What is the tone of the speaker in "The Lotos-Eaters"?

In Tennyson's poem "The Lotos-Eaters," the speaker's tone at the beginning is mostly calm and peaceful, as he seems to lose himself in the beautiful landscape he is describing. He describes the "languid air (which) did swoon," and "the slumbrous sheet of foam" at the bottom of a waterfall. The calm and peaceful tone is also quite melodic, or lilting, which is emphasized by the alternating rhymes which end the first seven lines of each stanza.
Occasionally, however, the speaker's tone becomes more excitable, as indicated by exclamatory sentences such as "A land of streams!" and "a land where all things always seem'd the same!" This more excitable tone echoes the speaker's sense of wonder as to the strange, enticing beauty of the island.
At the end of the poem, the speaker's tone changes from calm and peaceful to resigned and melancholic, as he realizes that the men will never again see their homes. This is best illustrated by the repetition of the word "weary" to describe the men's drowsiness and lethargy. They have become so tired that everything around them also seems tired.

Who is Bryan Stevenson?

Bryan Stevenson is an American lawyer. He primarily deals with death-penalty defense.
Learning about Stevenson's background, we can see how influential it was to his deciding to become a lawyer at all, and particularly one dealing with such delicate matters of the law. Stevenson grew up in South Delaware during the sixties and therefore was around to experience racism and segregation (both while segregation was legalized and the informal segregation that continued long after it had been abolished). The injustice that he witnessed growing up in such an environment troubled him deeply. He wanted to find a way to challenge the bias attitudes held against a seeming minority; he found this during law school, where he worked for a Human Rights Center that represented those on death-row.
One major influence from his early life was attending and becoming involved in a Methodist Church; it helped to shape his moral values and to ingrain in him the belief that redemption was possible. To this day, Stevenson seeks to provide justice by protecting minorities who may not overwise have the chance for such redemption; one example of this is his work in prohibiting the sentencing of children under 18 either to a death sentence or to life imprisonment without parole.
Because of his dedicated work in this difficult field, Stevenson has won many awards and has gained the respect and admiration of many. He is still continuing in his efforts to educate more people about his stand against injustice, and he does this effectively through various means including public speaking and recently a book entitled Just Mercy.

Bryan Stevenson is an attorney and activist whose work focuses on systemic discrepancies within the judicial system. As an African American man raised in a rural area, his primary focus is to highlight and fix issues of inherent bias through sentencing reform and social consciousness around the issue of racism in America.
Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in 1994 and has since served as the executive director for the organization. The EJI describes itself as an organization that is:

"committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society." (eji.org)

As a lawyer, Stevenson has worked with the Equal Justice Initiative to argue cases all the way up to the United States Supreme Court, such as Roper v. Simmons and Montgomery v. Louisiana. In almost all of their cases, Stevenson and the EJI provide legal representation for individuals whose cases exhibit the elements of a wrongful conviction, such as poor legal representation or inherent bias within the judicial system.
Stevenson currently lives and works in Montgomery, Alabama. in 2014, he published Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, a memoir reflecting on his career and struggle for reform within the justice system.
https://eji.org/

How did the masque influence The Tempest?

The tradition of dressing up in costumes began—at least as far back in Western history as is recorded—with the Celts. The Celts believed that as one year ended and the next year began, the worlds of the dead and the living overlapped, and spirits and demons would roam the Earth. So, to dress up in the disguise of a demon was a way to trick the demons—who, if they saw you dressed up, would think you were a demon, too.
In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church converted this ancient tradition into "All Saints Day" and "All Hallows Eve," adding saints and angels (along with demons) to the list of disguises people might employ.
This practice evolved as well, and on Hallowmas, children and poor people would walk about towns and villages in disguises, knocking on doors and begging for food or money in exchange for a song, a prayer, a jest, or a dance. This was called "guising," from "disguise."
All of these elements and practices are the foundation for the evolution of the "masque," more formalized and theatrical events that combined music, dance, performers in disguises as mythological or allegorical characters, and sometimes thin plots, though usually they were more likely to be processionals with lush descriptive narrations.
Some masques were performed in public at fairs and carnivals. By the time we reach the seventeenth century, when William Shakespeare wrote The Tempest, the masques were performed at court. Elizabeth I and her successor, James I, were fond of court masques, and there was a constant stream of masques done at the Tudor and Stuart courts. One of the most prolific writers of masques was the author Ben Jonson, whose masques were often staged on sets created by the renowned architect Inigo Jones.
Masques were often accompanied by "anti-masques," which were comic dance sequences of low and bawdy humor usually performed before the masque. They were then "transformed" into the orderly spectacle of the masque itself—the transformation is a statement of ethics, the chaotic disorder of the anti-masque turning to stability, bliss and concord as the masque itself. The anti-masque was invented by Ben Jonson and figures in many of his plays and masques.
William Shakespeare uses the masque to great effect in The Tempest. Much of act 4 of the play is an actual masque—in this case, a supernatural event that Prospero, the ruler of his magic isle, creates to present to his daughter, Miranda, and her suitor, Ferdinand. He tells his spirit Ariel to summon the spirits for the event:

PROSPERO: Thou and thy meaner fellows your last serviceDid worthily perform; and I must use youIn such another trick. Go bring the rabble,O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place:Incite them to quick motion; for I mustBestow upon the eyes of this young coupleSome vanity of mine art: it is my promise,And they expect it from me.

Ariel returns and orders these "rabble" spirits to perform the masque, which is a rather stately promenade of various female mythological characters including Iris, Ceres, and Juno (respectively, the goddess of the rainbow, the goddess of the harvest, and the queen of the gods). The goddesses gossip for a while about who of the other gods may or may not be attending the event, then they bestow blessings upon Miranda and Ferdinand for their imminent wedding. Their language is regal, lush with images of nature, and as stately as one might find in any court masque performed for royalty:

CERES: Earth's increase, foison plenty,Barns and garners never empty,Vines and clustering bunches growing,Plants with goodly burthen bowing;Spring come to you at the farthestIn the very end of harvest!Scarcity and want shall shun you;Ceres' blessing so is on you.

As this is Shakespeare, he is up to his usual trick of taking a well-established form of theater and shaping it for his own dramatic devices. Now, after the formal masque, the character Iris is employed to call out more spirits to do a merry dance:

IRIS: You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,Come hither from the furrow and be merry:Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put onAnd these fresh nymphs encounter every oneIn country footing.
Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish.

All seems to be going well in the masque when suddenly, something about the performance—perhaps the merry country dance of the Reapers and Nymphs—reminds Prospero that he has important unfinished business: he needs to deal with his miscreant servant Caliban, who is plotting to kill his master. Prospero becomes distraught and angry, as both Ferdinand and Miranda notice, and he—and Shakespeare—ends this masque with a powerful and influential piece of poetry:

PROSPERO: Our revels now are ended. These our actors,As I foretold you, were all spirits andAre melted into air, into thin air:And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,The solemn temples, the great globe itself,Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolveAnd, like this insubstantial pageant faded,Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuffAs dreams are made on, and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep.

Considering that this play was performed for the royal court, this is strong stuff. It is a reminder to everyone that the gorgeous revels of the masques themselves are insubstantial pageants, and these disguised spirits are only such stuff as dreams are made on.

While not a masque in and of itself, The Tempest does share some similarities with masque-style plays. Masque usually involved music and dance, which The Tempest does include. It also involves magic and can be read as an allegory.
Most masques are outright allegories, such as John Milton's Comus, an allegory where a virginal young woman is pitted against the lecherous titular wizard, and the two battle over the worth of the virtue of chastity. There is little action in Comus, and its characters are rather simple: the girl is good and pure, and Comus is charming but wicked. She is captured by Comus, then verbally duels with him, then is rescued from her bondage.
The Tempest is less overt in its allegories—since its plot is far more developed and its characters largely more three-dimensional—but the allegorical element remains, regardless. The play is largely an examination of the line between reality and fantasy, with Prospero's island being his personal playing ground if you will. He is like an author manipulating other characters and events for his own ends, and by the conclusion, he relinquishes this power over the characters and his audiences, allowing them all to return to the real world.

The structure of The Tempest contains a masque-like segment that is a celebration of the marriage of Miranda, Propsero's daughter, with Ferdinand. Apart from this, however, the entire play is similar to a masque in the sense that it is a fantasy-like allegory with magical characters, music, and a celebratory atmosphere.
If it is like a masque in having an allegorical significance, we would need to identify what the play is actually an allegory of. As with all of Shakespeare, there are many interpretations. Unlike his more realistic comedies, The Tempest takes place on a remote island analogous (as has often been pointed out) to the New World then being colonized by Europeans. Usually a masque would be expected to honor the reigning monarch, though it doesn't appear that critics have generally identified Prospero as representing James I. You might, however, want to research what qualities, if any, are similar between Prospero and the king. It appears typical of Shakespeare to want to stand well with the rich and powerful, as earlier, during Elizabeth's reign, his historical plays had taken the straightforward propaganda line of the Tudor house.
Usually the interpretation by commentators of The Tempest is of something much deeper than that of pleasing the court—that because the play itself shows a magical, unreal world, then the ultimate theme concerns the difference, if any, between illusion and reality, which has been dealt with so often in literature. If Prospero's island is a kind of mirage, then his words near the close of the play seem to indicate the same is true of the world at large:

And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples—the great globe itself—
Yea, all which it inherit shall dissolve....
.....We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.

In literature, the term “masque” refers to a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe. It was the most important kind of entertainment in the English court during Shakespeare’s time. It is characterized by visual spectacle, costumes, music, song, symbolic action, dialogue, and poetry. The productions were extremely elaborate and very expensive. They focused on spectacular, surprise effects to create a deferential allegory that was flattering to the monarchy.
The Tempest, performed at court during the same time as famous masque plays, is masque-like in many ways. First and most obviously, is the visual spectacle of the setting. The island, the central setting of the play, is a fantastical place full of magic spirits. It has potential for brilliant and startling imagery on stage, which would be impressive to the audience. The effect of the tempest itself, as well as the songs and dancing within the play, also add to the extravagant effect of the masque.
At a more fundamental level, The Tempest can also be interpreted as a celebration of the monarch figures. This is created through the contrast of the courtly plot involving Alonso, Antonio, Sebastian, and Gonzalo, with the crude and low farce of the uncivilized monster Caliban, the drunk butler Stephano, and the jester Trinculo. In the masque, mere visual contact with the royalty ennobles and civilizes the “savage” characters.
The implications of this masque-centered interpretation are that the analysis of the play then becomes more like it was originally perceived, rather than the modern post-colonial interpretations of The Tempest. Because the masque focuses on praise of the authoritarian figures, this reading of the play makes the “low” characters like Caliban less sympathetic than they would be to many modern critics.

What do Elena and Eugene have in common?

Elena and Eugene share a love for books, but they also share the same feelings of alienation from society, their families, and their peers.
In truth, both are lonely individuals. At school, Elena finds that she doesn't fit in among her school peers. As the lone Puerto Rican in her class, she feels marginalized. Additionally, the black girls excel at skipping rope, and they often make fun of Elena for her lackluster skipping abilities. At home, Elena must contend with an insensitive and often abrasive mother.
She relates that she once attended her grandmother's funeral in Puerto Rico but found it difficult to relate to the people around her. There were many cousins, uncles, and aunts, but Elena remembers feeling lost. Meanwhile, Elena's mother proved to be of little comfort at the time, for she was grieving the death of her own mother.
When Eugene moves in, Elena notices his sense of alienation from his family. It looks familiar to her because it is also what she is experiencing. Eugene's family never seems to sit down for dinner together. His mother often eats alone, while Eugene is nowhere to be seen during mealtimes. Meanwhile, Eugene's father never makes an appearance at the kitchen table.
Elena notices that Eugene only sits at the kitchen table when he's reading. Because Eugene spends hours reading, Elena feels a sense of camaraderie with him. Both Eugene and Elena also have unhappy, distracted mothers, so each can relate to the other's experiences in this area.

On the face of it, it would seem that the two would-be love birds don't have a whole lot in common: Elena is Puerto-Rican; Eugene is a white Southerner. But they get along very well all the same. In a way, Elena and Eugene are outsiders at Public School Number 13 and so find themselves naturally drawn to each other. From her bedroom, Elena can see into Eugene's family's kitchen, and she fantasizes about sitting down with Eugene at his kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking about books. And it's a love of books that brings Elena and Eugene together. Eugene wants Elena to come over to his house so they can study American history together. They also plan to walk to the public library, a further indication that they both have a love of learning as well as reading.

Is time in the narrative of The Lost Steps flat, or does it contain leaps through past and future? If it does contain leaps, how many, and where are they located in the novel?

Technically and literally, The Lost Steps is a flat narrative due to the narrator experiencing time in a straightforward and linear fashion. However, it can be stated that the narrator does indeed makes leaps through past and future in a more metaphorical and existential sense.
The narrator, a musician who throughout the book remains nameless, is a man who has roots in both European and Latin-American culture, stemming from his father and mother, respectively. He attempts to resolve the identity crisis that this creates by visiting an unspecified city in South America. Once there, he seems to recall the language and tradition from his childhood, signifying a spiritual leap into the past.
Later, seduced by a fleeting chance to briefly return to the city, the narrator finds nothing but misfortune and sees the city as almost apocalyptic in its hostility, signifying a spiritual leap into the future.

What role do friends and family play in the novel Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl?

Friends and family constitute a vital support network for Linda. As an enslaved person, someone without any rights in this deeply prejudiced society, she has nowhere else to turn. Linda's friends and family provide her with a haven from the horrors of slavery, in both a literal and figurative sense. For example, her good friend Betty helps to hide Linda after she runs away from the cruel Dr. Flint, a sex predator. Linda's grandmother also comes through for her, allowing her to seek sanctuary in her attic crawlspace.
But at the same time, Linda knows that she must choose between freedom and family. That's what Uncle Benjamin did when he escaped. He inspires Linda with an unquenchable desire for freedom, yet she realizes, with a heavy heart, that abandoning her family is the price that must be paid for it. Aunt Martha is different. For her, keeping the family together is the most important thing of all, even if it means remaining trapped in perpetual slavery.

Could someone write a literary analysis for the short story "The Witness for the Prosecution" by Agatha Christie? Many thanks.

In "The Witness for the Prosecution," the protagonist, Leonard Vole, has been charged with the murder of the immensely wealthy Emily French. The text tells us that Emily bequeathed the bulk of her fortune to Leonard before her death.
The antagonist is the enigmatic Romaine Vole. For her part, Romaine is an interesting antagonist. While claiming to oppose Leonard's interests, she actively works on his behalf.
In the story, Leonard is a static character. He portrays himself as a misguided but well-meaning young man. In actuality, Leonard is an impostor. He takes on a boy-next-door persona to deceive his solicitor, Mr. Mayherne, who does not realize that his client is engaging in a cynical act of deception. When questioned by Mr. Mayherne, Leonard disarms the latter with his quiet earnestness.
Leonard openly admits that his case looks bleak. He even acknowledges the unpleasant rumors surrounding his unusual relationship with Emily. Throughout his interaction with Mr. Mayherne, Leonard portrays himself as a sincere but flawed individual. He ingratiates himself to the solicitor. Leonard tells Mr. Mayherne that he has a "weak nature" and that he found it difficult to ignore the pleadings of a "lonely" and "unhappy" old lady.
Then, Leonard openly admits to a secret fascination with being "mothered." In light of the prevailing culture, his confession would be seen as an embarrassing one. However, he willingly shows his vulnerable side to Mr. Mayherne. In response, the solicitor begins to trust Leonard (his biggest mistake) and becomes protective of his young client. Leonard's trusting nature, albeit an act, disarms the solicitor. Christie uses indirect characterization, the interactions between Mr. Mayherne and Leonard, and the interactions between Mr. Mayherne and Romaine to foreshadow the stunning ending.
Throughout his interaction with Mr. Mayherne, Leonard is shown to be a master manipulator. Earlier in the story, the third-person omniscient narrator makes it a point to emphasize Mr. Mayherne's supposedly shrewd character. The solicitor is said to be "by no means a fool." However, Mr. Mayherne is fooled not just by Leonard but also by Romaine Vole. Both Leonard and Romaine play their roles to perfection.
Leonard's boy-next-door persona prepares the way for the dynamic Romaine, who does not bother to hide her supposed disdain for her husband. After Leonard's performance as a seemingly insipid "Mama's boy," Mr. Mayherne is thrown off guard by Romaine's clearly visceral hatred for Leonard. Additionally, her vicious accusations and hysterical behavior immediately raises the solicitor's suspicions about her mental state.
In the story, the author makes it a point to emphasize Mr. Mayherne's "cool and unemotional" character. Such a character would be repelled by any undue displays of emotion and would characteristically revert to type in the face of such emotion. In fact, Mr. Mayherne is the type of man who would also be repelled by women who emphasize the "stupidity of men" and who use derogatory epithets to reference men.
Romaine's performance as an old hag is equally masterful. Her repellent features and fiendish behavior further solidifies Mr. Mayherne's earlier perception of Romaine. Here, the author uses dramatic irony to further the plot line. We suspect that Mr. Mayherne is being taken in by Leonard and Romaine, but the solicitor is oblivious to the deception the two are foisting on him. Indeed, Romaine manages to drive Mr. Mayherne's sympathies toward Leonard, which was her goal all along. The story highlights the themes of deceptive appearances, self-serving loyalty, misguided trust, and greed.
Both Leonard and Romaine conspire together to fulfill the dictates of their greed. They also remain loyal to one another, and they are united by their mission to deceive the well-meaning solicitor. We are little surprised at Romaine's final "you do not see at all. I knew—he was guilty!" Indeed, we hear the echoes of her previous words: "How stupid men are! Stupid—stupid—stupid."

How did Julia Stoner die?

Short Answer: Julia dies after being bitten by her step-father's venomous swamp adder.
At the beginning of the story, Helen Stoner visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and explains to them that she fears for her life. Helen goes on to mention that she views her step-father, Sir Grimesby Roylott, as a threat to her well-being and explains to Holmes and Watson that her sister, Julia Stoner, died two years ago. Helen says that Julia died shortly after she got engaged and the events surrounding her mysterious death are eerily similar to her current situation. According to Helen, on the night of Julia's death, her sister mentioned that she had heard a mysterious low whistle for the past three nights. Later that night, Helen was awakened by Julia's screams and happened to hear a low whistle whenever she opened her door. Before Julia died in Helen's arms, Julia told her,

"Oh, my God! Helen! It was the band! The speckled band!" (Conan Doyle, 4).

At the end of the story, it is discovered that Julia was bitten by a venomous swamp adder, which Sir Grimesby Roylott trained to travel between his room and Julia's room whenever he blew a low whistle. Eventually, Julia accidentally provoked the venomous snake, which caused it to bite and kill her.
After Helen got engaged, construction started on her home and she was forced to stay in Julia's former room. She also heard the mysterious whistle, which motivated her to seek Holmes's services. It is discovered that her step-father also planned to kill her using the same method, but his plan backfires after Holmes intervenes.

Julia Stoner died in agony two years before her twin sister Helen came to London to ask Sherlock Holmes for advice and assistance. We do not learn the cause of Julia’s death until towards the end of the story. The author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, never offers an exact description of how Julia’s death was caused by her wicked stepfather. This was mainly because the notorious prudery of Victorian times prevented the author from depicting a young woman in her nightgown in her bed. Actually her own sister didn't see her until she staggered out into the corridor and died in her arms. But Conan Doyle undoubtedly intended to have the reader imagine exactly what had occurred in that bedroom. What was not told to the reader in so many words was in fact more horrible than anything explicitly described. Here is what must have happened.
For several nights running Dr. Roylott slipped his poisonous snake through the ventilator. It slithered down the dummy bell-rope onto the pillow beside the sleeping girl’s head. Why didn’t it try to escape from its cruel captivity now that it was at least partially free? The snake comes from a tropical climate and the weather is remarkably cold, as the author suggests many times.
"I am glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot coffee, for I observe that you are shivering.”
“It is a little cold for the time of the year,” said Holmes.
The central portion was in little better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided.
The tropical reptile's natural inclination would be to seek warmth. Dr. Roylott must have known that. On each of the nights the snake crawled down the bell-rope it would not only have remained on the bed, but it would have crawled under the bed-covers and curled up right beside the sleeping Julia. The snake had no reason to attack the girl whose body heat was keeping it warm, but sooner or later, as the murderer knew, the girl would turn over in bed and right on top of the swamp adder. When that happened, the snake would bite her through her nightgown. She would scream, and Roylott would immediately blow his whistle to summon the “speckled band” back up the bell-rope and through the ventilator, where he could capture it and return it to the steel safe.
The reader—and especially the female reader—can imagine how horrible it would be to have a snake as a bed companion. The same thing would have happened to Helen if her sister hadn’t told her about that mysterious whistle. Helen heard it on only one occasion and went to see Sherlock Holmes immediately next morning—but she must have had the swamp adder in bed with her for at least one night.

Why did the mayor hesitate before saving Fauchelevent?

The mayor, of course, is none other than Jean Valjean, going under one of his many aliases—this time, Monsieur Madeleine. As mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer, he cannot reveal his sordid past as a convict, or he'd be destroyed. One day, as he's walking through the town, he sees Father Fauchelevent pinned beneath his horse and cart, the only thing this once-prosperous lawyer has left in life. As the horse's legs are broken, it cannot rise to its feet, and despite the best efforts of passers-by Fauchelevent remains pinned beneath the wreckage.
Valjean's immediate reaction is to help, even though Fauchelevent, resentful of his wealth and status, has done everything he can to injure him and his reputation. After arriving on the scene, it's obvious that only Valjean has the necessary strength to be able to lift up the cart, thus allowing Fauchelevent to be saved. But Valjean initially hesitates. The intrepid Javert makes yet another of his unwelcome appearances and says that he knows of only one man capable of performing such a feat of strength, and he was a convict. Although Valjean is understandably reluctant to reveal his identity, he tries his best to ignore Javert's presence and lifts up the fallen cart, thus saving Fauchelevent from almost certain death.

What was the reason for the roar of laughter that echoed as Leacock left the bank in "My Financial Career"?

The roar of laughter can be attributed to Leacock's actions while attempting to make a deposit. Leacock's excessively furtive behavior and fumbling actions likely made him a comical figure in the eyes of the bank employees.
In the story, Leacock tries to deposit fifty-six dollars at the bank. His overwhelming challenge, however, lies in the fact that he has little trust in banking institutions. His nervousness initially lends an air of mystery to his person. The bank manager thinks he is a detective or perhaps even a very wealthy man who doesn't want anyone to know the amount of his deposit.
When the manager discovers that Leacock just wants to deposit fifty-six dollars, his interest in Leacock wanes. He asks the accountant to help Leacock instead.
The story ends on a comical but sad note. Leacock wants to deposit fifty-six dollars and draw out six dollars for his present use. However, due to his nervousness, he writes the full deposit sum of fifty-six dollars on the withdrawal slip. To spare himself the embarrassment of admitting his mistake, he blusters through the entire incident and insists that he will withdraw the entire amount he just deposited.
This is why a roar of laughter erupted after Leacock left the bank.

Why was the British Empire so successful?

The British Empire owed its success to many factors. One key to its success was its efficient taxation system. While this angered colonists, British taxes funded the realm, and the empire did not become a drain on the nation's resources until after WWI; this is truly remarkable given the size of the empire.
Another factor in the success of the British Empire was the size and success of its navy. The British navy defended British trade and possessions all over the world. The rise of the British Empire dates from around 1588, when the British navy under Sir Francis Drake defeated the Spanish Armada. Without a powerful navy, Britain would not have an empire and would have been susceptible to invasion.
Another factor in the success of the British Empire was its willingness to send people to possessions in order to truly possess them. Rather than fight religious dissidents at home, Britain provided a way for them to not be a nuisance to the Church of England and still contribute to the empire's resources. In this way, Britain was able to turn its political and religious liabilities into assets. These assets also came in handy when it came to defending the realm, as colonists from North America were often more than willing to attack French and Spanish possessions in the name of the Crown.
All of these factors can be summarized as Britain simply being better at managing its possessions than Spain and France. Britain also had the navy needed to supply and defend its colonies.

From what perspective does the speaker view Tintern Abbey?

In geographical terms, as the title of the poem suggests, the speaker views Tintern Abbey from several miles above. The spatial distance between the speaker and the abbey reflects his emotional distance from the past, on which he ruminates as he approaches these ancient ruins.
The last time the speaker passed through this part of the world, five years ago, he was a very different man. Then, his perspective on the environment was somewhat naive and picturesque; he derived "coarse pleasures" from his engagement with the natural world. Nature was delightfully pretty, but nothing more. But now that he's older, wiser, and more mature, he's come to develop a more detached, philosophical perspective.
Now he sees himself as part of an organic whole in which he is linked with everyone and everything else in the universe, mind and nature fused together in a sublime unity. This elevated insight, this recognition of the deeper life beneath the surface of things, is the product of many years of disinterested reflection. Intellectually, the speaker had to separate himself from the world of his past to derive such insights, just as he now physically separates himself from the present, a few miles above Tintern Abbey.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45527/lines-composed-a-few-miles-above-tintern-abbey-on-revisiting-the-banks-of-the-wye-during-a-tour-july-13-1798

In Titus Andronicus and Romeo and Juliet, is the cathartic effect of the tragedy intensified or diminished by the pervasive atmosphere of brutality and vulgarity?

One could argue the tragedy is intensified in both cases. Part of what makes Romeo and Juliet so poignant is the contrast between the purity of Romeo and Juliet's love and the violent, hate-filled society that thwarts their ultimate happiness. The lovers try to find a way to be together and live in Verona (and in the good graces of their families, the state, and the church), but the feud and Romeo's own violent reaction against Tybalt destroys their dream.
The vulgarity of the other characters only serves to make Romeo and Juliet's love seem nobler. Mercutio makes bawdy jokes and seems to view sex as a mere carnal act. The Nurse also makes comical references to sex and breast-feeding, which causes Juliet to blush uncomfortably. However, Romeo and Juliet's wedding night is not treated with irreverence (see the lovely imagery of Juliet's erotically-charged "fiery-footed steeds" speech in act 3, scene 2). Their parting after the consummation is tender and sweet. All of this serves to make their love seem more fragile and their final tragic fates more emotionally devastating.
Unlike Romeo and Juliet, in Titus Andronicus, the characters seem to accept the violence of their world, rarely if ever hoping for anything better. From the very first scene, Titus kills one of Tamora's sons in cold blood as a sacrifice, despite the entreaties of Tamora herself. His actions in that opening scene help set off the cycle of vengeance which dominates the play.
The brutality of Titus Andronicus is contrasted with the heroic qualities of its titular protagonist. Titus is brave, patriotic, and devoted to his family. He weeps and laments when he learns his sons have been killed and his daughter has been raped. He is not a total monster, which makes his descent into further brutality tragic. As a revenge tragedy, Titus Andronicus shows how the fulfillment of vengeance does not lead to happiness or peace. It only leaves the stage littered with bodies.
(Of course, some might argue in Titus' case that the over-the-top violence could be played as darkly comedic and that this undermines the pathos of the characters' situation. However, not all modern productions of the play take this approach.)

What would be a portable concept in Aaron Devor's essay "Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender"?

"Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender" is an essay by Aaron Devor. The thesis of the essay is that society or, more specifically, social norms of a particular culture influence how gender identity is perceived. One of the negative effects of this dynamic is the creation of gender stereotypes. Another concept that is examined in the essay is the development of gender identities during the adolescent stage, typically between eighteen months and two years old. It is during this stage in the human life cycle that children become most influenced by their environment's "rules" on gender roles.
In this regard, the essay analyzes gender identity as a social construct, rather than just a biological phenomenon. It is the social rules or norms dictating gender identity that influence how a specific gender should speak, act, behave, and think. For example, males are pressured by society to be more aggressive and assertive than females. Women, on the other hand, are expected to rear children. These gender roles have influenced discriminatory practices throughout history, especially regarding women and people who identify as LGBTQ.
http://www.iupui.edu/~womrel/REL301%20Women/Devor_BecomingMembers-gender.pdf

Why didn’t he and his friends tell their families they were leaving or where they were going?

In A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Ishmael, his brother Junior, and their friend Talloi travel to Mattru Jong to perform a dancing and rapping act. Their decision to travel without telling anyone, including their families, where they are going results in their being separated from their families once their home village is taken by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
The decision to not tell their families where they are going is, unfortunately, quite naive. Keep in mind that these three are quite young at this point in the story. They do not truly consider the negative consequences of leaving without informing their parents about where they are going. They assume they will return to the village the next day before any fuss is made or any significant events take place.
While they should not have left without talking to their parents, especially given their age, their youth should make readers sympathetic to the fact that they could not have predicted such a horrific series of events would take place in their absence.

How did World War I contribute to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty?

World War I was a major contributory factor to the fall of the Romanov dynasty, which had ruled the Russian Empire for over three hundred years. Russia had entered the war enthusiastically out of solidarity with its Serbian brethren, but as the conflict began, it soon became clear that the country was woefully underprepared for the challenges ahead. The weakness of Russia's military and civil infrastructure meant that the war placed a crippling burden on the civilian population, causing severe economic hardship and misery. The initial enthusiasm soon wore off, and as the war dragged on, it became ever more unpopular.
Opponents of the Tsarist regime, such as the Bolsheviks, were able to exploit the prevailing mood to their own advantage. They presented the war as a conflict among the ruling classes of Europe which had nothing to do with the ordinary people, the workers and peasants. The regime was unable to respond effectively to the challenges to its legitimacy. To make matters worse, the creaking Russian administrative system proved so inadequate in conducting the war that chronic shortages developed on the home front.
In turn, this led to protests and serious outbreaks of civil disorder on the streets of Russia's major cities. One such disturbance, a bread riot in the capital city of Petrograd—whose name was changed from St. Petersburg to make it sound less German—turned into a full-scale revolt against the Tsar and his regime. It soon became clear that the Romanov dynasty's days were numbered, and it was no surprise when Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate, ushering in a brief period of liberal democracy under the Provisional Government.

How did his parents feel about Joji's great interest in drawing cats in "The Boy Who Drew Cats"?

“The Boy Who Drew Cats” is a Japanese fairytale, published in 1898 and translated by Lafcadio Hearn. It tells the story of Joji, a young boy who lives on a farm with his large family.
Joji’s brothers and sisters are tough and are a great help to their parents on the farm. In contrast, Joji, the youngest, is small and fragile. He is also artistic and imaginative, and all he wants to do is draw pictures of cats. This unique hobby worries his parents, as they fear he may not grow up to be a self-sufficient farmer as they had hoped. Finally, realizing their son will not be a farmer, they send him to temple to study with a priest. But Joji still cannot stop drawing cats.

Explain two ways in which workers were affected by the growth of large businesses from 1870–1890.

With the arrival of the Second Industrial Revolution following the American Civil War, many changes came to American society. With technological improvements came the growth of manufacturing. This would lead into the Gilded Age. This time period was marked by the growth of big businesses, the excessive wealth of some American industrialists, and a greater availability of goods in markets. It is also noted for rapid urbanization, poor work conditions, and the downfall of many small businesses and small business owners. Workers of this period were affected in many ways, some of which were positive, while others were not.
Many industrial workers of the Gilded Age were recent arrivals to the areas in which they worked. With agricultural technology improving and the price of agricultural goods falling, many small farmers quickly found themselves in a position where farming was no longer economically feasible. These farmers would leave the agricultural industry to begin working in manufacturing in urban areas.
In addition to the arrival of many rural Americans in cities, there was also the arrival of immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States. These immigrants were often unskilled laborers for whom the world of big business manufacturing offered opportunities. Many of these immigrants were willing to take low-paying factory jobs in poor conditions in order to escape issues like persecution, food shortages, political unrest, and warfare in their home countries.
Another group that faced a great deal of change in the Gilded Age was skilled craftsmen. People like shoemakers and tailors, who had developed their skill over years, struggled to compete with the mass production of similar goods in factories. Factories could produce similar goods, but could do so in far greater numbers and offer their products for much lower costs. In many cases, these small businessmen were forced out of business and oftentimes found themselves working as laborers in the factories of big businesses.
The growth of big business also led to a focus on profit. Poor working conditions, long working hours, and sometimes even physical abuse were all commonplace. In many cases, children were employed at factories where they worked long hours, suffered beatings, and voided the opportunity for education and future betterment. There were, at the time, few working regulations. Big businesses were not often concerned with good working conditions, because improving conditions would require investing money. This would then take away from overall profits.
As big businesses grew, it seemed that conditions for many workers worsened. The influence of big businesses extended all the way to the level of government. With corruption rampant, it was unlikely that changes would come easily for the workers. It was due to these conditions that the late 1800s saw a growth in membership of labor unions. Workers organized in an attempt to have certain, oftentimes basic, demands met. These demands included safer working conditions, fewer hours of work, and better pay. It was through the struggle of these unions that work conditions began to improve.
Big business also had an effect on all of society. Through increased mechanization in factories, goods could be produced quicker, cheaper, and in greater numbers than they had been by hand. With an increase in the supply of items like clothing and a reduction in the cost of production, prices began to drop. This would lead to an improved standard of living for some, as people were able to purchase goods in greater numbers.
As you can see, the growth of big business led to many changes in the nature of American society. Workers in almost all sectors were in some way affected by or connected to the growth of big business and manufacturing.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/work/

Why were the 13 colonies founded?

The individual thirteen colonies were founded for many different reasons; however, chief among these reasons were commercial interests (money) and religious freedom. The thirteen colonies (collectively called the “New World”) were a major source of natural resources such as timber and tobacco. Virginia (the first colony, founded in 1607), Georgia, and the Carolinas (which only later split into two states) especially were founded with profit in mind.

Other specific colonies were founded for purposes relating to religious freedom. In England, all residents had to pay a small contribution to the Church of England (established in the sixteenth century by Henry VIII). Massachusetts, for example, was founded by Protestant sects (though they themselves became intolerant). Rhode Island became a haven for Baptists and Quakers, Maryland for Catholics, and Pennsylvania for Quakers.

Finally, indentured servitude is another reason why some individuals came to the colonies. Thus another purpose the colonies themselves served was as quasi-penal colonies, though this is a comparatively minor cause.

Frederick Jackson Turner claimed that the frontier made the United States unique. Among other reasons, it served as a "safety valve" for those in the East. Do you believe him to be correct?

Coming at the end of the nineteenth century, F. J. Turner's remarks in many ways confirmed the idea of the United States as anchored in the East Coast settlements of Northern European heritage. In other ways, as he emphasized the shift of the nation's center to Chicago, the Mississippi, and the Midwest in general, Turner encouraged Americans to think coast to coast.
The idea that the economic heart of the United States was in the East still largely held sway. Although the South had been opened up to industrialization by the Civil War, it still lagged behind the Northeast, where most factories had been located. The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 had greatly stimulated commerce and industry nationwide. While more immigrants were arriving on the West Coast, various economic woes in Europe were swelling the numbers arriving via the Atlantic—Ellis Island opened in 1892 to process them.
Turner had in mind many of these factors. The frontier was a shifting zone, ever flexible, that would accommodate any white Americans, whether well established or newly arrived, who wanted to improve their lives. The "safety valve" it offered was a release from the tensions and anxieties of urban, industrial life. The "safety" was not for the individuals themselves but for society. Political dissatisfaction, including anarchism, strikes, and riots, was sprouting up in the cities. Turner imagined the wide open spaces of the western frontier as welcoming to the new arrivals—largely ignoring Native American occupants' pre-existing claims on the land. He argued against the idea of a closed frontier, preferring to see unlimited opportunity and somehow not acknowledging that workers' demands would move along with them to their western settlements.

Why did the United States use slaves instead of free indentured workers?

One of the reasons that colonial America began to turn increasingly towards slavery instead of indentured servitude was Bacon's Rebellion of 1676. In this popular uprising, a group of Virginians rebelled against the elite governor of the colony. In the uprising, slaves united with white indentured servants to demand the right to move westward to claim land where Native Americans lived.
As a result of this uprising, the elite of Virginia began to impose a harsher color line and to make slavery for kidnapped Africans different from indentured servitude for whites. Their intent was to break up the potential solidarity between the groups. In addition, southern planters needed labor for labor-intensive crops such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton, and they increasingly relied on slaves to harvest these crops.

What event leads to Augustine seriously discussing the issue of slavery?

In Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, Augustine St. Clare is Tom's third owner, a man who believes that slavery is morally and philosophically wrong but nevertheless relies on slavery to sustain his own comfort.
Augustine buys Tom after Tom rescues his daughter, Eva (Evangeline St. Clare), from drowning. Augustine takes Tom back to his home in New Orleans and eventually entrusts him with the responsibility of doing the marketing for the family.

St. Clare at first employed him occasionally; but, struck with his soundness of mind and good business capacity, he confided in him more and more, till gradually all the marketing and providing for the family were intrusted to him.

As Eva lays dying, she entreats her father to free Tom and to become an abolitionist, which he agrees to do.

"Papa, isn’t there any way to have all slaves made free?”
“That’s a difficult question, dearest. There’s no doubt that this way is a very bad one; a great many people think so; I do myself I heartily wish that there were not a slave in the land; but, then, I don’t know what is to be done about it!”
“Papa, you are such a good man, and so noble, and kind, and you always have a way of saying things that is so pleasant, couldn’t you go all round and try to persuade people to do right about this? When I am dead, papa, then you will think of me, and do it for my sake. I would do it, if I could.” . . .
“There, there, darling,” said St. Clare, soothingly; “only don’t distress yourself, don’t talk of dying, and I will do anything you wish.


“And promise me, dear father, that Tom shall have his freedom as soon as”—she stopped, and said, in a hesitating tone—“I am gone!”
“Yes, dear, I will do anything in the world,—anything you could ask me to.”

A few weeks after Eva's death, Augustine discusses slavery and emancipation with Miss Ophelia.

“And what are you going to do?”
“My duty, I hope, to the poor and lowly, as fast as I find it out,” said St. Clare, “beginning with my own servants, for whom I have yet done nothing; and, perhaps, at some future day, it may appear that I can do something for a whole class; something to save my country from the disgrace of that false position in which she now stands before all civilized nations.”
“Do you suppose it possible that a nation ever will voluntarily emancipate?” said Miss Ophelia.
“I don’t know,” said St. Clare.

Augustine starts the legal proceedings to emancipate Tom, but he neglects the matter, and the emancipation process drags on. Unfortunately, Augustine is stabbed trying to prevent a fight between two men in a cafe, and he dies before he can free Tom or any of his other slaves.
Augustine's wife, Marie, decides to sell the slaves, and Tom and fifteen-year-old Emmeline are sold to Simon Legree, an unremittingly evil man.

What happened after Manny walked to the Rio Bravo Hotel and saw the Sergeant at the table?

After Manny walked to the Rio Bravo Hotel and saw the Sergeant at the table, he stood by the Sergeant's table silently, observing him. However, the Sergeant quickly notices him, and so does a waiter at the restaurant. Since Manny is obviously a "street kid," the waiter gets ahold of Manny and attempts to drag him out of the restaurant. The Sergeant stops the waiter and allows Manny to join him at the table. The Sergeant hands Manny a menu, but Manny is illiterate. However, this doesn't stop him from taking advantage of the opportunity to have a free meal. He begins to list random food items he knows to the waiter. When the food comes, Manny hastily eats the food, as if he had not eaten in days. The Sergeant observes Manny quietly, and it reminds him of his experiences in the Vietnam War, in which he watched a starved monkey escape his cage and ravenously eat the food in the camp.

A book is worth $7.00 today, and its value grows at a rate of 9% per year. How long until the comic is worth $20?

Every year that you own this comic book, it will appreciate 9%. So, you will multiply the initial amount by 1.09 every year. This works out to a fairly straightforward equation.
Assuming Y is the resulting value (after appreciation), x is the number of years, A is the initial value, and r is the interest rate, this is the general equation.

Y = A*(1 + r)^x

In this case, the equation becomes the following:

20 = 7*(1.09)^x

Divide by 7 to simplify the equation prior to taking a logarithm. It doesn’t matter what base logarithm you use, as long as you do the same on both sides. To simplify, we’ll use log base 10, because it’s standard.
Log(20/7) = log(1.09^x)
The rule of logarithms with exponents is that the exponent becomes a multiplier for the logarithm. Therefore, you can isolate x like so:

Log(20/7) = x*log(1.09)

Divide each side by log(1.09) and you will have a result: 12.182 years.

Summarize chapters 9–16 of Simply Christian by N.T. Wright.

9. God’s Breath of Life
Wright opens the chapter with images of new life and makes parallels to the early church. He draws upon the Resurrection as a point of power, one which creates a more promising future than that of sin and darkness. This transformation occurs with the Holy Spirit, the personal presence of God. Wright considers the Holy Spirit to be the binding tie between heaven and earth, and the past with the future.
10. Living by the Spirit
After establishing the role of the Holy Spirit and how this Spirit works within us, Wright goes on to speak practically about how to achieve this intersection between heaven and earth. He states that "All of God's treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in the Messiah himself," highlighting that Jesus started a mission for salvation and continues this mission through Spirit-led people.
God's Spirit gives the world an enhanced beauty, free from the ugliness of sin. We are offered a renewed relationship with God through the Spirit. Our spirituality can achieve fulfillment through the Spirit; and, justice is possible through the Spirit as well.
Wright completes the chapter by emphasizing Jesus as the model for truly reflecting the image of God.
11. Worship
Wright concludes that the natural response to knowledge about God is to worship, which is to celebrate and acknowledge the worthiness of this Supreme Being. He mentions John's vision of creation giving praise to God.
Worship is not an idle practice, nor is it one to satisfy a petulant being. Instead, worship helps us align more fully to our original natures, as images of God. Wright states that there are three fundamental ways of worship: scripture, Eucharist, and togetherness.
12. Prayer
Opening with "The Our Father," Wright points to the mission of the prayer: to help bridge heaven and earth and to live a life of forgiveness. Even when prayer is difficult, the Holy Spirit intercedes to guide and help us along the way. Christian prayer is likened to ropes trying to tie heaven and earth together.
Despite the difficulties in learning to pray, Jesus gave a guide with his prayer. This indicated that there is nothing wrong with praying someone else's words or using a form for prayer. In fact, Wright argues that using form prayer may be more practical than trying to surmise one's own.
13. The Book God Breathed
The Bible--the inspired word of God--is divided into two parts: the Old and New Testaments. Wright believes these writings are evidence of heaven and earth overlapping. The Bible acts as a part of God's revelation to us and used human authors, with their different styles and cooperation, to do so. Unlike other books, the Bible should be used as a way of formation for renewal. It acts as a guide showing us the direction to go.
14. The Story and the Task
Wright distinguishes the authority of the Bible from the authority of other entities. The Bible is considered part of the plan of salvation, guiding you to fullness of life. Instead of issuing rules to follow, the story is one in which you are invited to participate.

Part of your involvement comes through listening for God's voice. This does not mean all religious books achieve the same thing. Wright points out that the Bible is the only one to invite the reader to become a character in the story as well.
The interpretation of the Bible is a daunting task, which is why it is important to devote time to it. This should not only be done alone, but with others who have differing skills and knowledge to help.
15. Believing and Belonging
Church requires community. Instead of acting as individuals, Christians must stand together with unity. This includes worship, work, and encouraging one another with fellowship. Although humans often fail, it is through this community that we find strength, compassion, and help to improve.
Wright concludes the chapter discussing the importance of Baptism as a renewal and a means to belong to new life in Jesus.
16. New Creation, Starting Now…
Examining what happens when we die, Wright notes that the resurrection does not indicate an end, or simply "going to heaven." It refers to a life following death. There will be a time when the earth and heaven will be one.
In order to participate in this future, Christians must renounce certain elements of the world, denying themselves and taking up their crosses. Furthermore, they must rediscover the original good of God's creation.
Wright returns to his themes of justice, relationships, and beauty, giving a short synopsis of the call of action and the image of a world renewed.

The Rape of the Lock (mock-epic) and The Beggar's Opera (a balad-opera) are different genres, but both use satire to criticize 18th century English society. Could you compare and contrast these works as examples of the mock epic and the ballad opera respectively. Do you find elements of misoginy in Pope's portrait of Belinda?

Pope's The Rape of the Lock is a satire primarily on the English upper class of his time. The superficiality of the characters and their obsession (both that of the men and women) with appearances are ridiculed with language more appropriate to an epic poem—and in many cases drawn from Homer and Virgil—about serious matters such as bravery and war. Even Queen Anne is mildly spoofed in this couplet:

Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey,
Dost sometimes counsel take--and sometimes tea.

John Gay's The Beggar's Opera satirizes the ruling class as well, but in a quite different way, by showing the criminal underworld of the time and implying those who live in it are no worse in their behavior than the upper classes are. Gay also ridicules what he considers the pretensions of the aristocracy in its obsession with Italian opera. The operas of Handel and other composers, sung in Italian before English-speaking audiences (as is the case still today, although now with the use of subtitles!), were a fashionable entertainment in London. Gay and other English literary men and intellectuals, many of whom had little feel for music, regarded opera as a somewhat ridiculous art form. The Beggar's Opera, sung in English, with low-life characters and a deliberately silly and contrived plot (with an artificially tacked-on "happy ending" as most actual operas of the time were "required" to have) is both a spoof of the operatic genre and a commentary on English society. In the twentieth century, it was recreated in the Brecht-Weill collaboration The Three-penny Opera, which includes the still well-known song "Mack the Knife."
Regarding your last point, I would agree that there is a degree of misogyny in Pope's portrayal of Belinda. She seems rather shallow and superficial, though so do the men depicted in The Rape of the Lock. However, Pope regards his own poem as "redeeming" Belinda in some sense, for in his closing lines he states that

This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame,
And midst the stars inscribe Belinda's Name.

What happens to consumer and producer surplus after a rent control is established? Do they increase or decrease?

The history of rent controls in the United States and in other industrialized Western countries suggests that such controls lead to higher overall housing costs and to reduced availability of rental housing units. The reason, as has been determined in studies over the years, is that rental housing in noncontrolled complexes invariably rises as occupants in controlled units enjoy stable, lower rental fees. Occupants of rent-controlled units tend to remain in place because of the lower rents. Even in those apartment and housing complexes that enjoy government-imposed rent controls, the quality of consumer life tends to dissipate over time as owners find it less and less attractive to invest in housing units whose potential for return on investment is more and more questionable. In other words, where is the incentive to maintain and improve housing whose revenue is controlled by the government?
An obvious alternative to the consequences of rent control is the implementation of universal government controls on housing costs. This would eliminate the possibility of the owners of noncontrolled housing from benefiting from the shortage of rent-controlled units that invariably develops over time. That level of government control would also apply to the problem of capital flight from cities or states with higher tax rates—rates that encourage wealthier members of society to move to lower-tax-rate venues. The only "fix" to that problem is the imposition of "capital controls," which prohibits the freedom of movement of people and their money. If most Americans decide that they wish to live in a country in which the government wields that much control over the economy, that is fine. Otherwise, the disparities will continue to exist.
The history of rent controls, as discussed in the studies the links to which are provided below, points toward the emergence over time of housing shortages. The costs associated with building and maintaining dwellings are subject to frequent and dramatic changes, dependent as they are on a host of ancillary costs—such as plumbing, construction and electrical supplies, and the cost of labor—to say nothing of variations in utility costs that would have to be passed on to the consumer. Rent controls are great for those fortunate enough to occupy such dwellings at the time controls are imposed. They are not so good for those who do not occupy such units and are unlikely to able to until rent-controlled units become available or more are built, the latter of which is improbable. And the alternative of government-financed and -operated housing units is not very impressive, as those who have toured or occupied apartment or housing units in areas like Coney Island and Brooklyn and on military installations can attest.
https://www.bloomberg.com/tosv2.html?vid=&uuid=dce31060-6c2c-11e9-a3c7-33984bee415b&url=L29waW5pb24vYXJ0aWNsZXMvMjAxOC0wMS0xOC95dXAtcmVudC1jb250cm9sLWRvZXMtbW9yZS1oYXJtLXRoYW4tZ29vZA==

https://www.brookings.edu/research/what-does-economic-evidence-tell-us-about-the-effects-of-rent-control/

https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/RentControl.html

Analyze how World War II was a truly global war and why it led to the end of a European-dominated world. How did the war challenge the ideological justifications for imperialism?

The instability that took place all over Europe, and the overall unresolved problems of the First World War, paved the way for what would become known as the most devastating international disaster in world history—World War II. In politically and economically unstable Germany, Hitler and his National Socialist party were on the rise, signing treaties with Japan’s and Italy’s leaders, to strengthen Hitler’s vile and immoral plans and ambitions to, basically, rule the world.
Thus, in September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, which prompted France and Great Britain to declare war on Germany. This key event officially marked the beginning of the Second World War. On one side, the Axis (mainly Germany, Italy, and Japan) were fighting for world dominance, and on the other side, the Allies (mainly the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States) were fighting to stop them.
As time went by, more countries and nations from all around the globe joined the conflict. In the fighting and violence that followed, over eighty million people lost their lives, millions continued to live in horrifying conditions, and hundreds of mega-structures, villages, and even cities were destroyed.
In 1941, World War II transformed into a global war. Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States officially entered the war. Over seventy countries and nations decided to participate in the war, and the fighting took place all over the world. Over seventy million soldiers were mobilized, and civilians either were transformed into war workers and soldiers or died at the hands of their oppressors.
By the time the Allied forces declared their victory, and Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, the world was left in devastation and chaos, as the war had an enormous and irreversible impact on the political, social, economic, and cultural climate of almost every nation.
As far as imperialism is concerned, the Second World War did not exactly end it, but it certainly changed its course. All of the empires that had existed before the twentieth century were basically gone, and the attempts to create new ones (mainly by Germany, Italy, and Japan) were unsuccessful. People feared control and oppression, and the world changed its opinions on politics and economics. Thus, trade and capital became the more favored policies for achieving stability and economic welfare.
Furthermore, the technological advances of the war and the twentieth century in general branded imperialism as an inefficient and undesirable political system, as people began to realize that it did little to help the political and socioeconomic growth of their countries.

What attitude toward women does the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife reveal?

Potiphar’s wife is portrayed to the reader as a wealthy, somewhat spoiled woman who is accustomed to getting her own way no matter what others may do or think. Her husband has put no restrictions on her that we are aware of and thus she rules supreme in her own little world. She is adept in using her sexual power, which she uses to try to seduce Joseph.
The attitude of the time that she showcases is the idea of the evil, willful, indulged woman who has not been ruled or managed well by her husband. She is positioned as a warning of the deceitfulness and trickery that wicked women wield. This fits very well in with the ideas at the time that such women were highly dangerous and unpredictable to men.

The woman in the Old Testament story of Joseph is Potiphar’s wife, who attempts to seduce Joseph but fails. Therefore, Potiphar’s wife, like women in many ancient texts, is portrayed as a seductress. She is aggressive, domineering, self-serving, and hard-headed—not only with Joseph, but with the other women, whom she considers her rivals and intends to shame. She is referred to not by name, but only as the African wife of Potiphar, and she is portrayed in the story as an evil woman who uses her sexuality as power. The harder she tries to seduce Joseph, however, the stronger he becomes in his resistance.
Though Potiphar’s wife appears to have power, Joseph has more power. Furthermore, the story conveys the idea that women only become powerful by using trickery and deceit. The story also conveys the idea that while women have power in the private sphere (i.e., their sexual power over men), they do not have power in the public sphere, nor can they stand up to men in terms of morality and honor. The story portrays woman as evil, underhanded, vengeful, and deceitful. Thus, according to the story, women cannot be trusted not to lead men into temptation, and they should be regarded with suspicion.

What breed is Black Beauty?

In Anna Sewell's classic novel, "Black Beauty," we see the main character, Beauty, in the roles of gentlemen's riding mount, ladies' hack, fine carriage horse, and dray (work) horse. The work was published in 1877, in England. Thus, I must respectfully disagree with the response of a previous post, and state, unequivocally, that Black Beauty could not, in fact, have been an American Quarter Horse, as the Quarter Horse registry in America was not established until 1940. So, then, what breed, or combination of breeds, might he have been, instead?
The Thoroughbred registry in England was established, according to tradition, in or around 1750, so author Sewell would have been familiar with this type of horse. However, Thoroughbreds were typically used in speed events such as racing on the flat or over fences, at a distance. They were not often used as pleasure riding horses during this timeframe, and most especially would likely not have been used to pull heavy loads, as the reader finds Black Beauty doing in later chapters. In addition, the Thoroughbred has a lower head carriage, and does not waste energy with high-stepping gaits; to the contrary, Beauty is considered an optimal fine harness horse for pulling a wealthy family's carriage. He would have to have a higher-set neck and a more dynamic gait than a purebred Thoroughbred horse. Lastly, he was not only flashy in his movements, but also docile enough for a ladies' mount. In Sewell's day, all ladies rode sidesaddle, requiring a steady, dependable mount. With certain exceptions, this doesn't fit the characteristics of racing-bred Thoroughbreds, especially of the period.
I wish to posit the theory that Black Beauty was a breed known as the Yorkshire Coach Horse. With a docile temperament, elegant bearing, and yet the strength to pull loads, the Yorkshire Coach matches the characteristics portrayed in the novel. This breed was a cross between the light, speedy Thoroughbred, and the more solid, yet elegant Cleveland Bay. Black Beauty was remarked upon for his appearance and docile nature, both of which would support my theory that he was intended to be a Yorkshire Coach Horse. These horses combined the perfect blend of the flashy, upright bearing, with an agreeable nature and considerable strength. They were favored among the wealthy, as seen in the earlier years of Black Beauty's life, yet blemishes and other signs of ageing would have, in time, led to a lower value and, consequently, less-quality home and assignment. This was poor Beauty's fate, and only the intervention of a previous caregiver, who recalled fondly Beauty's innate worth, allowed for his escape from a tragic end. It is unlikely that a regular hack would have made such a strong, time-resistant impression on the fellow who saved Beauty, yet a dashing, elegant, yet kind Yorkshire Carriage Horse would have imprinted quite a memory in young Joe's mind!

This is a difficult question to answer, as nowhere in the book is it explicitly stated what exact breed Black Beauty is. We are, however, given some descriptions of his appearance, such as the fact that he is mostly black aside from white marks on his foot and forehead. In general, most readers think of Black Beauty as a thoroughbred.
Aside from the book, we can look at the film adaptations and see what breed of stallion was used to play the titular horse. In the most recent adaptation, released in 1994, Black Beauty was played by Docs Keepin Time, who was an American Quarter Horse. The American Quarter Horse excels at sprinting and is the most popular breed in the United States. While we don't know for sure if Black Beauty in the original story was an American Quarter Horse, this is some of the best information available to us.

How does Blake address the black/white binary in "The Little Black Boy"?

In “The Little Black Boy,” Blake addresses racism and the slave trade through his complication of the black/white binary. Through examination of the oppression, the clear divide between the speaker’s “innocence” and the “experience” of the topic becomes blurred. At first, the binary remains in the expected: “And I am black, but O my soul is white!/White as an angel is the English child,/But I am black, as if bereaved of light” (2-4). The contrast between the black—associated with negativity, darkness, and evil—and the white—associated with positivity, lightness, and good—is the typical neat binary. Blake takes these oppositions, which were rationalizations of racial oppression, and questions their roles. The innocence of the black boy creates a perspective that is both naïve and optimistic, while the reader’s experienced view sees cruel repression. The poem raises the reader’s consciousness to the complexity of the black/white binary. In this way, the two main binaries of the poem clash against each other.


In Blake’s poem, God, equated to the sun, “gives His light, and gives His heat away” as symbols of his love (10). It turns out then that blackness is not “bereaved of light,” but in fact full of it (4). The logic indicates that the boy is black because he is close to God: “And we are put on earth a little space,/That we may learn to bear the beams of love;/And these black bodies and this sunburnt face/Are but a cloud, and like a shady grove” (13-16). God’s love is equated to sunbeams and black faces are depicted as sunburnt, which is a turn from the original binary. Yet, Blake’s verse is even more complicated than that. The boy’s mother tells him that the suffering of their “black bodies” brings them closer to god’s “beams of love,” which is presented as a desirable thing (15, 14). Yet, God’s sunlight is not a comfortable one, but one that they must “learn to bear” (14) There is no clear moral standpoint in the poem.

Why is Jennings drawn to Sal in They Cage the Animals at Night?

Primarily, what draws Jennings to Sal is that he's like the father he never had. Growing up without a father figure has had a serous impact on Jennings' life, so much so that he hasn't been able to develop properly as a young man. (He learns more about fatherhood living at the Bronx Zoo than he does at his various foster homes.)
Sal takes in Jennings after his mother's injured, providing the boy with the stable home life that he's been lacking up until now. For the first time in his short life, Jennings has found somewhere he can call home—somewhere he can feel safe, loved, and appreciated. He instinctively responds to Sal's friendly, caring nature, seeing in him the father he never had but dearly wishes he could have had.

How does Robinson Crusoe's state of mind enable him to live on the island?

More than anything else, Robinson Crusoe's a businessman, and a very hard-headed businessman at that. He looks at the world largely in terms of the bottom line, of profit and loss. Over the course of his business career, he's encountered quite a few serious setbacks, the most serious of which was undoubtedly his mercifully brief experience of captivity as a slave. All things considered, then, being washed up alone on a desert island—especially one that has everything he needs to survive—isn't really that big of a deal to him. He's been in far worse situations before, yet has always managed to come out on top in the end.
Crusoe's life experiences have given him the kind of practical, down-to-earth mindset that he'll need if he's to survive in his new environment. At the same time, it also makes him more than a tad complacent; at no point does he acknowledge the hand of God in his good fortune, and for someone living in the seventeenth century, that would've been unusual, to say the least. Thankfully, Crusoe snaps out of his arrogance due to a dramatic religious conversion. From now on, he'll adopt a more humble demeanor toward the world, even though there will still be many moral lapses along the bumpy, treacherous path of righteousness.

Robinson Crusoe is particularly characterized as an economic man in the passage in which he charts the “Good” and “Evil” in his life. (“I now began to consider seriously my condition…on the credit side of the account.”) Even in the most desolate straits, and even through religious reference, Crusoe never stops seeing the world through the lens of practicality.


He says, “I stated very impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered.” He is a man who catalogues everything—not just the money he has or the material items he owns—but also things which should be intangible, such as the “condition” of his life. Starvation, isolation, and spirituality are not things that are usually spoken about “impartially,” yet Crusoe does so in the most economic, detached manner possible.


The passage is driven by financial expression rather than emotional expression. His state of being is carefully calculated and balanced like a bank account. He efficiently evaluates the “Good” and “Evil” of his fate. For instance, “I have no clothes to cover me” is in the “Evil” side of the chart, but it is balanced out by “But I am in a hot climate, where, if I had clothes, I could hardly wear them.” All the “Evil” things are countered by the fact that there is a “But…” in the “Good.” It is like a cost-effective strategy in business terms. Crusoe comes to terms with his hardships because of his economic frame of mind. The credit and debit chart is Crusoe’s way of demonstrating “that we may always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, and to set, in the description of good and evil, on the credit side of the account.” Even though he references religion in his chart—“God wonderfully sent the ship in near enough to the shore, that I have got out as many necessary things as will either supply my wants or enable me to supply myself, even as long as I live”—his comfort does not come from faith itself, it comes from the “credit side of the account.”

What historical developments were required prior to the invention of the particle accelerator, and which scientists made these contributions?

The particle accelerator uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles, contained in beams, to very high speeds. The electrodynamic accelerator was first developed in the 1920s. As early as the 1910s, however, physicist Ernest Rutherford of New Zealand had experiment with shooting alpha particles into nitrogen. The electrodynamic accelerator propels particles through changing electromagnetic fields, through which the particles may pass multiple times, which supports increased output energy. The development of this class was an important step toward the large-scale accelerator. Most important developments occurred in the 1930s, in part through the Allies versus Axis race to develop nuclear weapons.
Among the important contributors toward the particle accelerator were Leó Szilárd, born in Hungary, and Enrico Fermi, born in Italy. Leo Szilárd conceived the nuclear chain reaction in 1933. Fermi’s work on slow neutrons won him the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1938. Szilárd and Fermi together patented the idea of the nuclear reactor in 1934. Inspired by the work of Norway’s Rolf Widerøe, Ernest Lawrence of the United States went on to develop the cyclotron and later won the 1939 Nobel Prize. Max Steenbeck of Germany patented a betatron electron accelerator in 1934. This work was advanced in the United States by Donald Kerst, while after the Second World War, Steenbeck contributed substantially to the Soviet nuclear program.
https://web.archive.org/web/20060220135256/http://www.aip.org/history/lawrence/

https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201112/physicshistory.cfm

Which two friends influence Wes (the author) the most in The Other Wes Moore? Cite scenes from the book and explain how this has an impact on Wes's education.

Wes Moore, the author of the book, had two major changes in his education. The first occurred when his mother enrolled him in Riverdale School in New York, where he was one of the few African-American students in a primarily Euro-American student body. This change distanced him from his neighborhood friends, which he resented. Although it connected him to another black male student at the new school, Wes suffered academically because he usually skipped school and never did his assignments. Close to home, one of Wes’s friends was Shea, whom he particularly admired for his skill at tagging. However, Shea was also involved in drug dealing. When the police stopped Wes and Shea for tagging, they let them go. Although Wes admired Shea’s art and rebellious attitude, they grew apart with Wes’s next major change: his mother sent him away to military school. Justin, Wes’s friend from Riverdale, was a serious, dedicated student who encouraged Wes to work at academics. After Wes went away, they corresponded and remained friends; Wes later came around to understanding and emulating Justin’s approach.

What is the difference between Shakespeare and the University Wits?

The late sixteenth-century playwrights, dubbed by nineteenth-century writer George Saintsbury as the university wits, included such figures as Marlow, Nashe, Lodge, and Lyly and others who tended to write about heroic themes in a tragic vein. Classical references abounded—the conventions of Senecan tragedy, for example, in which blood and gore were rampant.
With Shakespeare, a new era arose in which the conventions of Senecan tragedy were put into question and even (arguably) satirized; for example, see Shakespeare's treatment of Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy in Hamlet. A shift also occurred in the direction of allowing for a much greater dramatic range, from light comedies to tragedies that focused as much on inner life as they did on bloody quarrels.
With Shakespeare, English dramatic poetry began to show its range and nuance while retaining its capacity to render scenes of tragedy and heroism—albeit with more complex social critique and self-doubt thrown into the mix, as in Coriolanus.

How were the Nazis able to make Nazism a mass movement in Germany?

There were three main qualities that led to Nazism becoming a mass movement in Germany: a pervading sense of fear and despair, a charismatic leader, and propaganda.
Following the First World War, the political and social chaos in Germany brought about many violent and extreme political groups. Hitler's National Socialist German Workers' Party (or Nazi Party, for short) was one of them.
Prior to the Great Depression in Germany, this group was perceived as an offshoot of the radical right on the political spectrum. They hardly garnered support, as evidenced in that they only received 2.6 percent of the national vote on May 2, 1928.
During 1930 to 1933, an economic downturn caused people throughout the country to face a worse desperation than ever before. Many citizens were out of jobs and they blamed the parliamentary government coalition for being weak and ineffectual. Widespread fear, anger, and a lack of hope, combined with a sense that the government was unable to manage the crisis, provided fertile ground for the rise of the Nazi Party.
The Nazis promised to turn the country's economic situation around. They assured citizens that Germany would return to its "rightful position" as a world power, that the country would retain its cultural values while resisting the perceived threat of the Communist uprising.
These promises were highly attractive for thousands of people who felt their lives were on the brink of disaster.
Like all mass mobilizations, the Nazis also had a charismatic leader. Adolf Hitler was a persuasive orator who effectively tapped into the anger and helplessness felt by many Germans who were desperate for change.
He organized meetings that looked like military parades; he gave speeches that evoked powerful emotions; and he created subsections of the party that generated a sense of honor, such as the 'stormtroopers.'
Most notably, he created a sense of 'us' versus 'them' among Germans. He directed the population's anger against the Jewish people, the Marxists, and against anyone who the Nazis held responsible for signing the armistice of November 1918 and the Versailles treaty.
Finally, the party relied heavily on propaganda to persuade others of their greatness. They spent huge amounts of money on leaflets, newspapers, and posters with simple messages that encouraged people to join the movement. They held political rallies with large banners and marching bands. They utilized art, books, films, radio, educational materials, and the press to communicate their message. In doing so, they encouraged passivity and acceptance of the fate of millions of people who were part of the 'them' group, all in the name of "restoring order."

Hitler understood that previous far right movements had got nowhere because they were seen as representing the interests of a social elite. He knew that if the Nazis were to succeed, they had to reach out to the masses, to appeal to the broad swathe of middle and working class voters who had always been intensely hostile to the Weimar Republic.
The Nazis did this primarily by playing on the fears and concerns of millions of Germans. The country had been in the grip of a major economic crisis since the onset of the Great Depression. It seemed to many that the old ways of doing things had failed miserably. Germany was an economic basket case, with mass unemployment and hyperinflation plunging millions into poverty and despair. The Nazis were able to exploit widespread disillusion with the existing political and economic system and put forward a radical alternative.
They were always deliberately vague with their plans, making generalized promises which conspicuously lacked detail. But Hitler wasn't interested in the minutiae of policy; he was much more interested in putting forward powerful propaganda messages that could attract the support of the masses. As well as keeping their message simplistic and vague, the Nazis cynically tried to be all things to all men. Whatever your social group, whatever your occupation, wherever you lived, be it town or country, the Nazis had a policy just for you.
Although the Nazi cause did become a mass movement, it's important to acknowledge that they never won a majority of seats or votes in a free and fair election. Turning Nazism into a mass movement may have helped them get a foot in the door of power, but it would take shabby backstairs, intrigue, and a fatal miscalculation by Hitler's political rivals before the Nazis were able to take over Germany completely.

Maniac prepares himself for another trip to the McNabbs'. Describe what he does to prepare. Why does he have to prepare?

Before Maniac Magee visits the McNab home for a second time, he agrees to attend Piper's birthday party under one condition. Maniac insists the Piper allow him to bring a guest to the party. Maniac struggles to understand the racial divide in Two Mills and believes that bringing a black person to the McNab residence will prove that black and white people have more in common than they think. Maniac hopes to ease the racial tensions in his community by taking Mars Bar Thompson with him to the McNabs'. Maniac must prepare to take Mars Bar over to the McNab residence by convincing him to cross Hector Street, which is something Mars Bar has never done before. After daring Mars Bar to cross the street, Maniac takes him to the Pickwells' home first to give him an opportunity to see the best of what the West End has to offer. After briefly visiting the Pickwells' comfortable home, he takes Mars Bar to the racist McNab residence for Piper's party. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and a fight breaks out after Mars Bar comments on the nasty smell of the McNab home. Maniac discovers that ending the deep-seated racism in Two Mills is much more difficult than he expected and will not happen overnight.

How does Hemingway use the iceberg theory in "The End of Something"?

Hemingway coined the term "iceberg theory" to contextualize his use of a writing style that emphasizes letting the deeper meaning of the text be inferred while the actually writing focuses on the surface of the storyline. In this writing style, metaphors are heavily used to refer to the deeper meaning of the text. The metaphors let the reader understand what the author is trying to reference without blatantly stating the deeper meaning. For instance, in The End of Something, Hemingway uses the metaphor of a mill and the mill town that has deteriorated over a 10 year period to speak to the deterioration of Nick's (this character also may be Hemingway referring to himself) relationship with Marjorie. Hemingway doesn't explicitly state that these meanings are present within the novel but there is plentiful metaphorical reference and dialogue that alludes to the deeper meaning of the deterioration of love, loss, and cycles of love and loss.

How did Ulysses Grant view reconstruction as an issue of civil rights?

Grant generally sided with the Radical Republicans after the Civil War. He had a personal spat with Andrew Johnson due to his mishandling of Edwin Stanton during the controversy over the Tenure of Office Act, as Grant would not willingly replace Stanton when he was fired by Johnson.
Grant viewed Reconstruction as a civil rights issue. Grant used federal authority to break the power of the Ku Klux Klan in the South, and his law enforcement officials won convictions against over five hundred members of the Klan, thus breaking their power in the South. Even though this would prove to be relatively short-lived, this was important, as the Klan was a growing vigilante and terrorist organization which controlled government and law enforcement in many Southern towns.
Grant was also instrumental in getting the Fifteenth Amendment passed in 1870, granting African Americans the right to vote. He, along with the other Radical Republicans, viewed citizenship as worth less if it did not come with suffrage. Also, some Radical Republicans viewed the newly-enfranchised freedmen as a power base for their party which would counteract the Democrats.

What were the problems facing the American people after the end of the Civil War?

As the Civil War had been fought largely on Southern soil, the victorious North didn't need to engage in the task of rebuilding. In the South, however, it was a very different story. There, the entire economy had been devastated by war. The predominantly agrarian economy, once a source of immense prosperity, lay in ruins, with tens of thousands of acres of previously productive land no longer able to provide much-needed food supplies or cash crops, such as cotton.
Inevitably, this meant that for millions of Southerners, life was incredibly hard, with many finding it hard to obtain food, clothing, and shelter. Despite such dire circumstances, the federal government was neither willing nor able to help. The South, after all, had started the Civil War, and it seemed unreasonable to Northern public opinion that the government should be in the business of helping those who had engaged in treasonous rebellion against the Union.
To make matters worse, Southerners couldn't even rely on themselves to get back on their feet. During the Civil War, the Confederate government printed more than $800 million of currency, fueling rampant inflation. In the aftermath of the war, many found that their entire savings had been wiped out as a result, leaving them unable to provide for themselves and their families, much less invest in new businesses.

Why does the narrator refer to the bust of Hippocrates?

The bust of Hippocrates helps set the scene in Dr. Heidegger's study and establish the nature of Dr. Heidegger.
When Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the study, he mentions the bust of Hippocrates and says that Dr. Heidegger has a tendency to consult with it when he's facing difficulties. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is someone whom a doctor would naturally admire and look up to.
The other time the bust is mentioned, it's in reference to a book of magic in the study. When a chambermaid lifts it, the bronze bust itself frowns and tells her to "Forbear." This might be foreshadowing for Dr. Heidegger himself, who forbears in the matter of drinking from the potion of rejuvenation—remaining the doctor and not becoming the subject of his own study. It also helps establish the book as depicting actual magic, which helps create the required setting for the events of the story.

In the story, the bust of Hippocrates serves two different functions. The first pertains generally to the doctor's profession. The second relates to the story's fantasy or Gothic genre.
Hippocrates (ca. 460 - 375 B.C.E.) was a Greek physician who wrote and/or compiled writings on medicine. Often called the "father of modern medicine," he is still well known today for the Hippocratic Oath (although probably not really its author) in which doctors pledge to do no harm.
A bust of Hippocrates would have been an entirely typical accessory for a 19th-century physician to have in his study. Hawthorne uses it ironically because Dr. Heidegger is ignoring his duty to do no harm through his reckless behavior.
In addition, the fantastic element is emphasized through this bust. When the maid moves the magic books, they affect several items. The bust smiles into the mirror—very out of keeping with the gravity associated with the person and the oath.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hippocrates

When describing the Potters, Rowling coins the term “UnDursleyish.” From what you know so far of the Dursleys, how would you define “UnDursleyish"?

To define "unDursleyish," we need to define "Dursleyish." "Dursleyish" is an invented word to describe people like Vernon and Petunia Dursley. The Dursleys were Harry Potter's aunt and uncle who adopted him after his parents were murdered by Lord Voldemort.
The Dursleys' biggest obsession in life, after spoiling their son Dudley, was to keep up appearances and be seen as wealthy, successful, and completely "normal." This meant keeping their home and garden in impeccable shape, ensuring that they never made a single social faux pas, and creating an image of wealth. They are portrayed as extremely impersonal people who don't really care about anyone other than themselves.
To be "unDursleyish," then, means caring more about people than about appearances, not being fussed about what other people think of you, and being genuinely concerned about the well-being of others.

How do you think life in the 1950s was shaped by world events of the early part of the 20th century?

Although you don't specify this in your question, I'm going to assume that you are mainly interested in how life in the United States in the 1950s was shaped by early-20th-century world events. The dominant world event that shaped life in the fifties was World War II, which took place in the first half of the 20th century. World War II, in turn, came about because of earlier events that led up to it, such as World War I, controversial provisions in the Treaty of Versailles at the end of the war, and the Great Depression, which took place between World War I and World War II.
The postwar era of the '50s was marked by economic prosperity and the confidence that the future would be full of peace and plenty. Many returning veterans were able to find work, unemployment was low, and the GI Bill helped subsidize the purchase of homes in newly-rising suburbs. The stability of family life prompted what became known as the "baby boom," during which record numbers of babies were born. Family life was typically conservative. Usually men would hold jobs and bring income to the home, while women were expected to keep house and raise children. This gender bias was an issue that created dissatisfaction among women that would erupt later. In the aftermath of the Great Depression and World War II, though, people and families craved stability and security.
Before World War II, black people were usually relegated to low-paid menial jobs. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt opened up national defense positions and other government jobs to all races. The military was segregated during the war, but afterwards, the civil rights movement began to gain momentum.
The Cold War was another major factor that affected life in the fifties. It came about due to events earlier in the century such as the Russian Revolution, Russian involvement in World War II, and agreements made between Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin at the close of the war. The Cold War created a background of paranoia that profoundly affected American society and politics in the '50s.
We can see, then, that events in the early part of the 20th century such as World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, and World War II all fundamentally shaped life in the 1950s.
https://historyplex.com/family-life-in-1950s

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement

https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/1950s

In the Rise of Silas Lapham, is there any specific connection between Howells' implementation of his social structure and his reimagining of gender in the novel?

In Howells's The Rise of Silas Lapham, the protagonist tries, and ultimately fails, to ascend in the class structure. The women in the novel also try, but fail, to reimagine gender roles (see the source by Powell, below). Silas Lapham, born in Vermont in a lowly class, works his way to prominence and wealth in Boston as a paint manufacturer. His wife, Persis, tries to be a new kind of woman who is socially adept and modern, but she ultimately fails, as do her daughters, Irene and Penelope.
At the beginning of the novel, when Silas Lapham is being interviewed by a reporter, Silas says, "I guess you wouldn't want my life without the money." In other words, Silas knows that he is only interesting to society because of the money he has made. During the interview, Silas also describes his old-fashioned mother in the following way:

"She cooked, swept, washed, ironed, made and mended from daylight till dark--and from dark till daylight, I was going to say; for I don't know how she got any time for sleep."

Silas Lapham comes from old-fashioned stock, and his mother was a traditional woman who carried out the old-fashioned gender roles of cooking and cleaning.
However, when Silas Lapham and his family become rich, the gender roles and the social structure of the world around them change. Howells describes the lives of Persis Lapham, Silas's wife, and his daughters, Penelope and Irene, in the following way:

"They were not girls who embroidered or abandoned themselves to needle-work. Irene spent her abundant leisure in shopping for herself and her mother, of whom both daughters made a kind of idol, buying her caps and laces out of their pin-money, and getting her dresses far beyond her capacity to wear. Irene dressed herself very stylishly, and spent hours on her toilet every day. Her sister had a simpler taste, and, if she had done altogether as she liked, might even have slighted dress. They all three took long naps every day, and sat hours together minutely discussing what they saw out of the window."

Lapham's wife and daughters have abandoned the traditional ways of his hardworking country mother now that they live as wealthy society ladies in Boston. They are self-indulgent and lazy, and they make their mother into a kind of doll, with laces and caps. Irene spends all her time on fashion, while Penelope disregards it. Both extremes are out of the norm for women from the class to which Silas Lapham originally belonged. It is clear that by changing their social class, they have also changed the way they operate as women. The older daughter, Penelope, is in particular very different from a traditional woman in that she reads and has no apparent interest in men, unlike her sister, Irene (see the source by Powell, below).
When the Laphams lose all their money at the end of the novel and must leave Beacon Hill to return to the countryside in Vermont, they find it a relief. Howells writes:

"Mrs. Lapham found it easier to leave it for the old farmstead in Vermont ... This home was haunted with such memories to each of those who abandoned it that to go was less exile than escape."

Just as the Lapham family's rise in social class is only temporary—as their privileged status came only from their money and not from being born into the elite—the women in the family also lose their sense of being more modern women at the end of the novel. Mrs. Lapham returns to Vermont to be a country wife, and her daughter Irene reverts to probably being an old maid. Penelope loses her zeal for life and marries Corey, and she also becomes a domesticated woman (see the Powell source, below). Therefore, Howell's reimagining of gender dovetails with his reimagining of social structure.

What is the resolution of Twilight?

I would argue that Twilight has more than one resolution because there are multiple conflicts that exist throughout the entire story. I would argue that the climax to the story is the fight between James and the Cullen family. Bella is bitten and injured in the process. This conflict is resolved when Emmet and Jasper kill James. Bella is still in danger of becoming a vampire, so that resolution comes about when Edward successfully sucks the poison out of her without turning her into a vampire. The final resolution deals with the love story that has been playing out between Edward and Bella. Bella still deeply desires to be with Edward forever, and she wants him to make her a vampire. Edward isn't sold on doing this to Bella just yet, and the book ends with them having another discussion about it. Edward states that he will love Bella forever, and he wants to know if that is enough for Bella. She responds that it is enough for the time being. Essentially, the resolution to their relationship is that it will continue as is for now.

"Bella." His fingers lightly traced the shape of my lips. "I will stay with you—isn't that enough?"
I smiled under his fingertips. "Enough for now."