Why did Jem rip his pants in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird?

August 25, 2018 Educator

SCIENCE

Compute the overall standard potential (in V) for transfer of electrons from the following pairs…

All you have to do is find a reference table for the known standard potentials of some substances. When you do that, you just add the reduction and oxidation potentials of the pair (if a substance…

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CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

What are the significance and implications of the argument between Big Daddy and Brick in Act 2…

In a 1975 interview with a reporter for The New York Times, playwright Tennessee Williams addressed, as he was want to do, his sexual orientation: “Sexuality is a basic part of my nature,” he…

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RELIGION

How did Judaism survive the diaspora?

How could a religion with so few, that does not seek converts, and was constantly persecuted survive the loss of their homeland? The Romans expelled all Jews from Israel in the First Century, but…

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HISTORY

What are the differences between how African-American kids were treated during slavery and how…

There are some similarities and differences between African-American kids and white kids during slavery. The similarities are fairly basic. Both groups of kids had a desire to learn. If…

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LORD OF THE FLIES

What caused the social collapse in Lord of the Flies?

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a novel that shows what would happen if innocent children were left on their own in an idyllic environment. Those who believe in the innate goodness of…

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HARRISON BERGERON

What is George thinking about his son before the “twenty-one gun salute?” What has happened to…

George begins to think about how and why Harrison is in jail. The narrator refers to Harrison as “abnormal” in this section of the story and the meaning behind this is explained shortly thereafter….

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BEOWULF

Do the unrealistic elements in Beowulf compromise its value as a literary work?

According the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an epic is “a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures.” The dictionary also states that an epic often extends beyond the usual or…

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RED SCARF GIRL: A MEMOIR OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION

What is this book about?

The Red Scarf Girl is author Ji-li Jiang’s memoir of her experiences during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The Cultural Revolution was a socio-political movement which took place from 1966 to…

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A RAISIN IN THE SUN

What important event is the whole Younger family looking forward to?

The Younger family is waiting on a large life insurance check. The patriarch of the family has passed away. “Lena’s husband dies and leaves his family $10,000 in insurance money.” (eN0tes)…

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WINTER DREAMS

In the short story “Winter Dreams,” what details indicate that Dexter is an ambitious young man?

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams,” there are many details which indicate that the protagonist, Dexter Green, is ambitious. At the opening of the story, we discover that Dexter’s…

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HISTORY

Homo sapiens originated in ____________.

So far as we know at this point in time, our species, Homo sapiens, originated on the continent of Africa. To be more specific, we believe that the species originated in the eastern part of that…

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SOCIAL SCIENCES

What qualities do you think are most important for a president to have ? Which candidates seem to…

There are several qualities a presidential candidate should have. Once I share those qualities, you will be able to decide which candidates do or don’t have those qualities, or who have some of…

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THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND

Who was most responsible for Roylott’s death in “The Speckled Band”?

Dr. Roylott is responsible for his own death, because his murder weapon turned on him. Dr. Roylott trained his snake to kill his step-daughters. Therefore, he is really the one to blame when the…

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THE EGYPT GAME

In The Egypt Game what is Toby’s confession to April and Melanie?

When Toby and Ken join the Egypt game, things get more interesting, especially when they begin playing the Oracle of Thoth. They follow Toby’s recommendation for how to play, which requires a…

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HISTORY

How does Paine feel Americans were being enslaved?

American revolutionary and Enlightenment philosopher Thomas Paine was a strong advocate for the American War for Independence. Most notably, he drafted Common Sense, a pamphlet which laid out a…

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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

What does Shylock’s recognition of Antonio’s hypocrisy reveal about Shylock?

In Shylock’s recognition of Antonio’s hypocrisy, we see that Shylock has an eye for spotting contradiction. These men are merchants, not theologians engaging in religious debate. Nevertheless, in…

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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

What does Shylock’s observation that it is ironic that Antonio daily insults him but will still…

Shylock sees an opportunity when Antonio, who has insulted him and even spit at him in public, arrives with a business proposal in Act 1, Scene 3 of “The Merchant of Venice”. Shylock is quick…

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SCIENCE

Identify two industrial uses of distillation and what components of the mixtures are separated in…

One way in which distillation is used in to separate ethanol from water in many alcoholic beverages. Secondly, fuel companies use distillation is also to remove hydrocarbons from petroleum….

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HISTORY

Who was Harriet Greene’s husband?

Harriet Greene was the mother of Araminta Ross and eight other children. Araminta Ross later changed her name to Harriet Tubman and would go on to lead nearly one hundred people to freedom from…

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HISTORY

How was the Latin American Revolution different compared to Haitian, American, and the French?…

It is important to view the differences in context with regards to the events that took place in the different revolutions and the revolutionaries involved. The Latin American Revolution should be…

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A POISON TREE

Can you list the moral values (“we must,” “we should”) in the poem “A Poison Tree” by William Blake?

In terms of the categories “we must” and “we should,” the poem says we should talk to a person when he or she makes us angry. This way we can work out our problems and get over our anger. As for a…

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HISTORY

What did the North and the South think of Abraham Lincoln?

The North and the South had very different views of Abraham Lincoln. The South had very negative views of his political ideas. President Lincoln made it clear that he was against slavery. He…

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MATH

What is the reciprocal of -5x?

You need to obtain the reciprocal of the number (−5x),(-5x), hence, you need to flip the number over, or to divide 1 by the number (−5x),(-5x),such that: 1−5×1-5x Using the properties of multiplication…

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GREAT EXPECTATIONS

What is the meaning behind Pip placing Joe’s child (also Pip) on his parents’ tombstone?

In the beginning of the novel, Pip is in the graveyard, visiting his dead parents and siblings. When Magwitch meets him, he puts Pip on top of the gravestone. His life following this…

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A SOUND OF THUNDER

Does Eckels think he will find that he has “done nothing” when he gets back to the present in “A…

Because of the tirade that Eckels’s having stepped off the Path triggers in Travis and the guide’s further treatment of him, Eckels must doubt that he will find that he has “done nothing” when he…

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LAW AND POLITICS

Following 9/11/2001, should the CIA have been moved into the newly established Department of…

This is of course a question of opinion and judgment, about which reasonable people might disagree. But I can at least talk about some of the pros and cons you might want to consider when answering…

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WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Is Arnold Friend actually Bob Dylan?

Although Arnold Friend is modeled after Bob Dylan, he is not Dylan; instead, Arnold, represents the pop culture, the edgy persona, and the disturbing quality of music that can seduce its unthinking…

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THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

What happens at the beginning of “The Masque of the Red Death”?

The first paragraph of the story describes the disease which has been sweeping through the country ruled by Prince Prospero, a disease called “the Red Death” because “Blood was its Avatar and its…

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MANIAC MAGEE

In the book Maniac Magee, in chapter 25, how does Jeffrey make Grayson feel special and important?

Grayson had been a lonely man for many years. He was single and had no children. When Jeffrey “Maniac” Magee came into his life, he suddenly had a family for the first time in decades. Maniac…

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LITERATURE

What are some examples of tales about Greek heroes?

There are several heroes in Greek mythology. Among the most interesting and well known include the demigods Perseus and Theseus. A demigod is half man and half god, meaning his father was a god and…

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LORD OF THE FLIES

How do the littluns characters develop in chapter 3?

In Chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, the littluns, the little boys who for the most part aren’t given individual names by Golding, have been playing contentedly on the island. Some pitched in with…

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FRANKENSTEIN

What are the positive qualities in Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster?

Sadly, the positives that can be drawn from their relationship could be described as the way Victor Frankenstein is influenced to behave as a result of both his desire to create the monster and his…

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SCIENCE

If 2.07 grams of aluminum react with excess CuSO4, what is the theoretical yield of Cu? 2Al +…

The theoretical yield of copper is the maximum amount that can be produced starting with a given quantity of a reactant, in this case 2.07 grams of aluminum. The first step, which you’ve already…

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LITERATURE

Why might Lee describe the group of students as a “delegation”?

When Lee refers to the children as a “delegation” it’s meant to be subtle humor or sarcasm in describing the school and the children’s social groups as like politics. Delegates or a delegation are…

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THE VELDT

Why does the nursery make the children lose their sense of what is right and what is wrong?

The nursery makes the children lose their sense of right and wrong because it is part of a high tech “Happylife” house that has taken over the parenting function. As their mother, Lydia Hadley,…

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THE NECKLACE

Why is Madame Losiel disconnected from her life at the beginning of “The Necklace”?

In Guy de Maupassant’s short story “The Necklace” Madame Loisel is disconnected from a life which she finds common and mundane. Although she is “pretty and charming” she is restrained by the rigid…

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THE NECKLACE

Why is Madame Loisel discontent at the beginning of the story?

At the beginning of the story “The Necklace,” readers meet Mathilde Loisel: a “pretty and charming” girl who was not born with the wealth and distinction that – we’re told – her personality and…

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SCIENCE

Describe the motion of air particles inside an inflated balloon.

The molecules of air inside of an inflated balloon are very far apart and moving rapidly. They collide with other molecules and with the inside surface of the balloon. The volume of the balloon…

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HISTORY

What did John O’Sullivan mean when he used the phrase “manifest destiny”?

John O’Sullivan first used the term in 1845 in an article for the Democratic Review. In his article, he argued for the United States to annex the Republic of Texas because the United States had a…

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A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

In “A Christmas Memory,” what does Buddy regain through memory at the end?

Buddy does not actually claim to regain anything at the end, but based on his feelings at the end and what we know of his memories, we could make the argument that he regains some of the value of…

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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Who is Boo Radley to Scout and Jem? How do the children and the community shape his identity for…

Arthur “Boo” Radley is the Finches reclusive, misunderstood neighbor who is the victim of abuse and rumors throughout the community of Maycomb. At the beginning of the novel, Scout and Jem view Boo…

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FAHRENHEIT 451

In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, what is Captain Beatty’s opinion about school?

Captain Beatty is a well-read fireman who burns books for a living. After learning what he could from books, he assimilates back into the anti-literate society because he didn’t feel satisfied with…

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BEOWULF

In Beowulf, who is Healfdane’s son?

Healfdane, son of Beo, had three sons: Hergar (or Heorogar), King of the Danes, Hrothgar, who became king after the death of Heorogar, and Halga, the youngest. Healfdane also had one daugher, Yrs….

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THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO

In “The Cask Of Amontillado,” why was it effective to explain about whether or not the narrator…

In the story, it seems that Fortunato makes reference to the Freemasons as just one more way of belittling Montresor, even more than the “thousand injuries” he’s already inflicted have. As…

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RELIGION

Why did people care so much about abstruse theological questions in the medieval period and why…

Part of what is involved in finding answers to this question is thinking through what is actually signified by the terms in the question. The term “people” is very general. We don’t actually know…

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AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE

Is Ambrose Bierce biased toward one side of the Civil War? Does the narrator describe the Union…

Since Ambrose Bierce fought on the Union side in the Civil War and was involved in several important battles, he was undoubtedly sympathetic to the Union cause. However, he does not show any such…

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LITERATURE

What are the different ways that a writer can end a story?

There are many common ways that an author can end a story. If you consider a traditional plot diagram (also known as the plot pyramid or Freytag’s pyramid) which consists of the five main parts…

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THE JOY LUCK CLUB

What does Jing-Mei’s mother want her daughter to become? Why? What does she make her do in order…

Suyuan, Jing-mei’s mother, wanted her to become a child prodigy like Shirley Temple and Lindo’s daughter. Suyuan urged her daughter to attempt practicing certain skills in order to establish…

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WALDEN

Describe Thoreau’s notion of “poverty.” Is it the same as or different from the notion of…

When Thoreau speaks of poverty, he means what we would call simplicity or simple living. It is not at all the same as Third World poverty, in which people suffer because they can’t afford the basic…