Essay Questions

Why does the narrator of "Apples" lie about what he has?

Everyone wants what is best for them, whether that is a large house, being rich, or having a loving and supporting group of family and friends. The narrator explains to readers, perhaps lying, however, that he has the bare minimum of all of these things. Begging for forgiveness and sympathy for his situation, he admits that he has been lying about what he had after all this time, and portrays the theme of truth to readers. It is important to remember not to get yourself caught up in a cloud of fiction, because, after a while, you may begin to, unhealthily, believe it.

What is the importance for the choice of the title in the poem, "The Gift of the Magi"?

"The Gift of the Magi" is a rather famous short story about love and giving during the holiday season, and the story has been adapted into screen productions, including a cartoon by Disney. However, the poem by Peter Meinke has a completely different main idea, despite having the same name. In the poem, there is an air of chaos in the Heavens, and all of the main biblical figures have gone crazy. Meinke may have chose the title to represent how things aren't always what they seem to be, and, when you lose faith in something, your inner emotional structure will turn to dust.

What is the purpose of the hypothetical practically invisible element in "M?"?

The poem, "M?" explains that there may be an element called M3 that has been hiding in water for millennia. No one knows about the element, but it might, just might, be there. People that believe in the myth begin to get themselves worked up over nothing, because obviously there isn't something else in water, is there? The purpose of the hypothetical element being introduced is that people can never know right from wrong or fact from fiction if there is no physical prove of the matter at hand, and, therefore, could get confused when an idea like M3 is introduced.