Modernism Stories Info

Hills 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