What is the thematic analysis for "Quinceanera" by Judith Ortiz Cofer? How does the use of literary elements support the theme?

The main theme of "Quinceanera" is a young girl's coming of age and her feelings of ambivalence about it. In the poem, the fifteen-year-old teenager mourns the loss of her childhood and is hesitant about her foray into adulthood. Altogether, it is a confusing time for the narrator, and her words exemplify her ambivalent feelings about the transition.
Cofer skillfully uses literary elements to reinforce the main theme in this unique poem. For example, a simile compares the act of putting away the dolls of one's childhood to a burial of sorts.

My dolls have been put away like dead
children in a chest I will carry
with me when I marry.

The simile reinforces the narrator's unspoken fears about this new stage of her life. As she ponders the loss of her childhood, she is reminded that, with little warning, womanhood has been thrust upon her. She reaches under her skirt and feels her soft, satin slip, which she likens to the inside of her thighs. This simile again reinforces the girl's coming of age: she is now a lady and will be expected to dress like one. However, the simile also highlights the young girl's burgeoning sexuality; she is suddenly aware of the sensual lines of her body.

Despite the excitement of transition, there is also uncertainty and dread. Cofer reinforces this dread by using death-like metaphors to simultaneously inspire fascination and aversion in us:


My hair has been nailed back with my mother’s
black hairpins to my skull. Her hands
stretched my eyes open as she twisted
braids into a tight circle at the nape
of my neck. I am to wash my own clothes
and sheets from this day on, as if
the fluids of my body were poison, as if
the little trickle of blood I believe
travels from my heart to the world were
shameful. Is not the blood of saints and
men in battle beautiful? Do Christ’s hands
not bleed into your eyes from His cross?

The words "skull," "poison," "blood," "battle," and "bleed" leads one to think of suffering and death. There is also great violence in the passage above. The narrator compares the process of being prepared for her Quinceanera to a violent death ritual. Suddenly, she is no longer in control of her hair, hands, or head. She must look the part for the celebrations. Tragically, however, no one has asked the narrator about her preferences.

She is left to quietly lament that she must wash her own clothes and sheets "from this day on." Since no one has bothered to explain to her that adulthood comes with responsibilities, the narrator is left to deduce that her menstrual blood is somehow "shameful" and destructive to her feminine identity. Her words show that her mother (and also, perhaps the other adults in her life) have demonstrated little empathy for her during this tumultuous time in her life.

Quietly, the narrator questions why other types of blood are honored, while hers must be scrubbed away in private. The alliterative "battle beautiful" is combined with war and religious imagery to reinforce the narrator's negative emotions. Like any fifteen-year-old on the cusp of adulthood, she nourishes mixed feelings about this new stage of her life. Her ambivalence is further reinforced with a masterful simile in the last sentence of the poem:


I am wound like the guts of a clock,
waiting for each hour to release me.

How do Granger and the others preserve books?

After Montag successfully flees the dystopian city, he travels down the river and into the wilderness, where he meets and joins a group of traveling intellectuals. Granger is the leader of the group of hobo intellectuals, who possess significant knowledge and remember important pieces of literature in hopes of one day building a literate society after the dystopian nation is destroyed.
When Granger asks Montag what he has to offer, Montag responds by saying that he can only remember part of the Book of Ecclesiastes and a little bit of Revelation. Granger then assures Montag that he will eventually be able to recall the books he's read verbatim because they have developed a method that helps them remember any book in its entirety. Granger also mentions to Montag that each of the traveling intellectuals has a photographic memory and that Simmons's method for developing a clear memory will work. By the end of the novel, Montag walks towards the decimated dystopian city and begins to remember and recite the books of Ecclesiastes and Revelation.

In Fahrenheit 451, Granger and the other professors preserve books by memorizing them. Granger explains that they used to read the books and burn them or put them onto microfilm, but neither of these methods worked very well. Instead, they decided to learn every word.
Each man in the group has memorized a single book or group of books by a single author. Granger, for instance, has memorized Plato's Republic. When Montag joins the group, his contribution is the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes.
By memorizing the books, Granger and his men have successfully preserved the content of lost books—books outlawed by the government and burned by firemen. When it comes time to rebuild society, they will recite their chosen book, transferring its contents to the next generation.

What is the final impact of the raven on the poet?

The poem's speaker is at first amused by the raven when it appears at his window and then comes inside to perch on the bust of Pallas Athena in his study. He becomes fascinated by its ability to talk and tries to pick its brain for answers to metaphysical questions that occupy his mind since he lost Lenore. Gradually, the enigmatic answer the raven provides, always "nevermore," frustrates the speaker and he becomes angry. The speaker orders the bird to leave his study and to return to the dark night from which it came.
The bird declines to leave, and the poet sinks into despair. He sees the shadow of the raven on the floor of his study and understands that the depression and desolation that he feels will never be lifted. The raven represents the grief from which he will never be free.

Why do Doodle's parents name him William Armstrong?

The text never really reveals why Doodle's parents name him William Armstrong. However, we can explore some possible reasons for Doodle's name.
First, the name is larger than life. It's one that gives an impression of robust health. When Doodle was born, his parents almost gave up on him. He was emaciated, and his head seemed larger than the rest of his body. Doodle's father even commissioned the carpenter to build a coffin for his newborn son; he had very little faith that his son would survive beyond his first moments of life.
When Doodle lived longer than three months, however, his parents proceeded to name him William Armstrong. First, the name highlights the fact that Doodle has beat the odds. So, his parents want his name to match his new status as a survivor. Second, such a robust name may have also given the parents hope that Doodle will continue to outlive his predicted life span.
The text does acknowledge, however, that Doodle's parents have few illusions about his name. "William Armstrong" is a superficial symbol of strength and tenacity, an effort to transcend the sad realities of Doodle's life. When Doodle begins moving around, the narrator decides to rename his little brother. He imagines that Doodle is a more appropriate name for a boy who just wants to be normal.

The story doesn't give a specific "this is why" reason for why Doodle's parents name him William Armstrong.  There is a big hint at the reason from Brother; however, the story is told from Brother's perspective, so the reason might be Brother's interpretation of Doodle's legal name.  
To begin with, Doodle's parents did not expect him to live very long.  When Doodle defied the odds and lived to be three months old, his parents decided that they had better give him a proper name.  They name him William Armstrong.  It's a good, solid sounding name, and that is what Brother comments on.  He says that William Armstrong is not a name that fits Doodle.  The name is only a good name because it will look good on a tombstone.  That's really depressing to think that Doodle's parents picked William Armstrong because it would appear strong and wonderful on Doodle's grave.  

Daddy had Mr. Heath, the carpenter, build a little mahogany coffin for him. But he didn't die, and when he was three months old, Mama and Daddy decided they might as well name him. They named him William Armstrong, which is like tying a big tail on a small kite. Such a name sounds good only on a tombstone.

What is Melinda more concerned with than picking a career path?

In Laurie Halse Anderson's young adult novel, Speak, Melinda Sordino must face both her freshman year of highschool and the trauma of sexual assault in great isolation. At a party over the summer, a schoolmate assaulted Melinda. All of her old friends and classmates are angry with her because she called the police, who came to break up the party. She has lost her friends and becomes increasingly anxious about speaking to anyone at all, despite desperately wanting to open up about what happened to her. What's worse, the boy who assaulted Melinda begins to taunt her in school.
On Job Day, Melinda and her classmates take a career aptitude test which gauges their skills and pleasures in life and suggests a career for them. Melinda doesn't care about taking this test and it stresses her out to think too far into the future. She simply wants to make it through her freshman year without succumbing to her anxiety! The aftermath of trauma, a loss of friends, and feeling neglected by her parents weighs far more heavily on Melinda's mind than how she "should" spend the rest of her life.

The internet has had a greater effect on more aspects of everyday life than any invention in at least a century. Exactly what has it radically altered and how, and with what consequences?

The creation of the Internet has had a significant impact on everyday life. Among its greatest changes are its contributions to a global market economy and increased communication.
In the 1990s, the Internet transitioned to commercial networks and businesses. Over time, the Internet has connected us to more and more businesses and markets. The rise of internet-based businesses, like Amazon, allows us to browse, purchase, and ship goods from companies or individuals around the world. This has made our world even more connected. One of the consequences of this is an increasingly connected global economy. Multinational corporations like Amazon, Google, and Apple are taking over smaller local businesses.
An even greater change would be increased communication around the world. In some ways, this has made positive impacts; being able to communicate with family in a variety of instant ways, from emails to social media, is bringing people closer together. One of the negative impacts of Internet-based communication is its ability to link together extremists or hostiles. The 2016 election is marred with potential collusion with Russian spies. Its impact on the election is without doubt, as social media sites like Facebook were flooded with fake news and articles about candidates, which swayed public opinion. The internet also allows for hostile groups, like ISIS, to find new members across the globe and plan attacks. One of the challenges we face in the 21st century is how we tackle this increased communication and the negative impacts it can have; should we regulate the Internet? And if so, how do we do it without infringing on individual rights and freedoms?

What does Beowulf’s assistance to Hrothgar show about his character?

Hrothgar, King of the Danes, is a father figure to Beowulf and looks upon him as a son. He is renowned as a wise ruler, fair and just. In Beowulf's younger days he was something of a wayward upstart, in need of Hrothgar's firm, guiding hand. When he was a young king, Hrothgar settled a blood feud between Beowulf's father and his enemies. As well as sharing the respect of all nobles towards Hrothgar, Beowulf also has a deep personal regard for the old king.
So when the kingdom of the Danes comes under attack from Grendel, Beowulf does not hesitate to spring into action, setting off at once with fourteen carefully chosen companions to fight and destroy this terrifying monster. Not only does Beowulf show exemplary bravery, he also repays an enormous debt of gratitude he owes to Hrothgar. But he does not simply act out of duty. He performs the deed because he wants to, and because it is the right thing to do.
Beowulf's character has undergone quite a dramatic change since his wild, impetuous youth. He has learned well from Hrothgar; in addition to immense physical courage and a profound sense of duty, he has now achieved a degree of wisdom. We see this clearly illustrated when Grendel's mother attacks Heorot. Grief-stricken by the death of his loyal retainer, Hrothgar is crestfallen. But now it is Beowulf's turn to show wisdom in the face of adversity:
“Grieve not, O wise one! for each it is better,
His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail him..."
 
This is no time for tears; only vengeance. The great joy at Grendel's slaying has given way to even greater sorrow at his mother's terrible revenge. In urging calm upon the old man, Beowulf reminds Hrothgar of what he once said to him: that great joy often leads to great sorrow.