How does art work?
- HISTORY
According to Lincoln, who is to blame for the terrible consequences of the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln was a very wise President. Just as President Lincoln forced the South to decide if there would be an attack on Fort Sumter by sending unarmed ships filled with supplies to resupply…
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- GULLIVER’S TRAVELS
In Gulliver’s travels, how are parts one, two, and three tied to real life scenarios in history?
Interesting question! Gulliver’s Travels satirizes the state of politics in Swift’s 18th century England. In Book 1, Gulliver finds himself among the Lilliputians, who are tiny, six inch tall…
2 educator answers
- AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE
How does Farquhar feel about the Southern cause in ”An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”?
Ambrose Bierce does not even identify the man who is being hanged from Owl Creek Bridge in Part I of the story. He saves the personal details about the anonymous man who is falling through space…
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- PREFACE TO LYRICAL BALLADS
Please comment about the main claims in Thomas Pfau’s essay “‘Elementary Feelings’ and…
Thomas Pfau is the Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of English & Professor and Chair of German and Director of Graduate Studies of the Carolina-Duke Program in German at Duke. The main focus of his…
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- A RETRIEVED REFORMATION
Who is the detective who arrested Jimmy Valentine in “A Retrieved Reformation”?
At the beginning of “A Retrieved Reformation,” Jimmy Valentine is in prison. He was arrested for committing a bank burglary in Springfield. We do not learn the name of the arresting detective until…
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- HISTORY
Compare travel on land to travel by water. How did technology and the speed with which they…
On eNotes, we ask that you submit one question at a time rather than many, as you have here. I will answer a couple of the questions that are closely related to one another. During the early 1800s…
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- HAMLET
What are some lines from the play Hamlet that suggest Hamlet is following religion?
Hamlet’s soliloquies are the best evidence for his Christian beliefs. But, it is worthy of note to mention that Hamlet attended the University of Wittenberg, which Martin Luther attended, and where…
1 educator answer
- IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
In Hemingway’s “In Another Country,” why does the narrator go to the hospital every day?
The men all go to the hospital every day to exercise on new machines which have recently been designed to help them recuperate from various types of war wounds. They do not all have faith in the…
1 educator answer
- THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
Is there a moral lesson in Dr. Jekyll’s life? What is it?
There are a few moral lessons in the story, but most of them are implicit. There is no precisely-worded statement that says “this is what Jekyll did wrong”, but it’s fairly easy to follow such a…
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- HISTORY
What were the disadvantages of Jefferson purchasing the Louisiana territory?
From Thomas Jefferson’s perspective, there were few negatives to what was a remarkably good deal. The United States had the opportunity to essentially double its size for just fifteen million…
1 educator answer
- LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER
What is the impact of the crime in “Lamb to the Slaughter” being committed in a normal, everyday…
The reader is shocked when Mary Maloney displays such a sudden change of character. At first, the reader may not appreciate the black humor in the idea of a woman killing her husband with a frozen…
1 educator answer
- NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AN AMERICAN SLAVE
In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass uses a lot of figures of speech. What…
Douglass uses a variety of figures of speech in his Narrative, one of which is apostrophe. Near the middle of the Narrative, Douglass stands on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay and offers an…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
How are characteristics traits passed from parents to offspring?
Characteristics or traits are passed from parents to offspring at the genetic level. Sex cells which include sperm and oocytes each contain 23 chromosomes. Each chromosome within the sperm has a…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
The molecules of all substances have a constant disorderly movement. In addition; between molecules, there are forces of attraction whose value determines the state of aggregation of the substance….
1 educator answer
- THINGS FALL APART
Why were the missionaries accepted by the village and not immediately expelled in Things Fall Apart?
One of the major reasons that the tribe was not threatened enough to expel the missionaries is that they were given land that no one else wanted in the forbidden forest and the only members of the…
2 educator answers
- MACBETH
Macbeth says, “Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs…
In Act 1 Scene 3 of Macbeth, Macbeth says, “Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature?” This statement is made in an aside after…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What is a good thesis about Scout in the book To Kill a Mockingbird?
The role of a thesis statement is to lay out what you will be discussing in your paper. A thesis statement does not need to be only one sentence. For an essay about Scout Finch, an appropriate…
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- HISTORY
What chain of events led to the Great Famine of 1315?
The Great Famine of 1315-1317 was a period of starvation and deprivation that killed thousands of people in England. The Great Famine started long before 1315, beginning first with a population…
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- CHARLES
In Shirley Jackson’s short story “Charles,” describe the change in Laurie’s clothing on the day…
In the short story “Charles,” by Shirley Jackson, Laurie’s mother notices several changes in Laurie when he begins school. We readers are not given any details about what Laurie wore before school…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
What are three ways bacteria are helpful?
Bacteria are microscopic life forms, typically with dimensions of a few microns and have several applications. Here is a small list of them: Wastewater treatment: Bacteria are capable of surviving…
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- THE ODYSSEY
How does Odysseus fulfill three qualities of an epic hero? Please provide line numbers with your…
The first quality of an epic hero that Odysseus fulfills is his noble birth. He is king of Ithaca, son of Laertes and Eurycleia. He is referred to as “Lord Odysseus” as a result of his noble…
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- LORD OF THE FLIES
What is the significance of the conch shell shattering?
Throughout the novel The Lord of the Flies, the conch shell symbolizes civilization, democracy, and order. Whenever the conch is blown the boys assemble for a meeting. Whoever is speaking during…
1 educator answer
- THE MINISTER’S BLACK VEIL
In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” what is the minister’s name? What is his fiancee’s name?
In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” the minister’s name is the Reverend Mr. Hooper, also called Parson Hooper, or just plain Mr. Hooper. We learn his name on the first page, for as the sexton is…
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- HISTORY
What are five reasons why Britain led the Industrial Revolution?
In the late-eighteenth century, Britain began the process of industrialisation. It was the first country to do so and its transformation to a modern, industrial economy took place for a number of…
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- ROMEO AND JULIET
Why does Mercutio tease Romeo in Act II, Scene 4?
In the first three scenes of Act II Romeo pursues Juliet and asks for her hand in marriage. She agrees and Romeo arranges for Friar Lawrence to perform the ceremony. In an example of dramatic…
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- HISTORY
Why would the New England colony be better than the other colonies in the region?(Southern and…
There were some things for which the New England colonies were better suited. While all colonial regions, New England, middle, and southern, had valuable attributes, there were things for which New…
2 educator answers
- HISTORY
Which geographic area was added to the United States by the Louisiana Purchase ?
The United States doubled in size as a result of the Louisiana Purchase. Originally, we wanted to buy New Orleans and West Florida from France for $10 million because wanted to be able to use the…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller, what motivated Abigail Williams to act?
Abigail had been having an affair with John Proctor. During this time, she was also employed in the Proctor household as a servant girl. John breaks off the affair and when his wife, Elizabeth,…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
How did the Compromise of 1877 affect the country?
The Compromise of 1877 affected our country in several ways. There was a dispute over the presidential election results of 1876. It was undetermined who won the election in four states. These…
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- THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND
Watson does not say that Helen Stoner was killed. He says that she recently suffered an “untimely death.” The events in question occurred in the early days of my association with Holmes, when we…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In To Kill A Mockingbird, when does Mayella take offense at politeness? What does she say?
I believe what you’re referring to is when Mayella takes offense to Atticus’s questioning at the trial because he calls her ma’am. During his questioning of her, Atticus repeatedly calls her…
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- SCIENCE
What is an example of a single-celled algae that captures energy from the sun?
A great example is Chlorella which is a spherical single– celled green algae which is able to carry out photosynthesis due to the pigments it possesses which are chlorophyll a and b. These…
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- THE FLOWERS
Although Myop is surprised, she does not change as a character immediately. What specifically…
Myop’s unexpected introduction to the brutal and grisly aspect of the world brings about a change in her. Until now, her world began and ended with the woods, the stream, flowers, pigs and…
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- THE CRUCIBLE
Did Rebecca nurse really kill Goody Putnam’s babies in The Crucible?
Rebecca Nurse did not murder Putnam’s babies. The witch trials conducted by Danforth and his companions were based on lies by Abigail and her friends. Members of the Salem community took the…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In To Kill A Mockingbird, how did the author use imagery and diction to develop the character of…
Imagery is a literary device used to paint an illustration, a vision, of a character, place, or thing by the use of descriptive words. Miss Maudie, one of the characters in “To Kill a…
2 educator answers
- THE NECKLACE
What does the narrator in “The Necklace” reveal about Mathilde by reporting the visits to her…
A few factors about her life make Madame Mathilde Loisel feel “distressed”. First, we find out that the primary source of her distress is her social status. A woman who feels entitled to Oriental…
1 educator answer
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
Describe, compare, and contrast conceptualization and conceptual definitions with…
In order to understand what conceptualization is, we must first understand what a concept is. A concept is an idea or image that we come up with when we think about some phenomenon. For example,…
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- CATCHING FIRE
How would you create a book jacket for Catching Fire?
What a fun question! I think it would be cool to have something that symbolically fits with the name. One thing that “catching fire” refers to in the novel is the way Katniss’s defiance of the…
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- HISTORY
What tactics did progressive women use to win the right to vote?
Progressive women–specifically the National Woman’s Party (NWP)–used a number of tactics to convince the U.S. government to pass the 19th Amendment, which secured women the right to vote. The NWP…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
In The Crucible, what is the significance of this passage? “Let either of you breathe a word, or…
In my text, the Penguin edition of the play, this quotation of Abigail’s is on page 20. She speaks these lines shortly after Mary Warren arrives and immediately after Betty Parris wakes up and…
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- STARGIRL
In Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, what game does Stargirl play at the mall ?
In the book Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, the character known as Stargirl likes to play a game at the mall and in other places as well. She picks out a person, and she follows him/her for fifteen…
1 educator answer
- THE GREAT GATSBY
What family business pursuit has Nick abandoned?
Nick is an interesting character right from the start of the novel. Learning about Nick abandoning the family business makes him even more interesting, because he essentially gave up the…
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- THE GREAT GATSBY
Does Gatsby give Daisy a nickname?
Gatsby doesn’t give Daisy a nickname, but Nick does. When Gatsby, Nick, and Jordan are all over at Tom and Daisy’s house on that very hot day, just before they decide to go to New York City, Tom…
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- ARMS AND THE MAN
Critically analyze the significance of the opening scene of the play Arms and the Man.
The opening scene of Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw introduces the context, the main characters, and the central conflict of the play. In this, as in all of Shaw’s plays, it is important…
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- THE ODYSSEY
What are some things I can compare in my life to the lotus flower eaters from The Odyssey by Homer?
In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus and his men come upon the Land of the Lotus Eaters in one of their many adventures. The lotus flowers are addictive, and make those who eat them forget all of…
3 educator answers
- HISTORY
How did elderly people get money during the Great Depression?
The Great Depression (1929-1939) was a time of profound difficulty for American citizens, especially the elderly. Older people were less likely to be kept or rehired by employers, as a result of…
1 educator answer
- THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
Why is madness/insanity the theme of “The Masque of the Red Death”?
In general, the entire premise of The Masque of the Red Death is mad. Deciding to lock yourself and one thousand of your friends in an abbey, seal the gates to keep them in and regular people out,…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
What are examples of integrity and self-knowledge in The Crucible?
The two characters who probably show the most integrity and self-knowledge are Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor. Goody Nurse continuously shows integrity and self-knowledge throughout the play by…
3 educator answers
- ARTS
One of the main ways in which we humans communicate with each other is language. Yet language is not the only way in which we communicate; after all, language is not sufficient for communicating…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What excuse does Mr. Ewell give for not running after Tom?
Bob Ewell claims that he was too distracted about Mayella to run after Tom. Ewell tells Atticus that he ran immediately to get Heck Tate after Tom Robinson ran out of his house. Atticus finds it…
1 educator answer