Elizabeth Shaw
eNotes Educator
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About
Having worked as an English Literature tutor, I enjoy helping students to understand literary texts and to develop their ideas. I love discussing different interpretations of literature and seeing texts from a new perspective as a result of these discussions.
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Recent Activity
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Answered a Question in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
After killing the innocent albatross—a bird seen as a good omen by his crew—the Mariner is forced to wear its body around his neck. This symbolizes his guilt and shame, originating from the... -
Answered a Question in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," the mariner killed an albatross as it flew over his ship. This act of cruel indifference revealed the mariner's apathetic attitude toward nature. In turn, this... -
Answered a Question in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
In this poem, the mariner recounts the story of how he killed an innocent albatross that had been previously labelled as a good omen by the crew. The crew consequently fell into a series of... -
Answered a Question in The Fly
When the boss sees the fly struggling to swim in the inkpot, he is at first sympathetic. The fly is described, seemingly from the boss's perspective, in the following passage: At that moment the... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is known as being one of the most controversial children's books ever written, telling the story of a group of school children who become stranded on an island and quickly descend... -
Answered a Question in The Fly
"The Fly" is a short story written by Katherine Mansfield about a man grieving for his son who died in combat during World War I. As a business owner, the old man took great pride in the fact that... -
Answered a Question in Goblin Market
In many of her poems, Rossetti explores the significance of individual agency and decision making. She shows that poor decision-making and a lack of self-mastery can lead to dire consequences. For... -
Answered a Question in The Book Thief
In The Book Thief, color is linked to the complex and ambiguous nature of human morality. Colors are associated with beauty, goodness, and positivity in the book, but are also associated with... -
Answered a Question in The Odyssey
In Greek mythology, thunderbolts are associated with Zeus, the god of thunder, lightning, and the sky. Zeus is the ruler of all the gods, which gives him immense power and authority. In many Greek... -
Answered a Question in The Great Gatsby
Gatsby is caught up in the idea of the "American Dream." This is the concept that anyone, no matter how poor, has the opportunity to achieve prosperity and success if they work hard enough. Born to... -
Answered a Question in One of Us Is Lying
In One of Us Is Lying, McManus analyses the impact of social marginalization and how it can affect a person's choices and behavior. The theme of social marginalization is explored primarily through... -
Answered a Question in One of Us Is Lying
Social media has now become a very public way to leak information and expose secrets. Often, we see that people's private lives are exposed via social media, to the detriment of their public image... -
Answered a Question in Kālidāsa
Madhavya is the court jester of King Dushyanta. He is a comical character who uses his sharp wit to provide lighthearted comic relief from an otherwise serious plot. For example, Madhavya's... -
Answered a Question in The Little Prince
One of the notable characteristics of The Little Prince is that it invites many different meanings and interpretations. One interpretation is that The Little Prince is an allegory about growing up... -
Answered a Question in A Christmas Carol
Through writing A Christmas Carol, Dickens hoped to make his readers more socially aware of the issues that the working class faced in Victorian society. One of these issues was a lack of access to... -
Answered a Question in The Metamorphosis
The financial situation of Gregor's family is a significant aspect of this text, underlying the themes and plot of the story. Until his transformation, Gregor was the sole earner in his household... -
Answered a Question in The Metamorphosis
Gregor understandably doesn’t react well to his transformation at first. His new body is entirely different and therefore takes some getting used to. It is interesting that Gregor does not directly... -
Answered a Question in Dennis Lehane
The theme of appearance versus reality is present throughout Shutter Island. The novel follows Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall who tries to find a missing patient, Rachel Solando. As the novel... -
Answered a Question in The Things They Carried
Shame is a recurring theme in The Things They Carried and is experienced by many of the characters. Shame is often associated with the concept of masculinity, as the men struggle with expectations... -
Answered a Question in Ariel
Ariel is the title poem of Sylvia Plath’s second poetry collection, published in 1965. This poem details Plath’s memory of riding her horse Ariel, mimicking the experience of riding a horse using...