Tutor profile: Bridget R.

How can I avoid repeating myself in an essay about a single subject?

Although looking up synonyms on Dictionary.com might be a tempting way to avoid stating the same word(s) over and over again, this can sometimes lead to clunky syntax that disrupts the flow of a paper. If for example your paper is about "voting rights," try rewriting sentences in a different tense (active vs. passive: "the right to vote") or using a closely related term ("suffrage") every so often so make sure your essay isn't too repetitive.

Why is Shakespeare still taught at the high school and college levels around the world, despite being hundreds of years old?

Although Shakespeare's sonnets and plays are several centuries old, many contain themes on gender roles and social power that are still relevant today. More importantly, studying these works shows the immense power of storytelling, especially when they are recontextualized in adaptations that experiment with racial, sexual, and gender identity: though some themes remain constant, new understandings of old works can emerge when told from a diverse or previously silenced perspective.

What is the purpose of bird imagery used throughout Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre?

From her childhood history book, to Rochester comparing her to a caged creature, to even the pronunciation of the name "Eyre" that suggests a bird taking to the sky, there are frequent references to birds throughout the book. These comparisons and mentions serve not only to reaffirm Jane's various "flights" from Gateshead, Lowood, and Thornfield, but also her eventual self-empowerment by freeing herself from the "cage" of her social status.