How does Lady Macbeth react to the news that Macbeth reveals in his letter to her?
- MACBETH
How does Lady Macbeth react to the news that Macbeth reveals in his letter to her?
In Act I Scene V, Lady Macbeth is seen reading a letter from her husband describing his encounter with the three witches and the prophecy that is fulfilled about him becoming the Thane of Cawdor….
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- RIFLES FOR WATIE
In Chapter 14 of Rifles for Watie, what was engraved on the Bible in the living room?
The “large Bible bound in blue leather” is proudly engraved with the name “Levi Washbourne” in silver letters. Levi Washburn is the patriarch of the Washbourne family, Confederate sympathizers…
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- THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE
What role does the cat play in Beetle’s first weeks in the village in The Midwife’s Apprentice?
The cat plays a number of roles in Beetle’s first weeks in the village. Its existence is first of all a kind of mirror of Beetle’s. Both are homeless and on their own, and both are tormented,…
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- THE CATCHER IN THE RYE
In The Catcher in the Rye, what are some of the things that Luce does/ says that are phony?
Carl Luce meets Holden in the Wicker Bar in Chapter 19. Luce is a recognizable common type–the pseudo-intellectual middle-class bohemian. He orders a martini and specifies that it must be extra…
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- PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, how does Darcy act towards Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner when first…
When Darcy asks Elizabeth to introduce him to her aunt and uncle who are with her touring Pemberley, Elizabeth is aware that he has already assumed that they are people in the genteel class….
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- FRANKENSTEIN
What are Victor Frankenstein’s weaknesses?
Victor Frankenstein’s weaknesses include: 1. his over-vaulting ambition. In creating his monster and his hideous birth he hurt those around him and isolated him from the ones he loved. 2….
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- A VERY OLD MAN WITH ENORMOUS WINGS
In “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, how does Marquez use fantasy to reveal a human truth?
In “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” Marquez uses fantasy to reveal human truths about the new beginnings and the value of humanity. In the story, the two most prominent characters are the…
1 educator answer
- 1984
In George Orwell’s 1984, who is Emmanuel Goldstein and how is he presented to the people of…
Emmanuel Goldstein is the fictional creation of Big Brother and the party. Goldstein was created to be the symbolic enemy of the party and they use his image during the two-minute hate to channel…
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- BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON
What do you think John is really seeing when he describes each of the items below? The great…
Well, it helps if you know ahead of time that the Great Dead Place, where John goes on his journey, is actually what’s left of post-war New York City. This can be inferred from some of the things…
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- THE OUTSIDERS
How does Johnny from “The Outsiders” mature into an adult?
In “The Outsiders” Johnny has developed maturity while hiding in the church. When Dally comes to see them Johnny informs him that he and Ponyboy are going back to turn themselves in. This is the…
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- MACBETH
What is the dramatic significance/terminology of Act 3, Scene 1 in Macbeth?
Dramatic irony is when the reader/audience knows something that the actor/character does not. At this point in time, we know that Macbeth is behind the death of King Duncan. Banquo at this point…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What did Scout mean when she states, “I know what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a…
In chapter 13, Atticus faces a dilemma with Aunt Alexandra there. He has never done a very solid job at raising the kids to be proper and have good manners, but he did the best he could and he…
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- OEDIPUS REX
What is the significance of moments when Oedipus does not see the truth in front of him?
Purely and simply, it’s irony. Sophocles was a big fan of rather painful, uncomfortable dramatic irony, and his original audience would have known the story of Oedipus from the myth. So from the…
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- MACBETH
In Macbeth, what is one simple quote that reveals previously unknown information?
There are many quotes that might be interesting here, but I will choose the one on which the entire play seems to revolve: Macbeth finding out that Malcolm is named Duncan’s successor. In Act 1,…
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- THE CRUCIBLE
In “The Crucible” why does Parris suggest the hanging be postponed?
There are several reasons. Parris is closely tied to the courts and all that they do, and the general feeling of the townspeople has changed quite a bit since the accusations started. Where…
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- A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Why does Ms.Defarge put a rose in her hair in A Tale of Two Cities?
In A Tale of Two Cities, what’s happening in and around Paris is the beginning of a revolution. It starts as an underground movement, very secretive and exclusive, centered at the Defarges’ wine…
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- THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
In “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” what lessons does the Grangerford/Shepherdson feud teach…
The Grangerfords and Shepherdsons offer up LOTS of irony. First, no one even knows what the feud is about! No one can remember! Buck thinks that maybe his grandpa would remember, but he’s not even…
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- MATH
One meter = 100 centimeters. So, 2 m + 100 cm = 200 cm + 100 cm = 300 cm
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- LAW AND POLITICS
How were the 1990s different from other decades?How were the 1990s different from other decades?
A few things that I think makes the 90’s different from other decades in the 20th century: 1) Growth of information technology- Computer technology growth was unparalelled and the emergence of the…
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- HAMLET
What happens at the end of Hamlet?
A lot of things happen, all in quick succession. Osric brings Hamlet an invitation to fence with Laertes, and Hamlet agrees. The duel will happen before the court and, when it does, everything…
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- HAMLET
What purpose does the comedic inclusion of the gravediggers give to the somber themes in the play?
Well first, as with any Shakespearean play, the inclusion of another level of society shows us how the play’s themes resonate through all of the society. These aren’t just the concerns of the few;…
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- THE GREAT GATSBY
In The Great Gatsby, what changes Nick’s mind in Chapter IV about the veracity of Gatsby’s…
While listening to Gatsby’s recitation of his personal background with all its seemingly outlandish claims, Nick is both shocked and amazed when Gatsby shows him two souvenirs of his past: a…
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- THE GREAT GATSBY
In the list of guests from Chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby, what further indication is there that…
As the answer to your new and exciting question about The Great Gastby, I would have to say that the people from East Egg are described mostly by famous family name while the people from West Egg…
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- BURIED ONIONS
In the novel Buried Onions, what is the meaning of the title?
The title of the book has several meanings, but the major meaning is that given by Eddie, the young college-dropout who returns to the California barrio of his birth. Eddie can see how the people…
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- MATH
How do I add fractions with uncommon denominators?
First, I have to apologize for the fact that the formatting here will be hard to follow. It is not possible to set it up properly in here. I have had to show the fractions like this 1/2. I hope…
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- KEATS
How do I write about the feelings a poet (John Keats) creates in me?
The best way to do this is to get out several of his poems, and a piece of paper. Write down the title of one poem, and as you are reading it, jot down different emotions and feelings that you…
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- MATH
Sales were 7.8 billion in 2000 and were projected to be 16 billion in 2004. What would you…
Without additional information, the only way to solve this problem is to use a rather unrealistic assumption — that is, that sales grow by the same amount each year. The difference between 2004…
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- A SEPARATE PEACE
In A Separate Peace, between the Winter Carnival and Finny’s fall down the stairs, which two…
The Winter Carnival, an illusion of peace in which the boys live for a short while, ends with the arrival of Leper’s telegram saying he had “escaped” from the war. This intrusion of reality is…
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- A SEPARATE PEACE
In A Separate Peace, Leper concludes only people who’ve been “evolving” the right way survive…
The effects of the war on Gene and Leper seem to support Leper’s theory. After enlisting, Leper is destroyed by the war–or more specifically, by the demands placed upon him by military service. A…
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- HAMLET
In “Hamlet” how do Ophelia’s actions and apparel indicate she is not well?
First of all, she is talking nonsensically, and singing nursery rhymes and songs. For example, she goes from singing about flowers and graves to telling the king, “They say the owl was a baker’s…
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- THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
What is the source of many of the characters and adventures in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”?
Samuel Clemens’ own Missouri boyhood provided the inspiration for many of his characters. Both Tom and Huck are sketches based upon people Twain knew, for sure. In addition, many of the matronly…
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- LORD OF THE FLIES
Can you see some parallels between Lord of the Flies, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451?Can you…
Some parallels you may wish to consider include: 1. All three novels have a single protagonist who struggles against authoritarion oppressor(s) who wish to control and dictate what goes on in the…
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- LORD OF THE FLIES
Can you cite a situation in today’s world where it is obvious that the inner beast comes out?Can…
According to Golding, all people have within them, a basic human fault which is evil. He felt that the constraints of society and the manner in which we assimilate into society keep that evilness…
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- THE OUTSIDERS
Who demands that Cherry not be seen with greasers in The Outsiders?
The Mustang-riding leaders of the small gang of Socs who torment Johnny and Ponyboy in the Susan E. Hinton teen novel, The Outsiders, are Bob and Randy. Bob is Cherry’s handsome boyfriend, and…
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- THE SCARLET LETTER
How do Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth respond differently to the sense of sin borne in the…
Hester gracefully accepts the judgement put on her by the people. She acknowledges her sin, and doesn’t fight the public punishment given to her, in fact, she grows out of it into a stronger…
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- DEATH OF A SALESMAN
How is Death of a Salesman a tragedy?
You can see the play as a tragedy based on the fact that the main character, Willy, dies in the end. Rather than sticking it out through the difficult times in the end, Willy submits to the…
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- BEOWULF
What is the name of Healfdene’s daughter in “Beowulf”?In the story it dosent say anthing about…
The story does not reveal the name of the daughter. In genealogies of the Danes, Healfdene’s three other children, Heorogar, Hrothgar, and Halga are listed and then a fourth child, simply listed as…
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- THE SCARLET LETTER
What does this statement from chapter XVIII mean? Sin “had been a sin of passion, not of…
Since this follows the chapter where Hester and Dimmesdale get together for the first time in 7 years, it provides an interesting comment on their sin as compared to Chillingworth’s. Hester has…
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- THE SCARLET LETTER
In The Scarlet Letter, how does Nathaniel Hawthorne use the forest as a symbol?
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne takes the simple idea of a forest and turns it into a symbol that creates the sense of a supernatural presence of evil around the small township in…
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- MATH
Points (2,9) and (-1,3) What is the equation of the line?
Given two points, you can always find the slope of a line. You’re given 2 points (2,9) and (-1,3) with specific values, but generally a point is referred to by (x,y). Now he point slope formula…
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- THE SCARLET LETTER
What does this quote from “The Scarlet Letter” mean/explain?Quote: “No man for any considerable…
Poor Dimmesdale! 🙂 This quote means that you can’t pretend to act one way with all of your friends and family (the multitudes) all the while knowing that the way you are acting is NOT who you…
3 educator answers
- BEN JONSON
In the poem “On My First Son” by Ben Jonson, what type of diction does he use?
I’m not quite sure. It’s an odd mix of the absolutely colloquial and personal, and a slightly arch, grander style. The first four lines, addressing the son are particularly colloquial: Farewell,…
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- OF MICE AND MEN
What card game does George play in Of Mice and Men?
George also began to play a game of euchre with Whit, but Whit quickly lost interest so he went back to solitaire.
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- SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS
What would be a good presentation for a college class covering Shakespeare’s Sonnets 27 to 55?
Shakespeare’s Sonnets 27 through 55 cover a lot of territory. One approach you could take for a presentation would be to compare the topics and related themes of the sonnets. For instance, Sonnet…
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- CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY
Favorite SceneWhat is the most touching scene in the novel, the one which you found the most…
Allow me a minute… Chapter 21 where Jarvis is reading his son’s work. Not only is the scene profoundly sad and moving in and of itself, but the way that Paton wrote it with the repetition of the…
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- THE LADY OR THE TIGER?
The reader is left hanging about this question — Yes, the princess motioned toward the right door, but we also know that she was very jealous, meaning she might have decided that it would be…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
How did the congregation of Calpurnia’s church sing their hymns without hymn-books?
Many hymns were sung using “call and response”. In this type of singing, the choir leader and the choir sing a line of a song aloud and then the church congregation sings it back to them. Also,…
3 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What are the themes in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”?How the characters are used in order to…
The three main themes circle around prejudice, courage and knowledge. Atticus takes us through the theme of prejudice through his defending Tom. He shows his kids to do what is right. Both kids…
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- BARN BURNING
Did Sarty’s father really die in Barn Burning?
Excellent question. I would add to the previous post that the sequence in which the texts are written do not necessarily represent the sequence of fictional events. In order to figure out what is…
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- ENGLISH TEACHERS
Dante’s InfernoI know that when I read this in high school my teacher only had us read certain…
I think stopping along the way to discuss is important. Students will be confused by the antiquated language, but entranced by the story. As to which Cantos to read, focus on the main plot…