Hunters in the Snow free essay sample

â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† 1. Discuss the way Tub is presented in the opening scene. Does your assessment of his character change in the later scenes? The character of Tub was presented in the opening scene as someone who would not stand up for himself and was willing to be ridiculed and made fun of to be part of a group. He allowed his friends to take advantage of him by making him wait over an hour in the cold and snow, accepting this behavior without even an apology. Tub was a character with low self esteem and was embarrassed of his weight, which allows him to make excuses and lie to everyone. The assessment of Tub did not change at the end of the story. He was still the same character as in the beginning. He moved up in his position as friend to Frank which made him feel better, but at the expense of Kenny’s health. We will write a custom essay sample on Hunters in the Snow or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tub still had low self esteem, but he ended up acting as selfish as Frank. Chapter 2 – â€Å"How I Met My Husband† 4. Is Edie a sympathetic character? How does her status as â€Å"the hired girl† affect the way you respond to her as a reader? Edie was a sympathetic character. Her self-described title â€Å"the hired girl† affects the reader’s response as it portrays her with low self esteem. She comes across as not fitting in because she was not in the same social standing as Dr. and Mrs. Peebles. The reader becomes sympathetic with Edie compared to the other characters due to her being a simple girl, humble and naive. Edie’s status as the â€Å"hired girl† makes the reader respond more affectionately towards her. She comes across as very relatable, someone who was not as confident or poised as Mrs. Peebles, but as the reader continues through the story, they realize how strong and capable Edie had become. Chapter 2 – â€Å"Eveline† 3. At just about the middle of the story (end of paragraph 9), Eveline sums up her life in Dublin. â€Å"It was hard work-a hard life-but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life. † What about it makes it attractive to her? The way Eveline sums up her life in Dublin. â€Å"It was hard work-a hard life-but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life. † Eveline was having a fear of the unknown. Even though she could not describe herself as happy in her life, at least it was familiar, and many parts are comforting to her. Even as hard as her life was, she was torn about leaving her family, her abusive father, and the comfort of the home she’s always known. She remembers how life used to be before her mother’s passing. Though she believed she would have a good life with Frank and would be respected as his wife. Chapter 3 – â€Å"Everyday Use† 6. Is Dee wholly unsympathetic? Is the mother’s victory over her altogether positive? What emotional ambivalence is there in the final scene between Maggie and her mother in the yard? The character of Dee was not totally unsympathetic. She was written with an attitude of being better than her mother and sister; she also came across as a character that just wanted a better life than the one she had growing up. Her mother should want her daughters to strive for a better life than the one she had. The mother’s victory over Dee cannot be viewed as totally positive. There are some positive aspects such as the mother finally standing up for her other daughter, but it can’t be viewed as totally positive when a mother hurts her daughter’s feelings. Chapter 3 – â€Å"The Story of an Hour† . Describe the plot structure of this brief story. How does the surprise ending relate to the story’s theme? The newspaper office reported that Mr. Mallard died in a train accident and it was reported to Mrs. Mallard sister Josephine. She broke the news of the tragedy to her sister as gently as possible, since Mrs. Mallard had a heart condition. M rs. Mallard filled with despair headed to her room to grieve the death of her husband. As she sat gazing out the window she had a sense of freedom and she realized she was a free woman, able to do whatever she wanted to do. Focusing on her future freedoms she was interrupted at the door by her husband. There had been a mix up and Mr. Mallard was nowhere near the train accident. Mrs. Mallard’s heart condition could not take the weight of change and she passed away. Chapter 4 – â€Å"The Darling† 1. Identify the theme of â€Å"The Darling. † How do Olenka’s several relationships with male characters help to elucidate the theme? The theme of â€Å"The Darling† tells of a woman named Olenka that changes her interest every time she falls madly in love with a new man. This gives the reader the perception that she cannot form an opinion on her own. The behavior leaves Olenka distraught every time a man leaves her life. Olenka’s relationship between her first and second husband helps elucidate the theme. Olenka’s first husband Ivan Petrovich loved the theater which meant Olenka loved the theater. When Olenka married her second husband Vassitchka he did not enjoy the theater. His opinion became Olenka’s opinion. She then had the belief that she did not have time for the nonsense of theater. Chapter 4 – â€Å"A Worn Path† . Write a precise, well-developed sentence that states as fully as possible the theme of the story. Remember to avoid cliches or oversimplification. Phoenix Jacksons faint mind and physical structure was no obstruction to the insurmountable love she felt toward her grandson. Phoenix demonstrated this on numerous occasions throughout the story. Her absolute purpose was respectful. Her bravery to push on without concern of what the path brought was inspirational. She was an altruistic elderly female whose emotional state could not be altered. Phoenix comes across numerous challenges both tangible and mental in nature. Although her mind wilted and her physical structure was mounted old with years, Phoenix was as self-willed as any able-bodied body person. Chapter 5 – â€Å"Paul’s Case† 10. In what two cities is the story set? Does this choice of settings have any symbolic value? Could the story have been set as validly in Cleveland and Detroit? In San Francisco and Los Angeles? In New Orleans and Birmingham? The story is set in Pittsburgh and New York City. The cities Pittsburgh and New York City gave the story symbolic value. Pittsburgh in the early twentieth century was a smoky city full of steel plants filled with rough and tough blue collar workers. The setting was not one that Paul dreamed of since it was not a city full of tropical or exotic places with many shiny surfaces. New York City was a big bright place that had everything Paul dreamed about music, arts, and luxurious hotels. New York City was a place where Paul received a sense of belonging. Chapter 5 – â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† 1. The main topic of discussion between the man and the girl is never named. What is the â€Å"awfully simple operation†? Why it is not named? What different attitudes are taken toward it by the man and the girl? Why? The main topic of discussion between the man and girl was never named because the â€Å"awfully simple operation† could be interpreted as an abortion. It was not named because the operations was and still is a highly controversial topic. The Americans attitude was that he would love Jig with whatever decision she made, but he insinuated which decision he preferred by introducing the operation as a simple procedure that was in her best interests. Jig’s attitude toward the procedure was that it would bring the American and herself back to a time when nothing was troubling her and afflicting their relationship. Chapter 6 – â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner† 9. What is the theme of the story? The theme of the story â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner,† tells of an immature boy, Paul, who perceives that there was never enough money in his family, he figures out a way to acquire money through chance. He finds that whenever he rides his rocking-horse fast enough, he somehow arrived at the name of the winning horse in a future race. Paul began to make money and secretly channels the money to his mother, but the desire for additional money developed. Paul eventually rode his rocking-horse so furiously in order to attain the victor of the Derby that he became ill and died, just after the victorious horse earns his family a tremendous fortune. Chapter 6 – â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† 1. What does Hawthorne gain by including the names of the actual persons (Goody Cloyse, Goody Cory, Deacon Gookin, Martha Carrier) and places (Salem village, Boston, Old South Church)? What religion is practiced by the townspeople? Hawthornes story gained creditability by including the names of the actual persons by giving examples of the sinfulness and hypocrisy that was hidden in the souls of those who seem most just. The characters are identified from amongst the gang of townspeople at the gathering because they present a measure of godliness that has destroyed for Brown by the experience. Salem village, Boston, and Old South Church was used to remind the readers of the setting of the Salem Witch Trials. The religion practiced by the townspeople was Christianity and they were known as Puritan’s which is considered a very conservative Protestant. Chapter 7 – â€Å"The Drunkard† 6. What is the principal irony in the story? The principal irony of the story â€Å"The Drunkard† was in the end the character that was drunk was the young son Larry not his alcoholic father. Throughout the story the reader was lead to understand that the father was a good man, husband, and father, except when he was drinking. He would be able to go weeks, months, and even years, without touching alcohol. It was written that after awhile the father would think of himself as a little bit better than his neighbors and at that point it seemed he would be looking for an excuse to celebrate and have a drink. What a perfect opportunity to have a drink at his friend’s funeral. The mother sent Larry along with his father to keep him from drinking. She did not expect Larry to be the one drinking, though in the end she looked at it as a gift from God that her son drank the alcohol and not her husband. Chapter 7 – â€Å"The Guest† 7. In what respect is the ending of the story ironic? What kind of irony is this? What does it contribute to the meaning of the story? The story has an ironic ending in the respect that Daru found that he was left in a no win situation and he arrived at that realization at the end of the story. The reader comes to the conclusion that the story was an irony of situation story; because there was an incongruity between expectations and fulfillment. Daru believed the Arab undoubtedly would choose the road leading him to freedom. The consequence left Daru with no fulfillment since the Arab will not have freedom, and he was held accountable for the Arab being turned over to the administration and police. Chapter 8 – â€Å"Roman Fever† 3. Trace the revelation of the animosity that Mrs. Slade feels for Mrs. Ansley. Is Mrs. Ansley doing anything on this evening to provoke her envy? Why has Mrs. Slade always harbored negative feelings about her friend? Mrs. Ansley provoked Mrs. Slade’s envy when they were sitting on the terrace looking out over the city. Mrs. Slade stated, After all, its still the most beautiful view in the world, followed by a comment from Mrs. Ansley stating, â€Å"It always will be to me†, this evoked memories of the past when Mrs. Ansley was in love with Mrs. Slade’s fiance Delphin. Mrs. Slade always harbored negative feelings about her friend, because she always believed her friend carried a special place in her heart for her husband Delphin. Chapter 8 – â€Å"A Civil Peace† 4. Jonathan lost his youngest son during a civil war, yet he considers himself â€Å"extraordinarily lucky. † Is this attitude callous or admirable? Jonathan lost his youngest son during a civil war, and he considered himself â€Å"extraordinarily lucky. † Feeling lucky was an admirable attitude, because Jonathan looked around at the blessings he was able to maintain, and not focus on the loss of his child during the civil war. He presented himself as a person that does not spend time focusing on the past, but looks ahead to the future. Jonathan had a clear understanding of his responsibilities to his family which was admirable.