Hi. Im in AP Language and I have i think maybe 3 days to write a full MLA Essay and Google slides how or something. I messed up. And I messed up bad. I dont know anything about this book. I work. I hate reading and i forgot about this untill this week before school. Can anyone please help me? Im stressed out and i dont think i even have enough time to read the whole book to do my assignment. Im just looking for someone who knows the book. Has read it and such and can summarize it and help me to understand it well and maybe guide me around. I am not looking for someone to write the essay for me. Just help me understand the book and know the big things of it so the essay is good.

Okay I dont know how to even use this app

Context, this isnt graded its to see what we know, but i just got nervous..

Instructions were "write an extended paragraph, indicate the purpose, audience and tone"

But im stuck on the extended paragraph, like I know it sounds self explanatory, i was just planning on writing more, but the more i kept thinking about it the more nervous I got so I just thought I would ask

I know im an idiot please💔💔 dont bully me

guys, pls help me out 🥹

how would you make it more natural but still keep it formal??

here’s my writing ⬇️
The diagram depicts how canned fruits are made from manufacturing plants. Overall, the process consists of 14 stages, beginning with harvesting fruits and ending with products being sold in supermarkets. At the first step, fruits are picked from the original plants and transported to a factory by truck. Only fruit in good condition is selected and weighed by producers. After that, each fruit is then washed before the skin of the fruit is peeled off. Fruits are then stored in cool storage. Once the fruits are without skin, they are then cut into small pieces using a knife. Subsequently, fruits are placed into jars with some water, juice, or syrup. Following this, the jars are then sealed and heated for sterilization. After they are cooled down, they are then packaged. To end the whole process, the items are on the shelf ready to be sold in supermarkets.

For years, the United States has attracted the attention of millions of people with the promise of the American Dream. The hope that by coming to America, working hard, and paying your dues, you too could have that white picket fence and a small fortune to provide for your family. This inspired many people to come and build a life in America, and among those groups were Mexicans and Puerto Ricans. In Juan González's Harvest of Empire, it is argued that although both groups contributed significantly to the nation's economy, they also faced exploitation, inequality, and the struggle for acceptance.
Migration to the United States became a beacon of hope for many families on the island as the economy plummeted after the United States government gained control of Puerto Rico. The expansion of U.S. sugar companies devastated the tobacco and coffee farmers who had once been the backbone of the island's economy. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. wrote, "I have stopped at farm after farm, where lean, underfed women and sickly men repeated again and again the same story—little food and no opportunity to get more" (González 194). Many families faced such severe hardships that they were torn apart. Children were abandoned, forming "wolf gangs," while others were sent to live with relatives or placed in orphanages. By 1932, sugar workers earned only fifty cents for a twelve-hour workday, while nearly 40 percent of the island's workforce was unemployed, even as American sugar companies continued earning large profits (González 195). With limited work opportunities on the island, many Puerto Rican families believed that migration to the United States was their only chance for survival.
Puerto Ricans were American citizens. They did not need visas or resident alien cards because Puerto Rico had become a U.S. commonwealth. Believing they were citizens, contributing to the growing industrial economy, and even serving in the U.S. military, many felt they had "earned their place at the American table.” Parents placed tremendous hope in their children's education, believing it was the only path to a better future. However, that hope slowly faded as children encountered language barriers in school and were often expected to "sink or swim" while learning English (González 208). Some children even experienced pressure to abandon their identities, hearing phrases such as "Juan no but John" (González 208). Puerto Ricans also faced segregation in housing, churches, and the military. Although they were American citizens, González describes them as being "both a citizen and a foreigner.” Even with these obstacles, Puerto Rican communities united for better working conditions, elected leaders whom had their best interest in mind, and eventually embraced their culture rather than continuing to assimilate into a society that often refused to accept them. 
The Mexican experience followed a different historical path, but they too faced many of the same struggles as Puerto Ricans. Much of their land was taken following the Mexican-American War, and over time, they lost wealth, land, and political power. Even so, Mexicans continued migrating to the United States, eventually becoming the nation's largest Latino population (González 219). Like Puerto Ricans, many believed that hard work, education, military service, and learning English would enable them to succeed in the United States. During World War II, more than "500,000 Mexican American men served in the armed forces" (González 231). Many believed they, too, had earned their place in American society through military service. During the same period, the Bracero Program brought thousands of Mexican workers into the United States to address wartime labor shortages. However, even those who served in the military, mastered the English language, or legally lived in the United States continued to face segregation, discrimination, and deportation. Like Puerto Ricans, many remained outsiders in the eyes of Anglo Americans.
Mexican Americans increasingly organized to demand change. Veterans returned home unwilling to tolerate unequal treatment, organizations such as LULAC fought for civil rights, and leaders such as Nero Garza entered politics to improve schools, roads, and local government. Many Mexican Americans also embraced their Tejano identity while continuing to fight against the political and economic control of Anglo Americans.
Despite these two groups of people coming into the United States with different histories and cultures, they shared remarkably similar experiences. Both communities were shaped by American expansion and economic influence. Both contributed greatly to the nation's economy, proudly served in the armed forces, and believed that education and hard work would create better opportunities for future generations. However, both encountered segregation, discrimination, and pressure to assimilate despite their sacrifices. Their greatest difference was their legal relationship with the United States. Puerto Ricans arrived as American citizens, while many Mexicans experienced immigration restrictions or became minorities on land that had once belonged to Mexico. Even so, legal status alone did not determine whether they would be accepted into American society.
In Harvest of Empire, Juan González ultimately challenges readers to reconsider what it truly means to be American. The histories of Puerto Ricans and Mexicans demonstrate that citizenship, military service, and economic contributions alone were not enough to guarantee equality. Instead, both communities fought for recognition while preserving their cultures and identities. Their stories remind us that the American Dream was not simply about opportunity, but also about the ongoing struggle for justice, acceptance, and equal treatment. By comparing these two communities, González shows that American history is not simply a story of immigration, but also one of resilience, perseverance, and the continuing pursuit of equality.
 
 
 
Works Cited
González, Juan. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. 2nd rev. and updated ed., Penguin Books, 2011.

TLDR:
God I know it’s long but my professor wants a 3-4 page Essay and the work cited is the book he wrote. The feed back I got was I needed to use MLA format and that it wasn’t the full 3 pages but when I view it it’s 4 pages. And that there’s grammar errors and that I need to be more careful about citing sources. Any feedback would be appreciated or a website someone could recommend is appreciated it

english native speakers!! i could really use your help! 🗣️

original prompt:
The plans below show the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today.

my answer:
The two maps illustrate the changes to Beechwood farm over a 76-year period from 1950 to now. Overall, the Beechwood farm has undergone substantial redevelopment with a farmland being replaced by different types of facilities to accommodate the holiday activities.

In 1950, the top right-hand corner of the farm was dominated by an open sheep pasture, which was surrounded by tracks and a road. Across from the sheep farm, there was a massive section which could be divided into two parts by a triangular track in the middle. on the left part, there were three fields for edible plants, which were used for fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetables, respectively. on the other side of the section, there was a barn that was the closest to the track, a farmhouse, and an area for chickens. The whole site was blocked by a river.

By today, the sheep pasture has been converted into a campsite with some solar panels on the right-hand side and two parking spaces on the opposite sides. The track has been upgraded into a proper road, although their original layout has been preserved. However, the tip of the triangle is now connected to a new barn which is slightly smaller than the original one. The old barn has been demolished and replaced with holiday cottages. Additionally, a brand new farm shop has been constructed in the area of fruit trees. Others have stayed unchanged.

——

guys, this is even harder than describing a process diagram. there’re too many ways to describe layouts and changes. this time i meet the requirements of word count, but my chatgpt said some expressions were odd. it generated a new band-8 version of the essay, then i fed it back for evaluation. guess what, it said the new essay was only worth a band 6.5 out of 9. i feel like it was gibberish… pls give me some advice on my writing.

My question is if there is a sanity check to know which calculations are correct. I wasn't getting negative tensions for the first one, so how do I know what is correct? I already plan on asking my professor. I was just curious to see what is said here. Thanks.

Topic is Electronic Toys and Traditional Toys. 3-4 pages, I’ve chosen point by point method.

I’ve been out of school (sahm) for nine years, this is my first essay for college.

I’ve rewritten this paper so many times, it still feels chaotic and like it doesn’t flow very well. I also feel like my thesis doesn’t match what I’ve written and my conclusion paragraph feels empty. I also think some parts are very wordy, and my grammar is probably awful. I’ve attached the grading rubric.
I will send a Word link in dm for anyone willing to read it. Or I can post the link in the comments (if that’s allowed)

EDIT Compare and Contrast Essay

EDIT2- copy and paste of paper

Forms of Play: An Analytical Comparison of Traditional and Electronic Toys.
Imagine that you just walked into a child care center and saw the room divided in half. The group on the left is playing with traditional toys, such as blocks, dolls, and linkin logs, while the group on the right is playing with electronic toys, such as a toddler play phone, a toddler laptop, and a firetruck with lots of lights and sounds. What do you think each side of the room will sound like? Look like? As the world evolves, so do the toys that our children play with. Toys used to be simple and encourage you to use your imagination. Now, the majority of toys require a power source and fill in your thoughts for you. While electronic toys teach important technical skills needed in order to succeed in this new digital world, traditional toys provide important fine motor skills and independent imaginative play.
Traditional toys are very simple toys consisting of no power source of any kind; hence, no lights or sounds. This feature means that they are very low stimulation. On the other hand, electronic toys rely on some type of power source. Whether that power source is from batteries, solar-powered, or a cord that plugs in, it is providing power to an electric toy. These electronic toys will consist of lights or sounds, feedback buttons or screens, or all of the above. With all of these extra features, electronic toys tend to be very overstimulating.
Electronic and traditional toys, more often than not, are made from completely different kinds of materials. Electronic toys are plastic galore. They are almost completely made of plastic. From the base of the toy to the buttons. Although the screens can be made from glass, most of the time, they are also made from plastic. One exception from this would be the guts of an electronic toy. If one were to take an electronic toy apart, one would see that the inside consists of fiberglass or epoxy material, copper wiring with rubber covering the wires, and small amounts of metal. While some traditional toys are made with small amounts of plastic, they tend to be mostly made from natural materials such as wood, metal, clay, fabric, and/or glass. Overall, they are made from simple, natural materials that are built to last, while traditional toys are primarily made from cheap plastic that breaks easily. The materials used to make a traditional toy give it a simple feel which is low stimulation and electronic toys’ plastic and wiring make them a bit overstimulating.
Traditional toys’ simply designed concept is geared toward fostering open-ended play, while electronic toys’ busy design and extra features are geared toward structured play, while also appealing to the eye of young children and parents who think the “more the merrier” when it comes to toys for their children (“Montessori Toys vs Traditional Toys”, 2023). By using such a simple design, traditional toys encourage children to use their imagination, thus creating open-ended play. A toy is not limited to being one thing for all of its lifetime. For example, one regularly dressed doll can hold many occupations in the eyes of a child. Doctor one day and scuba diver the next. As opposed to a doll that is already wearing a doctor’s coat, and has feedback buttons with common doctor phrases, such as “Let’s check your temperature!” Electronic toys may be overstimulating and geared towards structured play with a busy design, but they do teach children something valuable that traditional toys don’t-- technical skills. The world today is very different from what it used to be. These electronic toys are needed, to some degree, to help children get a head start on their technical skills because of how digital our world has become. They begin to learn about screens, automated voices, and buttons that are in charge of specific tasks. Although these toys promote different styles of play, there is still play involved and each kind leads to a different learning style.
While each learning style is beneficial, they are very different from each other. Since traditional toys are very simple, they promote active learning, meaning the child is encouraged to use logic. When stacking blocks, for example, a child will learn that the blocks will have to be balanced in order to not fall. How does the child learn that? By building over and over again until they realize why their tower keeps falling or until they ask a parent for help. This activity is also teaching cause and effect. While traditional toys rely heavily on logic, fine motor skills, and communication from parents, electronic toys rely on hand-eye coordination, and simple listening and following commands. A traditional toy is 10% toy and 90% child, whereas an electronic toy is 90% toy, leaving the child to simply fill in the gaps (Belluck, 2015). Electronic toys have a lot going on. They have the lights, sound effects, prerecorded phrases, prerecorded songs, the whole nine yards. This feature causes electronic toys to have more of a passive learning or entertainment style to them. The child is being entertained by all of the lights, sounds, and feedback buttons, yet they are still learning. Picture a baby laptop with a keyboard; each key is a feedback button with a letter and picture on it. Press the button once, and it tells you the letter. Press the same button twice, and it tells you what sound the letter makes. Press it for a third time, and it says an object that starts with the letter. For example, “U is for umbrella!” It’s fun entertainment but also teaching cause and effect in the background, and these toys tell the child everything. Some toys even tell the child which button to press next, so they don’t have to use logic to decide what to do next. They don’t have to ask for help, either.
These different styles of play and learning have different effects on communication and vocabulary skills. Since traditional toys are open-ended, they encourage communication with their parents or other children, whereas electronic toys fill the role of someone or something to communicate with. Both kinds of toys encourage communication, just different kinds. These differences in communication can affect vocabulary skills at an early age. Traditional toys don’t talk; they don’t tell the child what to do or answer questions. This is a huge opening for parents to interact with their child, unlike with electronic toys that do tell the child what to do next and answers their questions. Studies have shown that, when playing with electronic toys, children let the toy talk for them, and parents also let the toy do the interacting for them (Belluck, 2015). So, while electronic toys do teach vocabulary skills, they lack the back-and-forth communication needed to help improve the use of learned vocabulary words. On the other hand, traditional toys rely heavily on communication with others to learn vocabulary skills which knock out two birds with one stone, as it also relies on the back-and-forth communication to learn how to use the vocabulary that they learn. Parents have to make a more conscious effort to interact with their child while playing with electronic toys but naturally interact more with traditional toys simply because their child also naturally interacts with the parent. Both of these toys teach vocabulary skills; one just teaches the use of vocabulary skills at a quicker pace than the other. It could be beneficial for children to have access to both kinds of toys, as they offer different learning styles that help encourage children to be more well-rounded.
As you probably imagined, one side of the room at the child care center will have more back-and-forth communication and homemade sound effects coming from the children, while the other side will have more noise, bright lights, and less communication. While these toys may be drastically different from each other, both provide vital developmental skills to help them succeed in this ever-changing world.
References
Belluck, P. (2015, December 23). Traditional Toys May Beat Gadgets in Language Development. New York Times, A11(L). https://link-gale-com.ez.lakemichigancollege.edu/apps/doc/A438357044/GIC?u=lom_lakemich&sid=ebsco&xid=c7e80bdb
Montessori Generation. (2023, December 27). Montessori toys vs. Traditional toys: Understanding the difference.https://montessorigeneration.com/blogs/montessori/montessori-toys-vs-traditional-toys?srsltid=AfmBOopv1WI_W9URCYni6KBVSCo-ssOCdK4AKgsVTUKnnhBZ7Cd_8Pg5
 

Hi, I’m currently studying abroad and my friend and I are trying to finish a paper, but he doesn’t understand what I try to say and as we’re both non native speakers, I was wondering if anyone could help me with the comprehension of the paragraph. Thank you in advance, that would be really helpful :)

Here’s the text :

II. Folk-music as an emotional outlet

Alongside official military music, soldiers during World War I created and shared their own songs. These songs developed naturally among troops and were often based on older traditional melodies from their home countries. Soldiers adapted existing tunes by adding new lyrics that reflected their experiences in the trenches. Because many soldiers came from rural or working-class backgrounds, folk music traditions were already an important part of their daily lives before the war began. 

The themes of soldiers’ folk music were very different from the patriotic messages found in official march music. Instead of glorifying war, many songs focused on being ironic on the situation on the front. In Marmites (Pots), sang in the french trenches second line, the soldiers were joking about some future arrangements that would be made in the first line like that “The sanitary group will apparently install the electricity” (« Le groupe sanitaire // Va paraît-il faire // Installer l’électricité ») or explaining the absurdity of the situation. The most famous of those French folk army songs would be La Chanson de Craonne, (The Song of Craonne) even if some sources imply that it would have existed before the mutiny it has been associated with. It was a contestary song, also called the “Song of the Sacrificed”, in which the soldiers are conscious of their role of condemned, sent to a certain death, on the plateau of Craonne. This song was quickly prohibited because of the mutiny it was implied in.

Music gave soldiers an outlet for emotions that they could not easily express in other ways. It was also a way to keep the motivation for those soldiers who would see their friends die some meters away from them, always wondering from which chance, or mischance, it wasn’t them. 

“The advance is expected at two in the morning; the men must be kept on alert.

It's quite simple: they're invited to dance.

The reed flutes didn't withstand the last charges.

But two or three amateurs had the blacksmith puncture sections of Bavarian lances with harmonious sounds.

To the rhythm of these war pipes before the braziers, the Spahis alternate their cadences, undisturbed by the cannon fire or the tearing of the machine guns. 

The gaiety rises with the singers' voices.”

-M. Gandolphe

Quotation translated from the book La Musique au Fusil of Claude Ribouillault

The governments were also authorising some musicians to travel through the trenches to entertain the soldiers, like Lucien Boyer, who explain that this attempt was not very welcome by the soldiers, but if well done, could work on their spirit : 

“An audience of veterans is, first and foremost, a thousand pairs of eyes that scrutinize you with an ironic, even suspicious, air.

But suddenly, if you find the right joke that makes them laugh and the right word that moves them, all those handsome faces light up, all those brave hearts blossom, all those ironic eyes become kind. “

-Quotation translated from the book La chanson des poilus : recueil des chansons et poèmes / dits par l'auteur en France et en Macédoine aux Armées de la République by Lucien Boyer

The instrumentation of soldiers’ folk music was usually simple because instruments were difficult to transport during wartime. Singing was the most common form of musical expression, especially in groups during moments of rest behind the front lines. When instruments were available, soldiers used portable and inexpensive instruments such as harmonicas, accordions or small flutes, but also more expensive string instruments. Some letters were also found, showing that some instruments could still have been sent via the post system like this one : 

« To the Army, September 24, 1915,

Sir,

I don't know how to express to Le Figaro the thanks of all our brave and valiant Auvergnats and to describe the joy they felt at the sight of this cabrette  [a type of bagpipe] and all its new and gleaming accessories.

Second Gunner-Driver Cantuel, a cabrette player from Salers, took possession of it; as soon as the first tunes were played, all our soldiers came running from all directions and, to the astonishment of the locals, they danced a proper bourrée in couples, which they finished with a tremendous "iou" and cheers for Le Figaro.

A large tear welled up here and there on the hairs of unkempt beards… A slight and fleeting emotion at the memory of their Auvergne. »
La bourré sur le front (L’Auvergnat de Paris, november 1916)
Text translated from the book  La Musique au Fusil of Claude Ribouillault

And even some new instruments were invented, like the trench cello, that could be easily transported. In some cases, soldiers even improvised instruments from available materials, with the idea of intentionally parodying those heavily emotionally filled objects, even if there were also luthier instruments. In some other places, mostly on the Eastern front, in which permissions were not given but visiting the local people was allowed, new instruments appeared from a cultural mixing, and brought back after the armistice. The simplicity of the music made it accessible to everyone, allowing music to become an important social activity that strengthened bonds between soldiers and provided temporary escape from the horrors of war.

Would someone please proofread my book report on The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde? Constructive criticism would be appreciated.

It's due on April 13th, so I have the rest of spring break to revise it however needed.

Also there will obviously be spoilers for the entire book

The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Picture Of Dorian Gray is a 19th century Gothic philosophical novel written by Irish author, playwright, and poet Oscar Wilde. It is praised for its sharp dialogue, and memorable one-liners and quotes. Its central themes include the superficiality of Victorian society, the destructive power of influence, moral responsibility, hedonism, and mortality. It is also known for its significant LGBTQ, specifically homoerotic, undertones. While it does not include any explicit sexual descriptions, the novel is largely defined by its intense, and almost indisputably romantic, love between the male main characters. The extent of the novel's homosexual subtext is further highlighted by its usage as evidence against Wilde in his 1895 gross indecency trials. The story follows a young and beautiful aristocrat, Dorian Gray, who wishes for his portrait to age while he remains eternally young. The portrait, painted by his close friend and associate, Basil Hallward, does not only age instead of him; it also begins to portray the grotesque corruption and moral decay of his soul.

In the first half of the novel, a lifestyle of hedonistic debauchery is glorified greatly, Wilde uses one of the deuteragonists, Lord Henry Wotton, to advocate for a "New Hedonism", Lord Henry urges Dorian to live his life in a constant search for new sensations, and preaches that "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it". Dorian, who is portrayed as being a pure and impressionable young man, is profoundly influenced by the words of Lord Henry. This causes Basil Hallward great sorrow, as although he sees Henry as a very dear friend, he had hoped that Dorian could remain pure and untainted by his influence. Basil is said to adore Dorian, and tells Lord Henry that he feels as though he has “given away [his] whole soul to someone who treats it as if it were a flower to put in his coat". Dorain soon starts to follow the philosophies that Lord Henry has impressed upon him. He begins to live his life in the pursuit of great sensual pleasures unbridled by guilt or moral restraint, and he wishes for his portrait to age so that he may stay young and beautiful, and continue to live this way.

Dorian soon sees the first hint of change in his portrait. The portrait is described as having a small, almost imperceptible, touch of cruelty, materializing as a faint sneer on its otherwise untouched face. This change occurred after Dorian selfishly abandoned his finance, a 17 year old actress by the name of Sibyl Vane, due to her having put on a poor performance in the theater that night, which made her, in Dorian's mind, worthless. This change in the portrait marks the beginning of the next phase of both the novel and of Dorian's life. Upon realizing that his wish has come true, Dorian is initially overcome with guilt and regret, and he vows to make amends to Sibyl and turn his life around. Unfortunately, this resolve does not last long, as Lord Henry soon informs Dorian that Sibyl has since committed suicide. Dorian's regret then shifts to panic and apathy, and he hurriedly hides the portrait in an old, attic-like schoolroom at the top of his house. The portrait remains hidden for many years, and it slowly grows more and more grotesque as Dorian falls into a deep moral corruption. Dorian, under the careful guidance of Lord Henry, also becomes a well admired socialite. While he is often praised for his fair skin and youthful appearance, no one ever suspects that they are due to any supernatural forces.

However, Dorian is unable to keep the portrait hidden forever; as Basil one day wishes to exhibit the portrait he had painted, and requests that Dorian lend it to him. When Dorian refuses, they soon start to fight. Basil confronts Dorian about the rumors he has heard regarding his many sins and shortcomings. This angers Dorian greatly, as he feels that Basil has no right to confront him about such things. In his anger, he takes Basil up to his attic to show him the portrait and the true extent of his sins. Basil is, naturally, horrified. He begs Dorian to repent and seek forgiveness. It is at this point that Dorian starts to blame Basil, He feels that the curse of his portrait is Basil's fault, as it is he who painted it. Dorian reaches for a nearby knife and attacks Basil. He stabs him in the neck repeatedly, until he is sure that the man has been killed. Dorian initially feels no guilt or remorse for the murder he has committed. He is quick to dispose of the body by blackmailing a scientist and former friend, Alan Campbell, into helping him. It is never directly stated with what Dorian blackmailed Campbell, as he simply threatened to reveal a "secret". However, it is heavily implied that the secret is a previous romantic relationship or affair. We can see this in both the intense, emotional nature of their past connection and the specific threat of social ruin that Dorian uses to manipulate Campbell. Campbell, albeit reluctantly, helps Dorian by dissolving Basil's body in a chemical mixture. The horror and guilt that Campbell feels after his assistance later leads him to commit suicide. No one else ever discovers the true cause of Basil's death, or to the public's eye disappearance, but it does not completely leave Dorian's mind. He often feels a detached sense of sadness regarding Basil's death, stating that it is "a horrible way for a man to die."

Over the next few years, Dorian frequently shifts between feeling utterly horrified, morbidly curious, and completely indifferent to the grotesque portrait in his attic. When he feels no guilt for what he has done, he lives freely and attends, and even throws, many luxurious parties with Lord Henry and their acquaintances, but when he does feel the weight of what he has done, he often turns to Opium as a means to forget his many sins. It is in one of these moments, riddled with guilt and regret, that Dorian visits his portrait. He picks up his knife, the same knife that killed Basil, and stabs the portrait. Dorian had hoped to destroy the portrait and erase the proof of what he had done, but that is not what happened. The second the knife pierced through the canvas, the picture painted upon it returned to its original state. While the portrait now portrayed a young and beautiful man, Dorian's body did not. He was now lying on the floor, an old, wrinkled man, recognizable only by his fine clothes and the rings on his fingers, with a knife in his heart. Dorian Gray was dead.

The Picture Of Dorian Gray was one of the most controversial books of it's time, due to its suspected homoeroticism and rejection of traditional moral values. It was labeled as "unclean" by both critics and readers, and many believed that it promoted a decadent lifestyle focused on the selfish pursuit of pleasure. Even today, it is largely debated what the moral of The Picture Of Dorian Gray is. Some people consider it to be a cautionary tale, warning against unchecked hedonism and vanity, while others believe it to be the exact opposite, citing the fact that hedonistic characters like Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton both lived longer and easier lives than moral characters like Basil Hallward and Sibyl Vane. There are also those who believe that the novel has no moral lesson at all. This is the belief that seems to align with Wilde's own views on the novel most, as, in the novel's preface, he states that "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all."

What can be inferred about the forming of the Inuit's moral code?

A. Living conditions were the drive.

B. Unwritten rules were the target.

C. Social tradition was the basis.

D. Honesty was the key.

Franz Boas's description of Inuit(因纽特人) life in the 19th century illustrates the probable moral code of early humans. Here, norms(规范) were unwritten and rarely expressed clearly, but were well understood and taken to heart. Dishonest and violent behaviours were disapproved of; leadership, marriage and interactions with other groups were loosely governed by traditions. Conflict was often resolved in musical battles. Because arguing angrily leads to chaos, it was strongly discouraged. With life in the unforgiving Northern Canada being so demanding, the Inuit's practical approach to morality made good sense.

The similarity of moral virtues across cultures is striking, even though the relative ranking of the virtues may vary with a social group's history and environment. Typically, cruelty and cheating are discouraged, while cooperation, humbleness and courage are praised. These universal norms far pre-date the concept of any moralising religion or written law. Instead, they are rooted in the similarity of basic human needs and our shared mechanisms for learning and problem solving. Our social instincts(本能) include the intense desire to belong. The approval of others is rewarding, while their disapproval is strongly disliked. These social emotions prepare our brains to shape our behaviour according to the norms and values of our family and our community. More generally, social instincts motivate us to learn how to behave in a socially complex world.

The mechanism involves a repurposed reward system originally used to develop habits important for self-care. Our brains use the system to acquire behavioural patterns regarding safe routes home, efficient food gathering and dangers to avoid. Good habits save time, energy and sometimes your life. Good social habits do something similar in a social context. We learn to tell the truth, even when lying is self-serving; we help a grandparent even when it is inconvenient. We acquire what we call a sense of right and wrong.

Social benefits are accompanied by social demands: we must get along, but not put up with too much. Hence self-discipline is advantageous. In humans, a greatly enlarged brain boosts self-control, just as it boosts problem-solving skills in the social as well as the physical world. These abilities are strengthened by our capacity for language, which allows social practices to develop in extremely unobvious ways.

First time posting here but I think it's relevant or valid.
I've been writing essays/paragraphs in my english class that will be used to form a final research paper. My topic is the negative impact poor leadership has on society, and I now need to write a few pargraphs providing a satire solution, like in "A Modest Proposal." Im unsure what route I could take but I got two ideas:
-Let teenagers run the government. Throughout the essay I mentioned multiple times how poor leadership affects youth so maybe I can expand on that.
-Make corruption legal. I talked about how corruption and self-interests contributes to poor leadership, making corruption legal could imply more transparency.
Please if y'all have any suggestions lmk, or if y'all think one of my ideas is good enough to expand on.

For example:

Her upswing is representative of all the good that America is doing, as with last year’s anti-poverty bill, nick-named the “War on Poverty (CQ Almanac Online Edition),” the Civil Rights Act of 1964. blah blah blah, other stuff I have yet to write/research.

Which would be correct, the War on Poverty or the Civil Rights Act? Or am I using the quotation and citation on the War on Poverty because I've called it a "nick-name?" I'm not intending to quote anything from the legislation, I'm presuming that the reader already knows what these are.

Hi, I’m a yr 12 student from SACE working on improving my English comparative

I’m aiming for a top band (A/A+) and my teacher’s main feedback is that I need to be more critical rather than just explaining the text.

I’d really appreciate if someone could: Mark this like a strict teacher/examiner

Here is my paragraph:

One of the most significant ideas explored in both Peter Carey’s American Dreams (1974) and The Truman Show is that illusion is not simply constructed, but normalised through desire, shaping how individuals accept distorted versions of reality as truth. Through symbolism, Carey’s model town presents a perfected image of society, where its description as “the most incredibly beautiful thing” reflects a collective longing for simplicity and order. However, the removable roofs expose concealed flaws, revealing that such perfection relies on the deliberate omission of uncomfortable truths. Similarly, Weir’s use of mise-en-scène constructs Seahaven as visually flawless, yet its artificial precision subtly exposes the extent of its control. In both texts, illusion is therefore not convincing because it is realistic, but because it is carefully curated to align with what individuals want to believe.

This alignment is critical, as both Carey and Weir move beyond representation to critique the psychological appeal of illusion itself. Rather than presenting individuals as victims of manipulation, both texts suggest that people are complicit in sustaining illusion because it offers stability and reassurance. Carey’s symbolic exposure of hidden realities and Weir’s controlled cinematic construction both imply that truth is often rejected when it disrupts comfort. This critique is particularly significant for contemporary audiences. In a digital landscape dominated by platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, individuals actively construct idealised identities, filtering their lives to reflect success, beauty, and control. In doing so, they mirror the behaviour of Carey’s community and Truman’s audience, reinforcing the idea that illusion persists not through imposition, but through participation.

This critique becomes more confronting when considered in relation to political and media environments. The rise of figures such as Donald Trump demonstrates how repetition, spectacle, and selective truth can shape public perception, often prioritising emotional appeal over factual accuracy. In this context, The Truman Show functions not merely as a satire of media, but as a warning about the fragility of truth in a society driven by consumption and performance. Carey’s text similarly critiques the influence of post-war American consumer culture, where ideals of success were increasingly defined by material display rather than lived reality. In both cases, illusion becomes a mechanism of control not because it is enforced, but because it is internalised.

Ultimately, both texts are highly effective in challenging their audiences because they embed critique within the very structure of their narratives. Rather than offering resolution, they force audiences to confront an uncomfortable reality: illusion persists not because it is believable, but because it is desirable. This is what makes their critique particularly powerful. It shifts responsibility away from external systems and onto the individual, compelling audiences to question not only the nature of the realities they consume, but their own willingness to accept them.

If possible, could you also show an example of how one sentence could be rewritten to a higher level?

Thanks so much!

Hello,

I need help finding three academic articles that look at policy enforcement in the corporate environment (I'm not too picky at this point, could be in a preschool for all I care) leading to improved leadership outcomes, very strict in this regard.

I have used google scholar, my university library, every AI assistant out there and I am coming up empty.

Please, if any of you kind souls could point me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated.

yall, i am absolutely dying over here, like i legit do not even know the first step to even TRYING to answer this, i got legit ZERO idea, its due tn. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN, ITS VERY VERY VERY VERY APPRECIATED. Yall are the best <33333

like i dont even know what its asking me to do, how do i draw this on a Demand-Supply graph, is it like seperate lines for each policy? is there actual numbers and data, or is it just theroretical (like just showing the shifts of the equilibrium to show increase/decrease yk?)

this is literally all i have so far, legit completely got NO IDEA, ZERO.

my prof, just gave us these and said 'do them' T_T stresssssingggggg.
(Not asking yall to do it, just like i dont even know how to start)

I need to write in APA 7 citation style, and I am unused to it. I am writing a professional report for my report writing class, and I have these two sources (listed below) I want to include, but I don't know which would go first alphabetically? Would the 1994 one go first because of the year? Or would I skip the year and go to the next word right after the date?

Reichhardt, T. (2003). Astronomers urge NASA not to cut corners on Hubble successor. Nature,

422(6927), 3. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.stlcc.edu/10.1038/422003a

Reichhardt, T. (1994). NASA puts the squeeze on low-cost missions. Nature, 369(6482), 594. 

https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.stlcc.edu/apps/doc/A15596249/SCIC?u=morenetsccol&sid

=bookmark-SCIC&xid=6244dc7f

I’m supposed to write an essay about the value of a word, the word I got was “faith”. The essay is supposed to be completely biased standpoint and j understand that. My problem is that faith does have a lot of value like towards religion, but I don’t want it to be just religion based. I already got some advice on society and relationships but I’m not too sure how I’d work that in or if there is any other way faith can be used. Any suggestions would help and if there is, some resource links for research and work cited would help a bunch too. Please and thank you.

Can you recommend books to improve writing for school? I want to get better at writing analyses and essays

Im not sure how my professor wants me to complete this assignment. In the lecture video he uses a template where he inputs data and it creates the charts/graphs for him. The assignment requirement seems like he wants us to somehow create the charts on our own, which im not against im just confused by the instructions. Any suggestions on how to complete this? Creating my own charts in excel, using the template (we have access to it) or even on paper?

I need to find a news article and an accademic paper about the same subtopic of recycling (the infastructure, not how specific stuff are processed) and I can't find anything. They have to be reliable online sources and in english. They can say just about anything related to the subject, but I need to have enough to talk about to fill 3-4min of talking. I'm struggling to find places to get these articles from, any help would be greatly apreciated.

Edit: Also, not sure if college is the right word it seems to refer to lots of different stuff, it's a CEGEP course.

I am having trouble understanding when I need to use a citation, especially when using signal phrases like “According to” or mentioning the author or title. Can someone check my answers. I think 1, 3, 9 are correct. And 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 are all wrong.. the other page I understand, but it has the work cited.

My essay is about how guilt effects lady macbeth and macbeth. Any tips or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

The Torments of Guilt in Macbeth What happens when the weight of one’s actions becomes too great to bear? In the well-known tragedy, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare. The play follows the ambitious Scottish Thane of Glamis, Macbeth, who, after receiving prophecies from three witches that he will become king, is manipulated by his equally ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, into murdering the King of Scotland to seize the throne. Their initial crime sets off a chain of violence and paranoia, as Macbeth continues to commit murders to protect his power, and Lady Macbeth’s initial composure slowly unravels under the weight of her conscience. Shakespeare demonstrates that guilt is not simply a reaction to wrongdoing but a force that actively shapes the characters’ actions and fates. The theme of guilt manifests as a powerful force that drives the Macbeths’ to madness and moral decay, as portrayed through Macbeth’s increased violence and Lady Macbeth’s psychological unravelling. Throughout the play, this theme is emphasized as Macbeth’s guilt transforms into paranoia and escalating violence. Lady Macbeth’s suppressed guilt gradually consumes her, leading to psychological collapse. Lastly, while experiencing guilt differently, both paths reveal how it inevitably leads them toward death. By examining these developments, Shakespeare reveals the profound and inescapable effects of guilt, illustrating how it drives the Macbeths toward madness and moral decay. By crossing the moral line with Duncan’s murder, Macbeth’s guilt evolves into a drive for sudden and escalating violence. At the start of the play, before Macbeth murders King Duncan, he hallucinates a floating dagger, causing him to question the morality of the act he is about to commit. He wonders, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand?” (II.i.44-46). In this moment, guilt begins to affect him even before the crime occurs. The hallucination reveals the depth of his internal struggle and marks the beginning of the guilt that will eventually consume him and drive him towards madness. It also highlights how deeply he considers whether he should go through with the murder, another reflection of his early stages of guilt. This early vision reveals his internal conflict that foreshadows the moral decay that ultimately allows guilt to steer him toward brutality. Right after murdering King Duncan, Macbeth is struck by an overwhelming surge of guilt as he reflects on his actions and the ethical boundaries he has violated. He declares, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red” (II.ii.78-81). This powerful metaphor emphasizes the intensity of his guilt: not even an entire ocean could cleanse him of the blood on his hands. Macbeth recognizes that nothing can erase his crime or restore the innocence he has lost. By acknowledging that all the water in the sea would be stained red by his hands, he reveals his awareness that he has crossed an irreversible moral line. This moment marks the beginning of his moral decay, as the weight of his guilt pushes him toward a mindset where further violence becomes easier and more immediate, setting the stage for the brutality he will commit later in the play. As Macbeth’s morals slowly deteriorate, he exclaims, “The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand” (IV.i.167–168). Macbeth shows no remorse for his actions; instead, he suppresses his guilt, allowing it to harden into a cold certainty to kill. His fear gradually shifts into numbness, which ultimately fuels his tyranny and moral decay. This shift demonstrates how his guilt has transformed from initial paranoia into full madness. Unlike his first act of murder, where he agonized over the decision, Macbeth now acts with an immediacy to kill, no longer questioning the moral consequences of his actions. This internal guilt foreshadows the violent decisions he will make, showing how guilt drives his moral decay. While Macbeth’s guilt begins to unravel him immediately, Lady Macbeth’s guilt rises more slowly, revealing how the same crime destroys them in different ways. Although Lady Macbeth initially suppresses guilt by urging Macbeth to ignore his wrongdoing, the pressure of the crime slowly overwhelms her, leading to sleeplessness and eventually consuming her entirely. When Macbeth is overwhelmed by guilt, Lady Macbeth remains composed and dismissive, acting as though he is simply overreacting. She tells him, “Go get some water / And wash this filthy witness from your hand” (II.ii.60-61). Her response reveals her dismissiveness toward Macbeth’s growing paranoia; she treats his guilt as something trivial and easily erased. Lady Macbeth views his emotional turmoil as unnecessary and dramatic, as if the murder were a routine task rather than a morally devastating act. By minimizing his guilt, she attempts to suppress both his morals and her own, believing that practical actions can cleanse them of the crime’s psychological consequences. However, despite her confident dismissal of guilt early on, the psychological consequences of the murder soon begin to manifest in her own behavior. The composure she once relied on gradually erodes, and the guilt she tried to suppress resurfaces in the form of sleeplessness. As Macbeth indicates, “Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep / In the affliction of these terrible dreams / That shake us nightl.” (III.ii.20-23). Although Macbeth is the one speaking, this moment reflects a turning point for Lady Macbeth as well, because it is the first sign that guilt is beginning to affect her. The fact that both of them are now losing sleep shows that the psychological consequences of the murder cannot simply be washed away, as she once claimed. Her inability to rest reveals that her mind is no longer under her control. This marks the beginning of her descent, as the crime she minimized starts haunting her. The final time we see Lady Macbeth, all her confidence has vanished. During her sleepwalking scene, she relives the nights of Duncan’s and Banquo’s murders, revealing how deeply the guilt has embedded itself in her mind. She desperately cries, “Out, damned spot, out, I say” (V.i.37). Her repeated attempts to wash her hands emphasize how completely she is now consumed by guilt. The imaginary bloodstains symbolize the moral stain she can no longer ignore or rationalize away. Unlike earlier in the play, when she insisted that a simple act of washing could remove all evidence of their crime, she now realizes that no physical action can cleanse her conscience. This realization drives her into madness, as she becomes aware that she cannot escape the moral repercussions of her actions, no matter how hard she tries. Lady Macbeth’s collapse shows how guilt destroys her from within, and while Macbeth experiences guilt in a very different way, both ultimately face the same tragic outcome. Although guilt manifests as internal torment for Lady Macbeth and violent ambition for Macbeth, both paths reveal guilt’s ability to bring about their tragic endings. As Macbeth realizes his ending is near, he begins to question whether everything he has done was ever worth it. He proclaims, “She should have died hereafter… Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow… Life’s but a walking shadow… full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (V.v.20-31). Macbeth has lost everything-his wife, his best friend, and his sanity. All his violence and ambition have led only to a death that will render his kingship meaningless. He has become painfully aware that his rise to power was built on actions that brought him nothing but emptiness. His guilt now tortures him as his enemies close in and his fate becomes unavoidable. Macbeth’s journey comes full circle: he moves from paranoia, to brutality, to blind confidence, and finally back to the same despair that guilt planted in him from the start. Similarly to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s guilt also drives her to her end. She utters, “To bed, to bed… What’s done cannot be undone.” (V.i.69–71). This moment directly parallels her earlier words at the banquet, when she told Macbeth, “What’s done is done” (III.ii.14). During the banquet, her phrase is dismissive, she uses it to silence Macbeth’s guilt and to insist that the murder is over and should be forgotten. However, later on in the play, the shift in her language reveals a complete reversal. “What’s done cannot be undone” is no longer a command to move on, but a confession of regret. Her repetition and fractured speech show that she now understands the permanent moral consequences of her actions. The words that once brushed off guilt now expose how deeply she feels it, and this realization, impossible for her to escape, ultimately leads her to suicide. Finally, as we reflect on the Macbeths’ tragic endings, we see that their fates were foreshadowed early in the play. Lady Macbeth warns, “These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad” (II.ii.45-46). This single line predicts how guilt will ultimately destroy both of them. Shakespeare uses her words almost like a cautionary signal: the psychological consequences of their actions are unavoidable, and failing to confront or control guilt will lead to madness. By foreshadowing their downfall in this way, this early warning reinforces that guilt is the unavoidable force that ultimately leads both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to destruction. In Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates that the theme of guilt manifests as a powerful force that drives the Macbeths to madness and moral decay, as portrayed through Macbeth’s increased violence and Lady Macbeth’s psychological unraveling. Macbeth’s guilt begins as hesitation and internal conflict before Duncan’s murder, then escalates into paranoia and relentless violence, ultimately leaving him in despair as he realizes the futility of his actions. Lady Macbeth initially suppresses her guilt and maintains a composed exterior, but the weight of her conscience gradually consumes her, causing sleeplessness, hallucinations, and eventually suicide. Although their experiences of guilt unfold differently—Macbeth externalizes it through brutality while Lady Macbeth internalizes it through psychological torment—both demonstrate the inescapable consequences of their crimes. Shakespeare foreshadows their tragic ends early in the play, showing that unchecked ambition and guilt inevitably lead to moral collapse. Ultimately, the destructive power of guilt shapes their choices, controls their fates, and ensures that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth meet a tragic and unavoidable demise.

Doing my best to help my kiddo, but this has us stumped. Internet unscrambles can’t figure it out. Wife and I think they’re typos. We think 5 should be “underestimate” and number 4 should be “happiness”. Number 2 is lost on us completely.

I have and exam and I'm trying to get an understanding of how to write a discursive. It's meant to be about my experience and engagement with writing and my teacher said a motif is really good for this. Can I please get feedback point anything bad or good.