How does it end?

"Goodbye, My Brother" ends with the narrator expressing a vast relief to have finally gotten his pessimistic, misanthropic, negative brother Lawrence out of his life and out of his system. The words "Goodbye, my brother" apply both ways. The narrator says goodbye to his brother, but his brother has already said goodbye to him and to the rest of the family. The narrator wakes up on the morning of Lawrence's abrupt departure with a feeling that a black cloud has blown away and left a perfectly gorgeous day.

Jesus, what a morning! The wind was northerly. The air was clear. In the early heat, the roses in the garden smelled like strawberry jam.

The blustery Atlantic air seems to play an important part in the story. It is as if that cold ocean air has blown away the gloom that Lawrence ("Tifty") brought with him from Albany. The narrator does not even express any guilt or regret over the fact that he had tried to kill his brother on the beach the day before by hitting him over the head with a waterlogged tree-root. Fortunately for both of them, he hadn't succeeded but had only stunned his brother and left him bleeding. Apparently Lawrence did not really resent the blow. He might have been asking for it, even expecting it. Such a blow was what this man expected from life.
Many famous writers have commented on the relief that can come from terminating a destructive relationship. Here are three pertinent quotes:

Do not keep on with the mockery of friendship after the substance is gone--but part, while you can part friends. Bury the carcass of friendship: it is not worth embalming.William Hazlitt
It’s no good trying to keep up old friendships. It’s painful for both sides. The fact is, one grows out of people, and the only thing is to face it.Somerset Maugham
A relationship is like a shark: it has to constantly keep moving forward or it dies. And I’m afraid what we’ve got here is a dead shark.Woody Allen

This was supposed to be a big family reunion. Big family reunions often turn into big family debacles, especially if a lot of drinking is being done. Everybody dreaded the arrival of Lawrence, including his own mother, who had to stay drunk on gin during most of his visit just to be able to tolerate him. Nobody was sorry to see him go. It did not seem likely that they would see him again except for his mother's funeral. He is the kind of man who would be punctilious about attending family funerals and would probably enjoy them.

What are the important contributions of the Indus civilization to later societies?

The people of the Indus Valley may not have left behind huge monuments like the Egyptian pyramids, but they nonetheless made a significant contribution to civilization. Indus cities were laid out according to a grid pattern, with streets constructed in straight lines and at right angles. This method of town planning is largely taken for granted these days—a quick look at a map of Manhattan will give you some idea of what it looks like—but at the time when Indus civilization reached its peak, this was virtually unheard of.
In relation to town planning, Indus civilization was also renowned for its sanitation system. A sophisticated system of drainage ensured that waste from people's houses was emptied into drains in the street before flowing out of the city.
Indus Valley civilization produced innovations in a number of other areas such as metallurgy, crop cultivation, and the manufacture of clothes. Moreover, its writing system was the first of its kind in South Asia.

What happens to Captain Nielsen and the crew when they get near Ship-Trap Island?

At the beginning of the short story, Whitney and Rainsford are on the top deck of the yacht having a conversation about hunting when Whitney mentions that the island they are passing has a bad reputation. Whitney proceeds to tell Rainsford that the crew seemed "a bit jumpy" today and Captain Nielsen mentioned that the island has an "evil name among seafaring men." Whitney goes on to say that Captain Nielsen even stopped to ask if he felt anything strange or ominous in the air. When Rainsford comments that the ship's crew and captain simply have overactive imaginations, Whitney says that he believes sailors have an extra sense that warns them when they are in danger. Captain Nielsen and the crew's ominous feelings about Ship-Trap Island create a foreboding atmosphere and foreshadow Rainsford's horrific experience on the island, where General Zaroff hunts him during the most dangerous game.

Captain Nielsen and his crew are more than a little jumpy as they approach the notorious Ship-Trap Island. Nielsen's a hardy old sea dog, but even he is feeling quite unnerved as this God-forsaken place comes into view. Whitney asks the tough old Swede what's wrong, but the captain won't let on. He simply mumbles something about the island having an evil reputation amongst sailors. This isn't just an old sailor's superstition, either; even Whitney can feel a certain chill in the air as they draw nearer and nearer to this terrible place.
Rainsford's not convinced; he thinks it's all just a load of mumbo-jumbo. However, Whitney replies that perhaps sailors have a kind of sixth sense that allows them to detect the presence of evil. That Whitney and the sailors are absolutely right about this is something that the skeptical Rainsford will find out for himself in due course.

What does Matilda Cook look like in the book Fever 1793?

Fever 1793 was written by Laurie Halse Anderson in the year 2000. The main character of the book, Matilda (or Mattie), finds herself caught up in an yellow fever epidemic that all but destroys Philadelphia in the summer of 1793. Mattie lives with her mother, her grandfather, and a hired cook named Eliza, and together they run a coffeehouse in Philadelphia.
We know that Mattie is a teenager of fourteen years of age, but there are few descriptions of her actual physical appearance. Instead, the novel chooses to focus on how the epidemic changes Mattie as a person.
At the beginning of the story, Mattie behaves as a typical teenager: more concerned with her own affairs than those of her family. She enjoys sleeping in, is content to let others do her chores, and isn't particularly physically strong. As she sets out to depart with her grandfather in one scene, we get some sense of Mattie's physicality:

"She looks like a china doll," observed Grandfather as we departed.
"I will break just as easily," I muttered.

Once the yellow fever outbreak is in full swing, Mattie herself falls ill but recovers fairly quickly. Mattie's mother then becomes seriously ill, so Mattie has no choice but to take on much more responsibility. This includes the harrowing task of having to inter her Grandfather's body once he dies from the fever. Mattie also decides to keep the coffeehouse open and asks Eliza to become her equal partner. By the end of the novel, Mattie is making very adult decisions. I would argue that her appearance is not nearly as important as the development and growth of her character.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/fever-1793-discussion-guide/

There is very little physical description of Matilda (Mattie) Cook, but it is mentioned that she has brown eyes. She is said to have changed from a soft, young girl (page 43)—a typical teenager—to looking more like her mother by the end of the story. She is strong, both emotionally and physically, but I understand that she was a relatively small and thin young lady. Other than that, most of the descriptions of Matilda have more to do with her maturity than her physical appearance. Fever 1793 is the story of an ordinary teenager growing up in extraordinary times, having to grow up quickly and make hard choices. Matilda learns to be responsible and to survive in a city that is panicked and stricken by yellow fever, and this character development is shown more through her actions than through any physical changes.

What role does money play in A Raisin in the Sun?

Money is one of the central themes in the story "A Raisin in the Sun." The characters begin the story by arguing over what to do with the money from a life insurance check, as Walter feels like he should get to do what he wants with it but Mama is the one with the ultimate responsibility for making decisions.
Throughout the story, the family plans to buy a new house in a nice, all white neighborhood with the sum of money they received. Unfortunately, a large portion of the money is stolen after they buy the house and they are left without security or an ability help their financial situation.
The majority of the story revolves around money and the opportunities it gives. While it can be seen as a vice, it is clearly shown that lack of money is a much worse situation than having the vices that come with too much money.

Money has a significant role in the play and is the source of conflict among the members of the Younger family. Money also drives the plot of the play and helps characterize the members of the Younger family. The Younger family lives in poverty and resides together in a cramped, worn-down South Side apartment. However, the Younger family's financial situation seems to greatly improve when Lena receives a ten thousand dollar insurance check after the death of her husband. Each member of the Younger family has their own ideas of how to spend the money in order to attain their individual dreams and aspirations.
Conflict immediately arises regarding how to spend the insurance money. Walter Jr. is a passionate, desperate man who is sick of working as a chauffeur and wishes to attain financial freedom by investing in a liquor business. However, Lena does not initially support her son's dream because of her Christian ideals, which greatly affects Walter's attitude as he becomes extremely depressed about not fulfilling his dream. Beneatha, who is an intelligent, confident young woman, wishes to use the insurance money to pay for her college education so that she can become a doctor. However, the other members of her family do not support her dream because it challenges the social conventions of the time. Lena wishes to use the money to buy a newer, spacious home where her family can live comfortably and enjoy themselves. Ruth is the only member of the family who shares Lena's dream, and Lena ends up purchasing a home in the white neighborhood of Clybourne Park.
After Lena makes an initial down payment, she sympathizes with her son and ends up giving him $6500 to invest in his liquor business and pay for some of Beneatha's education. Unfortunately, Walter Jr. gets cheated by one of his business partners and loses the money his mother gave him. The loss of $6500 presents another conflict in the play and negatively affects the dynamic of the Younger family. Beneatha turns on her brother and Walter wallows in self-pity. Towards the end of the play, Walter Jr. decides to meet with Mr. Lindner and plans on selling Lena's home back to the white community in order to make up for losing the money. Before Walter Jr. signs the necessary paperwork to make the transaction, Lena tells Travis to watch his father make a deal with Mr. Lindner while she speaks about their family's proud ancestors. At that moment, Walter Jr. experiences a change of heart and demonstrates his integrity by refusing to sell Lena's home back to the white community of Clybourne Park. Overall, money symbolically represents hope for the Younger family and is a constant source of conflict throughout the play. Money also drives the plot and helps reveal the characters' different aspirations and values.

What is a character sketch of Yang Sun in the play The Good Woman of Setzuan?

Yang Sun is an unemployed mail pilot. He's in such despair at his lack of prospects in life that he tries to kill himself. Fortunately, Shen Te, the archetypal prostitute with a heart of gold, saves him just in the nick of time. Unfortunately, she falls in love with him.
Like just about everyone else in the play, Yang Sun proceeds to take advantage of Shen Te's kindness, and he cruelly exploits her, seeing her as nothing more than a piggy bank to be raided as and when it suits him. At no point does the selfish and manipulative Yang Sun ever reciprocate Shen Te's affections.
In due course, Yang Sun rises, socially (if not morally) to the position of factory manager. Brecht, a Marxist, uses Yang Sun as an example of how money and power can so easily corrupt the working-classes, diverting them from the path of revolution—which history has destined them to follow.

When Poor Richard discusses the invention of the telescope and the orbits of planets around the sun, what does he assume about his readership?

Franklin's relationship to his reader in the Almanac is one of equality. That is, while Franklin may think of himself as a kind of educator, he is never condescending to his reader, even when explaining complex topics like astronomy. Rather, he appeals to his reader on the basis of common sense: much of the comic tone of the almanac comes from Franklin's tacit recognition that he and his reader share certain common values and beliefs.
This extends to his discussion of Copernicus, for example. After explaining the Copernican "system of the world" (and noting that Pythagoras had had the same idea 2,000 years before), he launches into a succinct comparison of the Copernican and Ptolemaic systems. This explanation does not pander to his audience; Franklin even references the work of a modern astronomer, "Mr. Whiston," who provides figures for the size of the sun and its distance from earth. These facts are evidence of the truth of Copernicus's system, but Franklin is not here engaging in argument, nor does he appear to assume that his reader is ignorant of Copernicus.
This sense of familiarity with his reader is best expressed by a concluding joke. Franklin compares Ptolemy to a "whimsical Cook," who, rather than rotating his meat on a spit over the fire, instead has the fire whirling around the meat! This analogy serves to show "how much more natural is Copernicus's Scheme," but also exemplified the kind of easy, joking relationship Franklin has with his audience.

Benjamin Franklin, under the pseudonym "Poor Richard", acted as America's general education teacher with his writings, much like Bill Nye the Science Guy is today. He took it upon himself to write about a wide array of subjects so that the average individual who reads his paper would receive a broad overview of different subjects in an easily digestible way.
When Franklin discusses the invention of the telescope and the motion of the planets, it is clear that he is talking to laymen. His phrasing does not include technological jargon or overly complex language that would confuse the average reader, and makes sure to go over a broad range of topics within these categories, instead of going in depth on a subject that they have never heard of before.

Ben Franklin, writing as "Poor Richard," sought to inform his readership about the workings of the solar system, to demystify the process of scientific observation, and to challenge some of the prevailing, unscientific attitudes about astronomy. By using simple words and a clear, explanatory voice, Franklin is locating his work in the broad Enlightenment tradition. He makes it clear that scientific knowledge belongs to everyone, not just an elite able to speak a particular jargon. He clearly regards his readers as intelligent laypeople, who may lack a technical background but can understand concepts explained through clear analogies to everyday experience.
Franklin also uses this voice to lampoon and satirize some of the common unscientific explanations for astronomical events. By puncturing these theories, he is trying to show that truth can belong to everyone, and that even those who claim to be experts can fall into error.

Poor Richard was the pseudonym for Benjamin Franklin. In Poor Richard's Almanack, Franklin attempted to provide wisdom, news, and entertainment to the colonists. Franklin was a world-renowned scientist who had a large following in Europe as well as the United States. Franklin realized that his readership did not have his scientific background but they had an interest in stargazing. Franklin reported on developments with the telescope and planetary tables in order to enlighten his readership. The goal was for his readers to appreciate the science behind astronomy and to do away with superstitions. Franklin was always challenging the "knowledge" held in superstitious beliefs and he encouraged his readership to do the same. Franklin's astronomy tables also had practical applications as many people used the stars and planets for navigation. Before the electric light, the night sky was quite visible. Franklin knew that astronomy was a major part of everyone's life and he wished to report the latest developments in the field.

"Poor Richard" was the pseudonym of Benjamin Franklin. As Poor Richard, Franklin published Poor Richard's Almanack. The yearly publication was popular among the American colonists during Franklin's time.
The almanac was not written for academic intellectuals and scientific scholars, but for the layperson. Rather than complicated explanations on the weather, astronomical phenomena and scientific inquiries, Poor Richard's Almanack featured clever wordplay and other literary tropes that entertained the common person.
Even the pseudonym that Franklin chose reflected his intended readers. By adopting the name Poor Richard, Franklin was able to relate with the uneducated colonists. Franklin himself stated that education should be available to all colonists, not just to the wealthy elite.
In the articles about the invention of the telescope and the orbits of planets around the sun, Benjamin Franklin assumed the role of the teacher—possessing great knowledge that seemed esoteric to the common people—but he wrote them in an entertaining and simple-worded fashion.
Having a background in science and philosophy, Franklin sought to disprove occultist beliefs and the supernatural. However, many of the colonists were religious common folk who still believed in superstitions. So when Franklin wrote his articles on the telescope and astronomy, he articulated scientific ideas with common person's beliefs in mind. Through Poor Richard's Almanack, Franklin sought to disprove old, anachronistic ideas with proven scientific knowledge.
http://theconversation.com/eclipsing-the-occult-in-early-america-benjamin-franklin-and-his-almanacs-80309

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-ben-franklin-poor-richard-eclipse-20170811-story.html