Douglas Horley
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Recent Activity
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Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
The setting plays a major role in this novel. The boys are basically stranded on an uninhabited tropical island, presumably somewhere in the Pacific in the 1950s. It is an environment which is... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
By Chapter 11 Ralph and the very few remainders of his group have been reduced to a miserable condition. Deserted by a majority of the boys, physically assaulted at night and having Piggy's... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
Steinbeck's description of Lennie's hands in the fight with Curley deepens our understanding of Lennie. Firstly, the fact that he has his hands at his side even while Curley assaults his face shows... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
By Chapter 9 the vast majority of the boys (starting with the hunters) have abandoned Ralph and his camp and have come under Jack's leadership. Now there is no more pretence of... -
Answered a Question in 1984
By the end of Part II in the novel Winston's worst fears have been realized. His arrest which he had always believed to be inevitable has finally happened. He is seperated from Julia, and the start... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Ralph calls the twilight assembly in response to a perceived breakdown of order amongst the boys; particularly the disastrous neglect of the fire which saw a possible chance of rescue slip by.... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Chapter Four contains the turning point of Ralph and Jack's relationship. Whilst previously Jack had respected Ralph's leadership despite some initial strains over such issues as hunting vs.... -
Answered a Question in The Catcher in the Rye
Early in the novel Holden meets his history teacher Mr Spencer to discuss his very poor exam paper and why he 'flunked' history. During this meeting we learn that not only will he be leaving his... -
Answered a Question in The Catcher in the Rye
At this stage of the novel we get an intriguing insight into the troubled mind of Holden Caulfield. He is clearly disaffected and rebellious, yet his dealings with the crusty Mr Spencer still... -
Answered a Question in To Kill a Mockingbird
At this stage of the trial Atticus has reached a critical point in his questioning of Tom. How well Tom can testify to his version of events will have a major bearing on the jury's and... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
By the end of the failed, twilight meeting Ralph is ready to quit as leader. Jack has shown complete contempt for Ralph's leadership and Ralph is in despair. However, Piggy and Simon urge Ralph to... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
In Chapter Two the reality of being on a desert island without adult supervision becomes more apparent to the boys. Previously it had all seemed like a wonderful, glorious adventure, the... -
Answered a Question in 1984
Winston makes this remark to Julia at a time when their relationship is flourishing and they have even taken the extreme risk of establishing their own private meeting place - a small room above a... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
After the disastrous evening meeting it seemed like the leadership group were headed for a permanent schism. However, news of a sighting of 'the beast' on the mountain top gives them... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Chapter Five is significant because we see the first serious cracks emerge in the fragile society that the boys have begun to create on the island. Jack's exuberance for hunting sees the fire... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Simon appears to be the wisest amongst the boys, but his deeply sensitive/spiritual nature sees him treated like an outcast. His failure to realise his potential in giving sound advice to the group... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
After the boys have all come together and successfully organized into their 'little democracy', it would be natural for the leadership group to explore the terrain in which they find... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
Crooks is the lonely stable buck on the ranch who by virtue of the fact he is a negro is forced to live separately from the bunk house. We first hear of him (and the origin of... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
This scene tells the reader much about the character of the men on the ranch, and is the first instance of the motif of death. It is designed to draw feelings of pity and sorrow from the reader,... -
Answered a Question in 1984
This is an exciting although very dangerous time for Winston. Amidst the enormous frustration and angst in his life he appears to have made contact with an attractive younger lady who may share his... -
Answered a Question in 1984
The reader is introduced to these seemingly nonsensical party slogans as Winston reads them on the Ministry of Truth building. There is some obvious great irony that a ministry that proclaims... -
Answered a Question in 1984
The Party's view on sex is mostly revealed through one of the meetings between Julia and Winston. It is described as "sexual puritanism" (p. 139), and of course like all facets of life... -
Answered a Question in A Sound of Thunder
On the journey to prehistoric times, Travis warns Eckels of the possible consequences of not following orders to the letter - that there could be dramatic changes in the future. He gives an example... -
Answered a Question in The Pedestrian
Leonard Mead seems to celebrate his 'deviant' behavior of evening walks by mocking the houses and their inhabitants as he walks past, "Hello in there," he whispered to every house on every side as... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Whilst Lord of the Flies contains some of the most dynamic themes in English Literature, they are not so readily accessible from the first chapter. Indeed, a prediction of themes to come from... -
Answered a Question in 1984
In the exposition, Winston begins to write a diary in a writing book that he has bought. Even as the purchase of the book is described, we begin to learn more about the highly repressive... -
Answered a Question in A Sound of Thunder
On the journey to prehistoric times, Travis warns Eckels of the possible consequences of not following orders to the letter - that there could be dramatic changes in the future. He gives an example... -
Answered a Question in 1984
The novel officially begins on April 4th 1984 (the reverse year of when Orwell wrote the novel which was 1948, thus he was writing about a future dystopia). The day is described as "a bright cold... -
Answered a Question in Macbeth
Macbeth is a Shakespearian tragedy set in ancient Scotland. It centres around a Scottish nobleman, Macbeth, who falls prey to the desires of unchecked ambition. With his wife urging him on Macbeth... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
The idea of a beast being present on the island is first raised in Chapter Five ('Beast from Water'). Ralph has called a meeting, essentially to assert his leadership after the disastrous neglect... -
Answered a Question in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
The opening to "A Good Man is Hard to Find" contains a lighthearted narrative style, suggesting to the reader that the story may simply revolve around the mutual antagonisms in an extended family.... -
Answered a Question in Lamb to the Slaughter
The mood of Lamb to the Slaughter changes quite dramatically as the story progresses. The peaceful, middle class domestic scene at the start of the story creates a mood of calm and tranquility.... -
Answered a Question in Macbeth
Macbeth at this point in the play has lost all of his previous uncertainty related to pursuing his bloodthirsty ambitions. The witches' prophecies had proved correct for his ascension to be Thane... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
The assembly about the beast marks the beginning of the end of Ralph's leadership. Despite knowing that he needed to make no mistakes and assert his chieftanship, he still fails to... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Ralph is badly shaken by Simon's death whilst Piggy is in denial. Piggy is able to be of some comfort to Ralph at this time but only by playing down Simon's death and insisting that they had done... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
From the start of the novel Ralph is set apart from others his age because of his size, athleticism and family background. Importantly, he is described as having "a mildness about his mouth... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
The ending is very powerful and poignant. George steels himself to commit what he believes is the ultimate act of compassion to his friend - terminating his life. It is... -
Answered a Question in 1984
I think what makes it a classic is the profound effect it can have on the reader. You cannot help but feel almost claustrophobic reading this novel—such is the suffocating atmosphere of oppression... -
Answered a Question in 1984
As chilling as the society is that Orwell paints, it is evident that much of what he described had its genesis in the societies of Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany. The idea of citizens simply... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
A great example of Ralph taking on tough situations as a leader is when the boys go in search of the beast, venturing into parts of the island they hadn't been to before. Ralph intrinsically knows... -
Answered a Question in Jane Eyre
There are several examples of Jane's strong and determined character n the novel. One is that she doesn't become consumed by anger and rebellion despite her appalling experiences in the household... -
Answered a Question in The Kite Runner
I have modified the question as I believe that is what is being referrred to in the scene on p. 36. Assef, who we find later in the novel is more than just a bully but a rather evil psychotic, is... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
The conch is a very significant symbol in Lord of the Flies, as it represents order, power and respect for civility. However, as many of the boys slide into barbarous behaviour they also slide... -
Answered a Question in Of Mice and Men
The two main literary devices Steinbeck uses to portray Crooks on pages 66 and 67 are omniscient third person narration and direct speech. Through these devices we see Crooks portrayed as an almost... -
Answered a Question in 1984
It is clear that by the time Winston is released back into mainstream society he has lost all feeling for Julia, and she has also undergone a similiar negative transformation. This is something... -
Answered a Question in 1984
During Winston's first meeting with Julia we gain further insight into the Party's all-pervading intrusiveness in to the lives of its citizenry. Even in remote countryside there may be electronic... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
'High level' questions might be defined as though that probe higher levels of understanding of a text (beyond simple recall). The questions below require some level of inferential or... -
Answered a Question in 1984
Hate Week is another one of the methods used by the Party to direct the people's feelings of anger, frustration, and hatred towards a common enemy - in this case initially their warring enemy of... -
Answered a Question in Lord of the Flies
Unlike Jack and his band of hunters who become peoccupied with hunting, Ralph considers considers rescue to be the primary objective of the boys. In order to do this, he is determined that a... -
Answered a Question in To Kill a Mockingbird
In To Kill a Mockingbird we see Atticus Finch make considerable sacrifices to defend the accused black man Tom Robinson. He is threatened, his children are taunted at school and he is sneered at...
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