He saw the townlands and learned the minds of many distant men, and weathered many bitter nights and days in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home. but not by will nor valor could he save them, for their own recklessness destroyed them all— children and fools, they killed and feasted on the cattle of lord helios, the sun, and he who moves all day through heaven took from their eyes the dawn of their return. of these adventures, muse, daughter of zeus, tell us in our time, lift the great song again.

Read the selection below and answer the question. an open boat by alfred noyes o, what is that whimpering there in the darkness? 

 'let him lie in my arms. he is breathing, i know.
 look. i'll wrap all my hair round his neck' – the sea's rising,
 the boat must be lightened. he's dead. he must go.' 


 see - quick - by that flash, where the bitter foam tosses, 
 the cloud of white faces, in the black open boat, 
 and the wild pleading woman that clasps her dead lover 
 and wraps her loose hair round his breast and his throat.
 'come, lady, he's dead.' - 'no, i feel his heart beating,
 he's living, i know. but he's numbed with the cold. 
 see, i'm wrapping my hair all around him to warm him.' -
- 'no. we can't keep the dead, dear. come, loosen your hold.

 'come. loosen your fingers.' - 'o god, let me keep him! ' -
 o, hide it, black night! let the winds have their way! 
 and there are no voices or ghosts from that darkness, 
 to fret the bare seas at the breaking of day. which choice best describes the conflict in this poem? the winds are rocking the boat. a man is thrown into the sea. a woman doesn’t want to let go of her dead lover. someone is crying in the darkness.

What is the allure of fear? what have you learned from the story about portrayals of fear in literature?

Whats the importance of gaining a general understanding of and interpretation of the work of literature. explain what the importance is to me