what are some major themes in dancing at lughnasa
- DANCING AT LUGHNASA
what are some major themes in dancing at lughnasa
The major themes in Dancing at Lugnasa are: Poverty- we see that the sisters live on the breadline and Kate is their only finicial support. Memories- This is a memory play, Michael looks back on…
- THE SKY IS GRAY
What do you think of the Henry Fonda version of the short video adaptation of the story “The Sky…
Granted the length of “The Sky Is Gray,” this intelligently selective tele-play starring Henry Fonda effectively supplements the story. Particularly strong are the scenes of the killing of the…
- BARN BURNING
Please comment on the film version of “Barn Burning” starring Tommy lee Jones. Is it close to the…
The film version is remarkably close to the short story. The life of the Snopes family on the mule-drawn wagon is particularly vivid in this film, as is the life in the log cabin (especially…
- OTHELLO
In Othello, what does Iago convince Roderigo to do?
Roderigo is a fellow who is easily led by Iago. So, he could, potentially, convince him to do any number of things. Roderigo pretty much does whatever Iago says. In Act I, scene i, Iago convinces…
1 educator answer
- TAKING CARE
What is a theme to “Taking Care?
While some readers might consider the story hopelessly depressing and a bit antiquated for any contemporary ideas about love or devotion, and incredibly deflating morally, many other readers will…
- THE LOTTERY
What do you think the author was trying to say about people in general? What do you think the…
I think the author was trying to say that we get stuck in tradition. Just because we did something a certain way once, we keep doing it especially if it worked then. As times change, we need to…
6 educator answers
- OTHELLO
When Othello throws coins at Desdemona, what does he call her?
I suspect you are referring to Act IV, scene ii, when, after striking her in front of Lodovico, Othello finally calls Desdemona a whore. The scene proceeds from Desdemona asking, “[W]hat ignorant…
1 educator answer
- OTHELLO
Why is it ironic that Othello doesn’t believe Emilia when she tells him Desdemona is innocent?
Emilia declares Desdemona’s innocence at the opening of Act IV, scene ii. Othello is grilling her as to whether she has seen anything between Desdemona and Cassio, and finally Emilia says: I…
1 educator answer
- TAKING CARE
Why are the paragraphs narration without dialogue in “Taking Care” by Joy Williams?
There are thirteen paragraphs in the story (is this figure significant?), some of them consisting of three to four hundred words. This emphasis on narration, and the almost total lack of dialogue,…
- JOHN KEATS
In John Keats’ “On the Grasshopper and the Cricket,” what is the metaphysical element to the poem?
Although the song of the cricket and the grasshopper have different meanings or functions in relation to themselves, the speaker of the poem refers them to the poetry of the Earth, which could be…
1 educator answer
- TAKING CARE
Explain the use of verb tense in the story “Taking Care.”
Much of the story is told in the present tense, as though it is happening at the moment. The past tense is introduced only as a means of filling in the present narration. Such an emphasis on the…
- TAKING CARE
Traits about Jones’s character should revolve about the way in which he accepts his role as a taker of care. As the story progresses, details about the life he is living become so oppressive that…
- FAHRENHEIT 451
How did the Hound “not touch the world”?its part 3
Of course, Montag is thinking metaphorically at this point — the hound does not literally move around without touching the earth. What I think that Montag or the narrator means here is that the…
1 educator answer
- PETRONIUS
What is the theme of “The Widow of Ephasus”?
Certainly the Widow’s decision may be considered a joke, as Eumolpus intends. However, her explanation of her love for the Soldier makes the situation far more serious than it might at first…
- PETRONIUS
How would you describe the character of the Solider in “The Widow of Ephasus”?
The soldier at first seems like no more than a soldier. He is “on the make,” and finds it convenient to become involved with the grieving Widow. Soon, however, he has discovered that his…
- PETRONIUS
What is the character of the widow in “The Widow of Ephasus”?
The Widow is known for her love and fidelity to her husband (paragraph 2). She demonstrates her resolution by going into the vault to stand vigil by her husband’s coffin, planning to stay there…
- LADY SINGS THE BLUES
How would I write an analysis essay for Lady Sings the Blues.I am being asking to analyze the…
It seems to me that one of the major sticking points I see in this is the idea of “analyze the context.” I think that more here is needed in order to better understand how this essay is to be…
1 educator answer
- PETRONIUS
Who is the real narrator of “The Widow of Ephasus?
The poet Eumolpus is the actual narrator of the story about the Widow and her Soldier, although the major narrator of the entire Satiricon is Encolpius, whose voice is heard in the first and…
- THE CRUCIBLE
Does anyone know of any quotes that support that John Proctor as hard working? I already have…
The quote identified is a fairly good one. I would add to it with a couple that reflect the willingness to take on additional burden and challenge and not acquiesce to it. For example, when he is…
1 educator answer
- PETRONIUS
How did the soldier get the dead guy on the cross all by himself in “The Widow of Ephesus”?
As a practical matter, readers almost always ask about how the Soldier might have single-handedly put the dead husband on the cross. There seems to be uncertainty about the exact procedures of…
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
Identify a behavior that would be considered deviant by society. In 5 pages I will be addressing…
Because it has been so prevalent in the news lately, I’m going to suggest bullying as a deviant behavior. It’s clearly researchable over time, and it’s clearly a practice we (society) has not yet…
3 educator answers
- I STAND HERE IRONING
How realistic is the portrayal of the daughter?
The narrator’s daughter, Emily, is also quire realistic in the mind of the mother. The child’s solitude (paragraphs 9, 12), her fear of separation (paragraph 14), and her humor (paragraph 15)…
- I STAND HERE IRONING
Does the mother portray a realistic parent?
The mother is, along with Emily, a major character who like most parents is vulnerable to doubt about the way she has raised her child. In the story the mother cites many occasions of regret—the…
- I STAND HERE IRONING
How convincing is the point of view?
The story’s point of view is authentic and convincing. The narrator is a woman of thirty-eight doing the common domestic chore of ironing clothes (in the days before permanent-press clothing)….
- I STAND HERE IRONING
The setting of “I Stand Here Ironing” is particularly significant and real. The year 1932, when the mother indicates that she herself was 19, was the time of the Great Depression. During this…
- LAW AND POLITICS
Specific responsibilities of the SenateThe Senate votes on Supreme Court Justices, and they are…
Are you asking for more of these? If so, they also have the right to vote on appointments to the President’s cabinet and on people appointed to lower courts. Another important responsibility they…
5 educator answers
- LAW AND POLITICS
House of RepresentativesWhat are some specific responsibilities of the House members. I already…
The House did not have nearly as many of these specific duties given to it as the Senate did since the House was not supposed to be as important. The only one I can think of that you did not…
6 educator answers
- GUIDE TO LITERARY TERMS
Figurative Languagedoes “Hard” by Rhianna have figurative language?
Yes. This song “Hard” by Rhianna does, like many lyrics, contain figurative language. Anything that should or could not be taken literally is figurative language. “Tougher than a lion” is not…
5 educator answers
- HISTORY
Explain if the US was right to drop an atom bomb on Hiroshima.Explain if the US was right to drop…
You might not receive a definitive answer to such a question. Be ready to see all sides brought out with this one. I do think that a case can be made to suggest that the United States was…
3 educator answers
- A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
Is the story more symbol or allegory?
The story is certainly more allegorical than symbolic. The bizarre discussion of Christology that takes place between the Grandmother and the Misfit in paragraphs 129–136 seems intended to remind…
- THE WESTING GAME
What clue is given at the end of the second section in Chapter 8?
In the book The Westing Game a group of people are brought together to participate in a game that will reveal the true heir of Mr. Westing’s estate. Each person is given different clues that are…
- GREAT EXPECTATIONS
What does the incident with the bank notes in Chapter 10 of Great Expectations indicate about Joe?
In my opinion, the incident with the bank notes shows us something about Joe’s character. Specifically, it shows us that Joe is a very honest man. When Joe gets home with Pip, he thinks that Pip…
2 educator answers
- JULIUS CAESAR
Is Caesar ambitious and did he have to be killed?can you give me some examples of why he was…
Caesar was indeed ambitious. If he was ambitious, why did he refuse the crown offered to him by Mark Anthony? It is all part of his plan. If it looks like Caesar does not want to be emperor, the…
1 educator answer
- JOHN IRVING
I need help with a presentation about John Irving, I have a lot of anxiety and I have troubles…
You are not alone in experiencing this kind of anxiety. Students, businesspeople, and even actors have this problem. The trick is how to address it. I do not think that you will be able to get…
1 educator answer
- PHILOSOPHY
As a follower of Skepticism, how would they answer: How can we learn what is true?
I think that a skeptic would argue that assessing the presuppositions of what is taken to be “truth” might be one way one can gain a better understanding of it. It should serve as warning that the…
1 educator answer
- SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE
What is the answer to the speaker’s question in “The Lamb”, and why is it not directly stated?
First, let us remember that this poem, as with so many of Blake’s poems in his Songs of Innocence and Experience, are really meant to be studied alongside their counterparts. In this case, Blake…
1 educator answer
- MATH
Give an example of an irrational number and how you mat use it or come across in the real world.
An irrational number is any real number which can not be expressed in the form of p/q , where p and q are integers.The irrational are many and uncountable. Some examples: e, pi and sqrt19. We know…
- A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
What kind of person is the Misfit?
The Misfit personifies evil. He is a psychopathic killer, a person of mindless cruelty. Contradictions in his personality are shown in his apology for Bailey’s language (paragraph 85) and in his…
- A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
Please explain the irony in the story.
The plot of the story is grounded in situational irony, a conflict between ordinary folks on the one hand, and both chance and evil on the other. The forces of chance are built up by an almost…
- THINGS FALL APART
What scene pictures can I draw for chapter 8 , very important scenes.I need 3 scene pictures…
I am not quite certain what you mean by scene pictures, but I am assuming that you are supposed to draw three pictures that illustrate things that occur in chapter 8. If this is not correct, please…
1 educator answer
- SCIENCE
How are arthropods beneficial to other living things?
Phylum Arthropoda include organisms from the Class Insecta which are insects, Class Arachnida, which are spiders and Crustacea, which are lobsters, crabs, crayfish. There are others however, they…
1 educator answer
- THE PILOT’S WIFE
How is the theme of disaster presented in Anita Shreve’s The Pilot’s Wife?
Ironically, despite the fact that the plot centralizes on a plane crash, the actual crash is the smallest of the disaster details. The theme of disaster is presented through several avenues….
1 educator answer
- THE SCARLET LETTER
How does Hester feel when she saw Dimmesdale marching in the procession in The Scarlet Letter?
I assume you are referring to Chapter 3 of the novel, when Hester Prynne and Pearl are being “displayed” as punishment for her sin, and Arthur Dimmesdale is forced to try and persuade her to reveal…
1 educator answer
- A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Why does oberon want the changeling boy and why does Titania?
The first mention of the changeling boy is Puck who says, For Oberon is passing fell and wroth Because that she, as her attendant, hath A lovely changeling boy stol’n from an Indian king. She…
1 educator answer
- THE SCARLET LETTER
How do the expectations of modern society like in how we treat other people differ from…
To me, the major difference between our society and that of Puritan New England is that we are much more into the idea of individual freedoms. We tend to think that individual people ought to be…
1 educator answer
- THE VELDT
Comment on the irony of the father’s reflection that “That were awfully young, Wendy and Peter,…
To me, what is ironic about this thought on the part of the father is that he is worried for the kids’ sake when he ought to actually be worried for his own sake. When George thinks that the kids…
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
Why did the Aztecs practice human sacrifice then?
The most usual answer for this is that they believed that the blood of the sacrificial victims was needed to keep the universe going. It is said that they believed that the sun needed to be…
3 educator answers
- THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
What feeling do you get when you read The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe?Does this…
The overall feeling I get when I read the story is the exact feeling all Gothic and Romantic writers attempt to instill within the reader: The feeling of helplessness that comes from the…
1 educator answer
- A SEPARATE PEACE
Why does Gene cry when he speaks to the doctor in A Separate Peace?
When Gene speaks to the doctor following the surgery, the doctor tells him that Finny’s leg had sustained “a messy break,” and that although he will walk again, he will never be able to play sports…
1 educator answer
- A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
Why is the particular point of view used? (not just name but reason)
The point of view is third-person limited (let us stress limited), so that all the characters are somewhat distant from the reader. The focal character is the unnamed grandmother, but she too is…