What made Buck’s first day at Dyea so terrifying in Call of the Wild?
- NIGHT
In Night, what does the response of the prisoners immediately after liberation reveal about them?
In many respects, Wiesel’s depiction of life after liberation shows the lasting and lingering effects of the Holocaust. The immediate response of the prisoners after liberation is not one that is…
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- THE CALL OF THE WILD
What made Buck’s first day at Dyea so terrifying in Call of the Wild?
Buck has been thrust in a world which is totally alien to the one he is used to, which is what makes his first day at Dyea so terrifying. Having grown up on Judge Miller’s place in California’s…
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- HAMLET
How is Horatio different from the others in Hamlet? Why is he skeptical?Act One, Scene 1 of…
Horatio is a man of science and learning (science was often called “philosophy” in Shakespeare’s time — as when Hamlet says “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/Than are dreamt of…
2 educator answers
- THE HEART OF A DOG
What might the censors have found offensive in The Heart of a Dog?basically why wasn’t this book…
The Heart of a Dog is intended as a critique of the excesses of the social and political system that developed after the Russian Revolution. On this basis alone, it offered enough fodder for the…
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- THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF
Whose behavior is most surprising by the end of The Ransom of Red Chief? By the end of the story…
Actually, the only character whose behavior is NOT really surprising at the conclusion of this ironic story is that of the kidnapped boy. From the beginning, Johnny is described as a hellion; he is…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
How about a character sketch of Miss Maudie Atkinson in Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in To Kill a…
Although Miss Maudie Atkinson is considered a minor character in To Kill a Mockingbird, I believe her to be a central figure in this novel. She is such a strong and supportive character! Living…
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- THE GARDEN PARTY: AND OTHER STORIES
What is Laura trying to say about life in this quote from “The Garden Party,” and what does it…
He was given up to his dream. What did garden-parties and baskets and lace frocks matter to him? He was far from all those things. He was wonderful, beautiful. While they were laughing and while…
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- ANTHEM
In Anthem, does Equality 7-2521 completely reject the ideologies, cares and concerns of the…
Whether Equality 7-2521 rejects the ideologies, cares and concerns of the society he lives in is irrelevant. The purpose of his life is not to serve others. His life’s sole objective is to…
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- THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS
What is the narrator’s opinion of Omelas in Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from…
The narrator of “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” does not seem capable of giving a straightforward account of Omelas. For one thing, Le Guin subtitles her story parenthetically, “Variations on…
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- ANTHEM
What role (literal and figurative) does the forest play in Anthem by Ayn Rand?
The literal role that the forest plays in Anthem is one of an uncharted territory. In chapter two, Equality 7-2521 says of the forest, “Men never enter the Uncharted Forest, for there is no power…
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- THE WAY TO RAINY MOUNTAIN
Where is Rainy Mountain? Why does Momaday return there?
A close reading of the narrative answers these questions. Here’s the passage: A single knoll rises out of the plain in Oklahoma, north and west of the Wichita Range. For my people, the Kiowas, it…
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- GULLIVER’S TRAVELS
Discuss how Jonathan Swift satirizes human behavior in Gulliver’s Travels though contrasting…
Swift was often called a misanthrope, someone who despises humanity. (In the critical overview linked below, you’ll find plenty of evidence to this postulation.) Whether Swift truly was…
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- HISTORY
What was the importance of the Columbian exchange?How it changed both sides of the Atlantic
The Columbian Exchange is extremely important on many levels. The primary sphere of relevance is that it marked one of the first moments where there was a pure exchange of ideas, livestock, food,…
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- DÉSIRÉE’S BABY
How does the setting of “Desiree’s Baby” affect the story?
Although Kate Chopin does not directly state that the story is set in the pre-Civil War South, several details from the story support this setting, such as the story’s theme and the inclusion of…
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- THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
What is a good thesis statement and what is a good conclusion for an essay subjecting the story…
A good thesis statement would be “Man will go to extremes to get revenge.” The whole short story is about revenge, and the easiest thing to write about, therefore, is revenge and how Montresor…
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- SPEAK
What reason does Heather give Melinda for no longer sitting with her at lunch in Speak?
The answer to your question is stated (albeit indirectly) in the section entitled “Lunch Doom.” This is the fateful moment when Heather (Melinda’s so-called “friend”) betrays Melinda and ends…
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- BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON
In the story “By the Waters of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benet, why does John say, “we must…
Just before he makes this statement, John has been to the city of the gods, which was really just the ruins of a great and advanced civilization. He discovered many books, learned truths about…
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- SCIENCE
Why might the wind velocity at ground level differ in two different ecosystems–the city park and…
Wind velocity is usually more of a big-picture commodity … like weather -vs- climate. So windy days and variable gusts aside, the local conditions in the places you mentioned have a lot to do…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
What would be a good symbol to represent Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird?
This is purely a subjective, opinion question, but if you want to continue Harper Lee’s bird motif, you should choose a bird to symbolize Scout–one which encompasses the narrator’s boldness,…
3 educator answers
- OEDIPUS REX
What is the house of Cadmus in Oedipus Rex?
Cadmus is the original name for the city of Thebes. So, the House of Cadmus is really the House of Thebes. It is Oedipus and all his decedents as found in Sophocles’ Oedipus Trilogy: Oedipus the…
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- THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE
What is the conflict between the midwife and Alyce in The Midwife’s Apprentice?
At first, the midwife treats Beetle (naming the young girl for a dung beetle because she was found sleeping in a pile of manure for warmth, just as the insect does) as if she were stupid low-life….
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- REFERENCE
What are the effects of computers on society?
This question can be answered in many different ways. In light of this, let me give you a number of ways in which computers have changed our society. First, computers have changed the way…
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- FREAK THE MIGHTY
Why did Kevin and Max go to the hospital in Freak the Mighty?
Kevin and Max are the two teenage outcasts in the Rodman Philbrick novel, Freak the Mighty. Kevin is a very intelligent but physically stunted teen who suffers from the rare Morquio Syndrome, which…
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- THE GIVER
What does the memory of snow reveal about the community in “The Giver”?In Lois Lowry’s ‘The Giver.’
In its quest for unilateral sameness, the community has literally lost touch with the beauty of extremes in life. Through Climate Control there are no longer any weather variations; the variations…
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- ANTHEM
What are the Unmentionable Times in Ayn Rand’s Anthem?
The Unmentionable Times in Ayn Rand’s Anthem refer to the times that occurred before the Great Rebirth. Readers can realize that the Unmentionable Times refer to our modern world, particularly the…
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- GUIDE TO LITERARY TERMS
Is mama a proper noun? Should mama be capitalized as a proper noun?
If it is being used as a name, then it should be capitalized. Proper nouns are nouns that are the names of specific people, places, titles, cities, countries, organizations, or objects. They are…
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- NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AN AMERICAN SLAVE
Frederick Douglass states that he had “penetrated the secret of all slavery and oppression” which…
Douglass’ statement strive to support the abolitionist message of his narrative in its conceptualization of slavery as a moral problem. In making slavery an institution that is rooted in the “the…
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- THE GREAT GATSBY
Where does Gatsby take Daisy and Nick during the afternoon of their first meeting?Chapters 5 & 6
The day that Gatsby and Daisy meet again, at Nick’s house, after their five years’ separation, Gatsby takes them both to his house. This takes place in chapter 5. Gatsby wants to show Daisy his…
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- LAW AND POLITICS
What are some of the legal concerns that can result from unwise use of credit by business and…
It is sad to say that this is a timely question. One of the major legal concerns that result from “the credit crisis” is the inability to pay back loans or mortgages. The housing crisis from which…
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- A SEPARATE PEACE
In A Separate Peace, what is going on in Gene’s head in chapter 3’s flashback?
In Chapter 3, Gene subtly portrays many of his true feelings toward Finny. The chapter picks up right after Finny “saves” Gene’s life. But Gene is not all that grateful because he realizes that…
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- HISTORY
When was Easter first celebrated in colonial or antebellum America?I have checked every source I…
Easter, of course, far predates the discovery of the New World. It is the earliest Christian holiday, although exactly when it began to be celebrated as distinct from Pesach, or Passover, is…
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- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In To Kill a Mockingbird what impact does meeting with Mrs. Dubose have on Jem?
Atticus punishes Jem for cutting down Mrs. Dubose’s flowers by making him read to her while she is “dozing.” Of course, for a young boy, this is torture, but Atticus does not intend for it to be…
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- FAHRENHEIT 451
What is the book that Montag is reading in Fahrenheit 451?
Montag is reading the Bible, specifically, the Book of Ecclesiastes. Montag begins hoarding books from his work as a fire man (book burner) out of curiosity. He wonders what could be so bad about…
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- THE SNAKE
In John Steinbeck’s “The Snake,” what does the woman want and why does she want it?
On the surface, the woman in “The Snake” wants a male rattlesnake to which rats will be fed and which will be kept boarded at the laboratory on her behalf. She does not want it as a pet at home. It…
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- THE STORY OF AN HOUR
In “The Story of an Hour” was Mallard an important citizen in his community?
This is an interesting question, and since the story is so short, we will have to read a lot into the little that is given to us. The best clues to answer this question are given in the first…
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- THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, what is Twain’s attitude toward slavery and racism?
Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a satirical look at the institution of slavery. Although written from the point of view of a southern white boy, Huck ultimately sheds the ideals of…
3 educator answers
- A PAIR OF SILK STOCKINGS
In “A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin, what is the relevancy of the Civil War?
Even though Chopin’s story was published in a magazine in 1890 and most likely set during that year/decade, it does have a couple of connections to the nation’s civil war which ended 25 years…
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- ANIMAL FARM
How does the Battle of the Cowshed ultimately serve to inaugurate a series of rituals that help…
Great question (though it is a bit of a mouthful!). Rituals often help a community to build a sense of “togetherness.” When people all do the same action, in the same way, or at the same time, it…
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- AENEID
How does the behavior of the gods reflect human qualities?
In Vergil’s “Aeneid,” as well as in Homer’s “Illiad” and his “Odyssey” and in the great Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles, the gods are, at best “superhuman.” They have powers…
2 educator answers
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Why do Atticus and his children get such different reactions from Mrs. Dubose?
Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose certainly treated Atticus Finch differently than she treated his children. Mrs. Dubose treated Atticus with respect and took a great amount of pride in revealing her…
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- OUR TOWN
Why does the author allow the audience to understand what is happening with both families?
Thornton Wilder breaks a few traditional conventions in Our Town. First, he breaks down the fourth wall, or the imaginary dividing line between actors and audience. The Stage Manager addresses…
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- A DOLL’S HOUSE
What are some links between “A Doll’s House” and Antigone that would suggest topics for a…
A comparative essay over these two works could examine the two female protagonists, Nora Helmer and Antigone. Both women live in societies that grant them no power, yet both are stronger than those…
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- THE SEAFARER
In “The Seafarer,” what causes the Seafarer to keep returning to the sea?
This is such an interesting question because the author in “The Seafarer” is quite cryptic in regards to how he inserts these “causes” that you desire to know so much about. The first thing that…
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- THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS
How is allusion used in “There Will Come Soft Rains,” by Ray Bradbury?
An allusion is a reference within a work of literature to history, religion, other literature, or anything within the culture really. Today, references to pop culture including celebrities and TV…
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- ROMEO AND JULIET
Reckless haste leads to disaster. Prove this statement by listing a number of examples.
The main action of Romeo and Juliet takes place in less than a week: a testament to how ill-advised most of the decisions in the play are made. The five most glaring examples of reckless haste as…
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- BUD, NOT BUDDY
In Bud, not Buddy, Bud’s mother had what pinned up to her wall?
We are told this piece of information before Bud actually realises that the room that Miss Thomas has put him in is his mother’s room. He suspects that the room is the room of a girl who has now…
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- A TALE OF TWO CITIES
What is the effect of Dickens’s doubling technique? Does he use doubles to draw contrasts…
The doubling technique definitely serves the purpose of both comparing and contrasting. Throughout the novel, he is trying to show the dual nature of man — man can be a villain and a hero…
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- SAROJINI NAIDU
May I have a complete explanation on the poem “Soul’s Prayer” by Sarojini Naidu?What’s the…
The poem is an exploration of the metaphysical condition of love, pain, and the encompassing nature of existence. The poem opens with the speaker wondering about the nature of joy, pain, and the…
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- BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON
Can someone help me to figure out the theme of “By the waters of Babylon”?
If you are going to consider the theme, it is well worth considering how the point of view chosen by the author relates to the message. This masterful dystopian short story is used a lot in English…
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- THE CRUCIBLE
What is the moral dilemma in The Crucible?How is god Misused?
I believe that there are many moral dilemmas in Miller’s work. One such quandry is under what circumstances is it permissible to lie or tell the truth. The moral compulsion to be honest is…
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