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21. How does Theodore Dreiser describe the death of Hurstwood ?
The author describes the death of Hurstwood in a very objective and even indifferent tone, which reinforce the tragic effect.
22. What is the significance of the story of Sister Carrie?
The story of Sister Carrie not only exposes the evils of the capitalist society, but also shows a universal truth: money and fame cannot win happiness.
23. What is the symbolic sense of the subtitle: “The Way of the Beaten: A Harp in the Wind”?
“The Way of the Beaten” refers to the tragic decline of Hurst wood and people like him; “A Harp in the Wind” can show more implications: it can refers to the dream of the dreamers like Carrie, “As harp in the wind, the latter respond to every breath of fancy voicing in their moods all the ebb and flow of the ideal.” It can also mean the passive role of Carrie in the environment—like a harp, she was played by the strong wind of the society.
24. What are the characteristics of the style of Frost’s poetry?
In the form of poetry, Frost carried on the tradition and made the colloquial New England speech into a poetic expression. His poems are short, direct, and have simple diction, but they are rich in symbolic implication.
25. Why “ I shall be telling this with a sigh‖? The “sigh” may express a regret for an unfulfilled wish or something he had to give up.
26. What is the significance of O’Neill’s tragedies?
His tragedies deal with the basic issues of human existence and predicament.
27. What are the stylistic features of O’Neill’s plays?
His plays show his inventiveness. They have different new styles and froms, especially with strong color of Expressionism.
28. What is the role of Nick in the novel?
Nick is not only the narrator of the story, but also an important role in the novel, who witnesses and comments on Gatsby’s tragedy.
29. What is the link between this novel and Fitzgerald’s own life story?
The novel contains much from Fitzgerald‘s own life story. In Gatsby and Daisy, the readers can see the shadows of Fitzgerald and Zelda.
30. What does Hemingway’s principle of iceberg mean?
Hemingway‘s principle of iceberg refers to his terse style : There is only one eighth of the iceberg is above water and seven eighths of it under water. This means his
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narration is very brief, but the implied meaning is very profound.
31. What kind of life did Ellan Poe live?
Ellan Poe’s life was full of frustration, misfortune and poverty, yet he struggled on and achieved many successes.
32. What are Poe’s major contributions to literature?
He wrote only about 50 poems, but he has a very important position as poet; he wrote about 70 short stories and is regarded as a pioneer of the detective fiction and the horror fiction in the west.
33. What is the theme of the poem Annabel Lee?
The poem shows the death of a beauty and expresses the sorrow of the narrator and his conviction in eternal love.
34. What is Emersonian Transcendentalism?
Emersonian Transcendentalism is a philosophical school, which absorbed some ideological concerns of American Puritanism and European romanticism, with its focus on the intuitive knowledge of human beings to grasp the absolute in the universe and the divinity of man.
35. What is the theme of Tess ?
From different points of view,we can find different themes of the novel: 1. fatalism: According to Hardy‘s pessimistic belief,man‘s life is decided by mystic fate or chance.Chance is malignant force and man is a victim of chance.Tess‘s story is a good example.She is led to her destruction by a series of chances. 2. social criticism: Although Hardy tries to explain the misfortune of his characters from the viewpoint of the unseen but potential fate, his truthful representation of the lives of his characters reveal that the misfortune is evidently determined by the social causes.It is the capitalist society that ruins such innocent people as Tess.
36. How does Satan encourage his followers in his speech in Paradise Lost?
Satan is both passionate and cool-headed. He speaks with firm determination. He analyzes the situation and points out the advantages of his side and the disadvantages of God's side.
37. What are the features of Bacon's Essays?
Bacon‘s essays are characterized by their conciseness and brevity, simplicity and forcefulness, practicality and versatility.
38. What is the significnce of the publication of Lyrical Ballds ？
The publication of Lyrical Ballads is a milestone in the history of English Literature. It marks a breakthrough in the English poetry. In the book a new kind of poetry appears ,which is characterized by themes from the rustic life, simplicity in diction
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and sincerity in emotions.
39. What is The School for Scandal about?
The play shows how a group of rich and idle members of the high society created and spread scandals to blacken others' reputations.
40. Why is Wuthering Heights regarded as a great and unique novel ?
Wuthering Heights is a great and unique novel because the following reasons:the rich implications of its theme,different people can have different interpretations;the unique characters ; the intensity of the emotions;the supernatural and mysterious elements; the gloomy natural environment and atmposphere; the unique way of narration.
41. What are the main features of the language in Swift‘s works ?
Swift is one of the greatest masters of English prose. clear, simple, concrete diction, uncomplicated sentence structure, economy and consiseness of language mark all his writings.
42. What is the constant theme of Sheridan‘s plays ? The constant theme of his plays is morality. (祥略)
43. What do you know about the character Hamlet? what is the significance of the image of Hamlet?
Hamlet is a soldier, scholar and statesman. He is the perfect image of humanist.
44. What is the theme of the poem The Solitary Reaper?
The poem shows the melancholy atmosphere of the countryside and the lonely and miserable life of the poor people there.
45. What are the different functions of different branches of learning according to Bacon?
Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.
46. What is Byronic hero?
Byronic hero is a proud, mysterious rebel figure of noble origin, with immense superiority in his passions and powers, he carries on his shoulders the burden of righting all the wrongs in a corrupt society, and rises single-handedly against any kind of tyranny.
47. What are the two functions of the west wind on the land in Ode to the West Wind? The west wind is both the destroyer and the preserver, destroying the old rotten things and preserving the new born things.
48. What is Austen's main concern in her novels？
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Her main concern in her novels is about human beings in their personal relationships.
49. Why is Bernard Shaw regarded as a great dramatist of critical realism?
Because Shaw‘s plays, especially the ―unhappy plays‖ present ruthless exposure of the evils in the capitalist society, and a searing satire of the seeming respectability and moral dignity of the those who live on various exploitations.
50. Why is the first sentence a very good beginning in The Pride and Prejudice ?
The first sentence shows the theme and the tone of the novel; it also exposes the importance of money in marriage in Jane Austen‘s time.
51. What is the theme of Paradise Lost?
The theme of Paradise Lost is the ―Fall of Man‖， that is, man's disobedience and the loss of Paradise, with its prime cause--Satan.
52. What is the cause of the conflict between Mrs. Warren and her daughter in Mrs. Warren's Profession ?
The cause of their conflict is the shameful profession of Mrs.Warren.
53. What is the theme of Hamlet?
It seems a story of blood and revenge, but in fact it presents the conflict between humanist ideals and the reality.
54. What does \
In Ode to the West Wind, the power of the west wind is praised as the symbol of revolutionary force.
55. What is the significance of Gulliver's Travels?
Gulliver‘s Travels is a devastating criticism and satire of all aspects in the then English and European life. And it is a profound study of human nature and life.
56. What is the difference between Mr.and Mrs.Bennet in character in Austen's Pride and Prejudice?
Mr.Bennet was a man of quick-mind,sarcastic humor, reserve and caprice while Mrs.Bennet was a woman of mean understanding, little information and uncertain temper.
57. Why did Heathcliff and Catherine in the scene of their final meeting make a strange and fearful picture to Nelly ? (Wuthering Heights)
Because the intense love and agony in the hearts of Heathcliff and Catherine made them behave and talk in a strange and even abnormal way: love expressed in blaming and cursing,caressing like fighting.
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