• THE SEA-WOLF

What happens to Johansen in Chapter 14 of The Sea-Wolf? Did Wolf Larsen kill him?

In chapter 14 of “The Sea-Wolf” we learn that Larsen has gone overboard and climbs back on board with a gash in his head. Johansen is nowhere to be seen or found. We are never really sure what…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

Is the theme of an inner beast still pertinent nowadays?Is the theme of an inner beast still…

Yes, I think so. At the very end of the novel, Golding has Ralph break down in front of the naval officer. And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept…

1 educator answer

• JULIUS CAESAR

In Julius Caesar, what argument do Brutus and Cassius make regarding whether they should march to…

Brutus believes that the men should march to Philippi to meet Antony and Octavius’ army, but Cassius believes that it would be better for the enemy to come to them. For the moment, Brutus’ and…

2 educator answers

• BIOLOGY

What are axon terminals at the end of neurons in the brain?

The neuron is a basic brain cell. It has four essential parts. The third of these four parts is the axon. The axon functions to transmit outgoing messages from the neuron, and a neuron has only one…

1 educator answer

• PIANO

How does “Piano” by D.H. Lawrence convey a sense of love?

This is a very interesting question to consider. I think if there is a sense of love in this lyrical poem, it is one that focuses on the love of memory and nostalgia and how it is such an important…

3 educator answers

• SCIENCE

What is the role of living organisms producing the ozone layer?

Given that almost all of the production of ozone and the depletion of the actual ozone layer is due to man-made or man-directed industry and products, it is difficult to point to any living thing…

1 educator answer

• FIRST LOVE

What are the similarities and differences between the poems “First Love” and “La Belle Dame Sans…

These two poems both tell of men who are fully taken by the beauty of a woman, falling instantly in love. It is about the passion of love at first sight, and how it can take you hostage and leave…

1 educator answer

• ROMEO AND JULIET

In “Romeo and Juliet” Act 1 Scene 1 how would you describe Romeo’s attitude to Rosaline in the…

I would sum up Romeo’s attitude in that scene as that of a fairly standard teenager, perhaps one who is slightly romantic. He thinks he is in love, and he definitely is in love with the idea of…

1 educator answer

• “MASTER HAROLD” . . . AND THE BOYS

What is the play “Master Harold”. . .and the boys about?Who are the characters and what do they do?

In “Master Harold”. . .and the boys, there are only three characters: Sam, Willie, and Hally (Harold). Sam and Willie both work in a shop owned by Hally’s parents. Sam has been working at the…

1 educator answer

• HAMLET

In Hamlet, how does Hamlet return to Denmark even though he had been sent to England by Claudius ?

Although it seems unlikely to us, Hamlet is returned to Denmark by pirates who apparently attack the ship he is on. In a letter to Horatio that is delivered to sailors, Hamlet tells his friend the…

1 educator answer

• JUDE THE OBSCURE

What are the major themes in Jude the Obscure?

Hardy’s “Jude The Obscure” has several themes, but the most evident is one that recurs in several of Hardy’s writings. The morality issue is large. Jude does what he can do the best he can do it….

1 educator answer

• FREDERICK FORSYTH

Names of a few more novels similar to Frederick Forsyth’s “The Afghan.”

According to Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly, with excerpts on Amazon.com, Frederick Forsyth’s The Afghan is a spy-thriller post-9/11 novel that is “a cut above” others of the same genre. An…

1 educator answer

• JULIUS CAESAR

Who is the tragic hero in Julius Caesar?

Brutus is clearly the tragic hero in the play. His character is developed according to the criteria of Shakespeare’s other tragic heroes; he is a good man of high position whose downfall occurs…

3 educator answers

• THOMAS HARDY

What are the techniques used by Thomas Hardy in his poem “The Voice”?

“The Voice” is one of Hardy’s poems written out of guilt due to his relationship with his wife that is now dead. The speaker imagines Emma, his wife, to be trying to communicate with him, and thus…

1 educator answer

• LAW AND POLITICS

What is the name of the rule which states that, in a federal case involving diversity, the common…

The Erie Doctrine is what states that federal cases arising out of diversity jurisdiction apply state substantive law. The doctrine was decided by the United States Supreme Court in Erie Railroad…

1 educator answer

• FAHRENHEIT 451

In “Fahrenheit 451” which characters did you like most in this book? Why?In “Fahrenheit 451″…

I personally like Captain Beatty. He is an enigmatic bad guy; he’s aggressive and threatening, but layered. He reveals that he has read books, that he has been moved to the point of being “ready…

1 educator answer

• THE STRANGER

TheStran≥rTheStran≥r Thoughts and ReviewsWhen I first started reading it I was a little confused,…

The fact that you found no point or purpose to this book IS the point Camus is trying to make. This book was written as an attempt to explore his philosophy of Abusurdism which states that the…

1 educator answer

• AMORETTI

Write a critical note on Edmund Spenser’s sonnets of his Amoretti.

In his Amoretti Spenser develops a unique sonnet form. The sonnet came to England primarily through the sonnets of Italian poet, Petrarch, the premier sonnet writer of Italy. Petrarch’s sonnets…

1 educator answer

• SHILOH

What is the role reversal we see in this story? What is one way Norma Jean takes a male role and…

One way in which role reversals are apparent for Leroy and Norma Jean is that Norma Jean is earning the family’s living while Leroy sits at home and doing needlepoint (not that one has anything…

2 educator answers

• WALT WHITMAN

How does the poem “Song of Myself” combine the personal and the universal?

In general, the poem has two main themes: one is himself and how wonderful it is to be him-so that is a very personal theme. The other is nature and other people around him, and how wonderful…

1 educator answer

• JULIUS CAESAR

In Julius Casear, how does Cassius finally convince Brutus that Caesar should be killed?

Firstly, and mainly, he does it by persuasion. Have a look at Act 1, Scene 2, and look at the speeches Cassius makes to Brutus: he makes arguments against Caesar, based on Caesar’s ambition, the…

1 educator answer

• HEALTH

What are the benefits of hiking?

Hiking is a leisure activity that many people engage in for a variety of reasons. Benefits may include, cardiovascular exercise, meditation, enjoying the beauty of the scenery, camaraderie, more…

2 educator answers

• HISTORY

What is Gujarati Diaspora?Indian diaspora and cultural study

The word “diaspora” refers to any large group of people who are either willingly or forcibly removed from their native lands to live in another. Two well-known diasporas are those of the…

1 educator answer

• THE PIECE OF STRING

What is the moral of “The Piece of String”?

One theme that emerges from this story that could be considered a moral lesson is not to be ashamed of who you are and what your values are. Hauchecome hides the fact that he picked up the piece…

2 educator answers

• MATH

math help pleasei need help in algebra

What is the problem that you need help with?

1 educator answer

• EVELINE

What is the theme in “Eveline”?

The main themes in Eveline are Paralysis, Epiphany, Stream of Consciousness and Irish Social Conditions and Emigration. Paralysis This sense of stagnation or paralysis is emphasized with the very…

3 educator answers

• KING LEAR

“King Lear is really about power, property, and inheritance.” Would you agree with this…

Issues of power, property, and inheritance drive the plot in King Lear, but they do not encompass the play’s greatest theme: the tragedy of the human condition. In Lear’s downfall and destruction,…

2 educator answers

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, do you notice a change in language in the course of the story?

Yes, language is used differently at different points in “Lord of the Flies.” Three differences leap to mind immediately. Look at the first few lines of the book. While there are definitely…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, does Ralph strive for all the boys to have a good time on the island?

At first, Ralph certainly does place importance on having fun: right at the start of the first assembly, he tells the boys: “While we’re waiting we can have a good time on this island.”He…

1 educator answer

• 1984

What are the main themes seen in “1984”?

You’ll find a detailed discussion of the themes in Orwell’s classic dystopia in the “Themes” section of the eNotes study guide…but this book is such a joy it is fun to sum them up again….

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

How was life in 1990?I have to write a paper about the day I was born and I need information…

1990 was a time much like 2009 in many ways. The first George Bush was the President. He won after promising not to raise taxes, but it June of 1990 he was forced to break his promise. 1990 is…

5 educator answers

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, what is the significance of Roger being described as a “hangman”?

Roger is gradually built up as an ominous figure. Initially, throwing stones “to miss” at the littluns, Roger has the potential for violence, but his hand stops. It “was conditioned by a…

2 educator answers

• LORD OF THE FLIES

What is the significance of Simon losing consciousness after the Lord of the Flies has spoken to…

Simon is epileptic: the first thing that happens to him in the whole novel is that he falls to the floor in a fit: “He’s always throwing a faint,”said Merridew. “He did in Gib.; and Addis;…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, why does Ralph begin to sob/cry when he saw the naval officer?

Ralph cries for a couple of reasons. One reason he cries is that he has come to fully realize what Simon and Piggy understood earlier – that the beast on the island was the evil in men’s hearts….

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

What is Simon’s function in Lord of the Flies?

Simon is a sort of religious mystic, a prophet, and a figure for Christ in the novel. He is the only boy who realises, instinctively, that the beast is “only us”, that it is the “darkness of man’s…

1 educator answer

• LORD OF THE FLIES

In Lord of the Flies, what exactly do the mask and the camouflage express?

Jack enjoys painting the mask on his own face, and looks at himself in delight: He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He spilt the water and leapt to his…

3 educator answers

• OTHELLO

Is Othello easily led my Iago?

Yes, Othello is easily led by Iago who is highly manipulative and motivated to destroy him. He is determined to get revenge for being passed over for a promotion that was awarded to Cassio….

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

Can somebody describe the new opportunities open to women, Mexican Americans, and African…

In the past, times of war have brought about a great deal of opportunities for minorities. World War I was the first time women were allowed to join the armed forces. Many women enlisted in the…

2 educator answers

• THE GREAT GATSBY

Discuss the poetry techniques in “To an Athlete Dying Young,” and relate the poem to The Great…

Housman’s poem is an elegy, somber and poignant. It consists of seven quatrains (four-line stanzas). Each stanza is composed of two rhyming couplets; with the exception of “come/home” in the second…

2 educator answers

• CAMOUFLAGE

Who invented the first camouflage system?Where was the first camouflage system made?

According to an article I found the patterns for camouflage were invented by the French. An artist named Lucien Victor Guirand de Scevola is creditied for creating the markings in 1918.Markings…

1 educator answer

• TEACHERS

I am a 6th grade student teacher looking for an idea on a lesson plan for Zlata’s Diary for pages…

Not sure I can help with any new ideas on this but there are several good lesson plans out on the net. Have you thought of having them write a diary for a few days leading up to the specific pages…

4 educator answers

• THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

What plot difficulties do you think Twain was trying to work out when he set aside his manuscript…

Twain had just written a scene where Huck apologizes to Jim. Huck had tried to play a joke on Jim after they were lost in the fog. Huck tries to pretend the incident never took place and hurts…

3 educator answers

• SOCIAL SCIENCES

How did people communicate with one another in the 1800s?

I know it is very difficult to imagine what life must have been like before telephones, text messaging and emails. However, communication between people living in separate cities or states was…

5 educator answers

• THE OPEN BOAT

What does The Open Boat suggest about the perceptions and observations of men facing death? What…

The men in the boat are very frustrated by the knowledge that after fighting so hard for their lives, and getting so close to shore, they could still die. This seems extremely unfair to them. Crane…

1 educator answer

• HISTORY

Why did the machine politics become common in big cities in the late 19th century?

Machine politics offered disenfranchised immigrants from all corners of Europe a common denominator…a political boss that would address their needs in exchange for their patronage. City…

2 educator answers

• A ROSE FOR EMILY

Why did Faulkner write “A Rose for Emily”?Why did he write this short story? I have to write a…

If you are going to write a research paper on “A Rose For Emily,” you need to choose a theme or thesis to write on. One of the themes you might choose to write on is death. Death is a theme…

2 educator answers

• 1984

When Julia states herself as “not clever”, what evidence backs this statement up? Part 2 chapter 3.

Interestingly, I think although Julia says she is “not clever”, her actions in a number of different ways show completely the opposite. It is clear that she has been very successful so far in…

1 educator answer

• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what are some forebodings of evil?

Evil plays a significant role in the novel. The racism in Maycomb is portrayed as an evil force that results in the conviction of an innocent man, Tom Robinson. Atticus takes Tom’s case knowing he…

1 educator answer

• TELL THEM NOT TO KILL ME!

In “Tell Them Not to Kill Me!” by Juan Rulfo, why is Juvencio Nava finally caught?

Juvencio Nava killed Don Lupe in his youth because Don Lupe killed one of Nava’s animals for grazing on his land. His fear at being caught has driven him to run and hide for forty years, and he had…

1 educator answer

• GUIDE TO LITERARY TERMS

Can anyone identify an example of personification in the song “One Tin Soldier” by The Original…

The line “Now the valley cried with anger, mount your horses, draw your sword!” offers personification because it gives the valley the human qualities of “crying.”