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Why does Marley in A Christmas Carol claim that Scrooge will be visited across three nights?
In Dickens' famous tale A Christmas Carol, the ghost of Jacob Marley clearly states to Scrooge that he is to be visited on three consecutive nights:
“Expect the first to-morrow, when the bell tolls One.”
“Couldn’t I take ’em all at once, and have…
Matt Thrower
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Why is Gatsby great?
Jay Gatsby in Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is no doubt smart, talented, and brave. But he only pursues his own egoistic desires, is quite delusional in his love affairs, does not hesitate to destroy a family, does not create anything, and…
Uk rain troll
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Why does Pinocchio's nose grow?
In chapter 3 of The Adventures of Pinocchio, Geppetto shapes the piece of wood Mastro Cherry had given him into a marionette. When he creates the nose, it starts growing uncontrollably:
After the eyes, Geppetto made the nose, which began to…
user8
20
votes
5 answers
Meaning of 'Yawl write, hear?'
I am currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In chapter 6 there is a sentence by Dill. Before leaving, he says
'Yawl write, hear?
What does this sentence mean? Does it mean that they should write letters to each other?
you all…
Akash Jain
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What justifies the anti-Tess interpretation of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles"?
Upon its publication, Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles inspired much debate as to whether Tess should be perceived as an innocent young woman thrust too early into the cruel world of men or as a shameless, immoral woman who deserved…
Rand al'Thor
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Is there strong evidence that "room 5" in V for Vendetta was a conscious reference to Room 101?
In 1984, Room 101 is where people are taken to meet their worst fears.
In V for Vendetta, room 5 is the room that V is kept in at Larkhill. Since it is labeled with the Roman numeral "V", it is suggested in the book that this is where he took his…
TheTermiteSociety
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Was Paradise Lost the first major work of literature to give "sympathy for the devil"?
John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost was first published in England in 1667. While this is long after the Protestant Reformation where alternative ideas about Christianity became slightly more accepted (and perhaps a little less deadly), a story…
user403
20
votes
4 answers
Are there recorded instances of asexuality in the body of ancient Greek writings?
I've been reading through a fraction of Ancient Greek literature, lately, and an odd thought occurred to me. In nearly every work of Greek literature that is tangentially related to sexuality (which, we've got to admit, is quite nearly most of the…
user80
20
votes
1 answer
What is the symbolism of the final rise of the Kraken?
I've been studying a lot of Tennyson, and I recently read The Kraken. The first 12 lines seem relatively straightforward, describing the giant beast that sleeps at the bottom of the sea, but the final three lines are peculiar:
Until the latter fire…
HDE 226868
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To what extent did Agatha Christie base Captain Hastings on Dr. Watson?
I've noticed that there are quite a few parallels between Agatha Christie's Captain Arthur Hastings and Arthur Conan Doyle's Dr. John Watson:
Both served in the British military (Hasting in World War I, Watson in the Second Anglo-Afghan War).
Both…
HDE 226868
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How wide was the exploration of Japan's culture in American literature before 1905?
Prior to Russo-Japanese war and Teddy Roosevelt's efforts to end it, I don't recall USA being overly involved with Japan.
As such, was that reflective in American literature?
How wide/common was the exploration of Japan's culture in American…
DVK
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Meaning of "The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed" in "Ozymandias"
From "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley:
Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet…
Soha Farhin Pine
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1 answer
What is the difference between a Novelette, Novella and Novel?
What are the main differences between a novelette, a novella, and a novel? As they sound fairly similar.
kenorb
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Why did Douglas Adams call Paul Neil Milne Johnstone the worst poet?
Douglas Adams evidently named Paul Neil Milne Johnstone the worst poet in the universe in the original Hitchiker's Guide radio broadcast. Why him? Evidently they went to school together, but I still don't understand exactly what motivated Douglas…
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine
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How much weight is given to authors' intentions in literary analysis?
When people analyze literature, one of the first things people seem to do is look for interviews or quotes from the author where the author describes the meaning they intended their text to have.
My question is: when academics and professors of…
user111