• GEORGE ORWELL

In the essay “Shooting an Elephant,” how does George Orwell feel about imperialism? What would be…

Orwell makes it clear that he has very strong feelings against British imperialism as it existed in Burma during his residence there as a British policeman. He was obeyed grudgingly by the Burmese…

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• THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

In “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” what do you think Twain is satirizing in his description…

This is one of the many example Twain uses to satirize flowery, overwrought, Romantic poetry which was so common is Twain’s youth. The poem is supposed to be a tribute and elegy to Stephen Dowling…

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• THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

In “The Road Not Taken,” what is the tone or attitude?

The tone of attitude of the poem changes as the traveller considers his choice of roads. The first attitude is reveals the speaker to be somewhat indecisive. He comes across a fork in the road and…

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• NIGHT

In Night, what happens at the entrance of every camp Eliezer goes to?

After their arrival at every camp, Eliezer and his group are sent to take showers. While this might seem like a good thing, these group showers–where they herded in and out like cattle and are all…

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• ODE TO THE WEST WIND

I need help writing a reader response on the dominant emotion in “Ode to the West Wind”.

The first thing that you might want to do is read through the poem itself and jot down some different emotions that Shelley expresses in each stanza. Then, when you are finished, look over what…

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• THE LOTTERY

How are “The Lottery” and “A Rose for Emily” similar in themes?

Although both stories deal with murder, there are stronger themes that they share: the power of society over the individual and the destructive nature of unexamined tradition and “group think.”…

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• THE GREAT GATSBY

Answers to the following question:How much do we know about Gatsby by the end of Chapter One?

Not much on a personal level. We know, according to Carraway, that “there is something gorgeous about him,” that he lives in West Egg (the less fashionable of the two “Eggs” in the novel) next…

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• A ROSE FOR EMILY

in a rose for emily would changing the point of view change our view of emily ? in a rose for…

There is an excellent analysis of the narrator at the “A Rose for Emily” group. As a side note : several sources use the phrase “narrator-as-the-town” to describe the type of narrator Faulkner…

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• HISTORY

Was divorce in arranged marriage allowed in Elizabeathan times and was the finance allowed to…

Divorce in practice was the same for the Church of England as it had been for Roman Catholics all through the Middle Ages- if you were well connected or had lots of money, you could get a divorce….

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• THE OUTSIDERS

Describe each of the characters’ relationship with each other in “The Outsiders”. Who are…

The Greasers are the group of teens (some a little older) from the poor, east side of town. The are usually blamed for any trouble that occurs and have an overall bad name in town. The rich, west…

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• A ROSE FOR EMILY

Do you thing a rose for emily would be be better or worse if Emily told it? Do you thing a rose…

I think it would be very dull if Emily told the story. She didn’t do much in her life except take care of her father, teach girls how to paint on china, and have a brief “romance” with Homer…

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• BIOLOGY

What are the advantages and the disadvantages of reproduction?

The advantages of sexual reproduction are: different genetic combinations produce variety in the species and enhance survival of species through adaptations suited to environmental factors. Less…

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• A ROSE FOR EMILY

“In a rose for Emily” would changing the point of view change the way we feel about Emily? Why or…

I think that it would. Telling the story through the viewpoint of the townspeople as a whole helps to keep us informed of major events in Emily’s life while at the same time maintaining a distance…

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• FAHRENHEIT 451

What parts of Fahrenheit 451 seem most believable or unbelievable? Why?

As a science-fiction novel, Fahrenheit 451 features some futuristic technology that seems unbelievable to us now. For instance, the firehouse “mascot,” the mechanical hound with its poisonous…

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• THE GREAT GATSBY

In Chapter 9 of “The Great Gatsby”, how do Nick’s feelings about the midwest relate to one of the…

One of the major themes of the novel is the Culture Clash that occurs between new wealth of Gatsby and the inherhited wealth represented by Daisy and Tom. This clash is also represented by Nick and…

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• A DOLL’S HOUSE

Is A Doll’s House about the struggle between the needs of the society, or women’s roles in the…

The play most accurately could be interpreted as exploring the conflicts of women in Nora’s society at the time of the play. Nora was born into and continued to live in a male-dominated society…

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• ANIMAL FARM

In “Animal Farm”, how would the dealings with humans be accomplished? What is a broker?

The animals need a middle man as a go-between for contact between the farm and the outside (human) world. Despite the animals’ efforts, the farm is not altogether self-sufficient, and from time to…

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• 1984

What does the phrase jus primae noctis mean from 1984?

Translated literally from Latin to English, jus primae noctis means “right youthful at night.” It refers to the medieval custom where the Lord of the manor had the right to have sexual intercourse…

3 educator answers

• THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

Where did Rainford spend the first night of his hunt in “The Most Dangerous Game”?no

In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford is sent out of Zaroff’s compound to begin being hunted. He says that he pulls himself together and begins to think as a hunter and the…

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• MACBETH

What do you suppose the dramatic purpose of a comic relief scene is? Why is the porter’s…

The porter’s scene is in prose because he is a person of low status. Shakespeare’s low status characters nearly always speak in prose to indicate their low station in life. It was assumed these…

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• ALEXANDER POPE

What are Pope’s views on politics? In what works does Pope discuss his views? How do his views…

When Pope first became active in British politics, he aligned himself with the Whigs, the party less in power. The balance of power actually shifted after the Glorious Revolution in 1688/89, and…

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• SOPHOCLES

What is the main idea of “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles and what is the play about?

The story itself is told in a 3-part series of a play, of which “Oedipus the King” is the first part. Oedipus is born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta, but there are strange prophecies that predict…

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• THE OUTSIDERS

In the novel The Outsiders, where does Darrel Curtis work?

Darrel Curtis (Darry) works as a roofer. Ponyboy makes reference to Darry hauling stacks of shingles up a ladder.

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• THE LOTTERY

What characteristics of human nature does Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” reveal?

Jackson reveals a number of interesting characteristics of human nature. One of the main ones is the need to follow the crowd and fit in. This is done through the villagers’ need to ensure that…

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• DEATH AND THE KING’S HORSEMAN

In Death and the King’s Horseman how does each Act relate to the other?

One way of understanding the structure of this play is to consider how the play presents two very different worlds that are shown to be completely separate and which have very little understanding…

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• THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

From chapters 1-15 in The Prince and the Pauper, how did Tom show mercy to three people?This…

As the Prince, Tom Canty shows mercy to a number of people from Chapters 1-15. These people include a whipping boy, and a man and a woman and her daughter who are sentenced for execution. The…

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• THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

Why was London Bridge all lit up with lights in The Prince and the Pauper?This is a question I…

London Bridge is all lit up because of a celebration in honor of the Prince of Wales. The celebration, which is “unspeakably sublime and astonishing” to Tom, who is posing as Edward, the Prince of…

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• WHY I LIVE AT THE P.O.

What symbolism is there in “Why I Live at the P.O.”?

You have to look at the story in its entirety to see the Biblical allusion to the story of the Prodigal Son. The narrator does not especially like her sister because she has just returned after…

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• THE GIVER

Why is hippo a strange word in The Giver?

There are apparently no animals in the “perfect” world of the community. The word “hippo” seems strange to Lily because it names an animal that she has never seen; it does not exist. When…

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• THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

How are the people of Eatonville significant to Their Eyes Were Watching God? Describe the…

Collectively, the people of Eatonville create the framework through which Janie’s story is told. When she first returns, she is greeted with hostility, gossip, and jealousy. Many of the citizens,…

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• THE DESTRUCTORS

In “The Destructors”, what literary element complements imagery the best in this story?

It would be well worth seriously examining the setting of this excellent short story and in particular how the setting contributes to the atmosphere. Greene is a master of description and this…

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• A SEPARATE PEACE

In A Separate Peace, how is Leper’s reaction to leaping from the tree different from that of the…

As in all he does, Leper’s reaction to jumping from the tree was quite individual: Leper closed his mouth as though forever. He didn’t argue or refuse. He didn’t back away. He became inanimate….

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• SCIENCE

Does the ETT need to be sterile when intubating a patient in the OR?I am a Anesthesia student….

In the OR the ETT will be sterile, as will all the other instruments used. Otherwise, in a febrile or immunocomprised patient (which many in OR might be) the risk of introducing a secondary…

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• A SEPARATE PEACE

In A Separate Peace, Gene identifies closely with the war. What is one statement that shows this?

Gene’s memory of his time at Devon begins in the summer of 1942. This was the last time the boys were really free to be young. When classes resumed for the fall session, many aspects of Devon were…

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• HISTORY

When did abortion start? In what year did it occur?

An exact year of the first abortion may be difficult to determine. However, induced abortions have been linked to ancient times. Records of suggestions of ways to abort a pregnancy are traced back…

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• THE OUTSIDERS

Why wouldn’t Cherry go visit Johnny in “The Outsiders”?

In Chapter 4 of “The Outsiders”, Johnny Cade stabs and kills Bob, Cherry Valance’s boyfriend, because he was drowning and trying to kill his best friend Ponyboy Curtis. Later on in the…

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• THE GIVER

In The Giver, why did Jonas refer to Gabe as his little brother?

Even though Gabe and Jonas are not biologically related, or in the same family group, Jonas feels that the bond they have created is fraternal. As Jonas learns more about the world around him, he…

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• ANTHONY BURNS: THE DEFEAT AND TRIUMPH OF A FUGITIVE SLAVE

Why were so many abolitionists involved in the case of Anthony Burns?

Abolitionists were largely interested in Anthony Burns because of his connection to the Fugitive Slave Act (1850), which stated that all slaves must be returned to their masters irrespective of…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, why does Piggy suggest they create a clock?

In Chapter 4, Piggy suggests that the boys can make a primitive clock by putting a stick in the sand and making a sundial. This is an appropriate suggestion for Piggy to make since a clock is a…

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• A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Why was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” written?Why was the play written, how did Elizabethans veiw…

I’m afraid this one really gets the standard Shakespeare answer: we just don’t know. Shakespeare didn’t leave us any solid information about why he wrote certain plays or what occasions they were…

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• ONE ORDINARY DAY, WITH PEANUTS

What is “One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts” about?

This story is about Mr. Johnson and his daily route. Although he doesn’t always take the same route, he goes out into the city and plays the Good Samaritan wherever he goes. This story takes…

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• ANIMAL FARM

Who leads “The Battle of Cowshed”? What happens to him as a result?

The Battle of Cowshed was led by Snowball, who is declared Animal Hero, First Class, and given a medal. Snowball is a hero for only a short time. “After the Battle of the Cowshed, Animal Farm…

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• JULIUS CAESAR

In “Julius Caesar”, what are the people doing that angers Marullus and Flavuis?Act 1

Flavius and Marullus question the tradespeople who are hanging the statues of Caesar with garlands. Instead of working, they are celebrating the approach of Caesar in triumph. The soldiers chide…

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• SCIENCE

How do each of the following factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction?a)temperature…

Temperature usually affects reactions – the warmer the temperature, the move Brownian movement so the reaction goes faster. And conversely, the colder the temperature, the slower the reaction….

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• BELLE PRATER’S BOY

What do the men in the barbershop say that might hurt Woodrow in Belle Prater’s Boy?

The men in the barbershop are incredibly insensitive towards Woodrow. Clint Akers, the owner, is the ringleader, but the four men “sitting around talking and watching…just chewing the fat”, are…

1 educator answer

• CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

What is the thesis statement of the essay “Civil Disobedience”?

A thesis statement is basically the topic of your paper, a statement of your opinion and what you intend to prove or discuss in the essay. Ordinarily, we’re taught that the thesis statement should…

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• WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Can you think of 5 characteristics to describe Heathcliff, as well as 3 quotes to explain each…

I am not going to answer your question completely, but one of the central debates within Wuthering Heights is the nature of Heathcliffe as a character. In particular, there is a dichotomy between…

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• BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON

In “By the Waters of Babylon” name two ways John acquires power (not just because he is the…

First of all, he has the courage to go places that no one else has gone before. Being a priest’s son doesn’t allow him to break taboos that are against travelling in certain areas; however, John…

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• OEDIPUS REX

In Oedipus Rex, how is Oedipus led to commit the sin of killing his father and marrying his mother?

It is a sin of ignorance. Because of the prophecy that his son would kill him and marry his wife, Laius had his infant son taken to be killed. Instead, he is raised in a kingdom away from…

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• BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA

In the book Bridge to Terabithia (Chapters 7 & 8), what real situations can be revealed?

Jess experiences jealousy in two different ways. When Leslie is busy helping her father remodel the farmhouse, he is jealous of the time she spends with her dad. He is lost and lonesome. Later on,…