• VANITY FAIR

What values are presented in William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair?

The term values can be defined as any “accepted standards of right or wrong” (University of Cincinnati, UC Magazine, “What are Values?”). Values constantly change as societies and cultures change,…

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• FRINDLE

Why is the school called Lincoln Elementary School in Andrew Clements’s book Frindle?

It can be said that in his young reader’s novel Frindle, author Andrew Clements chose to name Nick Allen’s elementary school Lincoln Elementary for symbolic purposes that connect to major themes in…

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• WALT WHITMAN

What is a summary of Gods, a poem written by Walt Whitman?

What I’ll do is I’ll go stanza by stanza, identifying the main message within each, and then look at how each ties together at the end. Lover divine and perfect Comrade, / Waiting content,…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How do Dill, Jem and Scout continue to think about Boo Radley in Part 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Boo Radley is a huge focus of the children’s in Part I of the novel; however, once part II begins, the Boo Radley story line takes a backseat to the new Tom Robinson story line. At the beginning of…

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• HISTORY

Was the independence movement in India successful?

Yes, the independence movement in India was successful. Europeans, most prominently the Dutch and British, had first colonized India after Vasca da Gama made the first European voyage to India in…

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• RELIGION

What are the possible positive benefits of following a religion?

There are several positive aspects of following a religion. One is that religion requires a person to develop a daily discipline to follow. Committing to going to services daily is a discipline…

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• THANK YOU, M’AM

What is an example of personification in Langston Hughes’ short story Thank You M’am?

It’s pretty tricky to find personification in “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes. In fact, I would be inclined to argue that there isn’t any. Personification is typically defined as the…

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• THE AWAKENING

What might feminist criticism say about “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin?

“The Awakening” is an excellent example of how “dangerous” and “subversive” good literature is. Due to its overtly feminist notions, it was widely condemned by literary critics upon its release in…

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• ANIMAL FARM

In Animal Farm by George Orwell, do any of the pigs make creative speeches?

Well, this eNotes Educator has to admit that your question is sort of cryptic, but I think I can help you create a suitable answer that will be suitable to submit to your teacher in completion of…

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• SCIENCE

Why don’t some birds migrate at night when the sky is cloudy?

Given some nights are cloudy, which is what your question asked, that would affect the birds ability to see the stars and the moon, plus diminish their ability to see landmarks on the ground that…

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• A GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS

What are three differences or similarities between Carleton and Lowry in A Garden of Earthly…

A Garden of Earthly Delights by Joyce Carol Oates is a novel about a woman, Clara Walpole, and the three main men in her life, as well as her son. Like the painting by Hieronymus Bosch after which…

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• SCIENCE

Air pollutants such as sulfur dioxides and nitrous oxide mixed with water vapor from a dangerous…

Oxides of sulfur and nitrogen combine with water in the atmosphere to form acid rain. Non-metal oxides are acid anhydrides, which form acids in combination with water. Sulfur oxides produces…

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• OTHELLO

I need help writing an essay comparing the ways in which Othello, The Scarlet Letter and A…

The reason this is such a complicated essay to write is that it seems to lack focus and rationale. There seems no inherent logic to the selection of books, two plays and a novel from very different…

2 educator answers

• THE OUTSIDERS

Which characters in The Outsiders are round, flat, static, and dynamic?

I would like to clear up the question a little bit. Round and dynamic are synonyms of the same type of character. Both refer to characters that change from the beginning of the story to the end…

3 educator answers

• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Atticus give Jem and Scout guns for Christmas?

Atticus does not, as one might carelessly assume, give Scout and Jem guns so that they can learn to shoot. He has more complex reasons than that: First of all, he gives the guns to his children to…

2 educator answers

• JUST LATHER, THAT’S ALL

In “Just Lather, That’s All,” what idea does the author develop regarding an individual’s…

In “Just Lather, That’s All,” the author develops the idea that an individual will consider the consequences of a challenge before carrying it out. This is shown most clearly through the character…

1 educator answer

• LAW AND POLITICS

Identify and describe the four main sources of American law.

In the United States’ legal system, there are four main sources of law. These are constitutions, statutes, administrative regulations, and case law. Constitutions are the laws that establish…

3 educator answers

• BLUES AIN’T NO MOCKINGBIRD

In “Blues Ain’t No Mockingbird” what are the three symbols in the story and what do they stand for?

The three significant symbols in Toni Cade Bambara’s “Blues Ain’t No Mockingbird” are the ladle, the chicken hawks, and the hammer. The author introduces Granny as she is ladling rum over…

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• MACBETH

What kind of ruler does King Duncan appear to be in Macbeth by William Shakespeare?

King Duncan in Macbeth by William Shakespeare is first of all a legitimate ruler rather than a usurper. In this period, when kings were considered rulers by divine right, Duncan appears to have all…

2 educator answers

• BLUES AIN’T NO MOCKINGBIRD

In “Blues Ain’t No Mockingbird,” why didn’t Granny finish her story about the man on the bridge?

Granny didn’t finish her story about the man on the bridge because both Terry and Tyrone failed to understand the significance of her tale. On the surface, Granny’s story is about a man who was on…

1 educator answer

• THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS

In There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury, what can the house be symbolized as?

I think that the house is symbolic of mankind’s attempts to bring order to our lives through the use of technology. The house is full of tech. It’s Bradbuy’s vision of what homes of the future…

1 educator answer

• PLATO’S REPUBLIC

What is the main argument in Plato’s Republic, Book VII?

A key element of Plato’s Republic is that it is written in dialogue form. Rather than having a singular “main argument”, the dialogues explore all sides of a question, often showing how people’s…

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• HISTORY

What does Paul Revere have to do with Lexington and Concord?

Paul Revere is connected with the events surrounding the battle at Lexington and the battle at Concord. The colonists believed the British were going to move their army from Boston into the…

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• SCIENCE

True or false the weight of an atom comes mostly from its number of electrons

This statement is false. The weight, or more correctly mass, of an atom comes mostly from the subatomic particles in the nucleus – the proton and the neutron. The mass of the electron is about…

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• SCIENCE

How does DNA duplicate itself?

DNA replication starts when an enzyme called helicase hacks open the two strands of DNA’s double helix structure. Single-stranded binding proteins then come in and stabilize to opened strands….

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• ETHAN FROME

Describe 2 events that led to downfall of the main character in Ethan Frome.

While Ethan’s downfall comes from a series of unfortunate and almost needless events, they all seem to stem from the two most important tragedies in Ethan’s life: the deaths of his father and…

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• HISTORY

What are some effects still seen today with the Columbian Exchange?

Most of the effects of the Columbian Exchange can still be seen today. The Columbian Exchange changed the Americas in tremendous ways and even helped cause an increase in the population of…

2 educator answers

• HEALTH

Identify the effects of marijuana and related drugs.

To understand the effects of marijuana, one must first understand what causes these effects. The chemical in marijuana that leads to its effects is known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How does Boo Radley demonstrate a desire for social interaction with the Finch children?

There are at least three ways in which Boo shows that he wants to interact with the Finch children. First, he mysteriously leaves gifts for them in a tree knothole. For example, Scout and Jem…

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• LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

Why does Mary go to the grocer?

The most basic answer to this question is that she needed vegetables to go with the dinner she was cooking, a leg of lamb. Because it was Thursday, Mr. and Mrs. Maloney usually went out to dinner,…

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• BARBIE DOLL

What are some themes and literary devices present in the poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy?

The poem “Barbie Doll” was written by the contemporary Jewish-American writer Marge Piercy. It reflects many of the common themes of her work, including feminism, social protest, and Jewish…

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• THE PRISON

What does the short story “The Prison” by Bernard Malamud show about human relationships?

Bernard Malamud’s short story highlights the complexity inherent in intimate relationships and the unhappiness strained relationships engender. The story also shows that being in an unhappy…

1 educator answer

• FAHRENHEIT 451

In what ways is Montag from Fahrenheit 451 related to Jesus Christ?

When Montag escapes from the city, he joins a group who call themselves the “book people”. They are a group of “hobos” who travel the countryside. They all have one thing in common; they have all…

1 educator answer

• ALL SUMMER IN A DAY

How did Margot change in “All summer in a Day”?

Margot likely became more withdrawn and isolated. Margot is not like the other children on Venus. Most of them have been on the planet all of their lives, so they all are in the same boat. They…

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• THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

Describe the prince’s fortifications in “The Masque of the Red Death.”

Prospero hid himself away in an abbey with a wall and iron gates. When Prince Prospero’s kingdom is threatened by a terrible plague in the form of the Red Death, his first thought is not to help…

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• THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

What are some possible research questions based on The Epic of Gilgamesh?

This really depends on the level of the research. A scholar in a postgraduate program would be reading the tablets in the original language and researching points of meaning or grammar or perhaps…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

What does Jem tell Scout about “that night” at Boo Radley’s in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem tells Scout that he found his pants waiting for him on the fence when he went to get them “that night.” When Jem says “that night” he is talking about the night he went on Boo Radley’s…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

Which living things use the process of cellular respiration to release their stored energy?

ALL living things use the process of cellular respiration to release their stored energy. Cellular respiration is the process by which all the living cells break down stored energy and convert it…

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• THE NEW CONFESSIONS

What would be the best way to write an essay comparing the novels The New Confessions by William… 2 images

These novels lend themselves to comparison. The New Confessions is a historical fiction novel by Scottish writer William Boyd, published in 1987, that chronicles the life of John James Todd over…

1 educator answer

• REFERENCE

What are 20 companies whose products are entirely produced in the USA?

There are still a number of companies whose products are considered “made in the USA.” According to the United States Federal Trade Commission, “made in the USA” means that “all or virtually all”…

1 educator answer

• THE KITE RUNNER

Amir and Hassan’s relationship is a major theme of The Kite Runner. Why is Amir afraid to be…

The friendship between Amir and Hassan is, indeed, a major element of the novel. Amir’s need to maintain some distance from Hassan is present throughout the story of their friendship as Amir…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

How do the reactivities of sulfur, chlorine and argon compare? Explain the role of valence…

When elements reaction to form compounds they gain, lose or share valence (outer) electrons so has to achieve a full valence level which results in stability. Argon, being a noble gas, is very…

1 educator answer

• THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM—1963

What are the characteristics of Byron Watson in The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963?

In The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, Byron Watson is the big brother to narrator Kenny. By (Byron’s nickname) is a tough guy, and he gets in trouble quite a bit….

1 educator answer

• THE TELL-TALE HEART

Who is the narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe? Is this narrator male or female…

Although the first-person narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe gives us a great deal of information about feelings and interior psychological states, we actually know very little…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

What where some examples of Renaissance ideals that Leonardo Bruni acquired? Is there a sample of…

Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) is credited as being one of the finest historians of the Renaissance period. He was heavily involved in the civic life of Florence, where he became a citizen in 1416, and…

1 educator answer

• FAHRENHEIT 451

What are some major symbols in Fahrenheit 451?

In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses a number of symbols to enhance the story’s key ideas and themes. The Mechanical Hound is one such example; it acts as a symbol of government repression and…

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• LUNCH MONEY

What is the message behind the book?

There is more than one message (theme) present in the book Lunch Money. For me, though, two main messages stand out. One is the importance of hard work. Right from the start of the book, it is…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

What is the coefficient called mu?

The symbol mu (or μμ ) can be used to describe a number of properties in science. It can be used to denote the coefficient of friction of a surface (μsμs for coefficient of static friction,…

1 educator answer

• OF MICE AND MEN

How is Robert Burns’s poem “To A Mouse” related to John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men?

(Note: I’m using the modern English version of the poem “To a Mouse”) The title of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an allusion to “To a Mouse,” a poem written by Robert Burns, who lived during…

2 educator answers

• SCIENCE

You toss a ball at 5 m/s straight upward. How much time will that ball take to reach the top of…

When a ball is tossed straight upward, it will experience a constant acceleration due to gravity, directed downward. The value of this acceleration is g = 9.8 m/s^2. Since the direction of the…

1 educator answer