Tutor profile: Maria K.

What's the formula for writing a good essay introduction?

1. Grab the reader's attention with an insightful first line that demonstrates your unique perspective on the topic 2. Provide some brief, essential contextual information 3. Clearly state a well-formulated claim or argument 4. Provide a brief "roadmap" to the rest of the essay

Analyze the first stanza of W.H. Auden's poem "Lullaby": Lay your sleeping head, my love, Human on my faithless arm; Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral: But in my arms till break of day Let the living creature lie, Mortal, guilty, but to me The entirely beautiful.

In this stanza, the speaker appears to be addressing a lover who is sleeping on his arm. The word "faithless" creates an immediate sense of tension, suggesting that the speak either lacks spiritual faith or is participating in an adulterous affair. Subsequent lines refer to the "ephemeral" or fleeting nature of time-- and indeed, it seems that the two lovers have limited time with each other-- alluding to the universality of death through the word "grave". Once again, the poet points out the imperfect nature of the situation, as his lover is also "guilty" of something. However, he wishes to preserve and cherish this moment, almost as if attempting to stop time for a few hours while the "living creature" lies in his arms.

What's the difference between impressionism and expressionism?

We can derive the basic meaning of these two terms by looking closely at their names. Impressionism has a lot to do with external visual impressions; whereas expressionism pertains to the expression of internal feelings. The two art movements are similar in that they gave artists permission to move away from highly realistic renderings of their subjects. However, impressionism, as previously mentioned, has more to do with visual "impressions" and subjectivity. Impressionist artists, such as Monet, would often use unconventional brushstrokes or intensified color to demonstrate how the particular object looks through *their* eyes. Expressionism, on the other hand, allowed artists even more liberty, as it was all about pouring internal emotion out onto the canvas-- often in an unmediated way. Consider, for example, the abstract-expressionist paintings of Jackson Pollock. In contrast to impressionism, expressionism is all about *inner* feeling.