What can we conclude about Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird?

August 16, 2018 Educator

A SWIFTLY TILTING PLANET

What is the climax in the story A Swiftly Tilting Planet?

Well, keep in mind that the climax is a very important part of the plot (in that it is considered a very significant plot element). The climax of a story is found at the end of the rising action…

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SCIENCE

Ms. Goll walks into her rocket ship to the moon and blasts off. 60 seconds later, she is going…

Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity or a=dvdta=dvdtwhere, a is the acceleration, v is velocity and t is time. We can also write this equation as:

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ZEITOUN

Why did Eggers use emails and pictures in the book?

Dave Eggers uses pictures and emails to personalize the character Zeitoun. While Zeitoun is a real person, it’s better to treat him as a character Eggers creates. In the post-9/11 world, there is a…

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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How is Miss Maudie an advisor to Scout?

Miss Maudie is one of the most influential people when it comes to Scout. There are several reasons for this. First, Scout trusted Miss Maudie, and they spend a lot of time together. Here is what…

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THE LOTTERY

What is the plot in the short story “The Lottery?”

Villagers come together for a yearly lottery. The children just finished school. The setting is serene. A man, Mr. Summer, runs the lottery, and he arrives with a black box. Mr. Graves, the…

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SELF-RELIANCE

In “Self-Reliance,” what does Emerson say about “the ever-blessed One?”

The “ever-blessed One” refers to the unity of our souls with the soul of God. It’s what Emerson elsewhere calls the “Over-Soul,” God’s presence in us and all things. Emerson isn’t very clear about…

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A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO

What are some facts about Mary Alice in A Long Way from Chicago?

In the book A Long Way from Chicago, Mary Alice is Joey Dowdel’s sister. Mary Alice is seven when the children make the journey to visit their grandmother in 1929. Mary Alice is cynical in her…

AFTER TWENTY YEARS

From the story “After Twenty Years” what is the significance of the dialogue of the story?

It is the dialogues of “After Twenty Years” that propel the plot and reveal O. Henry’s signature irony in this story. From these dialogues, then the main characters meet and speak in the…

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LABOR ECONOMICS

Do privatization and reducing state welfare benefits lead to a fall in unemployment?

While some economists believe that privatization and reducing the social safety net will stimulate a country’s economy, thereby reducing unemployment, much recent data shows that it gives rise to…

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MATH

please help 1 image

We are given the graph of f(x) — it looks like a parabola (but may not be one) with vertex at (4,-3) opening down. We are given g(x)=-f(x+3)-3. Note that the graph of g(x) is the graph of f(x)…

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THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL

How does Edmund’s withdrawal affect Henry’s school in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail?

In “The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail,” we learn that Henry and his brother John run their own school. Unfortunately, their student body has dwindled down to just one student: Edmund Sewell,…

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BUSINESS

”Failing to plan is planning to fail (author unknown).” To what extent do you agree or disagree…

In my view, this statement is completely true. It is extremely important to have a marketing plan. If you do not have one, it seems unlikely that your marketing efforts will succeed as well as…

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A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA

What is the overall tone of the first passage of “A Scandal in Bohemia”?

The overall tone of the first passage in A Scandal in Bohemia is one of mystery, awe and education. The story is the first published in The Strand Magazine (1891) and very probably the…

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THROUGH THE TUNNEL

What is the narrative voice in Through the Tunnel? Is it first, second, or third person?

The narrative voice of the short story “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing is third person. More specifically, the story is written in the third person omniscient voice. The third person is…

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THE VELDT

What’s interesting about Bradbury’s use of the word “nursery” in “The Veldt”?

The use of “nursery” is interesting and ironic since it is the most dangerous room in the house, and anything but a nursery as the children are not babies, and their games are anything but harmless…

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THE DIAMOND AS BIG AS THE RITZ

Discuss what Fitzgerald is satirizing in his short story “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”

This story, one of Fitzgerald’s most famous and critically-acclaimed, is an effective social commentary upon wealthy society. Fitzgerald experienced sudden wealth via his success selling stories to…

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CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD

Did Crispin play the flute or the clarinet?

In the novel, Crispin learns how to play a music-pipe or recorder from Bear. Since the story is set in the 14th Century, this would be a Renaissance or early Renaissance recorder. A recorder is a…

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THE LION AND THE JEWEL

How did Baroka win Sidi’s respect?

After learning that her images are throughout a foreign magazine, Sidi becomes conceited. She attempts to mock the Bale to his face after she is told that Baroka is “impotent.” When Sidi arrives at…

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SAILING TO BYZANTIUM

What is the thesis of the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by William Butler Yeats?

“Sailing to Byzantium” by William Butler Yeats is a poem, not an argumentative essay. Although argumentative essays by their nature have theses, most poems do not have arguments per se nor do they…

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LANGSTON HUGHES

Who is Bessie in the Langston Hughes’ poem “Theme for English B”?

Langston Hughes’ “Theme for English B” looks at racial identity and the difficulties involved in trying to label somebody as simply black or white. The poem’s speaker is a college student at a…

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PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

How can I write a summary of The Lightning Thief?

To understand the summary of the text, it is important to have a basic understanding of the major characters: Characters: Protagonist: Percy Jackson Friend of Protagonist: Grover Love Interest:…

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THE LADY OR THE TIGER?

In “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank Stockton, what is the exact end of the introduction, then…

“The Lady or the Tiger?” by Francis Richard Stockton is a short story, not a business document with clearly demarcated divisions. Such literary terms as introduction, conflict, climax and…

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RAYMOND’S RUN

Describe the tone of the story “Raymond’s Run.”

The tone of Toni Cade Bambara’s story “Raymond’s Run” goes through a metamorphosis as the feelings of the protagonist change from the beginning to the end. Throughout much of the story the…

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LINDA HOGAN

In the short story “Making Do” by Linda Hogan, describe the changes you see in Roberta from the…

There are many changes in Roberta James from the beginning to the end of the story called “Making Do” that focuses on the contributions of everyday women to society (and especially in Chickasaw…

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OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET

What is strange about the rooms at The Rise?

Early in Out of the Silent Planet, Ransom—the protagonist—happens upon a house known as “The Rise” during his backpacking vacation. Once he enters the house, he is left alone in a room for a…

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THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

In “The Most Dangerous Game,” how do Rainsford and Zaroff behave like animals?

This is a good question, because it gets to one of the great paradoxes of the story. Both Zaroff and Rainsford act like animals in that they do not care for the huntee. In some ways, the difference…

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MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR

How would you describe Okeke’s personality in “Marriage Is a Private Affair”?

Nnaemeka’s father, Okeke, is a strict, religious man who is intolerant to change. Throughout the novel, Achebe portrays Okeke’s religious zeal by depicting him reading the Bible and quoting…

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THE CRUCIBLE

In The Crucible, what will be the significance of the poppet rag doll?

When Mary Warren returns to the Proctors’ home after a long day in the court, she presents Elizabeth Proctor with a poppet, or rag doll, that she made to pass the hours sitting. It seems to be…

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HISTORY

What were five challenges faced by the early colonists as they established the first colonies?

The early colonists faced a number of difficulties as they attempted to settle the first colonies. The colonists arrived in new lands where the environmental conditions were extreme and they were…

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HARRISON BERGERON

What is the state of U.S. society as described in the first paragraph of the story? How has…

The major effect of various additions to the constitution and laws passed to bring about “equality” have led to a state in which those who are talented or beautiful or athletically gifted are…

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LITERATURE

In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, where has Montresor been, both figuratively and…

Montresor has literally been looking all over the central part of Venice for Fortunato because he wants to kill him that night, if possible. Montresor tells Fortunato he has just received a cask of…

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RULES OF THE GAME

What are three similes in “Rules of the Game” and what do they mean?

A simile is a comparison between two things. Similes most often use the words “like” or “as.” If you’re looking for similes, look for these two words. When Meimei is learning how to play chess,…

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THE LEAP

In “The Leap,” what were the three ways that the daughter owed her existence to her mother?

In Louise Erdrich’s short story “The Leap,” the unnamed narrator says of her mother, “I owe her my existence three times. The first was when she saved herself.” The narrator’s mother, Anna, and…

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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

What are some direct and indirect characterizations of Scout in the first three chapters of…

Indirect characterization occurs when an author does not come out and directly state what a character is like but rather allows the reader to draw his/her own conclusions about the character…

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FRANKENSTEIN

In Shelley’s Frankenstein, in what way can Victor be considered a monster?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley makes us confront the question of how we define humanity and monstrosity. The obvious monster is Victor’s creation, an outwardly hideous creature that commits murder…

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THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE

Why did Poe introduce the possibility that Madame L’Espanaye was a fortune teller?

Poe quotes a number of witnesses and excerpts from different newspaper articles. All of them are intended to show very little except that the two murdered women lived alone and kept to themselves….

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NIGHT

In Night, what was Elie’s main thought during selection? What prayer were those around him…

Elie’s thought throughout the selection process and on into his entrance to the camp was to stay with his father. Earlier, he had been separated from his siblings and mother. As only his father…

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MANIAC MAGEE

In the book Maniac Magee, how is the Pickwell family like the Beale family?

Maniac had dinner with the Pickwell family for the second time. He sat at the old ping pong table with Mr. and Mrs. Pickwell, their many children, their extended family, and a shoe salesman who was…

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THE MAN THAT CORRUPTED HADLEYBURG

What is the “tragic flaw” of Hadleyburg?

In Mark Twain’s “The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg,” a town becomes embroiled over a bag of gold that mysteriously appears and has no owner. This is a town that prides itself on its honesty;…

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THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER

What seems to be the narrator’s attitude toward the events of The Devil and Tom Walker? What…

The narration in “The Devil and Tom Walker” is interesting because it doesn’t exactly mesh with the content of the text. Typically, stories told about the Devil are frightening, and the narrator is…

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THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER

In “The Devil and Tom Walker,” when Tom becomes a violent churchgoer, does he really change?

Simply put, no. Tom does not truly change in his heart. At first, Tom takes much pleasure in fulfilling the terms of his agreement – loaning money at exorbitant rates – with the Devil. In fact,…

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LITERATURE

How does Holling feel when his picture winds up in the news a second time in Gary Schmidt’s The…

In the chapter titled “January” of Gary Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars, Holling is elated with the second picture of him that winds up on the front page of the Home Town Chronicle since the picture…

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HISTORY

What was the motivation of the Sherman Antitrust Act?

The Sherman Antitrust Act was passed for a few reasons. One reason was because the number of big businesses was increasing at an alarming rate. Through mergers, monopolies, and pooling…

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HISTORY

What do we call a system of acquiring colonies to provide raw materials for a stronger country?

There are a few names we can use to describe a system where a stronger country acquires colonies in order to get raw materials. The term most commonly used is called imperialism. An imperialistic…

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HISTORY

What were three reasons why some colonists didn’t think independence was important or necessary…

One of the major reasons was that there were quite a few people who were happy with the status quo and didn’t want it to change. They might have had existing business relationships or connections…

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ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY

Explain what T.J. did on the night that he got in trouble in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

T.J.’s first mistake is believing that RW and Melvin plan to pay for the pistol they promised to buy him. When he accompanies the brothers to the mercantile store and the three of them find the…

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THE CAY

What two animals is Phillip afraid of in Theodore Taylor’s book The Cay?

In Chapter 8 of Theodore Taylor’s The Cay, Timothy and Phillip begin settling on their island. After Timothy spends a few hours building a hut for them to sleep in, he announces that he is going to…

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THE LOTTERY

Explain any issues of language in The Lottery.

While the dialogue of the story is interesting because it is so vague, the use of certain pronunciations and words suggests that language is being used in “The Lottery” to create an Old-World…

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THE VELDT

What aspects of contemporary society does Bradbury criticize in “The Veldt”?

By finding a way for the parents to pay for the chance to avoid all the difficult things about being parents, Bradbury is criticizing some of the same elements of modern society that he does in…