• HAMLET

How is Hamlet being misled by illusions?

Is Hamlet being misled by illusions? No one wants an answer to this more than Hamlet himself: he knows that there’s a good chance that the Ghost is not truly the spirit of his father at all, but…

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• THE LISTENERS

Which lines in the poem tell you what the surroundings of the house were like?

By “surroundings” I believe that the question is specifically asking for things that are not inside the house. Readers know that the poem is set during the evening or night. We know this because…

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• THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN

Junior says that the original purpose of the reservation was similar to concentration camps. How…

The similarities are more obvious than the differences. The Native American reservations were based on race, the tenants were rounded up and forced into distinct areas, and the government was the…

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• LONG WALK TO FREEDOM: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF NELSON MANDELA

How did Nelson Mandela overcome racism and rise to become an outstanding leader as described in…

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography of Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa. It begins by describing his early life, in which as well as learning the traditional skills of…

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• THE GIVER

At what age do children get freedom in Lois Lowry’s The Giver?

Each December in Jonas’s community marks a transitional period for children up to age twelve. Two days in December are celebrated as holidays and the whole community turns out to witness each…

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• INVISIBLE CITIES

In Invisible Cities, what other senses did Calvino use besides the visual?

Calvino appeals to multiple senses in Invisible Cities. At many points in the book, florid descriptions of scents and odors are used to evoke setting. Calvino includes “the odor of the elephants…

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• SCIENCE

What is nanochemistry and why is it used?

In simplest terms, nanochemistry is the chemistry at nanoscale. It deals with manufacturing nanoparticles, nanotubes, etc. It also deals with the study of properties of materials at nanoscale and…

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• HISTORY

Why did the European alliance systems develop before World War I?

In the late 1800’s, there was a lot of distrust between the major powers of Europe. A lot of the tension was caused because of competition for colonies in Africa. Nations formed alliances as a…

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• THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

What character does Holden feel most strongly about in Romeo and Juilet?

Holden Caulfield feels a particular affinity to the character Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet. Holden is a clever and witty narrator, always giving a wry observation or discussing sex and in this he…

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• SAMUEL JOHNSON

Why were the metaphysical poets given that name?

It was Samuel Johnson who first referred to certain 17th-century English lyric poets as “metaphysical.” The group is most readily defined by such writers as John Donne, Andrew Marvell, George…

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• REFERENCE

Great poets like Edwin Arlington Robinson are purposeful in every word they pack in their short…

The poem “Miniver Cheevy” is generally accepted as semi-autobiographical about Edwin Arlington Robinson’s own life. Your question about the name, “Miniver Cheevy,” took me to an interesting fact…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

What lesson did Scout help Atticus learn in Chapter 30?

Scout helps Atticus understand that Boo Radley is sensitive and should be treated with care. When Atticus finds out that Bob Ewell was killed, he thinks that Jem did it in self-defense when Ewell…

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• SCIENCE

During gym class, four students decided to see if they could beat the norm of 45 sit-ups in an…

Accuracy and precision are words used to describe measurements. Accuracy describes the closeness to a known or accepted value/measurement while precision refers to the closeness of repeated…

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• HISTORY

To what length did the idea of totalitarianism exist in the Soviet Union under Stalin and Nazi…

A thesis statement for this particular topic should focus on human rights abuses committed by both of these regimes. Hitler and Stalin perpetrated some of the worst human rights abuses in history…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

When Atticus says, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no…

Atticus is explaining to his children that even though he is unlikely to win the trial, he should fight anyway. When Mrs. Dubose dies, Atticus explains to his children that she was fighting against…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In Chapter 1 of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, how did Jem, Scout, and Dill pass the summer hours?

In Chapter 1, Jem and Scout meet Dill Harris, who spends the summers with his Aunt Rachel. After a short introduction, the children become close friends and begin to play together each day. Scout…

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• LYDDIE

How is Lyddie independent throughout her life? What are the events that show she is independent?

Lyddie is independent because she takes charge and doesn’t let others tell her what to do. Lyddie shows independence when she saves her family from the bear, when she gets her own job after being…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

How could a student decorate a memory box for Jem Finch?

Sounds like fun! Think about things—artifacts, words/quotes, events, people, etc.—that relate to Jem in the story. First of all, by the end of the book, Jem has grown significantly. The…

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• OKAY FOR NOW

Why does Gary D. Schmidt write in second person in Okay for Now?

When writing in second person, the author has the narrator refer to the protagonist by the second-person pronoun you. Doing so can make it seem that the narrator is scolding the protagonist or the…

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• DULCE ET DECORUM EST

In Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce Et Decorum Est,” explain what happens to the soldier who fails to put on…

This particular image in Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce Et Decorum Est” is especially potent in its frank depiction of the horrors of World War I. The soldier who fails to put on his gas mask suffers an…

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• MACBETH

Contrast two different meetings with the witches in Macbeth. How does Macbeth’s entrance, use of…

In Macbeth’s first meeting with the witches, which occurs in Act 1, Macbeth approaches the witches with a quiet reverence. While he is suspicious, he is also in awe. He asks the witches to stay,…

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• GIRL

In “Girl,” what advice does the old woman give the girl? What does it tell you about the social…

The short story “Girl,” written entirely in dialogue between a mother giving instructions to her growing daughter on how to behave in the world, leaves readers to infer nearly all of the details….

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what does Miss Maudie mean when she says, “people in their…

In Chapter 10, Atticus Finch displays his marksmanship abilities by shooting and killing a rabid dog named Tim Johnson in one shot. Atticus’ children are in awe of his abilities because they never…

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• TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

What is Atticus trying to do at the end of Chapter 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird? Why does Scout…

Atticus is trying to explain to Scout and Jem about the importance of the Finch name, but that (ancestry, heritage) is Alexandra’s passion. Aunt Alexandra is the one who cares about heredity. To…

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• THE ODYSSEY

What is the universal theme in Book XI in the Odyssey?

When Odysseus speaks to Achilles, the great warrior, in the Underworld, he tells him not to “‘grieve at having died’” because he is was as honored as the gods while he lived, and now he is “‘a…

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• ANIMAL FARM

What is the significance of Sugarcandy Mountain in Animal Farm?

Sugarcandy Mountain is what the animals call heaven in Animal Farm. The raven Moses tells the other animals stories about it. It floats up in the sky, and is where animals go when they die. It is a…

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• HISTORY

How can I figure out what my greatest achievements are?

It can often be difficult to attempt to view your own life objectively and determine what your greatest accomplishments are, but it is important so that you can communicate your value to other…

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• WALK TWO MOONS

Why is Phoebe especially frightened when she returns home to an empty house and finds three…

Phoebe’s mother is not at home, which she usually is. The three notes were for Phoebe, Prudence, and Mr. Winterbottom. Phoebe’s note told her to keep the doors locked and to call her father if…

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• SWEAT

What is the significance of Delia being a washwoman? Why, of all professions, might Hurston have…

In Huston’s story, “Sweat,” the protagonist, Delia, is a washwoman. It is significant that Hurston chose this profession for Delia for several reasons. For one, it is labor-intensive work. The act…

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• THOMAS HARDY

How is the theme of hope explored in “The Darkling Thrush?”

After three stanzas describing relentless hopelessness in a blighted landscape of death, desolation and “winter’s dregs,” the poet hears the sound of a thrush singing. The aged bird is “caroling”…

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• STILL I RISE

In the poem “Still I Rise,” Maya Angelou compares herself to “moons” and “suns.” What…

Most importantly, these comparisons resonate with unflinching optimism and fierce determination. They imply that although the poet Maya Angelou is a black woman, she’s not prepared to undergo a…

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• LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

Pick out several points that build up the idea of a comfortable routine and that Mary is…

The details that you are asking about occur early in the story. The first detail is in the first paragraph. On the cupboard behind her there were two glasses and some drinks. Mary Maloney was…

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• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Why was Elizabeth’s visit to Derbyshire important?

Elizabeth Bennet visits the county of Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle Gardiner. While there, her aunt tells her that the county is home to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy’s grand estate. Because they…

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• HOOT

What do you think Mullet Fingers is going to do with the cottonmouth snakes Roy caught him with?

When Roy discovers the bag of cottonmouth snakes that Mullet Fingers is keeping in chapter five, readers are as confused as Roy is. This is the first time Roy meets Mullet Fingers, but Roy doesn’t…

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• HISTORY

Please describe the American view of representation, and how that differed from that of England?…

To answer this question, we have to look at the imperial crisis that developed after the French and Indian War in the American colonies. When Parliament tried to tax the colonies, they protested…

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• HISTORY

What did Nat Turner do in the Civil War?

Nat Turner had been dead for nearly thirty years by the time the Civil War began in 1861. He was hanged in November of 1831 for his role in leading a large and violent slave revolt in Southampton…

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• A POISON TREE

In the poem “A Poison Tree” why did the persona’s wrath end when he told his friend about it?

In “The Poison Tree,” the point of the poem is that the anger we hold onto grows into something ugly and poisonous that hurts other people. Blake contrasts this to anger we get over. One good way…

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• THE GREAT GATSBY

Is Jay Gatsby someone to envy or pity in The Great Gatsby?

This is an interesting question that forces an either/or, binary opposition. I want to say that I neither pity nor envy Gatsby, but that sidesteps the issue of making a choice and becomes the wimpy…

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• ROMEO AND JULIET

In Romeo and Juliet Act 4, Scene 5, what two meanings can be ascribed to the word “note” as it is…

In this scene, the nurse discovers Juliet’s lifeless body and assumes that she has died. She cries out and summons her parents who are devastated. They had prepared for Juliet’s betrothal to Paris…

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• ROMEO AND JULIET

How does Romeo create problems for the public and his family and friends in Act 1 scene 1? How…

How does Romeo create problems for the public and his family and friends in Act 1 scene 1? When Romeo first appears he is bemoaning his failed love for Rosaline. The family is continuously trying…

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• POETRY

What are some examples of onomatopoeia in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”?

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a lengthy, narrative poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Onomatopoeia is defined as, “A figure of speech that employs a word, or occasionally, a grouping of…

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• THE LION AND THE JEWEL

What situation does Sidi find herself in at the end of the play?

Sidi is faced with the decision to choose between marrying Lakunle or Baroka at the end the play. Initially, Sidi does not marry Lakunle because he refuses to pay the bride-price, claiming that it…

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• THE GIVER

How does one’s gender affect the Assignment one receives in The Giver?

Gender does not affect most assignments, except for the Birthmothers. Jonas’s community is pretty egalitarian, including gender. The community does not like to draw distinctions between…

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• JANE EYRE

What are some topics throughout the novel that could connect to an essay about the presence of…

Since you are under time pressure, you might consider focusing on Jane Eyre’s experiences at Lowood School, which is a harsh, unloving institution for orphan children like herself. Lowood School is…

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• THE CAY

Why was it important to Phillip to have Timothy describe to him what was out there?

In The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Phillip is injured when he gets hit in the head after the ship he and his mother are on is torpedoed. As he and Timothy sail along on a raft, Phillip’s head begins to…

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• OF MICE AND MEN

In what way does Lennie resemble Candy’s dog? Use evidence from the text for support.

In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, Candy’s dog and Lennie share several similarities: their relationships with other characters, their defining characteristics, and their fates….

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• THE WAY UP TO HEAVEN

Where can irony be found in “The Way Up To Heaven” by Roald Dahl?

The basic irony in the story “The Way Up to Heaven” is situational irony. Mr. Foster knows full well that his wife has a pathological fear of being late for any occasion. He takes a sadistic…

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• TUCK EVERLASTING

In Tuck Everlasting, how did Winnie Foster feel about the Tuck’s home?

Winnie thinks the Tuck house is disorderly but homey. When Winnie gets kidnapped, the Tucks take her to their house. Since they do not want people asking questions about their being immortal, the…

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• SCIENCE

Where can I find information on the Plurality of Worlds by Bernard le Dobier de Fontielle?

The first thing that will help you in your search is clarifying your question. When you search for the title On the Plurality of Worlds, most search engines will return references to the 1986 work…

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• THE BEST OF O. HENRY

In “The Last Leaf,” why does Sue call Johnsy “white mouse”?

Sue calls Johnsy “white mouse” in the final paragraph of the story when she tells Johnsy about the death of Mr. Behrman, so there is a suggestion of the symbolic meaning of a mouse as adaptable…

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