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Why is It afraid of birds?

In IT (1986), Stan Uris is attacked near Derry light house by Pennywise. He is able to survive this attack by just speaking the names of several birds and It is just taken aback. For some reason ...
KDeogharkar's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

How does Bacchus fit into the Christian allegory of Narnia?

The setting and story of The Chronicles of Narnia are strongly linked to Christianity: Aslan, who sacrifices himself for a traitor in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before returning to life, ...
Rand al'Thor's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
194 views

Was Esther Summerson pleasantly surprised or otherwise at being presented the housekeeping keys of Bleak House?

In Chapter VI of Bleak House, Esther Summerson, Ada Clare and Richard Carstone are just arrived at Bleak House and introduced to John Jarndyce. A conversation touching on the Jellybys, the east wind, ...
Soyuz42's user avatar
  • 570
6 votes
1 answer
125 views

What are the "eighteen methods of arranging Minerva's tresses"?

In Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, Jean Passepartout, Phileas Fogg's new servant, is introduced. We're given a description, which includes a descrption of his hair: As for Jean, also known ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 27.2k
6 votes
2 answers
631 views

JKR says that Hermione shouldn't have married Ron. Is this correct?

In an interview, JKR says that Hermione would not have married Ron: She told the magazine: "I wrote the Hermione-Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfilment. That's how it was conceived, really....
Interesting Question's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

What happened to Marley in A Christmas Carol?

Whatever happened to Scrooge’s partner after he gave his warning about the three ghosts? I know it’s way before Christmas, but I just have to know! It just seems strange to me that he’s never ...
Abraham Ray's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
540 views

Is Harry Hotspur portrayed as a villain in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I?

Having studied Shakespeare's play Henry IV, Part I and seen a performance of it in Stratford, I'm still uncertain of how we're meant to view the character of Henry Percy (Harry Hotspur). Clearly he's ...
Rand al'Thor's user avatar
  • 77.1k
6 votes
0 answers
229 views

In The Master and Margarita, who is Koroviev and what is the nature of his sin?

This question involves minor spoilers for The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. Koroviev is one of Woland's entourage, and ostensibly serves as his translator. However, unlike the other characters ...
Matt Thrower's user avatar
  • 23.6k
6 votes
0 answers
100 views

Does Faustus start with heroic dignity?

Does Faustus start out with heroic dignity in Christopher Marlowe’s play Doctor Faustus? Does he lose this dignity with his tragic error of making a terrible deal with the Devil? I came across an exam ...
user392289's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
330 views

Are the homoerotic hints in "La Reine Margot" intentional?

La Reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas can be read as the story of two guys, and their two girlfriends: the alpha couple is Marguerite de Valois (Margot), who's having a passionate affair with the ...
Galastel supports GoFundMonica's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
102 views

Is there anything positive about Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire?

Is there anything positive about the character of Stanley in the play A Streetcar Named Desire? I vaguely remembered that he supported Blanche to meet with that man... Is there anything more about ...
Guy who failed everything's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
314 views

What should we make of the newspaper vendor in Atlas Shrugged?

Related: How should we view Dan Conway? First, a quote from the opening scene of the book: "Who is John Galt?" The light was ebbing, and Eddie Willers could not distinguish the bum's face. The ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
99 views

Is "The American Claimant" a veiled take on "The Indian Question"?

Mark Twain's 1892 novel The American Claimant was written very soon after the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890), which was basically revenge for the 1876 Battle of Greasy Grass ("Little Big Horn"). This ...
B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
327 views

In "Love," who is Junior's "Good Man," and what does that imply about her?

Late in Toni Morrison's Love, Junior starts referring to her "Good Man": And her Good Man agreed. As she knew from the beginning, he liked to see her win. They recognized each other the ...
Standback's user avatar
  • 3,208
6 votes
0 answers
2k views

Is Troy the antagonist in "Fences"?

Is Troy the antagonist of the play Fences? The antagonist is, by definition, the opposer to the protagonist, who is also Troy. However, Troy often acts against his own beliefs (e.g., sending Gabe to ...
Matrim Cauthon's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
536 views

How should we view Dan Conway?

Dan Conway, head of the Phoenix-Durango in Atlas Shrugged, was evidently a superb executive. He also receives (largely) positive treatment in the novel. However, the book also says that he initially ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Was Macbeth considering murdering Duncan before Lady Macbeth encouraged him to?

In Macbeth, after announcing that he will go be a harbinger for Duncan and make things ready for him at Inverness, Macbeth says this aside to himself: Macbeth [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 27.2k
5 votes
2 answers
3k views

Satan's motivation in Paradise Lost

In Paradise Lost, Milton gave an explicit motivation for Satan's rebellion against God. All the angels were called the sons of God and thought of themselves as such, but then God called all the angels ...
Tom Huntington's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why did Gatsby say "This is a terrible mistake" in "The Great Gatsby"?

In chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby, when Gatsby reunited with Daisy, he (Gatsby) followed Nick into the kitchen: “Where are you going?” demanded Gatsby in immediate alarm. “I’ll be back.” “I’ve got to ...
YuerWu's user avatar
  • 173
5 votes
1 answer
93 views

The Netherlands vs Belgium in Elsschot's Cheese

Frans Laarmans, the protagonist of Willem Elsschot's Cheese, pursues and obtains a job as the Belgian sales representative for a large Dutch cheese manufacturing enterprise. Cultural and other ...
verbose's user avatar
  • 31.8k
5 votes
1 answer
177 views

How could the old woman's lover become rich, if it goes against the play's comic project?

I just finished reading Pluto by Aristophanes. The comic project of the play is to obtain a more fair distribution of richness which is at the beginning given only to dishonest people (or to people ...
mattiav27's user avatar
  • 337
5 votes
1 answer
293 views

How much of the Looters' philosophy did Fred Kinnan actually accept?

Related: What was Fred Kinnan gaining from his racket? In their discussion of Directive 10-289, Fred Kinnan said the following: "Well, if you want to talk practice," said Fred Kinnan, "then let me ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
556 views

How tall was Dr. John Watson?

How tall was Dr. John Watson, from the Sherlock Holmes stories by Doyle? I have for some reason always imagined him as very tall and strong, but in a discussion today learned that I seem to be the ...
Joel's user avatar
  • 51
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why did Halle have butter all over his face?

In Toni Morrison's novel Beloved, Sethe's husband Halle never came back to Baby Suggs' house after planning to run away from Sweet Home. After Paul D arrives, he later blurts out to Sethe of what he ...
Amarylis Vaselaar's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
967 views

Why is the not-so-wicked Which called Faintly Macabre?

In Norton Juster's witty wacky fantasy The Phantom Tollbooth, during their stay in the Dictionopolis dungeon Milo and Tock meet a witch Which. She used to be in charge of selecting which words to use, ...
Rand al'Thor's user avatar
  • 77.1k
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

In the Great Gatsby does Gatsby want Daisy because he is obsessed with wealth/prestige or does he want wealth because he is obsessed with Daisy?

At some points throughout the novel Daisy is objectified or otherwise synonymized with money (such as when her voice was described to be full of money). This, coupled with Gatsby's clear ambition from ...
iceninja21's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
408 views

What exactly drove Humbert’s preference for preteens?

In the first four chapters, our narrator Humbert, after explaining his backstory, relates an experience in which he met, in his youth, a girl he was friends with. He even had a kind of relationship, ...
Sudeep Stauble's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
181 views

What did Vin mean by leaving Mare's flower picture for Sazed?

Mistborn series book 3, The Hero of Ages, end of chapter 10, as Vin leaves Sazed: She left him alone in the tent. A few moments later, he returned to his shaving, and found something sitting beside ...
bobble's user avatar
  • 10k
5 votes
1 answer
271 views

Is Raymond having an affair with Masson's wife?

When Raymond, Meursault, and Marie went to visit Raymond's friend, Masson, they decide to go to swim after a brief time but Masson's wife and Raymond refuse the idea and rather stay at the bungalow. ...
SNR's user avatar
  • 207
5 votes
1 answer
217 views

Why is Jacques Kohn wearing a "father-murderer" collar?

In the description of Jacques Kohn in the beginning of Isaac Bashevis Singer's "A Friend of Kafka", he's described as wearing this: Although he still dressed in the style of a dandy, his ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 27.2k
5 votes
1 answer
85 views

Why did Eddie refer to himself as a "feudal serf"?

In the beginning of the book, when Eddie Willars confronted Jim Taggart about the poor condition of the Rio Norte Line, they had the following exchange: "Jim, what are you saying? Does it matter ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
4k views

Tom and Nick's meeting in the Great Gatsby

At the end of Gatsby when Tom and Nick meet, after their conversation Nick states that Tom: "went into the jewelry store to buy a pearl necklace — or perhaps only a pair of cuff buttons — rid of ...
John D's user avatar
  • 203
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is there a contrast between Trofimov and Lopakhin in Anton Chekhov's 'The Cherry Orchard"?

I am an intern who is teaching in high school in India. In the syllabus, I got across Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" in Hindi. After discussing the book with the students, I found out that there ...
Jemin's user avatar
  • 59
5 votes
0 answers
66 views

Interpretation of the character Gabe in Fences?

From the Wikipedia page on August Wilson's Fences (whose text is available to read on the Internet Archive): The brother Gabriel is potentially an allegory to salvation. Other than being actually ...
Rand al'Thor's user avatar
  • 77.1k
5 votes
1 answer
147 views

Why does Georgia connect so well with the clown's song?

In Alice Oseman's Loveless, after several failed scenes where Georgia has difficulty acting romantic roles, Pip gets her to try being the clown in Twelfth Night. This goes swimmingly: "Come away,...
bobble's user avatar
  • 10k
5 votes
0 answers
362 views

What does the Whether Man teach Milo in "The Phantom Tollbooth"?

Everything in the Lands Beyond teaches Milo something, so his first encounter, the Whether Man, what does he teach Milo? Milo confuses the 'Whether' man with the 'Weather' man, when he introduces ...
chameleon's user avatar
  • 442
5 votes
0 answers
72 views

Who is the mysterious stranger at the end of Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying"?

Faulkner's As I Lay Dying is, on the whole, a realistic novel which seeks to portray the misery of poverty in the deep south. However, the ending very much took me by surprise. Anse, the father of ...
Matt Thrower's user avatar
  • 23.6k
5 votes
0 answers
141 views

Is there any evidence Mat Cauthon was inspired by Matthias Corvinus?

Matthias Corvinus, also known as the Raven King, was King of Hungary and Croatia for a while in the 1400s. He was a noted general, and extensively made use of Hussite mercenaries in his battles. He ...
user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
2k views

Frankenstein's Repulsion towards his Monster

Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein is horrified at the fact that he created his monster. However, he does not discuss any emotional or moral reservations towards the act of creating the monster ...
mfarrington's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
88 views

What does the teacher's clothing choice say about him?

In chapter 2 of I Am a Cat we see this chunk of text: He continues to wear his black cotton crested surcoat and, thereunder, a quilted kimono of hand-woven silk which, supposedly a keep-sake of his ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 27.2k
5 votes
0 answers
271 views

Why were Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn so determined to undermine each other?

In Catch-22, both Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn seem bound and determined to undermine each other. I know both of them are desperately trying to get promoted (to the point of doing absolutely ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why did Dunbar consider a life of intentional boredom worth living?

In Catch-22, Dunbar would routinely cultivate boredom in an effort to extend his life. Why did he consider that worthwhile? Why did he want a long but boring life?
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Benvolio and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet

What do the characters of Benvolio and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet symbolize, if anything? Mercutio's character mainly provides jokes, and then, in his hot-headedness, is slain by Tybalt. Benvolio ...
auden's user avatar
  • 4,880
4 votes
3 answers
685 views

In the Brothers Karamazov, did Dostoyevsky take those characters out of real life?

In the novel The Brothers Karamazov, did the writer take those characters out of real life? Or did he just build the characters with time?
Ronit sharma's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
856 views

What is the exact social status of Alexei Vronsky?

Alexei Vronsky is first mentioned by Stepan Oblonsky, in Part One chapter XI. This is how he is presented there by Stiva (Pevear translation): Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovich ...
Goh's user avatar
  • 367
4 votes
1 answer
92 views

Is the character named Laarmans supposed to be the same person across Elsschot's œuvre?

The protagonist and first-person narrator of Elsschot's delicious Cheese (1933) is a hapless clerk named Frans Laarmans who finds himself unexpectedly tasked with selling twenty tons of imported full-...
verbose's user avatar
  • 31.8k
4 votes
1 answer
104 views

Why did the Superintendent compare Smiley to an abbey?

From John Le Carré's Smiley's People: An abbey, the Superintendent decided. That’s what he was, an abbey. He would work that into his sermon the next time his turn came around. An abbey, made up of ...
Silent Sojourner's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
273 views

Greek Alexander Romance - Plot device or other function of Alexander's surreptitious stealing of Persian drinking cups?

In one of the more common form factors of the Greek Alexander Romance (by Pseudo-Callisthenes), we have this passage, located in Book II, 15: As they began to drink more deeply, Alexander had an idea:...
Arash Howaida's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
517 views

Why did Ellsworth Toohey advise people against doing what they really wanted when he was a career advisor?

Prior to his job on The Banner, Ellsworth Toohey spent awhile as a career advisor at a college. One of his distinctive traits as a career advisor was that he usually advised people against doing what ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
146 views

Why did all of the Taggart Transcontinental engineers volunteer to drive the first train on the John Galt Line?

Early on in the book, the engineer running the Comet stopped for hours at a broken signal and just sat there passively waiting for someone to tell him what to do. However, later we see that almost ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar