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What evidence is there for Tolkien's One Ring being based on the Ring of Silvianus?
I recently heard a theory that parts of Tolkien's legendarium and the Lord of the Rings story may have been inspired by the real-life Ring of Silvianus:
As Wheeler consulted with J. R. R. Tolkien on the name of the god invoked in the curse, the…
Rand al'Thor
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Identify mystery novel: Past crime uncovered in English village, gossip leading to death(s)
I'm trying to remember a book I read sometime within the last ten years, but although I'm able to recall a fair bit of the story I have no idea of the title or author. I believe it's a "modern" mystery (rather than something by Agatha Christie or…
Karaboudjan
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8
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Are there significant differences across the Nordic countries in the traditional portrayal of trolls?
Trolls are a common feature of Scandinavian folklore - and possibly also of those of the wider Nordic region, Finland and Iceland as well as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, although I'm not sure about this). But the Scandinavian countries have a very…
Rand al'Thor
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5 answers
What is the significance of the words of the prophets being written on the subway wall?
The fifth verse of "The Sound of Silence" runs thusly:
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said:
"The words of the prophets are
…
Mithical
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Is the song "Mabel Grey" by Brown Bird an allusion to a real ship?
The song Mabel Grey, by Brown Bird contains peculiar lyrics.
The lyrics are awfully specific about what happened to this ship, which is a common pattern I see when a song is referent to a real-life event. It's reminiscent of Barrett's Privateers,…
user80
8
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3 answers
What is the purpose of Owl Eyes in Great Gatsby?
Scott Fitzgerald rarely puts characters or events that have do not either have an underlying message or support in the character development of the lead characters. Therefore I was confused as to what Owl Eyes represented. Clearly he is significant…
Clangorous Chimera
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What does it mean that different parts of humans are created by different gods?
While looking at Norse Mythology to write this question, I read a passage of the book more closely than I had before, and noticed something interesting. When humans are created, the brothers Odin, Vili, and Ve each take a different role in the…
Shokhet
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Are man and woman like ash and elm? How?
In Neil Gaiman's adaptation of the Norse myths, Norse Mythology, it is sometimes clear that certain elements are used in the stories as a way for the Norse people to transmit useful information and skills to their children. For example, in "The Last…
Shokhet
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How were notes sent from classroom to classroom in Up the Down Staircase?
In Bel Kaufman's Up the Down Staircase, part of the story is told through notes that Sylvia Barrett sends to other teachers. For example, the first one goes
FROM: Mrs. Beatrice Schachter, Room 508
TO: Miss Sylvia Barrett, Room 304
Dear Syl—
…
svavil
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What is the significance of "Jonathan" in Strange and Norrell?
At least four major characters have the name "John" or "Jonathan", including Jonathan Strange, John Segundus, John Childermass, and John Uskglass. This is potentially confusing to a reader. In particular the name "John Segundus" threw me: it's a…
Joshua Engel
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8
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Are the new gods not aware of the appearance of this character?
There will be very heavy spoilers - do not read further if you haven't finished the novel.
Mr. World is the leader of the new gods, though his exact area of influence is left somewhat ambiguous in the novel. This may be an intentional decision,…
Gallifreyan
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Are the comic elements of Conrad's The Secret Agent intentional?
Conrad's novel The Secret Agent is a critique of the way authoritarian tendencies react to the perceived threat of terrorism. The story it tells is, in most respects, extremely bleak. There are, however, a number of flashes of dark humour. Examples…
Matt Thrower
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What does "rob it of a few petrified spars" mean in "Pride and Prejudice"?
In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, when the idea of visiting Derbyshire is first brought up to Elizabeth, she immediately thinks of Pemberley and Mr. Darcy, who lives there, and then makes a comment about it:
Elizabeth was excessively…
Mithical
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8
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19th-C French story about loner who dines and doesn't go to England
I'm trying to remember the author and title of a story I once read. It was set in Paris in the nineteenth century, and I assume also written by a nineteenth-century French author.
The story is about a grumpy man who doesn't do much, and is always…
Your Uncle Bob
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What is the meaning of the final stanza of The Rabbi's Song by Rudyard Kipling?
The final stanza of The Rabbi's Song by Rudyard Kipling goes as follows:
Our lives, our tears, as water,
Are spilled upon the ground;
God giveth no man quarter,
Yet God a means hath found,
Though Faith and Hope have vanished,
And…
Betterthan Kwora
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