loreen sumner
eNotes Educator
Achievements
14
Educator Level
1308
Answers Posted
230
Answers Bonused
About
I have been teaching English at the high school level for twenty-four years. I am a National Board Certified teacher. Recently, I added on ESL certification. Presently, I am teaching high school ESL which is English as a second language. I love my job and my students. It is so rewarding to be a part of their success as they progress in the English classroom by becoming fluent in English.
Earned Badges
-
eNotes Educator
This badge is awarded to all eNotes Educators. Only official Educators can answer students' questions on our site. Educators are teachers, professional researchers, and scholars who apply to our... -
Hall of Fame
Educators can earn this badge by contributing over 1,000 answers on eNotes. -
10K Points Earner
Educators earn points for every question they answer. This Educator has earned over 10,000 points. -
25K Points Earner
Educators earn points for every question they answer. This Educator has earned over 25,000 points. -
Expert
An expert badge distinguishes Educators who demonstrate strong knowledge in a particular topic, such as Hamlet or Math. It is awarded when an Educator has posted more than 25 answers on a given topic. -
Scholar
The scholar badge recognizes Educators who are especially knowledgeable about a particular author. This badge is awarded once an Educator has posted more than 50 answers on works by a specific author. -
Literature Whiz
Bonuses are awarded when an Educator has gone above and beyond and impressed the editorial team by offering an especially lengthy, nuanced, or insightful answer. This badge is given to an Educator...
Recent Activity
-
Answered a Question in Animal Farm
Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer are the three pigs who organize the thoughts proclaimed by Old Major into the principles of Animalism. Soon after the revolt, Napoleon takes the nine puppies... -
Answered a Question in An Astrologer's Day
In "An Astrologer's Day," the main character is the astrologer. He is an ordinary man who practices to be a genuine astrologer. At midday, he begins his job by seeking out people who need to know... -
Answered a Question in Othello
When Desdemona's father is coming to attack Othello for stealing or marrying his daughter, Othello seems very calm and confidant. In Act I, Scene II, Othello shares with Iago that he is not worried... -
Answered a Question in Macbeth
Macbeth was an honorable warrior, content to be fighting to protect King Duncan and Scotland. After he meets with the witches, he is changed. He begins to dwell on murderous thoughts in order to... -
Answered a Question in The Crucible
I would begin with a topic sentence involving your topic: Conflict in life is inevitable. It is impossible to avoid conflict. Conflict changes a person. This change often is for the better.... -
Answered a Question in Everyday Use
In "Everyday Use," it is important that Mama is the narrator: Mrs. Johnson is the narrator of this story, overseeing its events and interpreting, more through her actions than her words, their... -
Answered a Question in Oedipus Rex
In Oedipus Rex, the character of Jocasta is complicated. She is both the mother and wife to Oedipus. She is also the mother of his children. This is a very confusing role. Jocasta tries to keep... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
In "The Road Not Taken," Frost could have been writing of life experiences. The poem is in first person which could indicate the speaker is Frost himself: Frost wrote the poem in the first person,... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
In "The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost, the speaker has a decision to make. He comes to a fork in the road. "Two roads diverged" and the speaker is trying to decide which road to take. One road... -
Answered a Question in Dusk
In "Dusk," Gortsby feels that the time of day known as dusk is the hour of defeated people. People who live defeated lives come out at dusk. It is a time of day when they will not be recognized... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
When Piggy refers to his Auntie, he gets emotional. He has been spoiled by his Auntie. She has raised him to be sickly. If Piggy were to write to his Auntie, he would begin by telling her dangerous... -
Answered a Question in The Necklace
In "The Necklace," Madame Loisel "suffers incessantly." She feels she was born for the finer things in life. She complains about her "shabby walls." She complains about the worn furniture. She is... -
Answered a Question in Dusk
In the story "Dusk," the young man is plain lucky. When he cannot produce a bar of soap, Gortsby does not believe his story. The young man tells a story of forgetting where his hotel is. He claims... -
Answered a Question in A Worn Path
In "A Worn Path," Phoenix is an elderly woman who walks into town to get some medicine for her grandson. Her grandson had swallowed lye so he needs medicine periodically. Although the journey is a... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
In Of Mice and Men, Lennie is affected by George's dream. When life gets frustrating, Lennie desires to hear George retell his dream. George has a dream of owning his own farm and farm house. When... -
Answered a Question in The Necklace
In "The Necklace," Mathilde Loisel learns a lesson on success the hard way. She begins the story with a negative attitude. She feels she was born for the finer things in life. She desires luxuries... -
Answered a Question in The Gift of the Magi
In "The Gift of the Magi," the author points out that material possessions are not important compared to true love. Both Della and Jim sacrifice their most valued possession to buy a gift for one... -
Answered a Question in Julius Caesar
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, both Calpurnia and Portia are loving wives. Both adore their husbands. Both women beg their husbands on bended knee to honor their wishes. Calpurnia begs Caesar to... -
Answered a Question in The Odyssey
The Greek Hero has the following characteristics. The Greek hero is of royal birth or half mortal and half god. Odysseus fits this characteristic. He is the King of Ithaca. He bravely fights in the... -
Answered a Question in If—
The poem "If" is a didactic poem. It teaches a lesson about life. The speaker in the poem is instructing his son on what to do and not do to obtain or inherit the earth while he becomes a... -
Answered a Question in Julius Caesar
In his funeral speech, Antony uses repetition of important points. Also, Antony highlights Caesar's praiseworthy attributes to stir the people against the conspirators: He hath brought many... -
Answered a Question in Julius Caesar
Decius is a brilliant man. He recognizes that flattery causes a man like Caesar to act. Decius sets a trap by using flattery. When Caesar explains to Decius that he will not go to the Senate... -
Answered a Question in I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—
In this poem, the speaker's tone is calm, even flat. There is a calmness to the speaker's tone that causes the reader to realize death is a natural part of life. The speaker is as a ghost or... -
Answered a Question in A Raisin in the Sun
In A Raisin in the Sun, Ruth Younger is an important character. She is the mother of Walter's son. Travis will carry on the family name. Also, Ruth is expecting Walter's next child. Life goes on... -
Answered a Question in The Gift of the Magi
In "The Gift of the Magi," Jim and Della are representative of the Magi. The Magi are the three kings that visited the Christ child and gave the ultimate gifts as far as giving is concerned. ... -
Answered a Question in To Kill a Mockingbird
In the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout think of their father as boring and dull. They also feel he is old: "When Jem and I asked him why he as so old, he said he got started... -
Answered a Question in The Odyssey
In The Odyssey, Odysseus learns to get rid of his pride. In spite of his intellect, Odysseus cannot get home. Near the end of his journey, his raft breaks a part and he cries out to the gods. He... -
Answered a Question in Macbeth
Thesis 1: Although the thought of murdering King Duncan crossed Macbeth's mind, Lady Macbeth's persuasion skills are ultimately responsible for Macbeth's decision to follow through with the... -
Answered a Question in How Much Land Does a Man Need?
In this story, Pahom becomes greedy and cannot obtain enough land to satisfy himself. He buys more and more land. Still, he cannot be satisfied. He hears of great land in the land of the Bashkirs.... -
Answered a Question in The Crucible
In The Crucible, Governor Danforth is filled with pride. He cannot admit he has been wrong about the hangings of innocent people. Danforth will not reverse his decision about hanging people who... -
Answered a Question in An Astrologer's Day
An alternate ending in the story "An Astrologer's Day" could involve Guru Nayak recognizing the astrologer. When he lights his cheroot, he could recognize the astrologer. Then the two of them could... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
In "The Road Not Taken," the reader learns an important lesson about life's choices. Life's choices are difficult. It is not easy to make a choice about which road to take in life. The speaker is... -
Answered a Question in Dusk
In the short story "Dusk," the bar of soap belongs to the old man who sat down next to Gortsby first. The old man sat down on the park bench next to Gortsby. His bar of soap must have fallen... -
Answered a Question in Julius Caesar
Caesar reminds Antony to touch Calpurnia as he runs today. It was a superstition that if the runner touched the woman who is trying to get pregnant, that she will become pregnant and the sterile... -
Answered a Question in Othello
Othello is the victim of his own demise. He believed Iago over his own wife. Othello fell victim to Iago's twisted, evil plan. Othello wanted to believe his wife, but Cassio had the handkerchief.... -
Answered a Question in Sweeney Among the Nightingales
Sweeny is a representation of a Greek Hero named Agamemnon. Agamemnon fought in the Trojan-Greek War. After the walls of Troy fell, Agamemnon left Troy and went home to Greece. He brought along a... -
Answered a Question in An Astrologer's Day
In "An Astrologer's Day," there is an alternative ending that would make the story unique. Instead of Guru Nayak being satisfied of his attacker's death, he could recognize the astrologer. Then the... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
In "The Road Not Taken," Frost's philosophy is that the road he took has made all the difference. He did not take the other road. And while he may be telling his story with a sigh at not having... -
Answered a Question in Things Fall Apart
In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's youngest wife Ojiugo decides to have her hair braided during the Week of Peace. She decides to have her hair braided instead of cooking dinner. Okonkwo is furious... -
Answered a Question in Dusk
In the story "Dusk" there is irony. It is ironic that the main character, who believes himself to be a good judge of character, gets deceived by the young man who shared the park bench with him.... -
Answered a Question in Othello
In Othello, the handkerchief is an important part of the story. Othello demands that Iago give him "ocular proof" of Desdemona's unfaithfulness. The cherished handkerchief becomes the proof... -
Answered a Question in A Doll's House
Mrs. Linde had a sickly mother. She was in love with Krogstad years ago. She could not marry him because he was not financially stable. Instead, Mrs. Linde chose to marry a man who had money, even... -
Answered a Question in The Road Not Taken
In "The Road Not Taken," the speaker sighs in the last stanza: I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled... -
Answered a Question in Othello
In Othello, Act 3, Scene 3, Cassio visits Desdemona to beg for her assistance in getting his position back. While he is leaving Desdemona, Othello sees Cassio and questions whether or not that it... -
Answered a Question in An Astrologer's Day
In the story "An Astrologer's Day," the main character is a man who works as an astrologer. He claims to be authentic. He has all the equipment that an astrologer would use. He begins his work at... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
Lennie and George had trouble in the town of Weed. Lennie likes soft fur and soft materials. He likes to touch soft furs and soft materials. In the town of Weed, Lennie was touching a girl's soft... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
In Lord of the Flies, in chapter eight, the killing of the sow is more a torturing of the sow. Roger is particularly cruel. He twists his spear in the anus of the sow until the sow screams in... -
Answered a Question in Things Fall Apart
Okonkwo was ashamed of his father. He was determined to be nothing like his father. His father was called agabala--the term that translated into woman. He was considered womanish or effeminate... -
Answered a Question in To Autumn
In the poem "To Autumn," the season of autumn is personified in various ways. First, the autumn is personified as a close friend of the sun. In fact, the autumn and the sun are "close bosom"... -
Answered a Question in Things Fall Apart
Okonkwo always feared being like his lazy father. His father didn't work, and he owed money to everyone. Each day he sat around drinking palm wine and playing his flute. Okonkwo grew up with a fear...
Showing 151-200 of 573