How many events occur in the story “The Pit and the Pendulum”?
- HISTORY
What issues caused vigorous debate over ratification of the Constitution?
Even with the problems that people clearly saw in the plan of government created by the Articles of Confederation, there was no guarantee the states would ratify the Constitution. One of the…
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- THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
In “The Gift of the Magi,” there are three times in the story when the narrator speaks directly…
This is a good question and a sharp observation. The narrator seems to be a worldly wise, kindly, philosophic, perceptive man who likes people. This man seems to be very much like O. Henry himself,…
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- FAHRENHEIT 451
On what page does Faber show Montag his gadget collection?
On page 86, Faber guides Montag down a small chamber in his bedroom that leads to where his gadget collection is located. Montag notices numerous metal tools, wires, coils, and crystals on Faber’s…
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- THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
In the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, how does Christopher deal with his…
He really follows a lot of routine as best he can, and he concentrates on very practical steps he can take to avoid having behavioral problems. He is aware of how he tends to react, so he tried to…
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- THE CRUCIBLE
What are some reasons why John Proctor is both a good man and a bad man?
John Proctor can easily be seen as both a good and bad man by different characters throughout The Crucible. Most obvious is the fact that John had an affair with Abigail Williams, a much younger…
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- HISTORY
Before electrification, what did people do for free time and entertainment?
While people did not always have electricity, they did have light, in the form of candles and fireplaces, and they did not just sit glumly in the dark! People gathered together to sing, to play…
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- MACBETH
Why does Macbeth continue to murder after the initial murder?
After the initial murder (of King Duncan and his two grooms), Macbeth first turns to the witches’ prophesy that Banquo’s sons will be kings while he himself will wear “a fruitless crown.” He’s…
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- THE MONKEY’S PAW
Compare the circumstances under which Mr. White made the first and last wish.
The author wanted to make sure that the wishes, especially the first one, were not outlandish, because he was writing about simple people who experience an extraordinary, seemingly supernatural…
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- THE NECKLACE
What role does disillusionment play in the story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant?
Disappointment in her social position is experienced by Madame Mathilde Loisel as she longs for a life of finesse, luxurious possessions, and adulation. But, after attending an evening reception at…
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- A CHRISTMAS CAROL
What do the youngest Cratchits want Martha to do just after she arrives?
Martha, the oldest Cratchit daughter, arrives home late after a long morning of work. Her mother encourages Martha to sit by the fire to warm herself while the rest of the family finishes their…
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- HISTORY
Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Benin to the west, Chad and Cameroon to the east and south, and Niger to the north. The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea are bodies of…
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- HISTORY
What vegetables did Europe have before voyaging to the New World?
While the introduction of new foods to Europe from the Americas is generally considered the most relevant aspect of the Columbian Exchange, a number of vegetables did make their way to the Americas…
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- HISTORY
Which antebellum-era writer and intellectual described the Mexican war as a “dose of arsenic” to…
Ralph Waldo Emerson described the Mexican War, and the acquisition of formerly Mexican territory, in this way. Of course, he turned out to be correct–the debate over the expansion of slavery into…
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- LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES
Can you provide some examples of how both the Vicomte and the Marquise are victims of their own…
Both of these characters are portrayed as very charming and very manipulative. They are also both very aware of the social implications of their behavior and the gossip and judgment that are…
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- THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
How many of the colors in the prince’s castle in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death…
At the risk of complicating the assignment — which colors in Prospero’s suite of rooms are “cheery” — there is less consensus regarding the effects of individual colors on mood than might be…
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- A RETRIEVED REFORMATION
Why is Jimmy Valentine brought to the warden’s office?
The warden has received Jimmy Valentine’s written and signed pardon from the governor. He sends for Jimmy in order to hand him the official document. This meeting gives author O. Henry an…
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- THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
What’s an idiom in the story “The Gift of the Magi”?
There are several idioms used in the short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. I will highlight a few from the story: Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the…
- AMERICAN HISTORY
What words does Elena use to describe her building?
One of the first set of words that Elena uses to describe her home is a “Puerto Rican tenement known as El Building.” A tenement is defined as an over-crowded, usually run-down and poor building….
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- HISTORY
What was the name of the pilgrim’s ship?
It was the Mayflower ship which brought the Pilgrims to America in 1620. There were 102 passengers aboard the Mayflower when it departed England on September 16 1620, many of whom were escaping…
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- NIGHT
In Night by Elie Wiesel, what does this figurative language refer to: “…as would a shopkeeper…
The quote from Night by Elie Wiesel you refer to in your question is found on page 47 of the book. At this time, Elie, his father, and several others of the Jewish prisoners have recently arrived…
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- HISTORY
Was it right for the United States to enter the Vietnam War?
The answer to this question is a matter of opinion. So I will discuss the reasons people supported and opposed the war. Those who supported the war viewed Vietnam as another front in the Cold War….
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- SCIENCE
Compare the society of past and present.
Without a specific timeline, it is tough to compare the past and current societies. However, one thing is certain, we are using technology much more intensively than we have ever used in the past….
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- THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, for how long does Bassanio need the money?
Bassanio needs the money he borrows from Antonio for one specific purpose only. He confides to Antonio: In Belmont is a lady richly left;And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,Of wondrous…
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- HISTORY
Which colony was originally part of Pennsylvania?
It was the colony of Delaware which was once part of Pennsylvania. Delaware was first settled by the Dutch in 1631 and then brought under English control in 1664. Eighteen years later, in 1682,…
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- ANIMAL FARM
In Animal Farm by George Orwell, what did the pigs call the government they formed using Old…
In Chapter Two, the pigs form a government in anticipation of the Rebellion against Mr Jones. This government is called Animalism and is described as a “complete system of thought.” It is inspired…
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- HISTORY
Why did the colonies want to break away from Great Britain?
First, we should realize that not all the colonists wanted to break away from Great Britain. There were many who wanted to remain loyal to what they viewed as the mother country, and even many…
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- A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
In “A Good Man Is Hard To Find,” what is the character change in the grandma throughout the story?
In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the grandmother is the central character in the story. Though her personality does not change throughout the story, her presence does. She…
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- HISTORY
What were the benefits of being colonized by England?
Being colonies of Great Britain had several benefits. Great Britain was an established world power. The British had a developed economic system. We were able to benefit to some degree from that…
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- ROMEO AND JULIET
Why do Sampson and Gregory fight with Montague’s men in Romeo and Juliet?
The beginning of Romeo and Juliet opens with a fight between Sampson and Gregory, two servants of the house of Capulet, and several of the members of the Montague house. On the surface, the fight…
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- THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
In the “Pit and the Pendulum,” what do you learn about the narrator from the way he describes his…
For me, based on the narrator’s reaction to his death sentence, I’ve always thought that the narrator is innocent. If he were guilty, I would assume that his reaction would have been a reaction of…
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- WOMAN HOLLERING CREEK
How would you summarize Sandra Cisneros’ “Woman Hollering Creek?”
Sandra Cisneros’ “Woman Holler Creek” centers on Cleófilas, a young mother suffering in an isolated household from living with her abusive, abrasive husband. Cleófilas at one point had…
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- JANE EYRE
What is the main idea of Jane Eyre? And why was this story written?
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte’s beloved novel, is the story of the eponymous Jane Eyre and her struggles and successes in nineteenth-century rural England. We meet Jane as a young girl and watch her…
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- HISTORY
Name one of the major causes of the Industrial Revolution.
It is difficult to choose a single cause of the Industrial Revolution, because there were so many factors that went into the making of such a complex event. However, the most immediate cause was…
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- BUSINESS
How do the following market structures affect pricing, distribution and product and service…
Under monopolistic competition, there are a large number of companies in the market, but the products each one sells are a little bit different. They aren’t completely different—they are…
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- A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN
Does Virginia Woolf use the stream of consciousness technique in “A Room of One’s Own”?
The simple answer would be “yes”, but there is much more to Virginia Woolf than “yes” and “no” answers, as you will find out the more you read about her and her works. As a genre-bending production…
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- HAMLET
What is the tone in Act 2 of Hamlet?
First, a summary of Act Two of Hamlet: The act starts out with Polonius talking about his son, Laertes, who has returned to France. He discusses how he wants to know more about how his son is…
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- CHAINS
In the book Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, why is the silver tea set important to Lady Seymour?
The silver tea set is likely important to Lady Seymour for a couple of reasons. First, it is silver, so it is valuable. She is a member of the upper class, and a silver tea set allows her to host…
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- 1984
In 1984, why does Winston have a diary?
In George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984, protagonist Winston Smith purchases a diary and begins recording his secret thoughts therein. As a literary convention, Winston’s diary entries help move…
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- LITERATURE
A pagan is a person who practices one of the many traditions of paganism, or pagan religions. The terms “pagan” and “paganism” have long held a pejorative connotation. In fact, the terms developed…
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- A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, why does Mariam’s mother hang herself and why does Laila not go with…
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam’s mother Nana hangs herself because she realizes that her daughter has grown fond of her father Jalil. Nana understands that Jalil will not put himself in a…
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- REFERENCE
How are sphinxes and pyramids similar?
The Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza form the Giza Necropolis, or the Giza pyramid complex, which is located not too far from the city center of Cairo. The Giza Necropolis consists of multiple…
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- THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS
What happened to the waiter in the book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?
The waiter’s name in is Pavel and he is Jewish. Bruno’s father uses Pavel in their home as a servant. Bruno has discovered from his sister, Gretel, that Pavel was a physician before being…
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- THE RAVEN
Which line(s) of “The Raven” indicate the narrator’s loneliness?
There are several lines in “The Raven” that contribute to our perception of the narrator’s loneliness. In the second stanza, he discusses wishing for “the morrow” because he had, in vain, sought an…
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- SOCIAL SCIENCES
What is meant by the term ‘compassion fatigue’? How, and with what possible effects, has the…
In the words of Dr. Charles Figley, who is the director of Traumatology in Tulane University, “Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an…
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- MATH
What is the definition of domain?
Word domain can have several meanings in mathematics. Probably the most often used meaning is the one referring to domain of function (or map in general). In that sense domain of function
1 educator answer
- THE GREAT GATSBY
Could anyone give me some comparative points relating to Love in The Rotters’ Club and The Great…
I can truly understand why you asked this question. Here we have two novels: one set in England and one set in America, one set in the 1970s and one set in the 1920s, and one focusing on teens…
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- SOCIAL SCIENCES
What is meant by the term ‘compassion fatigue’? How has the discourse of compassion fatigue…
Compassion fatigue is a mental state of exhaustion or extreme tension which occurs from prolonged exposure to stimuli stress or suffering of other entities. These entities can include people,…
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- JAMES CLARENCE MANGAN
What are the themes of James Clarence Mangan’s poems “Time of the Harmed Idea” and “Twenty Golden…
James Clarence Mangan was an Irish poet of some obscurity. He is mostly renowned for “Dark Rosaleen” and “A Vision of Connaught in the Thirteenth Century.” However, “Twenty Golden Years Ago” is…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What is a simile that describes Calpurnia from To Kill A Mockingbird?
I’m not sure if you are asking for an original simile that describes Calpurnia or how Scout describes her in the book. So, I’ll help you out with both! In the novel, Scout describes Calpurnia…
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- THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
How many events occur in the story “The Pit and the Pendulum”?
When one reads a short story, one can think of it in terms of the story arc, that is, the rising action, climax, and falling action. These events are related to the plot and follow the development…
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