• THE RAVEN

In “The Raven” how does the narrator’s emotional state change during the poem?

In “The Raven,” the speaker’s emotional state heightens as he becomes more and more engrossed in self-torture as he is agitated by the raven’s persistence in perching upon the bust and its haunting…

3 educator answers

• 1984

What does the opening sentence suggest about the book?

The novel’s opening sentence is “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”This sentence suggests three things. First, with the clocks striking, it suggests a known…

2 educator answers

• THROUGH THE TUNNEL

In “Through the Tunnel,” what does the tunnel symbolize to Jerry?

At first, the tunnel is simply something that is in his way of his friendship with the native boys where he is vacationing. However, as the story progresses, the tunnel becomes an obstacle that he…

1 educator answer

• HAMLET

Who is threatened in Act One, besides Claudius?

As Horatio says to Marcellus, the whole country of Denmark is being threatened by Fortinbras. Horatio says: “… young Fortinbras, Of unimproved metal hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway…

2 educator answers

• THE CANTERBURY TALES

In The Canterbury Tales, what “good,” or honorable, Church people does Chaucer include to balance…

Among Chaucer’s characters of the Church, the Prioress and the Parson are most admirable. Although the Prioress is a bit affected in her manners, perhaps in an attempt to live up to the dignity of…

1 educator answer

• MACBETH

How is the murder of King Duncan discovered? Who discovers it?

In Act III, scene III of “Macbeth,” Macduff and Lennox arrive at the castle in Inverness. With portentous irony the porter who comes to answer the door speaks of “equivocators” and speaks of the…

1 educator answer

• RIP VAN WINKLE

How does Rip Van Winkle have an identity crisis?

Rip Van Winkle seems to have an identity crisis after he awakes in the woods. When Rip wakes up in the woods after what he thinks is a long night of drinking with the little man that he met on…

2 educator answers

• HAMLET

In the third solioquy, explain the central problem Hamlet faces in deciding whether or not to…

In the soliloquy “O what a rogue and peasant slave am I” Hamlet berates himself for not having killed Claudius yet. He piles insult after insult upon himself, the gist of which is that he is a…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In chapter 10, how does Jack handle those who disobey his wishes?

Jack handles those who disobey him by force and by simply beating them. Jack is symbolic of the brutal dictator who rules his subjects with force and the threat of force. Jack holds “councils”…

2 educator answers

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In what ways does Piggy prove himself to be superior to Ralph?It is in chapter ten, somewhere.

In chapter ten of “Lord of The Flies,” Piggy, Sam and Eric, and Ralph have just begun to recover from the terrible experiences of the night before. Simon has been killed by the mob of frightened…

1 educator answer

• RIDERS TO THE SEA

Why should we call Riders to the Sea by J. M. Synge a poetic drama?

“Riders to the Sea” should be classified as a poetic drama because of the play’s dialogue, some of the specific words used, and the overall symbolism. By the dialogue I mean Synge works hard to…

2 educator answers

• THE SILVER SWORD

What risks and danger do the children face in The Silver Sword?

Different circumstances pose specific dangers/risks. For example, Jan, who has become so distrustful of men in uniform, sees even the Russian sentry, Ivan as a threat. Jan steals from the Americans…

1 educator answer

• THE CHRYSALIDS

In The Chrysalids, how does Uncle Axel go about building David’s self-esteem?

In Chapter 8 of The Chrysalids, Uncle Axel seeks to build David’s self-esteem after the fears he has had. His mother’s sister, Aunt Harriet, took her life because she had given birth to another…

1 educator answer

• CINEMA

What is meant by the term “British Cinema”?

British cinema is a much smaller concern than Bollywood or Hollywood. It produces only a few films a year based at the Ealing film studios. In the past it has been responsible for the ‘Carry On’…

1 educator answer

• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Jane Austen through her microscopic study of life gives a macroscopic picture of her time….

Interesting question. Much of what is written in history books concerns wars, battles, monarchs and the big advances in knowledge. What Jane Austen does is different. Through her, we get a picture…

2 educator answers

• TWELFTH NIGHT

What is the dramatic importance of act 1 scene 5 in “Twelfth Night”?

This scene is dramatically important in several ways. First, notice that though Olivia is technically in charge, there’s not a clear hierarchy at all times. Instead, the clown rebels. Second,…

1 educator answer

• IF

How can I paraphrase the second stanza of “If” by Rudyard Kipling?

The first line of the poem: “If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;” means that people should not let their dreams control their lives, but should be in charge of their own…

1 educator answer

• AN INSPECTOR CALLS

The inspector brings along lots of disagreement between the characters through his inquiry. Write…

Your question goes to the heart of one of the central themes to do with this play – that of the differences in reactions between the different generations to their own exposed guilt and involvement…

1 educator answer

• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

What is the plot linkage in Chapter 18 of “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

One of the major themes of the novel is the differences in both class and race that exist in Maycomb and the rest of the South. Chapter 18 focuses on Mayella’s testimony. This is a focal point in…

1 educator answer

• THE METAMORPHOSIS

Is Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis a comedy or tragedy?

The Metamorphosis is a tragedy. Not only did Gregor die alone and betrayed by his own family, but that was also how he lived his life. He worked a job he hated to support his family and repay his…

1 educator answer

• THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Please explain the act-by-act importance of being Earnest in The Importance of Being Earnest.Play…

In Act I of The Importance of Being Earnest, the importance of being Earnest lies in four things: John’s secret identity and what it provides him; John’s love for Gwendolyn; Gwedolyn’s love for her…

1 educator answer

• JANUS

What is one of the themes in “Janus” by Ann Beattie?

One of the themes in “Janus” is that of aesthetics. Most successful authors have a personal theory of aesthetics, a philosophical theory that describes the nature of beauty. As Cambridge Dictionary…

1 educator answer

• THE POETRY OF STEVENS

In “Sunday Morning,” what is Stevens’s message to the reader?

Wallace Stevens is a poet who always connects mind and matter; in his poetry there is always the concept that the flesh and the spirit are entirely unitary. In one poem, for instance, he writes,…

1 educator answer

• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Atticus Finch resist the prejudice that is displayed…

Atticus Finch is the epitome of passive resistance throughout the course of the novel. The only time his feathers seem to be ruffled is when he learns that his children were attacked by Bob Ewell….

2 educator answers

• REFERENCE

What examples can I use to develop an essay which supports lowering the voting age to 16? What…

I have 4 arguments for you. Perhaps some of these will help. 1) Studies have long suggested that it is important to begin the voting habit early, or voters are likely to be lost to the…

4 educator answers

• THE GREAT GATSBY

I need help with an acrostic poem for the character of JAY GATSBY from the novel The Great…

ACROSTIC: Jokes around with the term “old sport” Absolutely obsessed with Daisy Buchanan Young and in love with Daisy “Great” Gatsby American Dream (gone horribly wrong) Tom Buchanan, his arch…

1 educator answer

• AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION TEACHERS

Last Quarter Topic: Are Humans Inherently Good or Evil?For the last quarter each year I choose a…

This isn’t an academic citation or anything, but I would say the mere fact that the vast majority of humans commit themselves to raising their offspring — and in many cases doing so with love and…

8 educator answers

• HARD TIMES

In Hard Times, who are the “little pitchers” waiting to be filled with facts?

This question relates to one of the key central themes of the novel, which is the educational philosophy of Thomas Gradgrind and how he hopes to educate his charges as well as his children using an…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

What does William Golding’s Lord of the Flies actually say about when the story takes place?

William Golding published Lord of the Flies in 1954, and it is clear the story is not set in the future, so 1954 is the starting point in answering this question. As someone mentioned above, the…

1 educator answer

• HAMLET

In “Hamlet”, in Act 1 Scene 2, Hamlet’s soliloquy gives insight to his mood. Discuss his mood by…

He starts off by expressing depressed thoughts, even suicidal ones: “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt thaw and resolve itself into a dew!”. He is so sunk in depression that nothing in…

1 educator answer

• ROMEO AND JULIET

In Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet, what does Juliet ask of Romeo and what offer does she make…

This is a trick question because Juliet asks no less than four different things of Romeo (“refuse thy name,” “doff thy name,” “pronounce it faithfully,” and “send me word tomorrow”), offering…

1 educator answer

• ROMEO AND JULIET

In Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet, what does Romeo overhear Juliet saying about him and about…

Quite simply, Romeo overhears Juliet proclaiming her very famous “What’s in a name?” speech and, in doing so, declaring her love for Romeo. Ironically, Juliet’s speech stems from the age-old feud…

2 educator answers

• ROMEO AND JULIET

To what three heavenly bodies does Romeo compare Juliet at the beginning of Act II, Scene ii in…

At the beginning of Act II, Romeo moves from the celestial to the spiritual when he compares Juliet to the sun, the stars, and finally an angel. First, in one of the most famous lines in the play,…

2 educator answers

• ROMEO AND JULIET

In Act 1, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, what are 3 things to which Romeo compares Juliet? What…

Being a true romantic lover, Romeo uses fine figurative language to compare Juliet to a jewel, a dove, and even a shrine. First, Romeo uses simile when he says, “It seems she hangs upon the cheek…

2 educator answers

• ROMEO AND JULIET

In Romeo and Juliet, what does it mean when a character uses rhyme instead of prose or iambic…

Before I answer I have to clarify that just because a writer uses rhyme doesn’t mean that rhyme can’t be within the confines of iambic pentameter or even prose. In fact, the rhymes that I use as…

1 educator answer

• THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

Who are the protagonist and the antagonist in “The Masque of the Red Death”?

In “The Masque of the Red Death,” the protagonist is the Prince and the antagonist is the Red Death. However, since this story is an allegory, Prince Prospero is symbolic as the pestilence of the…

2 educator answers

• THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

In what way is “The Masque of the Red Death” told?

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Poe is an allegory. It is a story of filled with a great deal of symbolic imagery and meanings. It is written from the third person point of view. (According to…

1 educator answer

• A WOMAN ON A ROOF

Who are the main characters in “A Woman on a Roof” by Doris Lessing?

How far will a man go to get the attention of a woman? “A Woman on a Roof” by Doris Lessing evaluates this question. If the woman does not respond to the man’s overtures, good sense would…

1 educator answer

• MACBETH

How would you characterize Macbeth’s state of mind in Act 5? Who issues the commands for the…

Macbeth’s state of mind isn’t good. Firstly, he’s absolutely numb with all of the horrific things that have happened – he doesn’t feel anything any more. When he is threatened, when his wife dies -…

1 educator answer

• THE LION IN WINTER

In The Lion in Winter, what does the title of the play mean?

King Henry II of England is the “Lion in Winter.” The title refers to the fact that the King who is also the “lion” is aging and does not have a son he trusts enough to succeed him on the throne….

2 educator answers

• THE GREAT GATSBY

What character revelation does this quote from The Great Gatsby give: “To the wingless a more…

This quote is a direct reference to the main dissimilarity between East Egg and West Egg: East Egg represents the “old rich” while West Egg represents the “new rich.” This, in fact, is Gatsby’s…

1 educator answer

• HARUKI MURAKAMI

Discuss “A Seventh Man” by Murakami.

Haruki Murakami is the Japanese author of “A Seventh Man.” His writing is easily readable, but complex. “A Seventh Man” is found in the collection of stories, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman,…

2 educator answers

• ONLINE TEACHING

Are you an online teacher?If so, where do you teach? What subject/grade level?

Yes. I teach a French I class for students in Tennessee. The program is called E4TN, with the E standing for effort, excellence, etc. The program is free to students in participating school…

8 educator answers

• FAHRENHEIT 451

What doesn’t Montag want to do? Why must he trust Faber?

Montag doesn’t want to return to work at the Firehouse. He’s afraid that when Beatty questions him, he’ll give away the fact that not only has he been reading books, but he is starting think for…

2 educator answers

• THE GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN

What are two elements of expressionism in The Good Person of Szechwan?

Expressionist works of art are characterised by extreme subjectivity and the use of mythic types in terms of characters, choral effects and heightened intensity in order to convey the awakening and…

1 educator answer

• MACBETH

What are Lady Macbeth’s criticisms of Macbeth?When Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter in…

Her primary criticism of Macbeth is the fact that she is not entirely sure he is up to the task of assasinating King Duncan. In one of Shakespeare’s most memorable soliloquies, Lady Macbeth…

1 educator answer

• THE SCARLET LETTER

In The Scarlet Letter, who approaches Dimmesdale as he invites Pearl and Hester to join him near…

This is Roger Chillingworth. All he has worked for is about to be destroyed if Dimmesdale reveals that he is Pearl’s father, and he does what he can to stop it from happening. “Madman, hold! What…

2 educator answers

• MACBETH

How do Lady Macbeth’s speeches characterize her? What does the riddle “Fair is foul, and foul…

Lady Macbeth’s speeches are concise, sharp, ambitious and finely specific and pointed. THey characterise her as concise, sharp, ambitious and dangerous. Having read the letter, she gets straight to…

1 educator answer

• MACBETH

Before Macbeth returns home, what indications are there that he already has some evil purpose in…

Every indication. The minute the witches predict he will be king, as Banquo tells us, Macbeth stands still, shell-shocked, in recognition: My noble partner You greet with present grace and great…

1 educator answer

• ROALD DAHL

What would be an interesting excerpt from The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl?

As a children’s book of magical fantasy, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me is not a work of deep literary significance; as such, it contains simple writing and simple characterization. One…