Beverly Madnick
eNotes Educator
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1387
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About
I have been teaching for 21 years in both middle school and high school. I have taught all English classes for grades 7 - 12. I also teach social studies and have also taught that to grades 7-12. I am presently teaching U.S. history, world history, government, economics, and New Mexico history at an alternative school in Belen, New Mexico.
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Recent Activity
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Answered a Question in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
The title of this short story is connected to the theme of religion, prevalent in many of O'Connor's stories. The words of the title are spoken by the owner of the barbecue place, Red Sammy, in... -
Answered a Question in Battle Royal
The purpose of the naked white dancer is to demonstrate white society's control over African Americans. Historically, black men had been persecuted for even looking at a white woman, so the... -
Answered a Question in The Killers
Nick Adams is considered to be the protagonist in "The Killers". He is a young man sitting in the diner when the two hit men enter. He is still innocent regarding the reality of the criminal world... -
Answered a Question in Annabel Lee
This poem written by Edgar Allan Poe is a tale of love shared by two children "many and many a year ago,/In a kingdom by the sea". In it, the speaker is telling of his one true love, Annabel Lee,... -
Answered a Question in for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf
This choreopoem, twenty separate poems set to music, is one of my favorites. Six of the seven women represent colors of the rainbow, and the seventh symbolizes the black woman. The rainbow is a... -
Answered a Question in To Kill a Mockingbird
At the beginning of the novel, Boo's character provides an atmosphere of mystery and fear, especially for the children. Boo has not left his home since he was a teenager,... -
Answered a Question in A Separate Peace
Leper is lured into enlisting in the army after seeing a misleading recruitment film, not realizing that he is totally unsuited for military service until it is too late. He is... -
Answered a Question in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The main theme throughout the Harry Potter books is the triumph of good over evil. This is true in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as well. However, applying this general theme of good vs.... -
Answered a Question in The Cask of Amontillado
The narrator of "The Cask of Amontiallado" is Montresor. I believe you have confused him with Fortunato, the man Montresor kills. Montresor is telling the story of how he killed Fortunato fifty... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
Even though this novel is not long, it does have many topics to choose from for writing an essay. You might consider some of the themes, such as friendship or loneliness. During the period of time... -
Answered a Question in The Gift of the Magi
O. Henry is well known for his surprise endings, and "The Gift of the Magi" is no exception. Though Jim and Delia are poor by material standards, they are rich in their love for one another. There... -
Answered a Question in To Kill a Mockingbird
Atticus is referring to the way he lives his life. He's explaining that it would be hypocritical to behave one way in public and a different way at home with his children. He means that he cannot... -
Answered a Question in Babylon Revisited
Paris, France is a symbol of the Biblical city of Babylon, a place known for its sinful temptations. The Jews gave in to pagan worship in Babylon, abandoning their faith, and Charlie, the... -
Answered a Question in Disgrace
In this novel, apartheid, the separation of the black and white races in South Africa, is coming to an end. Under apartheid, the black population had no rights and were powerless against the... -
Answered a Question in In Another Country
The title of this short story is explained through the theme of feeling alienated and alone. The literal meaning of how it feels to be separated from a familiar group is seen in the narrator. As an... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
This poem deals with the choices we must make in life and the consequences of those choices. When the speaker of the poem comes upon the two different paths in the woods, he must choose one or the... -
Answered a Question in Children's Literature
There is debate regarding what constitutes children's literature, but defined broadly, it is those books that are deemed appropriate for children up to the age of twelve by teachers, reviewers,... -
Answered a Question in The Drunkard
The title is a serious reference to both the father and the son. The father has always been "the drunkard", and his alcoholism has caused both the mother and the son pain. To pay for his alcohol,... -
Answered a Question in Thomas Hardy
The workbox is a box the husband gives his wife to keep her sewing supplies in. He has made it from the same oak that was used to make the coffin of John Wayward. The wife is shocked by the news... -
Answered a Question in Proof
I don't think Claire sells the house only for financial reasons. Claire and her boyfriend both have good jobs, so it isn't that she needs the money. Now that Robert has died, Claire feels... -
Answered a Question in A Red, Red Rose
Generally, a writer uses similes to enable the reader to imagine in his mind what the writer is saying. This is why a writer compares one thing to another with which the reader is familiar. The... -
Answered a Question in A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
Other similes are also found in later stanzas of the poem. In stanza 6, Donne tells his love that their two souls have become one and says that their love will expand "Like gold to airy... -
Answered a Question in Things Fall Apart
In an effort not to appear weak and lazy like his father, Okwonko does several things that eventually lead to his banishment from his village. Okwonko adopts Ikemefuna, a young boy given to... -
Answered a Question in The Sky Is Gray
In order to give you a thesis statement, I really need to know what the topic is. Are you writing about a particular theme of the story, one of the characters, or a conflict? This story is so rich... -
Answered a Question in Lamb to the Slaughter
You should read several newspaper articles to get a good idea of how a news story is written. When writing a news story, you should include the five W's: who, what, when, where, why, and sometimes... -
Answered a Question in Just Lather, That's All
Captain Torres knows that the barber is a member of the rebel group and has been warned that the barber will kill him if he goes in there. Torres seems to even invite the barber to kill him... -
Answered a Question in A Haunted House
The narrator describes the joy of being in love as a " light in the heart". It's obvious the two ghosts were very much in love when they lived in the house where the narrator and... -
Answered a Question in Trifles
The plot of any piece of literature consists of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The exposition offers background information and an introduction to the... -
Answered a Question in Macbeth
The particular part to which you are referring is in Act I, Scene iii just after Macbeth's "supernatural meeting with the witches. At this point, Macbeth is trying to understand what the prophecies... -
Answered a Question in We Real Cool
The subtitle of the poem is "The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel." I believe the speakers of the poem are the seven pool players of the poem. These young men have no sense of purpose in... -
Answered a Question in The Diamond as Big as the Ritz
Since we can answer only one question at a time about a particular work of literature, I will address the themes of this story. I have included a link below that will help you with the remaining... -
Answered a Question in Max Beerbohm
Beerbohm sees going out for a walk as his choice to do so when he has a reason to go. Being taken for a walk is when someone forces him to go for no reason other than to walk. He says the... -
Answered a Question in The Lovely Bones
Susie and her father had made the ships in a bottle together, and they are a reminder to him of her death. Jack, Susie's father, looks at the snow globes and the bottles with ships inside as... -
Answered a Question in The Crucible
At the beginning of the play, we are told that Thomas Putnam is angry that his brother-in-law was not chosen as the minister of Salem. Since Puritan society revolved around religion, the minister... -
Answered a Question in The Cask of Amontillado
The use of the word "mason" in this short story is a pun, a play on words. Most of our English words have more than one meaning, allowing a writer to tell us something more about a story and its... -
Answered a Question in The Woman Warrior
When writing about characterization, you should consider several things. Look at what the character says or does and ask yourself what this says about the character. What kind of person is Brave... -
Answered a Question in The Story of an Hour
"The Story of an Hour" deals with the issues of identity and the role of women in marriage. Mrs. Mallard's identity has always been as a wife, not as a person. When she first discovers her... -
Answered a Question in The Bluest Eye
Pecola's family never gives her the love and support a child needs. Her mother is abusive and negligent, concerned only with her own lack of self-esteem. Pecola's father rapes her, thinking she is... -
Answered a Question in The Cask of Amontillado
In order to rewrite an ending from a different perspective, put yourself in that character's place. You might start at the point when Fortunato has been chained to the wall. Consider that he has... -
Answered a Question in Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret
The story takes place in two settings, New York City and Farbrook, a suburb. In her sixth grade year, Margaret's family moves to Farbrook, and she must adjust to a new town, new school, and new... -
Answered a Question in The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd
Iambic tetrameter describes a particular rhythm in each line. The rhythm is measured in feet, small groups of syllables. Iambic describes the type of foot, and tetrameter tells us that there are... -
Answered a Question in The Fox
The theme of this story is the danger of using coercion to get someone to submit to one's will. From the time Henry arrives, he manipulates Nellie and her relationship with Jill. On the surface, he... -
Answered a Question in The Taming of the Shrew
I'm not sure that Baptista can be characterized as a poor father, but he isn't perfect either. He does his best to find good husbands for both his daughters, trying to insure that each of them... -
Answered a Question in The Lion and the Jewel
The play takes place in a small traditional African village that is being threatened by the encroachment of the modern world. The Bale refuses to allow this to happen and shows that he will do... -
Answered a Question in The Chrysalids
The society that exists in this story is one full of fear and prejudice. The people live their lives according to the Old Testament of the Bible, not allowing for anyone or anything that is not... -
Answered a Question in The Weary Blues
This poem, written in 1923, is about an African American jazz musician who is playing and singing in a nightclub. The speaker of the poem is observing the singer, noting how... -
Answered a Question in Time's Arrow
Basically, Tod Friendly and the narrator are the same person. Friendly is about to die, and his mind creates the narrator, an alter ego of the doctor. The narrator is unaware of the Friendly's... -
Answered a Question in Master and Margarita
Allegory teaches a moral lesson using symbolic figures or actions. It can be taught through art or literature. This novel is full of symbolism, so you could connect it to allegory in this manner.... -
Answered a Question in Essays
Look at your notes and answer the following: What is your general statement about swine flu that you're going to talk about in your paper? This is your thesis statement and should come... -
Answered a Question in A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
This story leaves the reader with questions because the author is purposely ambiguous in the symbolism and meaning of the story. The reader is left to decide for herself what she thinks all of this...
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