• FAHRENHEIT 451

What would be a good quote to use from Ray Bradbury’s ‘Fahrenheit 451’……to compare or…

Captain Beatty states: “We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone made equal . . . A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it….

2 educator answers

• THE KITE RUNNER

What does the wrist watch symbolize in ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini?

In Chapter Nine, Amir uses the wristwatch he gets for his birhtday to frame Hassan. He hides it, along with some cash, under Hassan’s mattress, then complains that it is missing. When it is found…

1 educator answer

• EVERYDAY USE

In “Everyday Use,” are Dee and Maggie victims or heroes?In “Everyday Use,” are Dee and Maggie…

This is a very interesting question. At first consideration, it might seem that both girls were victimized in various ways by different forces, but upon closer examination, I don’t think they were…

2 educator answers

• KING LEAR

How are the images of blindness and sight in ‘King Lear’ relevant to characteriztion, plot and…

The question is probably more closely related to argumentation than to comparison/contrast. The imagery of blindness and sight in the play serve to illuminate and comment upon the most important…

1 educator answer

• THE CRUCIBLE

What is the significance of these quotes from Act 1 of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible? 1. “Now…

1. Reverend Parris is telling Abigail that she will be punished for inappropriate and heathen acts such as dancing in the woods at night with Betty and the other girls. However, he is putting her…

2 educator answers

• ESSAY LAB

I have to write a compare and contrast paper on The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck and Battle…

To get started, you might want to check out the free guide on eNotes called, How to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay in 8 Easy Steps.

1 educator answer

• ROBERT HERRICK

I need help with a crtical analysis of the poem “To Daffodils” by R. Herrick?…

The surface meaning of this poem concerns a speaker who is moved by the sight of wilting flowers. The speaker laments this in the opening lines by saying “we weep to see/ you haste away so…

1 educator answer

• KING LEAR

Why is the quality of loyalty being HIDDEN throughout “King Lear”?I am confused by the question…

I disagree with your teacher that Cordelia’s loyalty is not evident at the beginning of the play (that is, it is evident to everyone except King Lear himself!). Her no-nonsense attitude towards her…

1 educator answer

• JOHN MILTON

I need help writing a critical analysis of the poem “How Soon Hath Time” by John Milton.

The surface meaning of the poem is that the speaker is contemplating the arc of is life on this, his 23rd birthday. He knows that time is passing and decisions must be made at this particular…

1 educator answer

• STEPHEN KING

While Chris has been dubbed the leader of the four boys, the story reveals the power that Gordie…

Gordie does hold a great deal of control over the boys in the gang. I will give you the broad elements and tell you where you can find evidence to support this. The largest reason Gordon holds a…

1 educator answer

• OF MICE AND MEN

Can you please help me write an essay on the topic “loneliness” from the novel Of Mice and Men?…

You have a good general topic, so you can follow it in a lot of different directions. First, you need to decide on a thesis statement, the idea you want to explain and prove in your essay….

1 educator answer

• OF MICE AND MEN

Can you please help me write an essay on the topic “Lonliness” from “Of Mice and Men” in my own…

I think that in examining the characters in the novel, you might be able to derive some valuable information about the topic of loneliness. I would start off with George. Where is he lonely? How…

1 educator answer

• LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI

What is the style used in the ballad, “La Belle Dams sans Merci”?

Being a ballad, the style is a narrative, third person, story telling, lyrical method of retelling. It begins with an outsider’s point of view about the knight and his experiences with the woman,…

1 educator answer

• AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

What happens in the nightmare that Armstrong has that first night in Chapter 6 of Ten Little…

On his first night on Indian Island, Dr. Armstrong dreams that he is in the operating room. It is very hot, and his hands are so clammy that it is difficult to hold the scalpel firmly. The…

1 educator answer

• AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

What does Macarthur think about the possibility of getting off the island in Chapter 6 of Ten…

General Macarthur believes that none of them will ever get off the island. The guests have all been counting on the motor boat returning, at which point they will have the opportunity to leave,…

1 educator answer

• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

In Pride & Prejudice, what is Colonel Fitzwilliam’s function?

He is basically a messenger and a positive informant for Elizabeth. Significantly, Elizabeth trusts and respects Fitzwilliam. While Mr. Bingley could certainly provide much of Darcy’s background…

1 educator answer

• SHOOTING AN ELEPHANT

What do you see as the narrative style in “Shooting an Elephant,” and what is the purpose and tone?

Orwell’s tone in “Shooting an Elephant” is both personal and reflective as he recounts the dramatic incident that clearly affected him and that he remembers so vividly. In his story, the reader…

2 educator answers

• ARABY

In “Araby,” what causes the sudden shift in the narrator from joy to grief at the end of the story?

“Araby” is an excellent initiation story in which a young person (the narrator) goes through an experience that moves him from innocence to a new level of maturity. In this story, the narrator…

1 educator answer

• THE STORM

In “The Storm” analyze Calixta and Alcée’s relationship. Will this be an isolated incident? Will…

A major theme in much of Kate Chopin’s writing is that of women feeling unhappy and repressed in marriage. So, Calixta’s tryst with Alcee represented Calixta taking control of her happiness,…

1 educator answer

• A ROSE FOR EMILY

Does the story “A Rose for Emily” have any themes in common with “Barn Burning”?

The two stories share a theme of isolation. Sarty is isolated from the other children in the town because of his father’s reputation as well as his father teaching him that other people are not…

1 educator answer

• THE ODYSSEY

In The Odyssey, what builds suspense about Telemachus’s fate?

Through the use of dramatic irony, Homer permits the reader to see events that the characters may be unaware of. One incidence of dramatic irony occurs when the suitors hatch a plot to kill…

1 educator answer

• 1984

How does control of language translate into control of society by the Party?

We think in words/language. Although we are never certain that the words we use “point” at the same reality as does the same word when used by another person (eg. people often use the word “love”…

1 educator answer

• HAMLET

Why can’t Hamlet kill the King in the chapel?

Hamlet cannot kill Claudius for a number of reasons. First, he is plagued an inability to act, seen throughout the play. Second (although seemingly contradictory), he is the victim of his own hasty…

1 educator answer

• THE LION IN WINTER

What role does Eleanor play in The Lion in Winter?

Eleanor’s objective first and foremost is her freedom. Henry has kept her on a short lease for a number of years. Both Henry and Eleanor use there children in their personal chess game. Eleanor…

1 educator answer

• A DOLL’S HOUSE

I am having trouble coming up with a strong thesis for “A Doll’s House”. Does anyone have any…

I think it depends in large part as to what you are going to write about concerning the play. In my opinion, I think that a good topic would be to write about Nora. While the characters in the…

3 educator answers

• A RAISIN IN THE SUN

In what ways is A Raisin in the Sun a touching story for anyone who has ever felt alone,…

The ideas of feeling alone, different, or powerless clearly are found in the play through the various characters. The Younger family as a whole has been made to feel different in the larger society…

1 educator answer

• FRANKENSTEIN

Is Elizabeth the personification of Jesus as she mourns the approaching death of Justine Moritz…

No, I don’t see a comparison between Elizabeth and Jesus at all. For one thing, the quote “Jesus wept” has nothing to do with his thoughts about his crucifixion. The verse appears when Jesus…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

What issues did the populist party support?is US history

The Populist Party was a faction of American politics that arose from the Industrialization America underwent in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Populist stood against the idea…

1 educator answer

• STEPHEN KING

Give 3 different points of how the boys friendship strengthens with the finding of Ray Browers…

This might be a challenge to answer because in my previous post, I argued that the boys’ friendship suffers as their innocence disappears upon finding the dead body. I think that the first point I…

1 educator answer

• THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

What message was Richard Connell trying to convey in “The Most Dangerous Game”?Was it Rainford’s…

I think all of your answers are valid, actually, I think the whole notion of critiquing the practice and mentality of hunting is quite valid. I also believe that your discussion of philosophy of…

6 educator answers

• HISTORY

How important was fate in the everyday lives of the Romans?

If the question is related to the role of divinity or the powers that be, it is obvious that the Romans believed quite powerfully in fate. The adopted the pantheistic and mutlifaceted approach to…

2 educator answers

• BUSINESS

Describe the three step writing process as it applies to business messages and explain the…

There are many approaches with different terminology in composing business letters. For simplicity’s purpose, the three components I feel are important in a business letter are the heading…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies how is Ralph a better leader than Jack? So far, I have that Ralph is more…

Quite simply a leader such as Ralph is rational–although flawed at time–and demands order. For instance, he prioritizes by making the kindling of the rescue of paramount importance. He seeks to…

1 educator answer

• THE GARDEN PARTY: AND OTHER STORIES

In “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfiled, explain why Laura wanted to stop the garden party…

Her reaction is quite understandable considering the profile of the character. Laura is very young, sensitive by nature, and has always lived in a protective world. The neighbour’s accident at work…

1 educator answer

• LAW AND POLITICS

Do people being deported have to pay their own way to return to their country of origin?

The process for deportation is complicated and subject to changing principles and ideas. Once it has been determined that a person is to be deported (meaning, they have had the hearing and it is…

2 educator answers

• AMERICA: PATHWAYS TO THE PRESENT

Explain the influence of conservatives during the Reagan years, both in social issues and in…

One of the pervasive fear of the American public leaving the 1970s was that “all was not well with America.” There was a tangible feeling of chaos and that America had lost its way from…

1 educator answer

• LITERATURE

What do Benjamin Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, and Mary Rowlandson have in common with their pieces…

The narratives of Franklin, Equiano, and Rowlandson all share the common theme of articulation of voice. Each expresses the protagonists’ notion of identity in the midst of different experiences….

1 educator answer

• TUCK EVERLASTING

In the conversation that Miles had with Winnie about his children on page 84. How might things…

On this page, Miles explains some practical reasons for choosing not to give his children the water that grants immortality. He says that no one understood the water’s properties until after they…

1 educator answer

• KING LEAR

How is the power of the realm realigned at the end of King Lear?

After the tragic end of the play when the majority of the play’s main characters lie dead on the stage, there is a realignment of power to fill the vacuum that is left behind the death of the major…

1 educator answer

• MANIAC MAGEE

At the end of Chapter 28, what does “I’m okay…I’m okay…and he knew that was the truth of it”…

The truth was that Jeffrey, aka “Maniac” had been essentially homeless, and sleeping in the shed behind the bandshell was a pretty comfortable alternative to what he was used to. Grayson tried to…

1 educator answer

• REFERENCE

Symbolizing Harry Potters ScarWhat does harry potter scar symbolize?

The scar symbolizes fate. When Voldemort attacked Harry, he scarred him instead of killing him. During the attack, the two become linked and Harry basically acquired a part of Voldemort. That…

1 educator answer

• 1984

Why will the ruling class live on while earlier tyrants fell?

There is no dissidence possible, therefore no context for rebellion. The very structures for critical thinking have been obliterated along with the complexities of language, having been replaced by…

2 educator answers

• SLAM!

What is a significant scene from the book “Slam!” by Walter Dean Myers?

I would say that the basketball game between Slam’s current and former school, Latimer vs. Carver at the state tournament, represents a critical scene in the book. It highlights the showdown…

1 educator answer

• THE GLASS MENAGERIE

What character can be identified as the tragic hero in The Glass Menagerie?

If a tragic hero can be identified in The Glass Menagerie, it would have to be a tragic hero in the Greek model instead of the Elizabethan Shakespearean model because in the latter model…

1 educator answer

• OUR TOWN

In Our Town Act II, who are “M” and “N” in “M marries N” in the Stage Manager’s speech? “I’ve…

The speech in Our Town in which the Stage Manager/Minister mentions “M marries N” is in a sort of soliloquy for the Stage Manager in which he reveals personal thoughts and impressions. We know he…

1 educator answer

• YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN

Is “Young Goodman Brown” an Initiation Story?Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”

According to Litweb glossary, an initiation story is “one in which a character–often a child or young person–first learns a significant, usually life-changing truth about the universe, society,…

1 educator answer

• BEE SEASON

What is the conflict of “Bee Season”?

I think that there are several conflicts that all interact with one another in “Bee Season.” The most prominent of these lie with Eliza, and you will have to find evidence of these in the text….

1 educator answer

• GEOFFREY CHAUCER

Please discuss the contributions of Chaucer as the architect of Modern English.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066 in which William the Conqueror of Normandy (part of France) and his Norman noblemen eradicated Harold of Hastings and the Saxon nobles, French became the official…

1 educator answer

• WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Which Shakespeare play has the term “green eyed monster”?

What’s interesting here is that the phrase has come down to us as “green with jealousy,” as if that emotion had a particular color. What Shakespeare was describing, of course, was the cat. It was…

1 educator answer

• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what lesson is Calpurnia imparting to Scout when she tells her that…

Calpurnia is trying to teach Scout to behave honorably, no matter what the circumstances. At the foundation of this lesson is that a person can only control how he or she acts, and that…