Most Popular
1500 questions
26
votes
2 answers
Bilbo’s song of Eärendil in “The Fellowship of the Ring”
In The Fellowship of the Ring, the character Bilbo Baggins recites a poem beginning with these lines:
Eärendil was a mariner
that tarried in Arvernien;
he built a boat of timber felled
in Nimbrethil to journey in;
her sails he wove of silver…
Gareth Rees
- 55,828
- 5
- 142
- 288
26
votes
3 answers
Origin of the phrase "Open Sesame"
The phrase, "Open Sesame", is a curious one indeed. Until a few days ago I foolishly believed that it was derived from a slurring of the words "Open, says me".
But after coming to the story of Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves in my copy of The…
Parzival
- 379
- 1
- 3
- 6
26
votes
5 answers
What's the significance of "Oranges and Lemons" in 1984?
The popular London nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons is quoted and partially recited several times throughout 1984. Winston learns about it from Mr Charrington in Part 1, Chapter 8, then talks about it with Julia in Part 2, Chapter 4 and with O'Brien…
Rand al'Thor
- 72,435
- 26
- 236
- 488
25
votes
3 answers
Do we know what prompted Orwell to write 1984?
I just read through Orwell's short essay, What is Fascism? In it, Orwell defines fascism (or doesn't) with two sentences:
Why, then, cannot we have a clear and generally accepted definition of it? Alas! we shall not get one — not yet, anyway. To…
user80
25
votes
3 answers
Why are Orcs associated with the colors red, yellow, and black in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?
In Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series, Sauron, and characters allied with Sauron, are frequently associated with the colors red, yellow, and black. For example, here is a description of the Haradim -- a group of men allied with Sauron -- from…
user111
25
votes
3 answers
What is a Byronic Hero?
I just saw this post: Was Heathcliff intentionally made a Byronic Hero?
Not being familiar with literary terminology, I have no idea what a Byronic Hero is. I had read Wuthering Heights long ago (it was, IIRC, the second English book I ever read),…
muru
- 6,910
- 1
- 31
- 65
25
votes
2 answers
Meaning of "the field was found to be plowed as thoroughly as any young man at Oxford" in 'The Book of Dragons'
E. Nesbit, in The Book of Dragons, toward the end of the chapter titled 'The Island of the Nine Whirlpools', wrote:
The nine rubies were used afterwards in agriculture. You had only to
throw them out into a field if you wanted it plowed. Then the…
Winky
- 355
- 2
- 8
25
votes
1 answer
Which Tintin books were redrawn by Hergé?
The first nine albums were originally published in black and white, with colored editions to appear later:
Tintin in the Land of the Soviets (never redrawn in colour )
Tintin in the Congo
Tintin in America
Cigars of the Pharaoh
The Blue Lotus
The…
user598527
- 1,099
- 1
- 8
- 11
25
votes
1 answer
What is the significance of Alec Bings's name in The Phantom Tollbooth?
In The Phantom Tollbooth, basically every name has a significance/pun. For example, Dr. Dischord - his name is 'Discord' with 'chord' - implying bad sounds. Or the DYNNE, or 'din'. And Chroma, with his colors. I even managed to figure out something…
Mithical
- 24,015
- 16
- 94
- 184
25
votes
2 answers
Explain the 28 Feb 2022 Dilbert cartoon use of the phrase "sticking the landing"
Can someone explain today's Dilbert cartoon, in particular explain what "sticking the landing" means?
sno
- 361
- 3
- 7
25
votes
3 answers
Why were these animals used to represent the different countries in Maus?
In Art Spiegelman's Maus, he represents different people from different countries as different animals. For instance, he represents the Jews as mice, the Germans as cats, the Polish as pigs, the Americans as dogs, and the French people as frogs. How…
Mithical
- 24,015
- 16
- 94
- 184
25
votes
4 answers
What is a Daniel?
In Chapter Three of The Scarlet Letter we find the following as a response to a question of who the father of Hester’s child is:
Of a truth, friend, that matter remaineth a riddle; and the Daniel who shall expound it is yet a-wanting.
As far as I…
Alex
- 3,409
- 1
- 15
- 35
25
votes
1 answer
What specific criticisms did Mark Twain make against Jane Austen's books?
It's pretty well known that Mark Twain was rather vitriolic against Jane Austen, saying things like:
I go so far as to say that any library is a good library that does not contain a volume by Jane Austen. Even if it contains no other book.
Every…
Nathaniel is protesting
- 2,072
- 1
- 16
- 29
25
votes
1 answer
What were the parts of each of the six Seuss books that ceased publication in March 2021 that were problematic?
Many articles around the internet explain the general reason why six books were removed from publication in March 2021 and some even detail specific examples from 1-2 of the books (for example, The Guardian describes some elements from And to Think…
Catija
- 895
- 1
- 10
- 18
25
votes
1 answer
Is the mariner immortal?
I pass, like night, from land to land;
I have strange power of speech;
That moment that his face I see,
I know the man that must hear me:
To him my tale I teach.
This is one of the last stanzas from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It…
user72