How does Lee use Calpurina’s actions in dealing with Tim Johnson to show the subtle…
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
How does Lee use Calpurina’s actions in dealing with Tim Johnson to show the subtle…
The incident with Tim Johnson, the rabid dog, occurs in Chapter 10 of the novel. At this point, the children are lamenting Atticus’s “old age” and desperately need him to do something to prove…
1 educator answer
- OUR TOWN
What does this mean? Jane Crofut; the Crofut Farm; Grover’s Corners; Sutton County; New…
Thornton Wilder reveals his sense of humor in this scene at the end of Act One: “Daily Life” in which Rebecca Gibbs tells of a letter her friend addressed, ultimately, to God. Grover’s Corners…
1 educator answer
- THE MONKEY’S PAW
Do you believe Mr. White’s first wish was a wise one?
It is very easy to read with smug self-satisfaction this chilling tale and completely ignore the pull on human temptation and curiosity that lies at the heart of this tale. Clearly there are enough…
1 educator answer
- OEDIPUS REX
Who or what is responible for what happen to Oedipus?
In so many ways, this is a fairly powerful question that strikes at the heart or essence of the debate over fate and free will. On one hand, I would suggest that Oedipus’ own actions constitute a…
2 educator answers
- MACBETH
I have a few questions that I need answered, as I have an English assignment on “Macbeth” due…
You are only supposed to ask one question at a time, but I will try to answer at least the first two questions. In Act 1, sc. 2, Ross tells Duncan of Macbeth’s bravery and success in battle. As a…
1 educator answer
- THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
What clues at the start of “The Most Dangerous Game” foreshadow danger for Rainsford?
There are numerous examples of foreshadowing in the beginning of “The Most Dangerous Game.” The darkness of the night is described by Rainsford as “thick warm blackness” and “moist black velvet”;…
1 educator answer
- GREAT EXPECTATIONS
How does Pip feel about Estella’s marriage in the book Great Expectations?
Pip is understandably upset–since they were children, Pip has loved Estella and wanted to impress her. And, when he received his inheritance, he assumed that is was from Miss Havisham, for the…
1 educator answer
- THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH
Gilgamesh was two-thirds god and one-third man. What conflict may derive from such a combination?
This tension drives the story, and defines Gilgamesh’s character. At the beginning of the poem, he is described as the greatest king, yet he is a tyrant, sending men off to war & taking women…
1 educator answer
- THINGS FALL APART
How do yams contribute to the meaning of Things Fall Apart?
In the Ibo society, yams mean everything. The amount of yams that a man can produce determines his worth. Their entire year revolves around the planting, caring for, and harvesting of this most…
1 educator answer
- THE OUTSIDERS
How does the newspaper handle the story about the Greasers and the fire at the church?
The newspaper, which normally portrays the Greasers as hooligans and criminals, has a change of heart after the fire. Once Pony and Johnny save the kids from the fire, the teacher tells the media…
1 educator answer
- THE MONKEY’S PAW
Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs. What point in the story would be the climax – that intense moment…
Clearly everyone will have their different ideas based on this question, however, for me, the climax of the tale where it becomes clear how the story will end comes when the couple have wished for…
1 educator answer
- CHARLES
What is the external conflict?
The external conflict is obviously all the shenanigans and trouble caused by Laurie’s alter-ego Charles. He’s the one who is up to no good–swearing and cussing, hitting the girls in his class…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
Sites with info on Thomas PaineDoes anyone have any suggestions where to look for information on…
I think that Thomas Paine is a fairly powerful and compelling topic. Truly, he is an unappreciated political giant of American thought. Try some of these sites for information:…
3 educator answers
- LAW AND POLITICS
What are some of the legal concerns that can result from unwise use of credit by businesses and…
Many individuals and businesses are turning to bankruptcy as a solution to problems stemming from unwise use of credit. Perhaps the biggest concern when considering bankruptcy is to be sure the…
1 educator answer
- CONTENTS OF THE DEAD MAN’S POCKET
In “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” is there any symbolism used?”Contents of the Dead Man’s…
There is a lot of symbolism in this short story. The man in the story has that will make him wealthy and well known. He has spent countless hours on this project and is just about to sit down and…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
What are some of Tituba’s character traits The Crucible?
Tituba appears mainly in Act 1 of the play and then briefly in Act 4. When Tituba first enters, she demonstrates timidity and motherliness. Whether her timidity is a natural or “nurtured”…
1 educator answer
- RAYMOND’S RUN
Squeaky and Gretchen almost get into a fight. Why, then, do they smile at each other?
At the end of the story Squeaky and Gretchen smile at each other as a sign of mutual respect. Both girls recognize in each other an opponent worthy of respect. Squeaky realizes that Gretchen is…
2 educator answers
- HISTORY
From the earliest times American Colonists believed in Freedom and Democracy. True or False?…
The previous post revealed some interesting aspects about the question. I think that an argument can be made about the statement holding some validity. American colonists expressed a political…
2 educator answers
- GREAT EXPECTATIONS
What does the following sentence from Great Expectations mean and how might a seven-year-old…
The “young man” in this passage is the mysterious villain referenced by the convict whom Pip helps at the novel’s beginning. The convict warns Pip that if he doesn’t bring food and a file to help…
2 educator answers
- THE OUTSIDERS
In Chapter 5, what is Pony’s first feeling when he wakes up in the church in The Outsiders?
Ponyboy and Johnny made their escape following the death of the Soc, hopping a freight train to an old abandoned church on Jay Mountain outside of Windrixville in the Susan E. Hinton teen…
1 educator answer
- HAMLET
Can you explain Act 1 scene 2 of Hamlet as far as the plot, setting or characters?
There is a good summary and analysis here at enotes (link below), but this scene is essentially about explaining the past, and setting up a few important actions which will have bearing on the plot…
1 educator answer
- THE CANTERBURY TALES
What does the Wife of Bath say she is an expert in?
She is an expert in the art of love. She has attracted and married five husbands (though all at the church door–since it is hinted that she was not a pure virgin when she married), and is…
1 educator answer
- DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
What is a good example of an allusion?
I am not sure whether you are interested in an allusion in “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night” or are interested in allusion generally. As I read the poem, I see no allusions, although there…
1 educator answer
- HAMLET
At what point does Hamlet say the line “How all occasions do inform against me”?
This line comes from the closing soliloquy in Act 4, sc. 4. Hamlet has just had a conversation with the captain of Fortinbras’ army. The captain has informed Hamlet that Fortinbras is supposedly…
1 educator answer
- THE SOLITARY REAPER
The song in Wordsworth’s “The Solitary Reaper” is the portal through which the speaker’s thoughts are able to engage in a spirit of wonderment. The speaker, presumably Wordsworth, lacks the…
1 educator answer
- BEOWULF
What does Grendel want in the poem Beowulf?
Grendel simply wants to be left alone. He visits Herot because the noise from the celebrations and libations of the warriors is unbearable. It hurts his ears. Therefore, he goes there to seek…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
Why were the main cities of Britain bombed by Germany in the 1940-1941?
The bombing of Britain was carried out for two reasons. The first was to destroy military capabilities, communications centers, rail lines and industrial capacity, and thus strike against the…
1 educator answer
- RELIGION
Summarize the Baptist belief of speaking in tongues.
Some history is in order. According to the Bible in Acts Chapter 2, those who followed Christ were waiting together, praying, and the Holy Spirit came into the room like a rushing wind. Tongues of…
2 educator answers
- INTERPRETER OF MALADIES
Discuss the relationship between Kapasi and Mrs. Das in the story” Interpreter of Maladies” by…
When communication breaks down, a marriage suffers. “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri presents characters that live with this frustration. Failing marriages, buried guilt, and…
1 educator answer
- WHY I LIVE AT THE P.O.
What is the setting for “Why I Live at the P.O.”?
The setting of “Why I Live at the P.O.” is the family home in China Grove, Mississippi at the turn of the twentieth century. There is a small post office in China Grove, Mississippi that…
1 educator answer
- DOC’S STORY
How can I give a reader’s response / critical response to “Doc’s Story” by John Edgar Wideman?
Reader response criticism developed as a reaction against formalist or structuralist criticisms and places the reader at the center of the critical experience, the idea being that without the…
1 educator answer
- TWILIGHT
In The Twilight Saga: New Moon, when Edward has left, does Bella recieve random packages with…
To make a long answer short, no; Bella does not receive random packages with money or scholarships in New Moon. Edward does not communicate with her whatsoever in the novel until the very end when…
1 educator answer
- THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE
Why is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used as a character to explain the expertise of Sherlock Holmes in…
I think the author, in the persona of Dr. Watson, acts as a “foil” to Sherlock Holmes in all the stories. This is a literary term that has two meaning. First, a foil may be present to “offset”…
1 educator answer
- OF MICE AND MEN
What are some good quotes that show Lennie and George have talked about the ‘dream farm’ many…
We actually see quite a few references to this. Lennie clearly has troubles with his memory, yet after George gets angry and tries to console Lennie, Lennie quickly demands, “Tell me–like you…
1 educator answer
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
what are the pro and con of casinos today?how does the casinos help a city out and how do casinos…
This is a wide-open topic. I don’t live in a city where casinos exist, so I am only hypothesizing when I suggest the following: Pros * provides an income for the sponsoring groups (especially…
5 educator answers
- I, ROBOT
In I, Robot the movie, describe how symbolic codes are used in the film to portray who is good…
Science fiction relies heavily on allegory and symbolism to generate its themes and warnings. I, Robot the film plays upon heavily-used symbols of the genre to create a morality play. At the…
2 educator answers
- HISTORY
Hypocrisy of the Declaration of IndependenceMany believe that the greatest hypocrisy of the…
I have pondered this issue on several occasions, actually. On the one hand, I can see that given the times, it was perfectly normal for a group of white men to declare the “rights of men” and…
7 educator answers
- HAMLET
What other tragedies were written before Shakespeare wrote Hamlet?
The information is uncertain but probably the following: Titus Andronicus 1584-1590? Romeo and Juliet 1594 Troilus and Cressida 1602 Hamlet 1603
1 educator answer
- 1984
Is the party brutally effective in controlling the people? How? How not?
Yes they are. And the reason is fairly simple and is explained by O’Brien toward the end of the story. Unlike previous totalitarian states who use power as a means to an end, the rulers of 1984…
1 educator answer
- LORD OF THE FLIES
Although the boys insult Piggy because of his weight, he is rather useful. Use examples and…
The boys use Piggy in a couple different ways. First, and most obvious, he is the one with the glasses that they use in starting fires. His eye glasses give them the power of fire, a symbol of…
1 educator answer
- NATIVE SON
Do Bigger and Bessie really love each other?
I think it would be incredibly difficult to agree that someone who rapes & violently kills a woman is truly in love with her. Bessie represents a stereotype of women in the ghetto. These women…
1 educator answer
- HOWL
What is the main topic of “Howl and other poems” by Allen Ginsberg?
“Howl” is a potent commentary on the difficult temptations that face artists, as well as the harshness of urban existence. The first few lines are a direct reference to the ravages of drug abuse on…
1 educator answer
- THE CANTERBURY TALES
INFER Judging from the description of PARSON AND FRIAR what does Chaucer think can cause a…
Based on the examples of their faults, Chaucer is pointing the finger at materialism, gluttony, and bribery. Of course, lying is sprinkled in there as well. The Friar is fat, loves hunting with…
2 educator answers
- MACBETH
In Act I, what are the things that tempt Macbeth and what are the things that are holding him…
The first time that Macbeth considers killing Duncan in order to become king occurs right after Angus delivers the news to Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth has been named the new Thane of Cawdor,…
1 educator answer
- ROBERT BRIDGES
Discuss the figurative language used by Robert Bridges in “London Snow.”
The lovely imagery of a delightful snow fall makes “London Snow” by Robert Bridges a sensory feast for the reader. Writing during the Victorian period in England, he transforms every aspect of…
1 educator answer
- ESSAY LAB
What is a good topic for a freshman English literature research paper?While my teacher said she…
What about defining a work as of a certain genre? For instance, Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon” contains elements of magic realism, a genre introduced into American literature by Gabriel Garcia…
4 educator answers
- CANDIDE
Do you believe that Pangloss’ way of viewing the events of the world as predetermined by God is a…
There are a few different implications in the question that you asked. Looking first at the goal of the literature, I think that Voltaire was warning against having the radical perspective that…
1 educator answer
- THE ODYSSEY
What was life like for poets in Homer’s time with epics like The Odyssey and why were poets held…
During the days when Homer existed, the essential thing to remember is that there was no entertainment. There was no television, movie theaters, radios, etc… Entertainment came down to sporting…
1 educator answer
- LAW AND POLITICS
What are the steps to prepare for a jury trail, after a deposition?
Who needs to prepare? Plaintiff, defense counsel ? Or the plaintiff or defendant ? Counsel will prepare by research, research, research ! You must research the body of the case, you must interview…
1 educator answer
- THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
What fear does Henry have as he returns to his regiment? How is he recieved? And what loud…
In the classic Civil War novel “The Red Badge of Courage,” by Stephen Crane, the main character, Henry Fleming, is nervous as he awaits the first action of his military career. During the initial…