• MISS HICKORY

In Carolyn Sherwin Bailey’s book, Miss Hickory, describe what Squirrel is like, especially in…

[eNotes editors are only permitted to answer one question per posting. If you have additional questions, please post them separately.] In the story called Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey,…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

What has been the lasting effect on our society of the September 11th attack?What was the lasting…

While the long term effects of these attacks are not yet clear, the short term effects are very clear. The attacks have made us into a much more worried country with much more of a security…

6 educator answers

• HISTORY

Why was the election of Barack Obama the one of the most important stories of the decade?Why was…

We will not know for a long time whether the election of Pres. Obama is truly the most important story of the decade, but there are at least two reasons why it looks as if it may eventually earn…

5 educator answers

• HAMLET

Discuss the contrast between Claudius’s smooth facade and his crimes in Hamlet.

A good example of the contrast between Claudius’s smooth facade and his crimes is Act IV, scene iii of Hamlet in which Claudius’ double-dealing nature is immediately evident. Polonius has just…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

In general terms, describe the effect that past mass extinctions had on surviving species and…

There have been at least five mass extinctions in the history of the Earth. One memorable one was 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs became extinct. Mammals actually co-existed during part of the…

1 educator answer

• OF MICE AND MEN

In Of Mice and Men, would George ever get a piece of land?

He doesn’t in the story. Getting a piece of land to call his own is his dream, along with Lennie’s and Candy’s. They think the dream is in reach only to have it shattered by Lennie’s accidental…

1 educator answer

• MISS HICKORY

Describe main characters in Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey.

There are several main characters in Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey. The first is Miss Hickory. She is a doll made from an apple twig, with the head of a nut. She is difficult to get along…

1 educator answer

• TEACHERS

I am looking for lessons on friendship–making friends and keeping friends–for my elementary…

Something that we do with a lot of our special education students is to write social stories that deal with specific issues unique to our school and students. We can personalize a social story as…

5 educator answers

• MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

In Much Ado About Nothing, why is Hero’s name Hero? Is there a specific reason?

Of course we can’t be sure why Shakespeare chose the name Hero, since he did not leave analyses of his works behind for future scholars to reference. Maybe this is why we have more research and…

1 educator answer

• WILFRED OWEN

Could someone please provide an analysis of “Smile, Smile, Smile” by Wilfred Owen?

With regard to Wilfred Owen’s poem, “Smile, Smile, Smile,” it refers, as do all of his poems, to World War I. There is an incongruity at the start of the poem: the newspapers are advertising new…

1 educator answer

• MATH

You can jog at a constant speed of 6 km/h. If you can burn 1200 calories per 1800 m, find how…

Let the speed be S = 6 kn/h Then, we need to calculate the distance we can jog in 1.5 hours. ==> Let the time be T = 1.5 ==> Let the distance be D km. ==> S = D/T ==> D = S*T = 6*1.5 =…

1 educator answer

• CINEMA

Was the character portrayed by Morgan Freeman in the movie Amistad historical?I’m not sure please…

The answer to this is no. The character that Morgan Freeman plays in this movie was not a real person. Morgan Freeman plays a character named Theodore Joadson in this film. The character, in the…

1 educator answer

• CINEMA

Why were the Africans portrayed as caricatures in the movie Amistad (1997)?I barely even…

I can see how you would have problems with this, and my first impression is to ask your instructor to define caricatures. From the Webster definition, “deliberately exaggerated features to produce…

1 educator answer

• THE GREAT GATSBY

How does the paragraph in Chapter 8 starting, “I’ve always been glad I said that” extend the…

The central paradox in Nick’s feelings about Gatsby centers around Nick’s values and how Gatsby’s life violates those values. A paradox is a thing that seemingly contradicts reality while…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

Is Golding pessimistic or optimistic about the future of mankind based on what he has written in…

When William Golding wrote his Lord of the Flies in response to Ballantyne’s Coral Island, a novel in which British boys are stranded on a tropical island, but the boys overcome the evil forces of…

1 educator answer

• MATH

If someone has a velocity of 32 ft/sec, will they be able to ring the bell( more info below)?At a…

According to the law motion of an object projected vertically above with an initial velocity u ft/sec is subject to a constant accelerationdue to gravitation g. So the velocity b is a vector in a…

• ANIMAL FARM

In chapter 8 of Animal Farm, what the theme and what is the mood?

The theme is that of replacing a corrupt system with an equally oppressive system. The mood is one of forced optimism as the animals are determined to finish the second windmill. When they engage…

1 educator answer

• THE TEMPEST

In The Tempest, what are the differences between Prospero’s and Shakespeare’s plays?

I have had to edit your question because you asked two questions. Please remember that you are not allowed to ask multiple questions. If I understand your question correctly, you want me to comment…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

Why do kids hate science?Traditionally, many kids profess to “hate science or math”. Why do you…

Perhaps you hear this more because you are a science teacher. I would imagine that every teacher hears that students hate his or her subject. I know I hear complaints about hating history or…

11 educator answers

• LE MORTE D’ARTHUR

What conclusions can you draw about the range of medieval taste in literature?

The range of medieval taste in literature reflects a culturally diverse time period. Spanning from 5th century to the 15th century, medieval genres include tales of saint’s lives, religious…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

What was Franklin Roosevelt’s greatest contribution to America?What was Franklin Roosevelt’s…

Franklin Roosevelt contributed positively to America in two major ways. First, he helped get America through the Great Depression. Many say that his New Deal ended the Depression, but this is not…

6 educator answers

• LAW AND POLITICS

Are you against Wikileaks? Why? Please explain.Are you against Wikileaks? Why? Please explain.

Personally, I am opposed to Wikileak’s policy of leaking sensitive government information as if it were the almighty guardian of our “right to know.” Although open society and government is the…

6 educator answers

• LIFE OF PI

How is The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, effective in revealing the complexity of human relationships?

In The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, there are two specific instances that i think reveal the complexity of human relationships. First, while Pi is lost at sea, he and the tiger meet up with another…

1 educator answer

• THE KITE RUNNER

In The Kite Runner, what does Amir learn about himself when he returns to Afghanistan?Give…

Amir’s return to Afghanistan to find Sohrab proves to be the solution to his guilt and the source of the redemption that he so desperately seeks. He undergoes culture shock and a reawakening of…

1 educator answer

• MATH

Given the function ‘f(x)=x^2-4x-1’ find the inverse of the function f, stating its domainA break…

Given the function f(x) = x^2 – 4x -1 We need to find the inverse function of f(x). Let us assume that y= f(x). ==> y = x^2 – 4x -1 We will complete the square . ==> y = x^2 – 4x -1 +4 -4…

1 educator answer

• THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

What are some examples of humor in Their Eyes Were Watching God?These can include satire, parody,…

Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is not a particularly humorous novel, though there are some delightfully humorous moments in the story. Labeling them rather depends upon your…

3 educator answers

• HISTORY

What are the beliefs of the major leaders in the transcendentalist movement.References Brinkley,…

Transcendentalism was a direct response and reaction to the ideas of Deism and “rational religion” that had arisen from Enlightenment ideas. Among these groups were the Unitarians and the…

1 educator answer

• LAW AND POLITICS

What ideas could I use for a presentation on the U. S. Constitution?What ideas could I use for a…

There are many approaches you can take to this, and I think that you might need to reflect upon which aspects of the Constitution are the most appealing to you. For example, I think that you could…

5 educator answers

• THE CHRYSALIDS

In The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, how are moral values instilled in Waknuk’s citizens?

There are three most prominent modes through which moral values are instilled in the citizens of Waknuk. One starts earliest with the youngest children. They learn to be terrified of the…

1 educator answer

• A CHRISTMAS CAROL

In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, please provide a quote that demonstrates conflict.

In literature conflict is defined as a struggle between two opposing forces; these forces can be external or internal. External conflicts exist between a character and nature, a character and…

1 educator answer

• THE SCARLET LETTER

In The Scarlet Letter, is there any humor in the description of the Custom House?If there is…

Nathaniel Hawthorne begins his great novel, The Scarlet Letter, with a description of his experiences as an employee at a Customs House. Although Hawthorne is not a particularly humorous author,…

2 educator answers

• HISTORY

How did Amelia Earhart’s ideas impact history?

The ideas that Amelia Earhart advocated did in fact change history, but it is not really accurate to say that they affected history because of her. She was one of the influences that allowed the…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

What were some of Amelia Earhart’s greatest ideas?

Amelia Earhart is not best known for ideas. She is best known for her groundbreaking flying achievements. However, to the extent that she represented ideas, her main ideas were that Flying in…

1 educator answer

• CINEMA

Explain the most powerful scene from Cry Freedom.

You have many from which to choose. Attenborough’s film is probably one of the best films about a topic that does not receive much in way of treatment, Steve Biko. I like the ending, to be…

1 educator answer

• SCIENCE

Why are ocean trenches the deepest parts of the ocean?

A trench in general results when you dig a hole in the ground which extends for some distance. Imagine you are on top of the grand canyon looking down. What you are seeing is a huge trench that is…

1 educator answer

• GREAT EXPECTATIONS

In Great Expectations, why is Pip impressed with Mr. Jaggers in chapter 20?

A person’s best reference or testimony is often what others say about them, not what the individual himself boasts. This is the case with Mr. Jaggers. Reputation impresses Pip. The chapter places…

1 educator answer

• LUCILLE CLIFTON

What are some poetic devices in the poem “Good Times” by Lucille Clifton?

“Good Times” is a short poem in which Lucille Clifton describes some of the simple pleasures of poor African-Americans in the middle part of the 20th century. The poem consists of two stanzas, each…

1 educator answer

• TEACHERS

Explain the approach of the “Panel of Experts” in teaching methodology.

I think that educational techniques and approaches have different names. I know this method as “the Press Conference” and I have used it in the history classroom. The idea is to have students act…

6 educator answers

• ROBERT BLY

What does the poem, “Prayer for My Father,” by Robert Bly, mean? In other words, what would be…

[eNotes editors are only permitted to answer one question per posting. If you have additional questions, please post them separately.] In Robert Bly’s poem, “Prayer for My Father,” I believe that…

1 educator answer

• BLACK BEAUTY

Who is a minor character in Black Beauty and why is (s)he in the story?

More than any single work of its time, Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty effected the humane treatment of horses and other animals, as well. With the narrative set in a time when horses were the means of…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

What is the significance of Ralph’s daydreams in Chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies?

In chapter 7, Ralph begins daydreaming about a comfortable place for he and his parents to visit. Every aspect of civilized life came into view for Ralph: Once, following his father from Chatham to…

1 educator answer

• THE NAME OF THE ROSE

In Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, what is the order in which all of the murders happen?

In Umberto Eco’s mystery novel The Name of the Rose, 7 murders are committed by Franciscan friar William of Baskerville, and assisted by Adso of Melk, who also narrates the story. Those murders…

1 educator answer

• SILAS MARNER

Explain Godfrey’s thinking as he contemplated telling his father about his situation in Silas…

You really can’t help but feel sorry for poor Godfrey Cass. He really is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and unfortunately, his n’er-do-well brother Dunstan knows it and lacks the moral…

1 educator answer

• THE BIRDS

Choose the best reason du Maurier includes Nat’s comment to his wife, “We’d be better off in the…

In Daphne Du Maurier’s short story, “The Birds,” Nat’s comment seems to point to the first answer, “Nat’s comment foreshadows coming events.” Nat says: “We’d be better off in the old days . . . ….

1 educator answer

• THE BIRDS

What does this scene from “The Birds” suggest about people’s relationship with nature? “As the…

I think that a couple of ideas can come out of this scene. Of the choices offered, I am more inclined to go with the idea of people attempt in vain to control nature through technology. I like…

1 educator answer

• SOCIAL SCIENCES

Distinguish between Base and Superstructure with special reference to Karl Marx and Friedrich…

Basically speaking, Marx says that the “base” is the foundation of our society. It is the thing that is truly important. By contrast, the superstructure consists of things that are built upon…

1 educator answer

• THE OUTSIDERS

In The Outsiders, what conclusion is the reader expected to draw when Sandy goes to live with her…

We believe, as Sodapop does, that Sandy is pregnant when she goes off to her grandmother’s in Florida. It was commonplace at the time for young ladies who were pregnant to be shipped off to a…

1 educator answer

• THE BIRDS

In Daphne Du Maurier’s short story, “The Birds,” what word describes Nat and his family’s need…

In Daphne Du Maurier’s short story, “The Birds,” the main character is Nat Hocken, who lives with his wife and two children on “the Cornish coast of England.” Wounded in the war, and compensated by…

2 educator answers

• HISTORY

What were the three different systems of recruiting factory labor that developed between 1820 and…

I think the very worst way to recruit factory workers was from the orphanages and workhouses. Sometimes the children were as young as six years old, very poorly fed and clothed, overworked, and…

1 educator answer

• THE STORY OF AN HOUR

Describe the characters in “The Story of an Hour.”

The central character that you will undoubtedly want to focus on and, indeed, the only character that we gain any real insight to, is that of Mrs. Mallard, who, in the two and a half pages of this…