Under which Muslim empire were people most likely to experience cultural and religious toleration?
- LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER
How are women stereotyped by men in “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl?
Women are stereotyped in a number of ways by male characters in “Lamb to the Slaughter.” First of all, Patrick subscribes to the stereotyped view that a woman’s primary concern is for her material…
1 educator answer
- OTHELLO
How does Shakespeare dramatize Othello’s flaws in Othello?
One of the ways in which Shakespeare dramatizes Othello’s flaws in Othello is by having him fall into trances. The first time Othello falls into a trance is in Act 4 Scene 1 after Iago suggests…
2 educator answers
- THE SCARLET LETTER
In the Scarlet Letter, Chapter 11, why doesn’t Dimmesdale confess his sin to his congregation?
According to chapter 11, “The Interior of a Heart,” Dimmesdale was more than once in want of telling the congregation that he was, indeed, a hypocrite. In a lighter view of Dimmesdale, he is…
1 educator answer
- MACBETH
What is the figurative meaning of, ‘Lest our old robes sit easier than our new,’ in Shakespeare’s…
To appreciate and understand the figurative meaning of the expression clearly, one needs to know the context in which the line was spoken, and by whom it was uttered. Firstly, these words are…
1 educator answer
- THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
In The Old Man and the Sea, what character says, “You must get well fast, for there is much that…
Manolin, Santiago’s young friend, says, “You must get well fast for there is much that I can learn and you can teach me everything.” After Santiago returns from the sea after several days of…
1 educator answer
- THE INTERLOPERS
How do Ulrich and Georg resolve their conflict in “The Interlopers” by Saki?
In “The Interlopers,” Georg and Ulrich do not manage to resolve their conflict until they are trapped under a tree together. The men initially continue to bicker, with each telling his enemy that…
1 educator answer
- THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, when Enkidu is introduced, is he as fully human as he is later in the…
When Enkidu is introduced in the Epic of Gilgamesh, he is not fully human. In fact, he is half-man, half-beast. He lives among the animals and helps them escape from traps laid by humans. He also…
1 educator answer
- MACBETH
How does Macbeth reflect the struggle to centralize political power and the relationship between…
The tension between the church and the state is one that is played out in many societies, and the history of that tension has been given great attention by both historians and authors alike in…
2 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What is the setting of chapter two in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee?
Chapter two begins with Scout describing how much she had looked forward to the beginning of school. Dill has returned home to his family and Scout will now be joining Jem at school and she is very…
1 educator answer
- THE LADY OR THE TIGER?
In “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton, what does the princess see in her dreams?
Since her father’s proclamation of judgment, the princess has been having dreams about her lover’s final fate. In some dreams, she sees the terrifying prospect of her lover torn to pieces by the…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
Explain, in detail, how the judges discourage the defense of the accused in court and what is…
The judges discourage the defense of the accused by suggesting, as Reverend Parris puts it, that “All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem!” Therefore, if a person seems…
1 educator answer
- STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING
What is the main idea of the first stanza of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”?
The speaker, presumably Robert Frost himself, is driving in a sleigh drawn by a single horse. It is snowing. He is struck by the beauty of a particular stand of trees and stops to look at them. He…
1 educator answer
- THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
In the poem ‘The Road Not Taken,’ why does the narrator choose the road less traveled by?
Critics and poetry lovers have offered multiple and varying perspectives on this poem. Its complex theme makes it one of the most misinterpreted poems. The speaker’s choice of the road “less…
1 educator answer
- THE CRUCIBLE
Why did the Salem settlement need a theocracy?
A theocracy is a government that is run by its religious leaders. The religious leaders establish the rules and conduct of the community based on God and the rules of their religion. First of…
1 educator answer
- A SEPARATE PEACE
In A Separate Peace, how is Blitzball played? How do the rules of the game and the skills to play…
The rules of blitzball are made up by Finny as he goes along. The game is played with a heavy ball, probably a medicine ball. Here are some of the known rules: 1) You aren’t allowed to “use your…
2 educator answers
- ONCE UPON A TIME
In the story, “Once Upon A Time” by Nadine Gordimer, how does the author shift the structure from…
The first part of the story is written from a first-person perspective. The author writes from her own point of view, divulging her own fears and uncertainties and expressing her thoughts. The…
1 educator answer
- THE WEDNESDAY WARS
Why is Holling so uncomfortable while taking the standardized achievement tests in Gary Schmidt’s…
In the chapter titled “January” of Gary Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars, Mr. Guareschi, the school principal, forces the kids to come to school and take the standardized achievement tests just after a…
1 educator answer
- THE ODYSSEY
There are a number of sources from which Odysseus gains power in the course of the story. The first and one of the most constant sources is his great physical strength. Stories of his strength…
1 educator answer
- FREAK THE MIGHTY
How might Freak the Mighty be different if it was told from Kevin’s perspective instead of Max’s?
Because there is no way to know the exact answer, this is definitely an opinion question. Although my opinion may differ greatly from yours, I am happy to share some of my ideas. Freak the Mighty…
1 educator answer
- THE LOTTERY
How does the setting lead to the surprise ending in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson?
The setting plays a large role in the surprise ending of “The Lottery” because everything, from the weather to the people to the village itself, seems so serene. The day is “warm and sunny, with…
3 educator answers
- THE OPEN WINDOW
In “The Open Window,” are the characters in conflict with the setting?
The setting of “The Open Window” is the big living room in a stereotypical English country manor. The three hunters are not exactly in the setting until the very end, but they seem more like an…
1 educator answer
- A PERFECT DAY FOR BANANAFISH
What does Sybil and Seymour’s relationship reveal about Seymour?
In “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” Seymour’s only positive relationship is with the four-to-five-year old Sybil Carpenter, who sits on the beach with the war veteran. It’s important that Seymour…
1 educator answer
- EVERYDAY USE
Why is Dee so unappreciative in “Everyday Use”?
In “Everyday Use,” Dee is so unappreciative because she does not really respect her family and their values. Before Dee goes away to school, she shuns the lifestyle that her family leads, and she…
1 educator answer
- THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER
In The Prince and the Pauper, what is Tom’s reaction to Humphrey? Does he like the idea of a…
Tom is shocked and astonished when Humphrey informs Tom (the king) that he is the whipping-boy for the new king. In Chapter 14, Humphrey informs Tom that because he is royalty,”None may visit the…
1 educator answer
- ANTIGONE
How does Haemon die in Antigone?
Once Antigone refuses to participate in Creon’s plot, the stage is set that will lead to Haemon’s death. Enraged at her unwillingness to go along with his plans, Creon declares that Antigone must…
2 educator answers
- LAW AND POLITICS
What are three reasons why political parties organize?
There are several reasons why political parties organize. One reason is so people with similar ideas and beliefs can work together to accomplish their goals. Without political parties, people would…
1 educator answer
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
What are the reasons for rural migration and how does it affect settlement in urban areas?
Assuming you are referring to fairly contemporary rural migration, I can comment on this phenomenon in the United States, its causes and effects. Someone else may be able to weigh in on this trend…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
What abiotic features would cause changes from the normal operation of an underwater ecosystem?
In an underwater ecosystem, important abiotic factors include salinity, temperature, depth, amount of dissolved gases, substrate type, pH, currents and light availability. Of all of these, light…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
Why was Hildegard von Bingen significant?
Hildegard von Bingen was significant for a number of reasons. One of the first was the fact that, as a woman, she rose to a position of great influence in a time when very few women had positions…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
What is an example of a chemical compound?
Water, carbon dioxide and glucose are all examples of chemical compounds. Their formulas are H2O, CO2 and C6H12O6 respectively. The formula denotes the number of each type of atom in a molecule. A…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
Name of the process when plants respire at night?
The process by which plants respire at night is called respiration. This process also takes place during the day time (it’s just that we do not concentrate on it during the daytime). In fact,…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
Is neptune a rocky planet or a gas planet?
Neptune is an ice giant, which is a type of gas giant, as opposed to a terrestrial, or rocky, planet. Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun and the fourth largest. It is made of layers although…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
How does sexual reproduction increase genetic variation?
In sexual reproduction, a daughter cell obtains the genetic material from two different parents and hence the genetic diversity. In comparison, in asexual reproduction, an individual just grows and…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
What are the advantages of calling organisms by their scientific name?
Scientific names are given to any organism to classify them in a standardized manner. Generally two word names (binomial nomenclature) are given to organisms. Since these are standardized names,…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
Starch is a carbohydrate consisting of glucose molecules (held together with glycosidic bonds). Formed during photosynthesis in plants, starch acts as a mechanism for glucose storage. For human…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
what kind of mixture is a solution? a suspension? a colloid?
Mixtures are combinations of several substances. Each of the substances retains its physical properties. There are no new substances created. This is in contrast to a chemical reaction in which two…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
A rock is formed by natural processes and the structure of concrete is not. Rock is naturally occurring mineral material that forms part of the earth’s surface or has become detached from the…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
Is iron an element, compound, solution or heterogeneous mixture?
Iron is an element and not a compound or a heterogeneous mixture or a solution. An element is characterized by atoms of exactly the same properties, that is, an element is made up of exactly the…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What was the Enlightenment, and what effect did it have on the colonies?
The Enlightenment was a period in Europe that saw a transition from religious and superstitious thought to the application of reason and observation to acquire knowledge. While the period started…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
When was Henry VIII born? 1 image
King Henry VIII or Henry Tudor, was the son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth York. Henry was born at Greenwich Palace, on June 28, 1491. Following the death of his brother, Arthur, he became…
1 educator answer
- THE TELL-TALE HEART
In the story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” how does the opening paragraph foreshadow, or hint at, the…
The opening paragraph foreshadows the murder by letting you know that the narrator is mad. Foreshadowing is when the author gives hints early in a story to something that will happen later….
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What were the political and economic causes of the Salem Witch Trials?
The Salem Witch Trials can be understood as a consequence of an important political dispute that was occurring in Salem at the time. A group of residents led by the Putnams, who owned large tracts…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
How was America changed by the telegraph during the Industrial Revolution?
In 1843, Congress financially support the building of the first telegraph system from Washington D.C. to Baltimore and, in the next year, the first electronic message was successfully sent. This…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What was the colonial response to the Tea Act?
The British passed the Tea Act in 1773. This was a law that said all colonial tea trade had to go through the British East India Tea Company. The British wanted to help out this company that was…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What impact did the invention of the steam engine have on the industrial revolution?
The invention of the steam engine had a big impact on the Industrial Revolution. With the invention of the steam engine, many things changed for industries. One change was the location of…
2 educator answers
- HISTORY
What is the difference between the Persian and Assyrian empires?
The difference between the Assyrians and Persians can best be understood in the context of their treatment of the Hebrews. The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of the Hebrews, Israel, in…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What was the problem with the 1876 election for president?
There was a big issue with the result in the election of 1876. Samuel Tilden was facing Rutherford B. Hayes. When the votes were counted there was a problem with the results in four states. This…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What was the social cause of American Revolution?
While political and economic causes dominate the reasons why we went to war with Great Britain in 1776, there were some social factors that were also involved. The British had been very helpful in…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
Under which Muslim empire were people most likely to experience cultural and religious toleration?
Despite the edicts in the Quran for religious tolerance, many Islamic empires did not recognize other faiths. This is even true with rifts between Shiites and Sunnis within empires. While there are…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
What are the similarities between the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation?
Most historians believe the Renaissance was an ideological precursor to the Protestant Reformation. Consequently, the two movements bear many similarities. Two major similarities are the emphasis…
1 educator answer