhattan’s Bowery neighborhood. At the time the poem was written, the Bowery was a notorious haven for prostitution, hence why she included the description of the “bosoms and posturing thighs.”
The speaker of the poem assumes a disdainful tone toward the Bowery, as evidenced by the diction. Examples of judgmental diction include “drab,” “rancid,” “uniformity,” “mangy,” “gaudy,” and “bloated.” All of these words have a strong negative connotation, which indicates that the speaker is disgusted by what see observes.
This is closely connected to the imagery of the poem. “Smoky and fly-blown glass of lunch rooms” suggests a dingy, run-down atmosphere. In addition, the windows are “devoid of light,” which indicates a hollow emptiness and absence of activity. These images reinforce Ridge’s disdainful tone.
The poem’s final simile helps convey the theme. The speaker describes an “Elevated/ Droning like a bloated fly.” Ridge suggests that in each of the depressing images she describes of the Bowery, there is a pervading noise: the ever-present sound of the famous elevated rail line that operated above the neighborhood.
Ridge is commenting on the ugly side of urban life, and how a neighborhood’s literal and moral decay coincides with urban development.

What or who is the antagonist in “The Flowers” by Alice Walker?

Racism is the antagonist, the opposing force, in Alice Walker's "The Flowers." Myop begins the story as a carefree, cheerful young lady. Overall, she appears innocent and lighthearted as she goes for a walk by a nearby spring. Even so, we see a glimpse of the potential hurtfulness of humanity through the line,

She struck out at random at chickens she liked.

Though Myop is being playful, she's still scaring chickens who have not done anything wrong.
The story takes place in late summer / early fall. It's harvest season, and crops like corn and cotton are being reaped. She has the freedom in her schedule to be able to go for a walk and sing a song.
The story opens with a very positive mood. Diction such as "white bubbles" "gather nuts" and "bouncing this way and that" make the story seem cheerful and playful.
By the last four paragraphs, as she continues her walk, there is a distinct shift. The mood grows eerie and uncertain:

but the strangeness of the land made it not as pleasant as her usual haunts. It seemed gloomy in the little cove in which she found herself.

Then, when Myop steps on the decomposing body of a lynched man, the mood becomes dark:

His head lay beside him. . . Myop saw that he'd had large white teeth, all of them cracked or broken, long fingers, and very big bones.

Alice Walker concludes the story with the line,

And the summer was over.

On its surface, this line states that the season is shifting from summer into fall. It also likely signifies that Myop's season of innocence, her childhood, has come to an end. She sees evidence of a crime of hate. In this moment, Myop sees the workings of the antagonist, racism.

The antagonist in "The Flowers" is the violent, racist society in which Myop lives. It's this society and its warped values that are responsible for the brutal lynching of the man whose corpse Myop finds while playing in the woods one day. The story's set during the period of Reconstruction, when white supremacists in the South expressed their opposition to African Americans' newfound freedom and civil rights by acts of violence, murder, and intimidation. Lynching wasn't simply a means of meting out summary justice; it was a method of control, used by white society to keep African Americans in a state of permanent fear and subjection.
Myop's just a little girl; she's too young and innocent to understand any of this. But when she sees the man's corpse lying there in the woods, she instinctively knows that this is a place where something evil's happened. All of a sudden, her innocence has been shattered, and from now on her relationship to the society in which she lives is likely to become ever more antagonistic as she gets older.

Describe the changing role of the federal government in the 1960s.

The federal government increased its role during the 1960s. The government passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and ended poll taxes. All of this was done by Democratic presidents even though most Democrats in Congress were from Southern states who favored segregation. By getting the federal government involved in civil rights, segregation ended more quickly than it would have on a state-by-state level.
The federal government under Johnson also tried to end poverty through Medicaid programs and also increased welfare for the poor. Johnson, a supporter of Franklin Roosevelt, wanted to see the federal government take a more active role in protecting the most vulnerable members of society. Johnson also created the Housing and Urban Development program in order to provide housing to low-income individuals. All of these programs gave the federal government a more active role in people's daily lives as more people became dependent on governmental assistance.
The greatest change for the federal government of the 1960s was its willingness to stand before television cameras. The only way people were able to see their elected officials or news events before this was to see them on newsreels. The government's achievements and tragedies of the decade were all placed on television. John F. Kennedy was able to win the 1960 presidential election because of his appearance on television. Tragedies such as the murder of Oswald were also televised. Television also played a role in people's changing opinions about the Vietnam War and the 1968 Democratic National Convention. While television was not state-run, it is important to note that government was open in front of television reporters. This was probably the greatest legacy of the decade—people expected to see their politicians and news events in real time in order to form their own opinions.

The decade of the 1960s was turbulent and eventful. America was marred by domestic unrest, assassinations, and its controversial role in the Vietnam War. The national government changed and expanded during this period. This is evident by examining its role in the New Frontier and the Great Society.
The New Frontier was John F. Kennedy's reform plan for the country. It was a set of challenges to "get the country moving again." The New Frontier was built on previous presidents' Square Deal, New Deal, and Fair Deal programs. In 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner, a historian, lamented the end of the frontier in American history. JFK said there was a new 'frontier' for the country to explore. This meant exploration of outer space but also challenges facing the country on the domestic front, such as civil rights. JFK was only partially successful. His accomplishments included: a minimum wage increase, financial aid for urban development, and the creation of the Peace Corps. In 1963, he was assassinated.
Lyndon B. Johnson replaced Kennedy in the White House. His Great Society was a continuation and expansion of the New Frontier. In fact, LBJ's Great Society was the most ambitious reform plan since the New Deal of the 1930s. He had to win the presidential election of 1964 before he could implement most of his far-reaching agenda. He easily won the election and that gave him a mandate to enact his proposals. LBJ got the Civil Rights Act through Congress in 1964. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was passed as part of his War on Poverty. Seniors and low-income persons got Medicare and Medicaid, respectively. Education reform was implemented in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. And the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program was established. In spite of these achievements, LBJ's presidency was ruined by its role in the Vietnam War.

Both the role and the size of the federal government grew significantly during the 1960s. For one thing, the federal government took on a more active role in the enforcement of civil rights. It had been established over a number of years that, without concerted action from the center, civil rights would not be properly enforced by the states and would be left instead to wither on the vine.
President Johnson's Great Society programs greatly expanded the role of the federal government in the provision of welfare. In the early 1960s, the American economy grew at an impressive pace. Johnson wanted to share the fruits of this growing prosperity more widely. To that end, under the Great Society program, the Johnson administration allocated billions of dollars to a raft of new programs designed to tackle poverty. The Social Security Act of 1965 established the Medicare program for seniors as well as medical care for welfare recipients through Medicaid. Welfare spending also greatly increased with the passing of the Food Stamp Act in 1964. Changes to Social Security at this time included a substantial increase in benefits.
In addition, the founding of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act in 1965 extended the role of the federal government as never before, committing substantial sums toward the funding of a wide range of projects in the arts and humanities.

Which are all the hints that lead to Cordelia's solving the mystery in An Unsuitable Job for a Woman?

Cordelia is suspicious about the circumstances of Mark’s supposed suicide. Her examination of the photographs reveals how it might have been staged. When she gets to know his friends the Tillings, their overly friendly behavior to her, being lower in class status that they are, raises her suspicions.
Cordelia is pointed toward the truth about Mark’s identity through an inscription in the prayer book, which had belonged to his deceased mother, and information from Mrs. Pilbeam about his overseas birth. Conversing with Dr. Gladwin, the mother’s former physician, along with genetic evidence, directs her toward Mark’s father—Sir Ronald Callender, the person who hired her—once she learns that Mark was adopted. Not only was she right that he was the killer (with a financial motivation), but her suspicions that the suicide itself was staged and that the scene had been tampered with are confirmed: Mark’s real mother, very much alive, steps forward, admits she did the tampering so that the murderer would be unmasked, and kills Sir Ronald.
https://books.google.com/books?id=5tPucsEsszcC&source=gbs_navlinks_s

How is General Zaroff's character believable?

General Zaroff is believable because his actions mirror his surroundings and because some of his actions subvert the expectations a reader would have for a cruel, old man who hunts people for sport.
The jungle where Rainsford arrives after surviving the turbulent ocean mirror one aspect of General Zaroff's personality; it's harsh and unyielding. It doesn't conform to normal human standards. When Rainsford reaches the house, however, it shows another aspect of Zaroff's personality: that of the older, polite, sophisticated man. Because the reader is already plunged into Rainsford's surroundings, they're prepared for General Zaroff. Because he fits into the setting, he's believable. The dichotomy of the setting echoes the dichotomy of the General and makes him a more believable character.
Another thing that makes him believable is the subversion of expectations when Rainsford meets Zaroff. At first, the interaction with Ivan builds suspense -- but then Zaroff welcomes him. He appears to be the kind of person who is civilized and not like a murderer. This also helps him appear more believable. Because he isn't immediately introduced as a hunter of humans, the reader has a chance to get Zaroff's measure before the more difficult side of his character is introduced.

Professional writers have long used a standard technique of creating believable characters by giving them one outstanding trait and one contrasting trait. In the case of General Zaroff, the author has made him a sadistic, merciless man who has grown bored with killing animals and now gets his pleasure and excitement by hunting and killing human beings. Such a man was necessary for the plot of "The Most Dangerous Game." But in order to make his character believable, the author, Richard Edward Connell, has given General Zaroff the old-world manners of a polished aristocrat. This helps to make him seem three-dimensional. He is exceptionally polite, considerate, amiable, polished, generous, intelligent, and well-educated. He treats Rainsford with kindness and courtesy, even though he is planning to kill him. Both sides of Zaroff's character are believable. It is possible for wicked and cruel people to have very good manners. Zaroff may not even feel any hatred for the beasts and humans he kills. He seems to have a high regard for his captive, Sanger Rainsford, just as big-game hunters often appreciate the beauty, grace, and courage of the animals they kill. What is lacking in General Zaroff is a sense of right and wrong. He cannot really empathize with the feelings of others. Perhaps he is devoid of feelings himself, which would make him a sociopath. Some sociopaths are said to be exceptionally likable and charming. This makes it easy for those of them with killer instincts to victimize others and to keep getting away with it for a long time.

Why do the characters in "Good Country People" need redemption?

As a devout Catholic, O’Connor uses themes of grace and redemption frequently throughout her writings. To answer your question, I will discuss how three main characters from the “Good Country People” are in need of redemption.
First, Mrs. Hopewell is in need of redemption because of her stereotypical assumptions about people. When Pointer visits the Hopewell farm purportedly selling bibles, Mrs. Hopewell is impressed with his seemingly genteel demeanor, immediately assuming he is “good country people” because of his manners and profession. Mrs. Hopewell likewise believes her daughter Joy is hopelessly foolish because of her academic interests and staunch atheism.
Joy, or Hulga, is also in need of redemption for different reasons. Besides her atheism, Joy’s need for redemption stems from her condescending beliefs about everyone else. Joy believes she is smarter than everyone else she meets, including Pointer. This belief in her intellectual superiority is what makes her vulnerable because she always thinks she has the upper hand in a given situation; this is how Pointer is able to pull off his theft of her prosthesis.
Finally, Pointer himself is in need of redemption. His sin of blasphemy is arguably the worst in the story because he masquerades as a devout Christian while harboring nefarious habits and motives for entering people’s lives. However, his ability to escape unscathed at the end of the story suggests that Joy and her mother’s prideful nature are actually worse, since Pointer seems to be the only one who is honest about himself.

How does Mansfield convey her theme in "The Daughters of the Late Colonel"?

The overriding theme of the story is freedom or, rather, the lack of it. Despite the recent death of their monstrous, tyrannical father, the colonel's daughters still find themselves unable to enjoy their newfound freedom. The old man may be dead and buried, but he still exerts his dictatorial control from beyond the grave. The colonel caused so much psychological damage to Constantia and Josephine when he was alive that they remain trapped in a state of arrested development, chronically incapable of developing as morally autonomous adults.
Thanks to the late colonel's domestic tyranny, the two spinsters are practically scared of their own shadows. Mansfield effectively conveys their general fear of life through their awkward interactions with the various people in their lives. Whether they're dealing with impudent maidservants or conforming to the stifling constraints of local opinion, the sisters are forever walking on eggshells, absolutely petrified at the prospect of having to assert themselves against others.
In general terms, Mansfield appears to be suggesting that freedom shouldn't simply be defined in negative terms, that is to say as freedom from something (in this case, freedom from the colonel's tyranny). It is also a positive value, the freedom to do something. Unfortunately for Constantia and Josephine, negative freedom does not automatically lead to its positive variant. They realize, to their consternation, that they can't just revel in their late father's absence; they need to take a leap of faith and grasp freedom for themselves, doing the kind of things they've always wanted to do, living the kind of lives they'd always wanted to live but never could so long as their father was still alive.

How does injustice exacerbate the plight of the poor?

One of the purposes of the intercalary chapters is to show that not only the Joads are suffering the injustices of much of the capitalist system; thousands of people who must also abandon their homes and ways of life are similarly suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune.
Perhaps the most obvious way that the lowest of the classes are being taken advantage of is in the used car lots that have sprung up all over the sides of highways like intransigent summer weeds. Like weeds, these “dealerships” suck everything they can out of their sources, in this case, the poor, who have no other option but to take what their meager funds can get them.
In a stratified society, those who are just a little bit better off than those below seem to feel a need to mentally place themselves far above the very low. The men who run these impromptu car lots, although no where near even middle class status, nonetheless treat their customers as almost subhuman. Even though each of their customers has very little to spend and must make the best decision for their families, the salesmen care nothing about their circumstances; they care only about how much graft can be gleaned from a particular mark. They watch the potential customers with a mixture of greed and loathing:
Those sons-of-bitches over there ain't buying. Every yard gets 'em. They're lookers. Spend all their time looking. Don't want to buy no cars; take up your time. Don't give a damn for your time. Over there, them two people—no, with the kids. Get 'em in a car. Start 'em at two hundred and work down. They look good for one and a quarter. Get 'em rolling. Get 'em out in a jalopy. Sock it to 'em! They took our time. Owners with rolled-up sleeves. Salesmen, neat, deadly, small intent eyes watching for weaknesses.
Weaknesses, like a husband’s love for his wife, are easy to exploit, as are the man’s concern for his family in general. Further complicating matters is the fact that the majority of these immigrants have never had to deal with people who are aiming to con them. They are confronted with terms they do not know and scare tactics regarding their family’s safety, the veracity of the threats impossible to gauge.
The salesmen also prey on their customer’s social and moral codes. Not far removed from the lower class themselves, they understand how to exploit the desperate travelers’ senses of fairness.
If that doesn’t work, the salesmen change tactics and move to insults. One of the most egregious insults was to be called a “piker,” someone who is stingy and will only place very small bets:
Time and again, Steinbeck shows that community and justice has been replaced by the importance of the individual and injustice. These charlatans will do whatever they have to do to sell a car, and care nothing of the consequences for the customer once the car has been driven off their lot. Underhanded tactics to do whatever it took were not isolated in the time of the Dust Bowl, but commonplace. One trick was to put sawdust in the engine; doing so would briefly quiet any banging noises and also temporarily block any leaks. The “fix,” however, was very temporary and the car salesmen knew it:
"Listen, Jim, I heard that Chevvy's rear end. Sounds like bustin' bottles. Squirt in a couple quarts of sawdust. Put some in the gears, too. We got to move that lemon for thirty-five dollars. Bastard cheated me on that one."
For the displaced families, the choice was take it or leave it.

How did Baudelaire contribute to the development of dandyism?

Charles Baudelaire coined the term "modernity," so it is not surprising that he also contributed to the philosophy of dandyism. Baudelaire expanded the definition and philosophical beliefs of dandyism by promoting a metaphysical form of the lifestyle.
During the early developments of dandyism, its practice was limited to aesthetics or fashion. However, Baudelaire believed that the dandy should apply the aesthetics of beauty in all things, not just in one's appearance. Baudelaire stated that dandyism is related to Romanticism—not just from an aesthetic context, but in terms of philosophy as well.
In addition to Romanticism, Baudelaire's opinion on dandyism also seems similar to the ideals of the Enlightenment. For instance, Baudelaire believed that a dandy should try to improve himself and that the beautiful clothing, manner of speaking, and overall appearance of the dandy is just a physical representation of a beautiful mind and soul.
https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=bgsu1431098722&disposition=inline

What passages in the chapters 7, 10 and 17 of Frankenstein could make us think it is a Romantic story?

There are many passages in Chapters 7, 10, and 17 that characterize Frankenstein as a Romantic story.
Romantic literature particularly focuses on the following:
feelings of deep melancholy
frequent introspection
emotional intensity: anger, fear, and sadness
a reverence for nature and its destructive power
the value of the subjective over the objective.
Take, for example, the following passages from Chapter 7:

My journey was very melancholy . . . Fear overcame me; I dared not advance, dreading a thousand nameless evils that made me tremble, although I was unable to define them.
I remained two days at Lausanne, in this painful state of mind. I contemplated the lake: the waters were placid; all around was calm; and the snowy mountains, “the palaces of nature,” were not changed. By degrees the calm and heavenly scene restored me, and I continued my journey towards Geneva.
Yet, as I drew nearer home, grief and fear again overcame me. Night also closed around; and when I could hardly see the dark mountains, I felt still more gloomily. The picture appeared a vast and dim scene of evil, and I foresaw obscurely that I was destined to become the most wretched of human beings. Alas! I prophesied truly, and failed only in one single circumstance, that in all the misery I imagined and dreaded, I did not conceive the hundredth part of the anguish I was destined to endure.
The most violent storm hung exactly north of the town, over the part of the lake which lies between the promontory of Belrive and the village of Copêt. Another storm enlightened Jura with faint flashes; and another darkened and sometimes disclosed the Môle, a peaked mountain to the east of the lake.
While I watched the tempest, so beautiful yet terrific, I wandered on with a hasty step. This noble war in the sky elevated my spirits; I clasped my hands, and exclaimed aloud, “William, dear angel! this is thy funeral, this thy dirge!”

Here, Victor alternates between grief, anger, and fear. His misery is palpable, and the intensity of his emotions clear. In the above passages, Shelley also portrays nature as both flawless and formidable in nature. Tempests and storms, so prevalent in Gothic and Romantic literature take center stage in Chapter 7, as Victor confronts the possibility of the monster's culpability in William's death. The powerful storms certainly mirror the intensity of Victor's emotions, and they seemingly validate his right to experience their weight.
Here are similar passages in Chapter 10:

They congregated round me; the unstained snowy mountain-top, the glittering pinnacle, the pine woods, and ragged bare ravine, the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds—they all gathered round me and bade me be at peace.
Where had they fled when the next morning I awoke? All of soul-inspiriting fled with sleep, and dark melancholy clouded every thought.
The sight of the awful and majestic in nature had indeed always the effect of solemnising my mind and causing me to forget the passing cares of life.
I looked on the valley beneath; vast mists were rising from the rivers which ran through it and curling in thick wreaths around the opposite mountains, whose summits were hid in the uniform clouds, while rain poured from the dark sky and added to the melancholy impression I received from the objects around me.

Again, the theme of nature as both an ennobling and formidable presence is acknowledged. Intensity of mood is mirrored in the elements of nature. Yet, nature is also seen as a means of transcending the corrupt, primitive nature of humans. Victor certainly relies on nature to bring him to a state of emotional equilibrium.
However, his introspective thoughts continue to consume him, and he can't stop thinking about the monster he created. When he does actually confront the monster, Victor unleashes an unmitigated fury of emotions against it. Here, the Romantic focus on intensity of emotion comes into play. One's natural feelings are prioritized over controlled rationality. This too is the trademark of romantic literature: the subjection of the rational to the visceral.
You may be able to identify similar passages in Chapter 17.

How does The Metamorphosis resemble a comedy?

To best answer your question, I will use the classical definition of comedy. Historically, a comedy involves a sympathetic character who achieves a happy ending. In the Shakespearean sense, a comedy almost always ends in marriage.
While Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is not traditionally viewed as a comedy, one could make the case that is certainly has comedic elements. The novella includes the absurd in Gregor’s transformation into the giant insect, an impossibility that is treated matter of factory within the context of the story.
The story also contains humor, a feature of comedy. When Gregor discovers that he can crawl along the walls and ceiling of his room, his mother witnessed him doing this and promptly faints. This is an example of dark humor, but it is funny that she is all right having her giant insect son continue living in the apartment but is horrified when he does something insects do.
Another way in which the novella is similar to comedy is its ending. While Gregor’s death could be interpreted as tragic, the Samsa are almost relieved. They look forward to downsizing to a smaller apartment now that he’s gone, and Grete feels liberated from the constant care of her brother. In fact, the story ends with the contemplation of Grete’s marriage:

"Growing more silent and almost unconsciously understanding each other in their glances, [Mr. and Mrs. Samsa] thought that the time was now at hand to seek out a good honest man for her. And it was something of a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of their journey the daughter first lifted herself up and stretched her young body."

This ending stands in almost bizarre contrast to Gregor’s sudden death, yet fits with the ironic tone of the novella. Upon the discovery of Gregor’s body, Mr. Samsa dryly remarks, “Well. . . now we can give thanks to God.” This reaction goes against expectations that one would be grieving over the death of a son. This treatment of Gregor’s death make the novella venture on black comedy, a particular type of comedy that examines dark themes through the lens of humor.
The fact that the story ends in a kind of marriage plot is Kafka’s nod to the novella’s comedic stylings—even if his message is not exactly light-hearted.

What is the role of the Stage Manager?

With most plays the audience has to obtain all its factual information from what the characters say and do. In Thornton Wilder's experimental play Our Town, the Stage Manager provides most of the explication. For example:
This play is called "Our Town." It was written by Thornton Wilder; produced and directed by A. . . . (or: produced by A . . .; directed by B. . . .) In it you will see Miss C. . . .; Miss D. . . .; Miss E. . . .; and Mr. F. . . .; Mr. G. . . .; Mr. H. . . .; and many others. The name of the town is Grover's Corners, New Hampshire--just across the Massachusetts line: latitude 42 degrees 40 minutes; longitude 70 degrees 37 minutes. The First Act shows a day in our town. The day is May 7, 1901. The time is just before dawn.
The purpose of providing all this mostly superfluous information is evidently to acquaint the audience from the outset with the unusual method of directly conveying explication through a narrator and of making it plain that this is a play, rather than attempting to hide that fact by creating the illusion of reality. Specifying the precise location of Grover's Corners as

latitude 42 degrees 40 minutes; longitude 70 degrees 37 minutes

is the author's way of showing the audience that the Stage Manager knows everything and will be telling them everything throughout the play. The narrator is a character in the play and is called the Stage Manager in order to remind the audience that this is a play. The audience is spared the work of guessing and piecing information together. The author is relieved of the problem of conveying explication mainly through dialogue, which can often sound unnatural and undramatic.
After all, the audience knows they are watching a play. Why try to fool them? This is a distinctly modern approach and has been quite influential in dramatic works ever since Our Town was first produced in 1938.

What is significant about the party guests?

The people at Gatsby's parties not only do not actually know Gatsby, but they also gossip about him incessantly. Furthermore, most people were not actually invited to the parties at all but were only brought by someone else or came because they heard about Gatsby's gatherings (and the alcohol served there). One man, who Nick begins to refer to as "owl eyes," is camped out in Gatsby's library, quite drunk, marveling over the fact that all of Gatsby's books are actually real (rather than painted cardboard). He tells Nick that he "was brought. Most people were brought." The crowd seems off, somehow. Nick says that he sees Gatsby's guests dancing in the garden, "old men pushing young girls backward in eternal graceless circles, superior couples holding each other tortuously, fashionably and keeping in the corners [. . .]." This is hardly a joyous or light-hearted description. This is supposed to be a fun party, and yet Nick describes the dancing as "eternal" and "graceless," and other couples seems tortured by their dancing; none of this sounds positive.

Gatsby invites everyone to his parties in the hopes that Daisy Buchanan will one day cross his threshold. As a result, he gets guests from anywhere and everywhere. Significantly, most of them have never met him and might not even be able to recognize Gatsby. This leads to every kind of rumor about who Gatsby is, what he might have done (such as murder a man), and how he became so wealthy.
The great crush of party guests give the parties their distinct feel. As Jordan says to Nick about Gatsby's wild evenings:

I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.

Because most people don't know each other, those who do can seal themselves off.
It's also significant that the guests, as Gatsby finds out when Daisy and Tom do finally attend one of the parties, aren't from the right social class. They might include famous actresses and directors, but people from Tom and Daisy's exclusive world don't attend parties like these with the riffraff. Therefore, knowing Daisy is displeased, Gatsby ends them.

In Chapter IV, Nick lists the names of various guests from East Egg and West Egg that he observed at Gatsby’s parties during the summer of 1922. The list is remarkable in its content and implications, a colorful catalog through which Fitzgerald satirizes the upper class while simultaneously clarifying, without explicitly explaining, the social distinctions developing in American society during the Roaring Twenties. The names and their connotations effectively contrast East Egg, the bastion of old money, with West Egg, the home of the up-and-comers who are making money hand over fist in the new decade.
The guests from East Egg bear names that suggest generations of staid Yankee tradition and the heritage of the antebellum South; the names of guests from West Egg are primarily those of European immigrants of various ethnicity and occupations. The contrast emphasizes the accelerating social divide in the country. At Gatsby’s parties, the Chester Beckers, the Leeches, the Ripley Snells, and Dr. Webster Civet find themselves in the company of the Poles, the Mulreadys, the Bembergs, Don S. Schwartze, and a promoter named Da Fontano. Polishing off the list of East Eggers are Stonewall Jackson Abrams of Georgia and Mrs. Ulysses Swett.
Although the East Eggers and the West Eggers occupy the same general territory in Gatsby’s gardens, the social barrier between them remains inviolate. The Blackbuck clan, “who always gathered in a corner and flipped up their noses like goats,” would find no common ground with James B. (“Rotgut”) Ferret, nor would they want to. Guests from West Egg, unrestrained by social convention and free of the ingrained attitudes and behaviors bred into them by wealthy American ancestors, seem to have a much better time at Gatsby’s riotous extravaganzas, although several of the East Egg contingent are not immune to bad behavior either.

What are Britain's current views on the American Revolution?

Most British today regard the US War for Independence as a minor uprising—one caused by an incompetent king—for which they always had sympathy for.
This war was part of a larger series of colonial wars at the time. The Seven Years War (called the French and Indian War in the US) was a much larger and more important war only twelve years before. That war doubled England's debt and ended the French colonial occupation in North America. The debt caused England to tax the US colonies, leading to the famous protests of those taxes.
Most English regard King George's incompetence as the cause of the war. Even minor concessions or local autonomy might have prevented the revolt. Very few English could vote at the time, and many working-class English felt a similar lack of power over their daily lives.
There are few who have any resentment for US independence. The US and Britain began cooperating following treaties after the War of 1812. Starting with World War I until today, the US and UK have been close allies.

Why does the stranger not want to be disturbed by anyone?

The stranger in The Invisible Man is Griffin. Griffin is a scientist who has successfully created an elixir which he uses on himself to become invisible. However, he quickly realizes that being invisible is more of a curse than a blessing. He checks into an inn with all of his scientific investigation equipment in order to try to create the antidote to invisibility. He wants to undo the curse. However, he very selfishly wishes to conceal and control the invisibility discoveries he has found. Rather than share with the scientific community, he wants to be left alone so he can work out his investigation. He is hoping that he alone can gain all the fame and fortune from his research, if only he can figure out how to undo what he's done.

How does Abigail manage to get Elizabeth arrested?

Elizabeth innocently accepts the gift of a little poppet or doll from Mary Warren. To most people, a doll is all it is—just a harmless toy. But in the increasingly hysterical, febrile atmosphere of Salem, it's turned into the equivalent of a voodoo doll. This is all Abigail Williams's doing, as we might expect. She sees the doll as a great opportunity to exact her revenge upon Elizabeth for breaking up her affair with John and firing her.
One night at dinner, Abby surreptitiously stabs herself with a needle and starts screaming hysterically, claiming that Elizabeth Proctor's evil spirit has pushed it into her flesh. It's a ridiculous story, of course, but things have gotten so out of hand that every accusation that Abby makes, no matter how patently absurd, is automatically believed by the authorities. A subsequent search of the Proctor residence uncovers the offending poppet, complete with a needle stuck in its belly. The truth of Abby's accusation appears to have been confirmed and Elizabeth is arrested on a charge of witchcraft.

In act two, Abigail manages to get Elizabeth Proctor arrested for attempted murder and witchcraft after she stabs herself in the stomach with a needle and blames her injury on Elizabeth's spirit. Earlier that day, Abigail noticed Mary Warren making a poppet, or doll, in court during her spare time. She also watched Mary Warren place the needle that she used into the poppet's stomach. Abigail knows that Mary Warren will be returning to the Proctor household later that night and seizes an opportunity to have Elizabeth arrested. Abigail ends up stabbing herself in the stomach with a needle and blames Elizabeth's spirit before instructing the clerks to search Elizabeth's home for a poppet. When Ezekiel Cheever arrives at John's home, he finds Mary Warren's poppet and discovers the needle in its stomach. Cheever and the other men assume that Elizabeth was using the poppet as some sort of voodoo doll to harm Abigail Williams and immediately arrest her for attempted murder and witchcraft.

What devices of language—diction, imagery, figurative language, symbolism, irony, allusion— does Shakespeare use to achieve his effect in Macbeth? Explain how he utilizes each device (give examples from the poem and explain how each functions to communicate the theme of the poem).

Well, Macbeth is a full-length play, so it would not be possible for us to address the entire text, with respect to your query, in one response. Let us, therefore, examine the first scene. Shakespeare's three witches speak here in a meter called trochaic tetrameter, different from the way in which Macbeth and the other major characters will speak in iambic pentameter. The metrical foot of their speech is called a trochee (one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed), and there are four (tetra-) feet per line. For Macbeth and other nobles, the metrical foot of their speech is called an iamb (one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed), and there are five (penta-) feet per line. In the quotation below, I will place stressed syllables in bold font and divide feet from one another with a "|" symbol. The second witch says,

When the | hur ly | bur ly's | doneWhen the | bat tle's| lost and | won (1.1.3–4)

There are four feet per line, though the last foot in each line is truncated (the final unstressed syllable is dropped). The missing final foot actually lends the lines a sense of incompleteness, as though there is something more coming, as though something else lurks on the way. In addition, trochaic tetrameter sounds more menacing and aggressive than an iambic meter, where the first syllable of each line is unstressed. Further, the witches' speech here makes use of end rhyme—see how "done" and "won," the last words of the line, rhyme?—and this makes them seem more otherworldly. It sounds like they are casting a spell—which, in a way, they are. They are making their plans for the future, and their ability to rhyme like this almost makes it sound like they can predict the future.
Moreover, the sisters speak using paradoxes, saying,

Fair is foul, and foul is fair;Hover through the fog and filthy air. (1.1.12–13)

How can something be both fair and foul? It's either good or bad, right? How can something good be bad and something bad be good? We must wait to see how this unfolds and resolves, though it doesn't sound particularly positive in general. The use of paradox makes the sisters seem sneaky, deceptive, intentionally confusing. This effect also likely has to do with the alliteration in these lines. Alliteration refers to the repetition of the initial consonant sound in words that are near one another. Here, the "f" sound is repeated at the beginning of fair, foul, foul, fair, fog, and filthy. If you make the "f" sound, you'll hear that it's pretty breathy; in fact, "f" only makes a sound because we are pushing air out from between our top teeth and bottom lip.
A few things happen here: first, we have to bare our top teeth in order to make the sound, and so someone making the sound over and over would look like they're growling and snarling; second, it sounds close to the "s" sound so often associated with snakes and evil; third, the breathiness of the sound makes it seem misty and elusive, just like the sisters themselves. None of these clues, produced by the "f" alliteration, bode well for Macbeth, whose fate the witches discuss, and they all contribute to the dark and foreboding mood.

What would be a postcolonial reading of the poem "Australia" by A. D. Hope?

A postcolonial reading focuses on the view of the colonized peoples of a country rather than the perspective of the colonizers. It is often referred to as the subaltern point of view, or the "view from below."
A postcolonial reading would therefore examine the way the poem "Australia" expresses a negative view of the effects of European colonization on the continent. This can easily be found in this poem, in which the speaker harshly critiques the European influence on the land. For example, the speaker talks satirically about how Europeans regard Australia: they think of it as without culture, lacking "songs, architecture, history" and as a place of "immense stupidity."
The speaker, in true postcolonial fashion, pushes back against this characterization of his native land. He calls the five cities the colonizers have established "five teeming sores," an ugly image of disease come to the continent. He says these cities, symbols of the colonizer, are "a vast parasite robber-state" that drains the continent dry. He calls the Europeans "second hand" settlers who have clung timidly to the lands near the shore. He also refers to them not as a superior people but as "cultured apes."
Showing the mindset of those who were taken over and colonized, the speaker expresses his deep anger at the English. These colonizers, in his view, have not brought beauty or advancement to the land, no matter what they might think.

What is Faulkner saying about the division between rich and poor in "Barn Burning"?

Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is set in the late 19th century when sharecropping was widely used in rural agricultural areas. Sharecropping was a system in which a wealthy landowner would allow poor families to live on and farm their land and keep a share of the crops. Faulkner wrote this story during the 1930s when the Great Depression was in full swing and tenant farmers created unions to secure protective rights.
Abner Snopes is one sharecropper who resents the wealthy landowners he works for. In the opening scene, Abner is in court accused of burning Mr. Harris's barn—which he did out of spite. When the family arrives at the new landowner's home, the home of Major de Spain, Abner once again spites the wealthy by deliberately treading manure onto the expensive rug. When asked to clean it, Abner makes it worse. Mr. de Spain wants Abner to pay him with twenty bushels of corn for the damage to the rug. Instead, Abner sues him and the judge reduces it to ten bushels. However, Abner is still angry and plans to burn Mr. de Spain's barn.
The power-play between the rich and poor in Faulkner's story makes it the most interesting. The wealthy landowners have a lot of power to wield. Because they own the land, they can turn out the sharecroppers whenever they please. They can set a quota for crops that the sharecroppers have to meet or face punishment if they don't. The relationship is unbalanced as wealthy take and the poor give. Twenty bushels of corn is a high price to pay—one that likely would have come out of the Snopes family's share. This form of punishment would have punished the whole family, not just Abner.
Abner knows that the wealthy have the upper-hand. In fact, he equates the job with slavery. He refers to Mr. de Spain as the man who will begin "owning me body and soul for the next eight months." He also remarks to Sarty after treading on the clean rug that the house was built on the sweat of black Americans, but now they want the sweat of white Americans. Abner's proclivity for burning barns and ruining rugs is his way of using power over the wealthy. The poor don't have houses full of expensive possessions nor do they have barns full of grain, seed, animals, and harvest. Sharecroppers don't even own the houses they live in. But Abner knows the importance of material possessions to the rich. He burns barns in an act of defiance because he knows the importance of barns in an agrarian society.
Abner's behavior is also drastically out of line with social norms. The wealthy and privileged are revered by society, and the poor were prejudiced. Twice in the story, Abner finds himself in court, and both times, he receives unjust punishments. Though he is not found guilty of burning Mr. Harris's barn, the judge orders him to leave town anyway, which is no small feat for a poor farmer with a family. We do know that he is guilty, but the judge does not, which is why a guilty verdict was not delivered. The second time, he is found guilty, and though the judge reduces his payment, the punishment is still disproportionate to the crime.
http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/sharecropping/

https://jottedlines.com/a-socio-political-critique-of-barn-burning-by-william-faulkner/

How does Xiomara reckon with her own silence in The Poet X?

In one of her poems, "Asylum," Xiomara expresses her desire to escape from what she describes as the asylum of a silent home life with aging parents. This is a development of a theme that she first introduced in an earlier poem, "The Last Word on Being Born to Old Parents," when she refers to the oath of silence that her father has supposedly taken. Clearly, this is not a household for small children because they cannot play, explore, and express themselves loudly.
Thank heavens, then, for music—which, as Xiomara tells us in "Asylum," provides her with a welcome escape from her stifling surroundings. The songs that she's particularly drawn to are those where people express all the things that hurt them. According to her, this is one reason why there's nothing quite like music for establishing a bridge between oneself and a total stranger.

How is the description of the lottery in paragraph 1 meant to make the reader feel?

I would argue that the opening paragraph of "The Lottery" is meant to lull the reader into a false sense of security, the better to make the shocking ending all the more effective.
As the story begins, it just seems like any other pleasant sunny summer's day in late June. The flowers are blossoming, the grass is richly green, and the locals are gathering together in the village square for a lottery. What could be more normal than that? At this early stage in the story we have no reason to think there's anything especially weird going on. It just seems like the kind of scene you'd witness in countless villages at this time of year across the length and breadth of America.
The fact that everything initially appears so normal, so civilized, makes subsequent events all the more disturbing. This is the last place on earth where we'd imagine such a barbaric ritual taking place. And even as the true nature of the lottery is finally revealed we still can't quite get our heads around the fact that something like this could happen in the middle of such an ordinary, regular village in the heart of New England.
This is largely because Jackson has constructed her story in such a way as to make the brilliant mid-summer sunshine of the opening paragraph a counterpoint to the moral darkness on display in this age-old ritual of human sacrifice. In figurative terms, the darkness prevails, but only against the literal backdrop of a glorious summer's day. It is this contrast of light and shade that discomforts the reader, making us more amenable to Jackson's disturbing suggestion that there is great evil lurking just beneath the surface of so-called civilized life.

How are Asians depicted in The World As It Goes by Voltaire?

In The World As It Goes, Voltaire presents the travels of Babouc, who, as indicated in the subtitle, records his vision. This work is often referred to as Babouc. As the work is a satire, Voltaire’s renderings of Asians depend largely on stereotypes, from which he selects qualities that he believes resonate with the features of Europeans that he is critiquing. In representing a fantasy world in which stock characters behave in predictable ways, Voltaire participates in what Edward Said later called Orientalism. The book’s central premise is that Babouc is sent by the angel Ituriel to Persepolis (contemporary Tehran) to evaluate its destruction for sinful behavior. Much like in Voltaire’s more well known work Candide, the hero finds himself embroiled in a variety of complicated situations and is often duped by cheats and liars. Persepolis is generally taken to represent the author’s own Paris, and the characters to stand in for prominent French people. Overall, Babouc’s impressions of the Persians he encounters are varied, and his conclusion fits well within cultural relativism. He is enchanted by a lovely young woman, whose virtues do much to improve his opinion. He concludes that they should be spared because many people are polite and sweet, despite their faults of superficiality and vanity.
https://books.google.com/books?id=KtqmaVsvvTwC&dq=voltaire+babouc+orientalism&source=gbs_navlinks_s

What effect does the rhyme scheme AAAA(1st stanza), AABB(2nd stanza), and AABBB(3rd stanza) have on the poem "The Mask of Anarchy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley in terms of tone and how the reader perceives the writing?

Rhyme schemes like AAAA and AABB are rather simple rhyme schemes. The scheme AABB is a particularly common one, sometimes seen in nursery rhymes or children's poems, even. Because of its simplicity, the AABB set-up can read as somewhat "sing-songy," and can lend an air of innocence to a poem. In this sense, the use of AABB in Percy Shelley's Mask of Anarchy is rather ironic since the subject matter of the poem is anything but innocent. Let's look for example at stanzas 2 and 3, which are both in AABB rhyme scheme:

2I met Murder on the way--He had a mask like Castlereagh--Very smooth he looked, yet grim;Seven blood-hounds followed him:
3All were fat; and well they mightBe in admirable plight, For one by one, and two by two,He tossed them human hearts to chew

The meter is not quite as predictable or simplistic as we sometimes see in nursery rhymes or children's poems; however, we see a basic, straightforward AABB rhyme scheme: way and Castlereagh in lines 5 and 6, grim and him in lines 7 and 8, and so forth. The content of these lines, though, is not innocent or simplistic. The speaker meets "Murder" personified, accompanied by "Seven blood-hounds." This is clearly an ominous image, which is then continued in stanza 3 when "He tossed them human hearts to chew." Early in the poem, despite the simple rhymes, Shelley creates a frightening and foreboding mood. Most of the poem continues in this four-line, AABB structure and rhyme.
The AAAA rhyme in stanza 1 is a bit different, since there is the same end rhyme for each line. Shelley writes,

As I lay asleep in ItalyThere came a voice from over the Sea,And with great power it forth led meTo walk in the visions of Poesy.

The AAAA scheme can sound monotonous since it relies on only one sound. Here, though, the stanza serves as a short prelude to the story that the poet is about to tell. The transition into a different rhyme scheme in stanza 2, then, is appropriate, as it marks a shift into the narrative proper.
In stanza 4, the poet writes 5 lines in a different scheme of ABBCC (just based on this stanza, not considering previous rhymes). It's odd, as well, because the first line of the stanza actually goes along with the previous stanza and rhymes with lines 11 and 12 (two, chew, and drew):

Which from his wide cloak he drew.Next came Fraud, and he had on,Like Eldon, an ermined gown;His big tears, for he wept well,Turned to mill-stones as they fell.

It is unclear why Shelley would put this line, which belongs in rhyme and theme to the previous stanza in stanza 4. Perhaps it is to serve as a more seamless link into the next personified character, Fraud. Then, the rhyme changes with the new character. There are other instances of five-stanza sections in the poem, but they are not used as often as the four-line AABB scheme.
Generally speaking, Mask of Anarchy is a rather dark poem detailing the frightening arrival of Anarchy and his supporting cast (including Murder and Fraud, among others). As such, the simple, sometimes song-like rhyme contrasts with the more mature and foreboding imagery.

In Malouf's poem "Eternal Moment at Poggio Madonna," what do you note about the paradox contained in the title? What "particularity" is he focusing on? Stanza 2: What might have happened "centuries back" to attract the cat? How does this illustrate one of Malouf’s central concerns about "presence"?

"Eternal" and "moment" are words in the title that seem to have conflicting meanings; they are a paradox in that, in the Western scientific concept of linear time, "eternal" means to stretch infinitely in both directions, and a moment is an intangibly small piece of time. This paradox is reflected in the poem when Malouf shows us that all time is happening simultaneously: the cat is sleeping and dreaming at the same time as the young god is shaking the pebble from his shoe, at the same time as the sun is bursting through and "danced there." Malouf tells us that the sun's "presence can still be felt" by the cat, implying that she has access to knowledge that exists outside of linear time.
In terms of "particularity," there are a couple of different ways we can interpret this word. The first is to refer to a detail or quirk; in this sense, Malouf seems to be commenting on cats' ability to find a special spot to sleep. The particularity could also be what the cat sees or feels, that ephemeral "glow": a detail that is imperceptible to humans but that the cat notices and which makes her choose the exact spot to sleep.
So this detail, this glow, is a timeless presence, an "aura." It's something the cat recognizes while, at the same time, still doing all the little day-to-day activities like snoozing and being petted.
Below, I have linked to a review of the collection in which this poem appears, which includes critical analysis of the poem.
https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/david-malouf-earth-hour-first-place/

How does Georgiana Maria Gargary treat Pip?

In chapter 2, Pip says that his sister, Georgiana Maria Gargery (usually known as "Mrs. Joe"), brings him up "by hand." By this, he means that she hits him repeatedly and treats him abusively. She is twenty years older than Pip, and she raises him after their parents died.
Mrs. Joe is verbally abusive to Pip. When Pip has been at the churchyard and she does not know where he is, she addresses Pip as "you young monkey." Mrs. Joe is excessively strict, and she expects Pip to comply with all her wishes. When he seems unwell, she administers Tar-water to him and holds his head as "a boot would be held in a bootjack."
Mrs. Joe is in a perennially bad mood, and she is a rigorous and excessive housekeeper who keeps everything in her house so clean that the house becomes uncomfortable to those around her. She is verbally and physically abusive to both Pip and her husband, and she seems to resent having to raise Pip.

Like many of the major women in this novel, Pip's (much older) sister is not a pleasant person. She is unkind to Pip, resents his presence, and abuses both Pip and her kind-hearted husband, Joe. She frightens Pip. Pip and Joe bond into a closer relationship because they both have to lean on each other to withstand her.
Pip says of his sister,

I had known, from the time when I could speak, that my sister, in her capricious and violent coercion, was unjust to me.

Pip knows that his sister's temper tantrums, and the way she slaps and hits him, are wrong. He says it contributes to making him timid and sensitive.
Pip is almost as afraid of being caught by his sister while he is stealing food and supplies to help the convict, Magwitch (who is hiding in the fens), as he is afraid of Magwitch. Mrs. Joe provides a stark contrast to people like Joe and Magwitch. Although she is Pip's flesh and blood, men who have no blood relation to Pip act more as real parents to him, nurturing him and caring for him.

Pip's sister is a thoroughly unpleasant character with her shrewish tongue, abuse of both Pip and her husband, incessant complaining, and deliberate troublemaking. Dickens evidently created her to serve as a contrast to her kind, patient husband Joe. She cannot appreciate what a good man she has. But the author undoubtedly had a deeper purpose than that. He wanted to avoid suggesting that all working-class people were good and all upper-class people were bad. Dickens was more religious than political, though he dealt with the sufferings of the poor and underprivileged in so many of his works. Mrs. Joe Gargary and the surly Orlick are examples of working-class people who are not kind and good, while Herbert Pocket and his father Matthew Pocket are examples of upper-class types who are not cold-hearted and parasitical.
https://www.owleyes.org/text/great-expectations/read/chapter-ii

Who sent the poison pen letter to Miss Strangeworth and destroyed her rose bushes?

The writer doesn't directly say who sent the letter, but when Miss Strangeworth accidentally drops it on the floor outside the post office, it is Dave Harris who picks it up. Seeing the letter is addressed to Don Crane, he tells his girlfriend that he will drop it by the Cranes' house later on.
So, the story suggests it could be one of three people who wrote the letter and destroyed the roses: Don Harris, Don Crane, or Helen Crane. However, Miss Strangeworth seems to have sent out so many of these poison pen letters that if the word got out that it is was her, it could have been anybody who spread the news.
Probably Miss Strangeworth's mistake was underestimating the children. She states in the story that she always posted her poison pen letters as the day was drawing to a close because at that time there were only children outside the post office, and when they saw her "they stood back respectfully."
That doesn't happen at all. In fact, behind her back they call her "Old Lady Strangeworth" and question whether she would ever be generous enough to send anyone a cheque.

Miss Strangeworth is an older and bitter woman, who has a habit of sending two to three of these mean and nasty letters anonymously to her neighbors per day. She goes undetected for some time, until Miss Strangeworth drops one of her poison pen letters, one addressed to Don Crane, while she is at the post office. The Harris boy and Linda attempt to get Miss Strangeworth's attention to return the letter to her. However, she fails to notice their attempts. In courtesy, the Harris boy decides to hand-deliver the letter to Don Crane in case there might be something exciting in the letter. The next morning, Miss Strangeworth finds a little green letter at her door that reads, "Look out at what used to be your roses." Since the letter had been delivered to Don Crane by the Harris boy, we can assume that he (Don Crane) sent her back a response from her awful note.

Miss Adela Strangeworth writes what used to be commonly called "poison pen letters." The term is not heard often nowadays, but there is a great deal of poison pen e-mail on the Internet. Wikipedia defines a poison pen letter as follows:
A poison pen letter is a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party. It is usually sent anonymously. Poison pen letters are usually composed and sent to upset the recipient. They differ from blackmail, which is intended to obtain something, in that they are purely malicious.
The author Shirley Jackson specifies that Miss Strangeworth uses colored paper and colored envelopes which are so common that most people in her town buy and use them.
Miss Strangeworth used a pad of various-coloured paper, layered in pink and green and blue and yellow; everyone in town bought it and used it for odd, informal notes and shopping lists....
This bit of exposition has a dual purpose. It makes it impossible for any recipient to trace a letter back to Miss Strangeworth, since the letter could have been written and sent by anybody in town. Furthermore, it will make it impossible for Miss Strangeworth to identify the person who sent her the letter on green paper in a green envelope at the very end of the story. Hence, she will never know who destroyed her beautiful roses.
But the reader ought to be able to tell who cut up all her rose bushes and sent her the letter reading:
Look out at what used to be your roses.
Early in the story Miss Strangeworth stops to chat with Helen Crane, who has a baby only six months old. Helen confesses that she is worried about the baby girl because she doesn't seem to be developing as fast as she should.
"She just seems--slow," Helen Crane said.
Later Miss Strangeworth writes a poison-pen note on a pink sheet which reads simply:
Didn't you ever see an idiot child before? Some people just shouldn't have children, should they?
Eventually the reader is told that she addresses an envelope to Don Crane, who is Helen's husband and father of the baby girl. Earlier, when Miss Strangeworth had stopped "to smile down on the Crane baby,"
Don and Helen Crane were really the two most infatuated young parents she had ever known, she thought indulgently, looking at the delicately embroidered baby cap and the lace-edged carriage cover.
Miss Strangeworth uses "a pink envelope to match the pink paper." Then when she accidentally drops one of her three poison-pen letters at the post office, the Harris boy, who has been the victim of one of her anonymous letters, picks it up and says to his girlfriend:
"It's for Don Crane....this letter....Might as well take it on over."
So Don Crane receives the pink letter, and the Harris boy tells him Miss Strangeworth accidentally dropped it while depositing letters into the slot at the post office. Don Crane is obviously the only person in town who knows that Miss Strangeworth has the hobby of sending out poison-pen letters to make other people frightened, suspicious, apprehensive, jealous, angry, or otherwise upset. Therefore, Don Crane must be the man who destroyed all of her treasured rose bushes and sent her the letter reading:
Look out at what used to be your roses.

Discuss the theme of hope in Shawshank Redemption

Hope is an overriding theme of The Shawshank Redemption. The story centers around Andy Dufresne, a banker who despite his protestations of innocence is convicted for the murder of his wife and wife's lover. Shawshank Prison is presented as a brutal place in which many prisoners quickly despair. However, the hope of escape sustains Dufresne through years of enduring the cruelty of the warden and guards as well as attacks from other prisoners.
Dufresne manifests his hope by working on his escape plan for many years, patiently chipping away at the wall of his cell with a tiny geological rock hammer. His determination is a reflection of his hope. His refusal to despair, even though he directly and indirectly faces many atrocities, eventually causes a group of prisoners to admire and be drawn to him, notably the man who becomes his close friend, a convict named Red. Through his persistence, he even manages to expand the prison library, allowing some of the convicts to study and earn their diplomas.
His positive attitude, the respect of his circle of friends, and the expansion of the library are all due to his hope that someday he will be able to escape to a lovely seaside village in Mexico where he can live a quiet, stress-free life. He clings to this through all of his hardships, and in the end he overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles and realizes his dream.

Suggest the major benefits of utilizing a flow chart to define and improve a work process. Outline the key steps required to construct and develop an effective flow chart.

A flow chart, as opposed to other methods of communication such as written text or verbal description or no method at all, offers several benefits in work process improvement.
First among them is visual clarity. While workers may have different levels of ability in written comprehension and a propensity to interpret and define textual objectives in different ways, a flow chart can offer a simple and unambiguous instructional dynamic. Second, flowcharts provide the benefit of documentation of work processes and can be referred to when conducting efficiency analyses and gap analyses. Other benefits include the compartmentalization of problems into easily manageable parts and better coordination between multiple stakeholders.
The most important step in developing a process flowchart is defining the problem or process the chart seeks to provide guidance on. Once the process has been defined, it should be documented. Finally, before deploying the flowchart it should be user tested and, if necessary, revised to ensure it can function in the "real world."

Compare and contrast presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan, a former actor, was a Republican who served two terms as governor of California before his election as the 40th United States president in 1980. He was re-elected in 1984, retiring from public service after the end of his second term in Jan. 1989. Reagan was a Democrat until 1962, when a philosophical split over the role of government caused him to shift allegiance.
Lyndon Johnson, a nearly lifelong politician, was a Democratic vice president who ascended to the presidency after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963. After fulfilling the rest of Kennedy's term, Johnson won re-election, serving as the United States' 36th president through 1968. Previously, he had served in the House of Representatives and was majority speaker of the Senate.
Both men were nearly the same age—Johnson was born in 1908, Reagan in 1911—and both were in their 20s during the Great Depression.
Politically, Johnson and Reagan held opposite opinions. Johnson believed it was the government's duty to help the poor, elderly, and disabled. He envisioned a "Great Society" in which everyone had equal legal protections as well as adequate food, clothing, and shelter, and he assembled experts to architect it. The time will soon come, Johnson said in an October 1964 speech, "when nobody in this country is poor."
Under Johnson's leadership, Congress passed landmark civil rights legislation banning federal discrimination in employment, voting, and housing. Johnson also initiated the government-subsidized Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs still in effect today.
Reagan, on the other hand, advocated laissez faire government and cut funding from many of the social programs Johnson helped initiate. Most notably, Reagan cut funding for healthcare programs, refused to acknowledge the AIDS epidemic that ravaged the LGBT+ community, and initiated the "War on Drugs," leading to significant racial disparities in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. In an election speech, Reagan proclaimed, "This is the issue of this election: whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves."
Reagan embraced "trickle-down economics," a theory that holds if the wealthy and businesses are taxed less, their tax savings "trickle down" to lower classes in the form of lowered prices, increased spending, and broadened charity. He helped pass legislation significantly reducing the business and upper-class tax burdens.
Both presidents came to office during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Johnson, however, inherited a "hot" war in Vietnam, which he escalated in an attempt to deter the spread of Communism. Reagan did not preside over an armed conflict, but he is credited with helping end the Cold War. The 1989 destruction of the Berlin Wall was hailed as symbolizing the "victory" of capitalism over Communism, and democracy over totalitarianism.
Reagan lived until age 88 and suffered from Alzheimer's disease in his final years. Johnson died of a heart attack at age 64.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/10/26/johnson_vs_reagan_two_visions_collide_124441.html

What is the main idea of the poem "Among School Children"?

The main idea of this very complex poem is the ultimate unity of body and soul. In Western philosophy, it has been common to separate the two. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato provides the most famous example in this regard. He argued that the soul was somehow more real than the body; it was eternal, whereas the body was prone to aging, illness, and decay. Yeats disagrees with this, and takes Plato to task for regarding nature as nothing more than the frothy foam on the ocean of life:

Plato thought nature but a spume that plays/Upon a ghostly paradigm of things

For Yeats, life is much more complex than Plato and other philosophers would have us believe. Life is full of opposites, and yet a basic, primordial unity still remains. The whole of reality is composed of many parts, but the whole is very much greater than the sum of those parts. A chestnut tree, for example, doesn't simply consist in leaf, blossom, or trunk, but a unity of all three. And that unity is the spirit of the tree, the thing that gives the tree its life.
As with much of Yeats's poetry, "Among School Children" deals with the issue of aging. But unlike Plato and many others before him, Yeats makes no effort to separate the body from the soul. It doesn't matter whether we're eminent Greek philosophers, little babies bouncing on our mothers' knees, or famous Irish poets, old age comes to us all eventually, and it is pointless mourning the inevitable loss of youth and beauty. The soul should not be tortured over the state of the body, and vice versa. They exist together in a state of harmony, just as the bodily movements of the dancer are at one with the dancer herself:


O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43293/among-school-children

What distinguishes indentured servitude from slavery?

Several things distinguished slavery from indentured servitude. First, indentured servants willingly entered into their position, whereas slaves were forced into slavery. Secondly, indentured servitude was temporary. The servants agreed to work for a period of time (usually 5–7 years) as indentured servants in exchange for passage to America, and they usually received some land when their period of servitude ended. Slavery, on the other hand, was almost always permanent. The children of slaves were automatically slaves and would also remain slaves forever, as would their children, and their children's children, etc.
The final major difference is that slavery was tied to race. Whites were not enslaved. Slavery became strictly associated with being black. As time went on and the system of slavery became increasingly codified in America, stricter laws were passed that denied slaves any rights (slaveowners could do whatever they wanted to them) and made things like teaching a slave to read illegal.

Summarize Emma Lou Thornbrough's article "American Negro Newspapers, 1880-1914."

Emma Lou Thornbrough (1913–1994) was an American historian who specialized in the history of African Americans. In 1966, her paper "American Negro Newspapers, 1880-1914" was published in the Business History Review.
"American Negro Newspapers, 1880-1914" examines the business history of African American weekly newspapers during the period prior to World War I. According to Thornbrough, one defining characteristic of African American weeklies during this era was the great number established and the great number that, subsequently, folded. In fact, she notes, "no Negro newspaper founded before 1880 survived until 1914."
The reason for the challenges in publishing continuity faced by African American newspapers is partly attributed by Thornbrough to chronic financial difficulties most of them faced. However, she goes on to note that regular financial difficulties was also a hallmark of white-owned weekly newspapers. In the case of African American papers, though, these issues were exacerbated by the smaller pool of potential subscribers from which they had to draw. Further, the absence of capital meant the resources to develop professional sales forces was largely absent, leaving the business side of the papers to editors who were largely unqualified for that role.
Ultimately, Thornbrough concludes, African American newspapers during this time period "failed to develop techniques and appeals comparable to those employed by the white press to build up the circulation necessary to make them viable businesses."