Studied by 21 peopleHills Like White Elephants theme
Gender roles, communication, choices
What is the main conflict of Hills Like White Elephants?
The man wants the woman to get an abortion
Hills Like White Elephants main characters
The American man and the girl
What is the girl referred to as in Hills Like White Elephants?
Jig
Alcohol symbol Hills Like White Elephants
Avoidance of the situation at hand
Train station symbol Hills Like White Elephants
The crossroads of the choice to get an abortion or not and how it will affect their relationship
What will the American do if Jig does not get an abortion? Hills Like White Elephants
Leave her
Where does the action take place in Hills Like White Elephants?
Bar in train station
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Themes
masculinity, nature
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber main characters
Francis Macomber, Margot Macomber, Robert Wilson
Main plot points Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
Francis Macomber, Margot, and Wilson are all upset about Francis cowardly running from lion
Francis Macomber, Margot and Wilson go to hunt bison
Francis Macomber redeems himself
Margot shoots Francis in the head, killing him
Main conflict of Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
Francis Macomber gaining manhood back
Conflict between Margot and Francis Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
Margot sees Francis as a coward so she cheats on him
Snows of Kilimanjaro theme
death, procrastination
Snows of Kilimanjaro Main characters
Harry and Helen
Main conflict of Snows of Kilimanjaro
Harry is dying of gangrene in his leg
Why does Harry contract gangrene Snows of Kilimanjaro
He got cut by a thorn and didn’t put iodine on it
Conflict between Harry and Helen Snows of Kilimanjaro
Harry doesn’t really love Helen
Inner conflict in Harry Snows of Kilimanjaro
He feels unaccomplished because he never wrote about his life
The Old Man and The Sea Theme
perseverance, suffering, pride, friendship, destiny, luck, respect
Main character of The Old Man and The Sea
Santiago, a poor fisherman
Summary of The Old Man and The Sea
Santiago has no luck fishing
Old apprentice, Manolin, returns to Santiago to work with him again
Santiago sails away from his home to the heart of the sea
Catches great marlin and it pulls the boat for an entire night
Begins bonding with fish
Final battle with fish, kills it with harpoon
Shark tries to attack the fish and Santiago kills it with harpoon
Santiago kills 3 more sharks with a spear
Sharks follow Santiago and eat most of the fist
Santiago gains respect back from his peers
Marlin symbolism The Old Man and The Sea
the ideal opponent
Lions on the Beach dream symbolism The Old Man and The Sea
circular nature of life, life and death
Sharks symbolism The Old Man and The Sea
destructive laws of the universe
Babylon Revisited theme
wealth vs. poverty, family, redemption, alcohol
Babylon Revisited protaganist
Charlie Wales
Babylon Revisited protaganists’ child
Honoria Wales
Babylon Revisited other important characters
Helen- dead mother
Marion- sister in law
Lincoln- brother in law
Main conflict in Babylon Revisisted
Charlie wants custody of Honoria but Marion refuses
How did Helen die Babylon Revisited
Charlie locked her out during a snowstorm and she died of heart troubles soon after
Why did Charlie and Helen go broke Babylon Revisisted
They lived lavish lifestyles where they travelled and drank a lot, stock market crashed in America
The Ritz symbolism Babylon Revisited
Charlie’s inability to shake his old habits completely
Bernice Bobs Her Hair theme
jealousy, betrayal, tradition vs. modernism
Main characters Bernice Bobs Her Hair
Bernice, Marjorie
What is Bernice’s problem in Bernice Bobs Her Hair?
Although she is beautiful, no boys like her because she is too traditional
How does Bernice exact revenge on Marjorie?
She cuts her hair off during the night and runs away
What does Marjorie pressure Bernice to do?
Bob her hair
Why does Marjorie get Bernice to bob her hair?
She is jealous that Bernice wins over Warren
Hair symbolism Bernice Bobs Her Hair
femininity, selfhood
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button plot
Story of a man who was born old and gradually ages backwards, eventually becoming a baby and losing his conciousness
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button theme
need to belong, change as the only constant
Great Gatsby narrator
Nick Carraway
What is Gatsby’s life story? The Great Gatsby
grew up a poor farmer, but always wanted to be rich so he dedicated his life to becoming rich
Why couldn’t Daisy marry Gatsby at first?
He was poor
Who is Tom? The Great Gatsby
The man Daisy is supposed to marry but is cheating on with Gatsby
What does Tom reveal Gatsby’s money is from?
Organized crime
What does George Wilson do to Gatsby?
Shoots him while he’s in his pool
The Chrysanthemums theme
gender inequality
Who is Elisa Allen? The Chrysanthemums
She is the protagonist
What does Elisa want from the tinker?
Sex and stimulating conversation
Why does Elisa cry at the end of The Chrysanthemums?
She realizes she will never get to do things men do and continue to live an emotionally and physically unfulfilled life
Chrysanthemums symbol The Chrysanthemums
Elisa’s identity
The Pearl theme
greed, Native American oppression, fate
Why does Kino need the pearl? The Pearl
His child, Coyotito, gets stung by a scorpion and needs medical attention
The doctor The Pearl
Greedy and selfish, he only accepts to operate on citizens if they’re wealthy
Where do the Native Americans live? The Pearl
On the outskirts of society in homes made of earth
What happens to Coyotito at the end of the book?
He gets his head shot by trackers
The pearl symbolism in The Pearl
at first hope and prosperity but later destruction and evil
The scorpion symbolism in The Pearl
Evil
Why do Kino and Juana go pearl hunting? The Pearl
They need money to get Coyotito treated
The Grapes of Wrath theme
indivudal vs community, selfish vs. kindness, meekness vs. wrath
Land turtle symbol Grapes of Wrath
narrow vision, immediate needs
Bank monster symbol Grapes of Wrath
big businesses, people who work for the “monster” are all slaves
Dying dog symbol Grapes of Wrath
foreshadows tragedies shadows will face
Grapes of wrath symbol Grapes of Wrath
growing anger within souls of the opressed
Dead infant in a box symbol Grapes of Wrath
allusion to Moses
Of Mice and Men theme
predatory nature of human existence, fraternity, impossibility of the American Dream
What does George do to Lenny at the end of Of Mice and Men?
Shoots him so he doesn’t get hung
A Rose For Emily theme
post Civil war south, tradition vs. progress, patriarchy, pleasure in disfortune
The Grierson house symbol A Rose For Emily
physical representation of Emily’s descent into madness and deterioration of the Grierson family’s influence
Gray hair symbol A Rose For Emily
passing of time
Men’s toilet set symbol A Rose For Emily
hope Emily places on marriage with Homer, crumbling of towns connection to Old South
What does Emily do to Homer? A Rose For Emily
Kills him and keeps him in the attic bedroom to lay with his dead body
Barn Burning themes
loyalty to family vs. values, search for peace
What is Abner Snopes’ flaw?
Pyromaniac and arsonist
Fire symbol Barn Burning
For Abner, persevering integrity and revenge, powerlessness
Soiled rug symbol Barn Burning
For Abner, represents his unhappiness with being subservient and gaining his pride back
Who is the protagonist of Barn Burning?
Sartie
As I Lay Dying main conflict
getting Addie’s body to Jefferson, Mississippi
As I Lay Dying narration technique
15 different narrators all telling different versions of the story
As I Lay Dying theme
mortality
The Sound and The Fury themes
time, old values, racism
How does Quentin cover for his pregnant sister, Caddy? The Sound and The Fury
He tells their father he is the father of the child
What does Caddy do to cover her pregnancy?
Get married (once he finds out, he leaves her)
Where does Quentin get sent?
Harvard
What happens to Quentin?
He is tormented by the passing of time so he commits suicide
Note
Flashcard