• THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS

In “There Will Come Soft Rains,” how does the author describe the nursery and what is significant…

The first description of the nursery is that it “glowed.” The nursery walls are lighted with images and films and this is the source of the glow. But Bradbury might be comparing this glow to the…

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• HISTORY

What were two advantages the Hittite soldiers had over their enemies?

The Hittite Army was one of the most feared units in all of the ancient world. The brutality that they exacted on their enemies had a profound psychological effect. One of the reasons for their…

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• HISTORY

What was the significance of the Boston Massacre?

The Boston Massacre was a very significant event. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd gathered outside of the Custom house in Boston. After the shooting stopped, five colonists…

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• A CHRISTMAS CAROL

In A Christmas Carol, what does Scrooge notice beneath the Ghost of Christmas Present’s robe?

Towards the end of his meeting with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge notices that something is protruding from the base of his robe. On first glance, it looks like a claw but it is, in fact,…

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• LYDDIE

What is a way that Lyddie is brave in chapters 1- 4?

The most obvious example of Lyddie’s bravery in the first four chapters is her confrontation with the bear. When a black bear pokes its nose through the door of the cabin that has been left ajar,…

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• LAW AND POLITICS

What happens if the president signs the Bill of Rights?

The President signing the Bill of Rights is not a possibility. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. In our country, all 27 amendments have started in Congress….

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• HOOT

Where was Roy Eberhardt born in Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot?

Roy Eberhardt, the protagonist of Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot, was born in Detroit, Michigan. He’d told the kids at school he was from Montana, cattle country, when in fact he’d been born in Detroit,…

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• LITERATURE

What is the theme/purpose of a fable?

The ultimate purpose of a fable is to teach the reader a lesson or moral. Fables often use satire to get across or point out flaws in man or human experiences. Many fables rely on animals to tell…

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• A CHRISTMAS CAROL

How do Fezziwig and the present-day Scrooge compare as employers in A Christmas Carol?

Fezziwig, Scrooge’s first employer, appears in the second stave of A Christmas Carol. The first glimpse of Fezziwig’s character shows him to be a jovial and happy person: He rubbed his hands;…

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• THE GIVER

In The Giver, does Jonas go to Elsewhere?

At the end of the book, it is safe to assume he reaches Elsewhere. We are never told what Elsewhere looks like, so we have to make this assumption based on other details we do know. It has taken…

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• HISTORY

What type of a charter did the Virginia colony have? Was it a charter, proprietary, or royal colony?

There were three kinds of British colonies in the thirteen North American colonies. These colonies were proprietary, charter, and royal. There were two charter colonies. They were Rhode Island and…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How does Scout act before the trial in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird?

Prior to the trial in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout’s behavior can be classified as being a bit self-absorbed, since she is so young. But the trial allows her to become much more in…

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• SCIENCE

Think about what you ate for lunch yesterday (egg salad sandwich with onions). All of the energy…

Egg salad sandwich with onions has egg, onions and spices/seasonings/dressing, etc., as its ingredients. All these materials originate from plants and animals (which utilizes plant products as…

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• A SEPARATE PEACE

From A Separate Peace by John Knowles, what are some key quotes that show Gene’s neurotic…

The word “neurotic” isn’t used in psychology circles so much any more because there are more specific words used to diagnose different mental illnesses these days. The word technically refers to an…

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• THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER

Near what city is the setting in “The Devil and Tom Walker?”

Like many of Washington Irving’s stories, “The Devil and Tom Walker” is set in colonial America near Boston. Although Irving himself wrote most of his stories during the early 1800s, setting his…

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• A WORN PATH

How can I start writing a 1200 word analytical essay about the character of Phoenix Jackson?

One of the things you need to analyze first is why Eudora Welty named Phoenix Jackson “Phoenix.” A phoenix is a mythological bird that every 100 years builds a nest out of spices, sets itself on…

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• WHAT YOU PAWN I WILL REDEEM

Identify the historical era Sherman Alexie is writing about in “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” and…

Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” is contemporary to the time in which it was written. The first publication of the story was in The New Yorker’s April 2003 edition, so the story is…

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• LYDDIE

How does the speed-up affect Lyddie in Lyddie? How does it affect the other girls?

Lyddie does not complain about the speedup, but she does get hurt and sick. Lyddie becomes a factory worker after her mother leaves. She does not last long working at a tavern before she gets…

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• LORD OF THE FLIES

What is the symbolism of the island in Lord of the Flies?

In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the island represents the microcosm of the world the boys have left behind. The island is by itself with no other people nearby, so the boys…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How do the woman of the missionary circle behave in ways that contradict their Christian values?

Aunt Alexandra and her missionary circle of friends represent hypocrisy in their Christian beliefs. The missionary circle has met to raise money for a minister who is traveling to Africa to spread…

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• THE TELL-TALE HEART

What is the inciting incident in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe?

In fiction, the inciting incident is one that kicks off the rising action. At the very beginning of a story, the author will usually employ some exposition to set the scene, introduce a major…

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• TO BUILD A FIRE

In “To Build a Fire,” what would be analogies for the title?

“To Build a Fire” takes its title from the main character’s goal during the second half of the story. The anonymous man, a fortune-seeker and woodsman, is hiking across the frozen Yukon wilderness…

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• BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING

According to the book Blink, what is priming?

Priming is a way of implanting a suggestion in someone’s brain in a way such that the person’s mind will be primed in a particular direction. As I recall in Blink (Gladwell), people were given…

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• STARGIRL

Who is the main character in Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl?

The main character is Leo Borlock who narrates the story, even though he focuses mostly on how he and his high school get to know Stargirl, how they treat her, and how his relationship with her…

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• FAHRENHEIT 451

Was it fitting for Montag to plant books in Fireman Black’s home?

When Montag goes to Faber for help to understand books, Faber doesn’t see the point because literacy is hated and illegal in their society. Montag suggests that the two of them actually start…

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• MACBETH

Why does Lady Macbeth’s character change?

It seems that Lady Macbeth’s character undergoes a change when her guilty conscience becomes too much for her to bear. In Act 5, Scene 1, the sleepwalking scene, she is clearly reliving the night…

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• RULES OF THE GAME

What game does Waverly learn to play?

In short, Waverly learns to play chess. However, the game of chess is related to her life in many ways. In the beginning of the story, Waverly’s mother teaches her daughter the art of invisible…

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• THE PEARL

How do the ants in The Pearl have symbolic meaning?

Kino watches “with the detachment of God” as an ant tries to escape the trap set for it by an ant lion (an insect that preys on ants). The narrator does not say if the ant manages to escape or…

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• ARTS

What are the aims and objectives of a curriculum design process?

A curriculum design process is a method by which teachers and other instructional authorities consider the goals, needs, and materials for their student group for a particular class or course….

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• A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Why did the 2nd spirit take Scrooge to the miners’ hut?

The Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to a variety of Christmas celebrations, including a party aboard a ship and Fred’s party, which Scrooge had been invited to, but declined to attend….

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• THE COLOR PURPLE

When does Nettie come into contact with American prejudice in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple?

Nettie comes into contact with American prejudice when she takes the train to New York. In her letter to Celie, she explains the train had a restaurant and berths above the seats, but only white…

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• YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN

What is Brown’s purpose for going into the woods?

Young Goodman Brown gives his clinging, timid wife the impression that he has to go away on a business trip. However, there is considerable foreshadowing in the opening scene suggesting that he is…

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• A CHRISTMAS CAROL

How did the knocker on Scrooge’s front door look?

In Stave One of “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge returns home from his office to find something peculiar has happened to the knocker on his front door. At first, the knocker appears the same as it has…

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• RAPPACCINI’S DAUGHTER

From the short story “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” what inferences can you make about Beatrice and the…

Both Beatrice and the garden are poisonous. This much is obvious. But both are also innocent. The garden is clearly not a conscious being with malicious intent. It just happens to be beautiful and…

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• HISTORY

What is the primary resource found in Southwest Asia near the Persian Gulf? 1 image

Since 1908, the Persian Gulf has been a very important and strategic area of the world. Wars have been fought and blood spilled. Powerful nations have attempted to enforce their political will on…

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• THE GIVER

What do you think are the most important lessons Jonas learned from the Giver?

Jonas learns many lessons from the Giver, some small and some more significant. Let’s look at two of the most significant lessons. First, Jonas learns that the world is not what it seems. He learns…

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• JULIUS CAESAR

How does Caesar react to Cimber’s pleading to recall his brother from banishment?

The pleading is just a ruse for the conspirators to encircle Caesar, hemming him in and shutting others out, including others who might try to give Caesar help against the assassins. Cimber should…

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• SCIENCE

Do plants undergo photosynthesis or cellular respiration or both?

Plants undergo both: photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants consume carbon dioxide and water and produce food, in the form of glucose molecule….

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• LITERATURE

What is the meaning of this phrase from the novel The Stone Angel? ” I wonder if she stands…

In The Stone Angel, Hagar Shipley is the protagonist of the novel. At ninety, she is forced to realize that her days are numbered. However, as she reminisces about her life, she comes to understand…

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• OF MICE AND MEN

I need a quote from the book Of Mice and Men that describes why the American Dream is over.

When I read your question, the first quote that came to my mind is by Crooks. To place it in context, he is in his little room on the night that all the other men have gone into town except Lennie…

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• THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

In the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, does Bruno demonstrate caring for others and…

Yes. Throughout the novel, Bruno is a compassionate, sympathetic character who selflessly demonstrates kindness towards others. Despite Bruno’s father being a Commandant in Hitler’s Third Reich, he…

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• MONSTER

In Monster, what is a lesson Steve learns from the other inmates, and how will this help him in…

Towards the end of the novel, two inmates are discussing their legal proceedings. One of the inmates comments that he has no other choice but to lie while he is on the witness stand because telling…

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• THE GIVER

Why is lying not allowed in The Giver?

There is no specific quote that tells us this answer, so we can only make an assumption based on some of the other information we know about the community. Because the community prioritizes…

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• THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO

How does Montresor persuade Fortunato to come to his house?

Montresor takes a long time to fashion an elaborate lie that will entice Fortunato into the catacombs beneath his palazzo, where he can murder him. In the first paragraph, Montresor says At length…

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• LITERATURE

What does the word “convey” mean?

To convey means to communicate an idea or feeling so that it is understood by others, or to bring or give some object to an intended end-location. To convey an idea is dependent upon it being…

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• JULIUS CAESAR

What are the similarities and differences between Brutus and Caesar?

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus and Julius Caesar probably have more differences than similarities. While both men are respected leaders, wield political clout, and enjoy the…

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• REFERENCE

How can you stop having stage fright?

The key to overcoming stage fright is preparation, no matter what the context is in which the stage fright is occurring. You might be called upon to give a talk or presentation, you may actually…

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• HISTORY

What do the British and Americans have in common?

The British and the Americans had several things in common. The Americans were ruled by England as colonies for many years prior to the Revolutionary War. Once we got our independence from Great…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In To Kill a Mockingbird why did Harper Lee choose Arthur as a name for one of the characters?…

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Boo Radley’s given name is Arthur. The name Arthur has a Roman origin from the Artorius clan. Arthur means noble or courageous. It is very interesting that Lee chose this…

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• THE TELL-TALE HEART

What details in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe indicate the narrator’s fears?

The narrator’s general attitude of fear and paranoia is suggested by the first lines of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. He opens his narrative by stating: TRUE! —nervous —very, very…

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