What is one motif in "A White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett?

Motifs are recurring symbols which support the themes or main ideas in any story. In A White Heron, the young sportsman's gun is a recurring motif.

To Sylvia, the gun represents strange emotions associated with masculinity, an area she's too young to explore but which, nevertheless, fascinates her.

Sylvia would have liked him vastly better without his gun; she could not understand why he killed the very birds he seemed to like so much. But...

Motifs are recurring symbols which support the themes or main ideas in any story. In A White Heron, the young sportsman's gun is a recurring motif.

To Sylvia, the gun represents strange emotions associated with masculinity, an area she's too young to explore but which, nevertheless, fascinates her.

Sylvia would have liked him vastly better without his gun; she could not understand why he killed the very birds he seemed to like so much. But as the day waned, Sylvia still watched the young man with loving admiration. She had never seen anybody so charming and delightful; the woman's heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.

Sylvia is only nine and for her, the realm of love is still hidden in shadows. For her part, she's fascinated as well as horrified by the hunter's nonchalance in killing his animal prey. The gun, of course, is a phallic symbol, and it underlines the theme of nature versus man in the story. Sylvia's conflict is with herself: should she choose to humor the sportsman by revealing the white heron's hiding place or should she protect the birds that have given her so much joy in her young life?

In the end, Sylvia makes her decision on the side of nature. Although her heart is broken as she remembers the "sharp report" of the young sportsman's gun and the "sight of thrushes and sparrows dropping silent to the ground, their songs hushed and their pretty feathers stained and wet with blood," the author suggests that Sylvia has made the better choice. The young protagonist foregoes financial remuneration and a promising friendship with the huntsman in order to protect the beautiful white heron.

So, in the story, the gun is used as a motif to underline the theme of conflict between nature and man. Certainly, the gun can be a useful weapon when one lives in the wilderness: Sylvia's grandmother shares with the sportsman how her son, Dan, used to keep her pantry well-stocked with partridges and squirrels when he was home. However, the gun can also represent the loss of innocence. Sylvia, who doesn't understand how the sportsman can shoot the birds he purports to love, must suddenly begin to contemplate how nature fits into the larger story of humanity.

Could you give an explanation for the title of the story "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl?

The more times that I am forced to consider the title of this story, the more I think it is the perfect title.  

First, Mary is initially presented to the reader as a lamb.  A lamb is typically docile, meek, and mild.  Mary is waiting in the front room for Patrick to come home.  Once Patrick is home, she attends to his every need and then quietly sits near him.  She is perfectly content...

The more times that I am forced to consider the title of this story, the more I think it is the perfect title.  

First, Mary is initially presented to the reader as a lamb.  A lamb is typically docile, meek, and mild.  Mary is waiting in the front room for Patrick to come home.  Once Patrick is home, she attends to his every need and then quietly sits near him.  She is perfectly content to bask in his glorious manliness.  

She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to feel – almost as a sunbather feels the sun – that warm male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone together. 

She is the lamb and Patrick is the protector.  That is until Patrick decides to metaphorically slaughter Mary.  He tells her that he is leaving her, and she is left completely devastated and broken. She is a slaughtered lamb.  

Mary goes to get dinner started in a daze.  She's practically a walking zombie.  Then Patrick announces that he is going out to dinner.  That's when the title of the story shifts meanings.  Mary is now the lamb coming to do the slaughtering. She is not the lamb to be slaughtered anymore.  She is the lamb to the slaughter of Patrick.  What's even better is that she brings an actual lamb to the slaughter.  Her murder weapon of choice is a leg of lamb.  

At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head.

What is the main conflict in My Side of the Mountain by Jean George?

I would say the main conflict of My Side of the Mountain is an external man vs. nature conflict. In the beginning of the book, Sam Gribley decides to live on his own out in the wilderness. He does this in a manner befitting an extreme survivalist because when he leaves civilization, he has minimal supplies. Sam doesn't take food or a lot of tools. He leaves New York in May with “a penknife, a...

I would say the main conflict of My Side of the Mountain is an external man vs. nature conflict. In the beginning of the book, Sam Gribley decides to live on his own out in the wilderness. He does this in a manner befitting an extreme survivalist because when he leaves civilization, he has minimal supplies. Sam doesn't take food or a lot of tools. He leaves New York in May with “a penknife, a ball of chord, an ax, and $40,” as well as flint and steel for making fires.

That is an exceptionally small amount of gear. I like camping, but Sam puts me to shame. Throughout the novel, he is continually in conflict with the nature that surrounds him. Not only does he have to deal with the challenges of finding decent shelter, but he also has to hunt and forage for food. Because his diet is so meager, Sam struggles with vitamin deficiencies and very low calorie intakes. As winter approaches, Sam discovers his meager supplies cannot adequately deal with winter conditions.

Toward the end of January I began to feel tired, and my elbows and knees were a little stiff. This worried me. I figured it was due to some vitamin I wasn't getting, but I couldn't remember which vitamin it was or even where I would find it if I could remember it.

As the book moves toward its conclusion, Sam's conflict turns into an internal conflict. Sam must decide to continue living on his own or return to his family.

Should gun manufacturers be allowed to advertise?

There are, of course, arguments to be made for either side of this question. I will briefly outline an argument for each side and you can decide which argument you prefer.

On the one hand, we can say that gun manufacturers should not be allowed to advertise.  Their product is one that is used to kill huge numbers of people every year.  Since their product is so dangerous, it is not something that should be...

There are, of course, arguments to be made for either side of this question. I will briefly outline an argument for each side and you can decide which argument you prefer.

On the one hand, we can say that gun manufacturers should not be allowed to advertise.  Their product is one that is used to kill huge numbers of people every year.  Since their product is so dangerous, it is not something that should be advertised.  We should prevent such advertising so that not so many people would want to have guns and the amount of gun violence in our country would decline.

On the other hand, we can say that such ads absolutely must be allowed.  First, under current legal doctrine, the right to own a gun is protected by the Constitution.  It would be very odd to prevent manufacturers from advertising a product that is specifically protected by our founding document.  Second, people can have many reasons to own guns other than killing people.  A person might want a gun simply for target practice.  A person might want a gun for hunting.  A person might want a gun so they can scare away someone who might be trying to harm them, even if they do not kill that person.  Gun manufacturers, then, are selling a product that has a variety of uses and one which is protected by the Constitution.  Given this, it is unreasonable to ban advertisements for this product.

Which of these arguments makes more sense to you?

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, how does Launcelot bid farewell to Jessica? In this context, what are your feelings for Launcelot,...

In Act 2, Scene 3, Jessica is saying goodbye to Launcelot the clown, who is leaving his job as her father's servant to go and work for Bassanio.  She says she will miss him, because his jokes lightened the mood in their house, which is otherwise "hell."  

Launcelot, somewhat surprisingly, actually criesto say goodbye to Jessica.  In his trademark convoluted way, he explains, "Tears exhibit my tongue."  Then he adds, "Most beautiful pagan, most...

In Act 2, Scene 3, Jessica is saying goodbye to Launcelot the clown, who is leaving his job as her father's servant to go and work for Bassanio.  She says she will miss him, because his jokes lightened the mood in their house, which is otherwise "hell."  

Launcelot, somewhat surprisingly, actually cries to say goodbye to Jessica.  In his trademark convoluted way, he explains, "Tears exhibit my tongue."  Then he adds, "Most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew!"  Clearly he has developed some affection for Jessica during his tenure as her father's servant, and possibly even has a crush on her.

Then he adds, "If a Christian did not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceived."  Launcelot is speculating that perhaps Jessica is not Shylock's biological daughter, but rather that of a "Christian" who "played the knave" (seduced Shylock's wife) and "got" (begat) Jessica.  He means this as a compliment, but it is delivered in his typical ribald style.  We find this "compliment" coming from other characters in other places in the play.  It goes like this: "Jessica, you are such a wonderful person, you cannot possibly be a real Jew!"  Of course, it is hideously anti-Semitic. 

You will have to determine for yourself what your feelings for Launcelot, Jessica, and Shylock are in this scene.  Likely you will feel greater affection for both Jessica and Launcelot as they show their softer side.  As for Shylock, this scene is supposed to make him look horrible (makes his house hell for his daughter) and pathetic (people joke that he is a cuckold).  Perhaps, though, it will make you feel a bit sorry for him, or worried or defensive on his behalf. 

What are 5 important events that happen in the book Lyddie?

Great book.  I could pick five important events in the book, but I feel that wouldn't be doing the story justice.  A lot happens to Lyddie in a relatively short period of time.  I will list ten events that I think are quite important to the story.  

1. Lyddie protects herself and her family from the bear that enters their small house.  


2. Lyddie is forced to work at Cutler's Tavern.  


3. Lyddie decides to...

Great book.  I could pick five important events in the book, but I feel that wouldn't be doing the story justice.  A lot happens to Lyddie in a relatively short period of time.  I will list ten events that I think are quite important to the story.  

1. Lyddie protects herself and her family from the bear that enters their small house.  


2. Lyddie is forced to work at Cutler's Tavern.  


3. Lyddie decides to go to Lowell to become a factory girl.  


4. Lyddie helps get the stagecoach unstuck.  This act results in Lyddie being taken to Mrs. Bedlow's boarding house.   


5. Lyddie begins work in the factory.


6. Lyddie gets hurt while working in the textile mill.  


7. Mr. Marsden makes a sexual advance toward Lyddie, and Lyddie defends herself.  


8. Lyddie is forced to teach Brigid to work in the factory.  Lyddie is not happy about it.


9. Lyddie goes to sign the petition, but she finds out that she is too late.  


10. Mr. Marsden makes a sexual advance toward Brigid.  Lyddie protects Brigid by dumping a bucket of water on Mr. Marsden.  

Bonus item: Lyddie is fired from the factory, and she decides to enroll herself in college.  

Anne Frank wrote in her diary, "You only get to know people when you've had jolly good row with them. Then and then only can you judge their true...

On Monday, September 28, 1942, Anne writes about the fight she had with Mrs. Van Daan. Anne feels as though the adults in the attic have been using her as the subject of all of their "discussions" (which are really arguments), critiquing her appearance, manners, and character. Anne writes, "Kitty, if only you knew how I sometimes boil under so many jibes and jeers" (page 33).

In discussing Mr. Frank's obvious modesty, Mrs. Van Daan...

On Monday, September 28, 1942, Anne writes about the fight she had with Mrs. Van Daan. Anne feels as though the adults in the attic have been using her as the subject of all of their "discussions" (which are really arguments), critiquing her appearance, manners, and character. Anne writes, "Kitty, if only you knew how I sometimes boil under so many jibes and jeers" (page 33).

In discussing Mr. Frank's obvious modesty, Mrs. Van Daan says that she is also modest, which Anne disagrees with to herself. Mr. Van Daan tells Anne not to be too unassuming, and Anne's mother agrees. Mrs. Van Daan rabidly opposes what they say and thinks it's awful that they've told a girl not to be modest. Mrs. Frank calmly tells Mrs. Van Daan that it's better for some people to stick up for themselves and not be modest, and she includes Mrs. Van Daan in this group of more aggressive people. While Mrs. Frank is calm, Mrs. Van Daan turns red in the face and unleashes what Anne calls "a lot of harsh German, common" (page 34). Anne thinks that Mrs. Van Daan has exposed her true self in this argument, as she has shown that she is coarse and vituperative when challenged.