What is the meaning of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke?
- THEODORE ROETHKE
What is the meaning of “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke?
“My Papa’s Waltz” is an intriguing poem, partly because of its ambiguity. It can be read as both a story of a child terrorized by and abusive father and a child having a playful romp with his daddy…
2 educator answers
- THINGS FALL APART
Why might have Achebe taken the title for his novel from a line in Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second…
Part of what makes Yeats’ poem such a powerful image with which to frame Achebe’s novel lies in its articulation of a world that has lost control. Yeats’ is writing his poem in the wake of the…
1 educator answer
- THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
In “The Most Dangerous Game” the hunt represents the struggle between good and evil.Does anyone…
Don’t push interpretation too far, but several things could be considered as connotative symbols related to religion, particularly Christianity: Ship Trap Island: A self-contained testing ground…
1 educator answer
- THE SOLITARY REAPER
In “The Solitary Reaper”, the reaper seemed to be happy with her life and fate.Are there any…
The best indication that The Solitary Reaper seems to be happy with her life is the fact that she sings with her beautiful voice as she toils in the field. Wordsworth connects the beauty of the…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What type of bravery do Alexandra, Maudie and Scout demonstrate at the end of Chapter…
Aunt Alexandra, Maudie and Scout must return to the meeting of the ladies’ missionary circle, after getting the terrible news that Tom Robinson tried to escape from prison and was shot by the…
1 educator answer
- THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS
In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. LeGuin, how would you characterize the plot?…
This is an unconventional story in terms of its structure. It begins in a conventional way with an unnamed narrator. The setting and general situation is introduced and exposition provides…
1 educator answer
- JULIET MITCHELL
Juliet Mitchell contemporary relevance of Juliet Mitchell
I think that she is fairly powerful in her desire to link up feminism and Freudian thought. For a while, and even now, they were seen as incompatible. Her attempts to reconcile them is fairly…
1 educator answer
- THE WESTING GAME
What is a brief summary to the beginning of the book The Westing Game?
A real-estate man, Barney Northrup (who is really Sam Westing in one of his many disguises) brings a group of sixteen people (with some extra family members) to live in a new building on the shores…
1 educator answer
- THE KITE RUNNER
What does the kite symbolize in the relationships between Amir and Hassan, Amir and Baba, and…
Good question. Kites are, of course, an important motif for the the novel, and they often represent a connection between two characters throughout the book. 1. Amir and Hassan: Kites (at first)…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
How do key events in this section reveal ideas about a universal theme? What values do readers…
The key events beginning with chapter 16 include Atticus’ defense of Tom Robinson, the white proscutor who manipulated Tom’s honesty on the stand to act against him, Atticus’ attempt to create a…
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What 3 quotations in this section create a deeper understanding of character or conflict…
IN Chapter 12 of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the reader gains new insight into the depth of Calpurnia as she takes Scout and Jem with her to her church. When one of the members of the church asks…
1 educator answer
- THE WESTING GAME
Which tenant was chosen by mistake in The Westing Game?What was Sam Westing’s mistake?
Sydelle Pulaski, the bilingual shorthand-taking secretary, was an heir who should not have been included in the gathering of heirs at Sunset Towers. Sam Westing (working, doubtless, as Barney…
1 educator answer
- NIGHT
In chapter five of Night, Describe Eliezer’s feelings as the prisoners observe the Jewish New Year.
There is a great deal of anger regarding Eliezer’s observation of the Jewish New Year and the homage to God. The accrued experience of enduring and witnessing suffering is taking its toll on the…
1 educator answer
- GEORGE ORWELL
What is the purpose (reason behind the text) of A Nice Cup of Tea by George Orwell?what is the…
This is going to be a challenging answer. One reason why Orwell might have written “A Nice Cup of Tea” might be due to the fact that Orwell loved tea. His experiences in growing up in India and…
1 educator answer
- A FAREWELL TO ARMS
How do I head a response journal? And should I type or handwrite it?I have recently changed from…
I am sure this is quite a transition for you, from homeschooling to classroom schooling. At home, your “teacher” had certain requirements, but you could ask any time if you needed clarification….
2 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What are four descriptive traits of Scout Finch and Bob Ewell from the book To Kill a Mockingbird?
Scout Finch is an inquisitive, and intelligent little girl who narrates the story. Her brother Jem is her primary playmate most of the time, and a friend, Dill, who comes in the summer. Scout and…
1 educator answer
- THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER
In The Prince and the Pauper for Chapters 23-24, what does Edward find strange as they walk to…
As Edward walks to the jail with Miles Hendon in Chapter 24, he finds that the people on the street greet the spectacle of his impending incarceration with “marvelous indifference”. No one seems…
2 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” what talent does Atticus have that greatly impresses Jem and Scout?
Atticus is an excellent marksman, something the children never knew about their father until the day the rabid dog came down the street. Atticus had never talked about his ability to shoot, and as…
2 educator answers
- THE HIDING PLACE
Why is Peter Corrie’s favorite nephew in The Hiding Place?
As “a dutiful aunt”, Corrie tries to love all her nieces and nephews equally, but from the time he is a child, Peter stands out in her mind. Bold and spirited, and a musical progidy as well,…
1 educator answer
- THE WESTING GAME
In the The Westing Game, what character was the former Mrs. Westing?Was it Judge Ford?
Berthe Erica Crow, the cleaning woman who worked for the other residents of Sunset Towers, and ran the Good Salvation Soup Kitchen with Otis Amber, is the former Mrs. Westing. She had been…
1 educator answer
- THE GREAT GATSBY
At which part of the book does Nick and Gatsby discuss that he wants to live in the past, because…
There is a conversation between Nick and Gatsby regarding ones’ ability to control in order to repeat the past. In order for Gatsby to attain his dream he needs to ‘turn back the clock’ and at the…
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- THE GREAT GATSBY
In The Great Gatsby, did Gatsby develop a plan to reach his dream? Why did he fail?
At the conclusion of the novel when Henry Gatz shows up to attend his son’s funeral, he brings with him a book that Jimmy Gatz had owned as a boy. In the book Nick finds notes the boy had made….
1 educator answer
- THE GIVER
What is the point of view in The Giver By Lois Lowry?
The Giver is told in third-person limited, which means the narrator stands outside the story to tell it, and does not participate in the events. However, with limited point-of-view, the narrator…
2 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What are some notable ways that Mayella’s testimony differs from her father’s in the trial?what…
Bob Ewell testifies that he is coming from the woods with a load of kindling, hears Mayella screaming, looks in the window, sees Tom Robinson assaulting her, Robinson runs away, Ewell made sure she…
1 educator answer
- HAMLET
What is meant by the use of ‘prose’ in Acts 2 and 3 of “Hamlet”? How do I explain it?
In Act 2, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern speak in prose and when Hamlet speaks to them, he also speaks in prose. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern speak in prose because they are supposed to be…
1 educator answer
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
reading as a worthwhile recreationIn today’s time, people especially children are dedicating less…
The interesting thing about all the other forms of communication is that they do not improve vocabulary as reading does. Students will not learn new words as quickly or in the abundance from…
7 educator answers
- HAMLET
In “Hamlet” why does the queen tell lies to the king about Hamlet’s madness?
Hamlet has just murdered Polonius. Murder is a pretty serious charge, and Polonius was a rather important man in the kingdom. His death will not be taken lightly–they can’t just try to hide it,…
1 educator answer
- FRANKENSTEIN
What are the three storylines in Frankenstein? How do they develop? Which characters are involved…
- The three storylines are the different narrations. The novel is actually a “frame story”–a story within a story. Thus, Robert Walton serves as the narrator of the whole novel by beginning the…
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- ANTIGONE
Antigone’s Fate.How is Antigone’s fate foreshadowed during her opening scene with Ismene?
I think that Antigone’s zeal is contrasted with Ismene’s sense of detachment. I have always been struck by the dichotomy of both sisters as one who lives in accordance to her emotions and the…
4 educator answers
- LORD OF THE FLIES
What is the best way to start a 3 page essay on this book??William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
The first thing to do is decide which element of the novel “Lord of the Flies” appeals most to you and write about it. For instance, do you wish to illustrate that Golding’s novel is a modern…
1 educator answer
- A HORSE AND TWO GOATS
Can I have the text of “A Horse and Two Goats”?
This story, first published by R.K. Narayan in 1960, is still under copyright, so the text is not available for reading online free of charge. Narayan published a collection of stories under the…
1 educator answer
- ESSAY LAB
If recidivism rate studies have too many variables to be conclusive, how can I frame my thesis…
It is difficult to know what kind of stance on could take on recidivism, except to be against it! I assume that you do not want to take a stance on behalf of or against one particular way of…
1 educator answer
- AMERICA: PATHWAYS TO THE PRESENT
What factors motivated Italian, German, Japanese leaders to pursue aggressive foreign policies in…
This is a very interesting and truly compelling question. While there are several items that can hope to explain the aggressiveness of the powers that will come to be known as the Axis powers, I…
1 educator answer
- OLIVER GOLDSMITH
What is the substance of Oliver Goldsmith’s poem, “The Village Schoolmaster”?
In “The Village Schoolmaster,” Oliver Goldsmith (c.1728-1774) presents a vivid picture of a certain schoolmaster. With each line, the reader peels away the layers of the schoolmaster’s identity….
1 educator answer
- PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
How does Austen portray Georgiana Darcy and Miss Bingley?
Austen portrays these two women of the upper class by contrasting their personalities. Georgiana Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s younger sister is an innocent, refined, polite and kind young lady. She is shy…
1 educator answer
- BIRCHES
In “Birches”, what does the speaker mean when he comments that he hopes that fate will not “half…
In the poem “Birches”, Robert Frost describes a pastime he used to enjoy as a young boy. He liked to climb high up in the birch trees, then, at just the right point, swing himself over so that the…
1 educator answer
- OF MICE AND MEN
Can you help me find 10 themes from the book “Of Mice and Men”?
Here are themes in John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”: Brotherhood of man – As a socialist Steinbeck felt that man needed man. The strength of the many against the oppressive few was strong in…
2 educator answers
- THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
One theme in The Diary of Anne Frank is that human growth involves pain. How is this theme…
The connection between Anne and her mother represents how the experiences and conflicts of adolescence possess a sense of universality despite conditions that should never become universal. Being…
1 educator answer
- REFERENCE
How do I go about selling a reading workbook that I am creating.I am in the process of creating a…
One source you might consult is the Writer’s Yearbook, which is published annually. I haven’t looked at a copy in several years, but unless the format has changed drastically, you should find that…
7 educator answers
- GREAT EXPECTATIONS
What is the main theme of Great Expectations and the novel’s significance?
In “Great Expectations” the moral truth expressed is that love, loyalty, and integrity are the most important values in life. An innocent and idealistic Pip strays from these when he sees Satis…
2 educator answers
- MATH
Ratio and proportion practice sums for grade 9no………
A ratio is a relationship between two numbers. For example, if I see three people in a room and one of them is female and the other two are male, there is a two to one ratio of male to female….
1 educator answer
- HISTORY
The crucial word in your question is ‘begin’ because it does not ask for anything specific, which is why it is such a great question. It can be argued that World War I set the stage for World War…
1 educator answer
- LITERATURE
Explain the quote from Life’s Little Instruction Calendar, Vol XIV: “Don’t try to out-trade a man…
I am fairly certain that different people will have different reads on the quotation. It seems to me that answering it can be done in exploring its literal meaning and then its symbolic meaning….
2 educator answers
- MYTHOLOGY AND CENSORSHIP
What was the message Hermes brought to Prometheus?
Prometheus was being punished for giving fire to mankind. His punishment was to be chained to a mountain where every day an eagle would come and eat his liver. Every night his liver would grow…
1 educator answer
- MYTHOLOGY AND CENSORSHIP
What did Zeus instruct Hephaestus to do?
I am going to make the assumption that the question is addressing Zeus’ response to being tricked by Prometheus and the mortals. Naturally, after such a loss of face, Zeus was not happy….
1 educator answer
- MYTHOLOGY AND CENSORSHIP
Hephaestus is the god of blacksmiths and fire. He is the god whose primary purpose is to create and forge out of fire and metals. Traditionally, he is asked by the Olympians to forge shields,…
2 educator answers
- AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY
What’s the best method of balancing my sun, moon and rising?I’m a capricorn sun, virgo moon, and…
To balance the different influences of each sign, it’s important to know what the different planets and houses signify. Your sun is your outward personality and characteristics. The moon governs…
1 educator answer
- ONLINE TEACHING
What do you believe the biggest point Ralph Ellison is makng in “The Invisible Man” Chapter 1…
Exploitation and delusion. In Chapter 1, Ralph Ellison’s narrator has a speech on humility and submission as key to the advancement of black Americans, a speech in accord with Booker T….
1 educator answer
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What are the characteristics of Boo Radley in “To Kill A Mockingbird”?
Boo Radley is a willing recluse, choosing to withdraw from society. Because of this, he is misunderstood and labeled as strange or different. He becomes the target of the children’s imaginations…
2 educator answers
- WAITING FOR GODOT
Show how Vladimir and Estragon react to Pozzo in Waiting for Godot.
The reactions to Pozzo can be seen in a “before” and “after” manner. In the first Act, Pozzo is the master in his own sense of the Master/ Slave Dialectic with Lucky. He is the one asserting…