The epic opens with an invocation or plea that the Muse help the speaker tell the story of Odysseus worthily. 1) What do the lines (add a quote, source) briefly introduce? 2) Why are the details included of how Odysseus's men were lost? Who was at fault?

Who was supported?

Answer and Explanation:

1. The lines "Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy" presents a total summary of Odysseus' history and his various adventures while trying to return to his homeland in Ithaca. These lines also show the influence of Greek religion on history and how it is necessary for muses, goddesses of art, to bless the history that is being written.

2. The details of how the men were lost are presented to prove that Odysseus was a great leader and a great hero, but even so he was unable to return to Ithaca with all the men who accompanied him, because these men were negligent and provoked their own death. The author reinforces this idea to show that Odysseus was not to blame for the fate of the negligent men and that he suffered from the loss of each one of them.

a conclusion based on evidence is an example of a. inference

"the monkey's paw" is a rare story in that the theme is actually stated in the story. sgt. maj. morris tells the whites that the old fakir who put the spell on the paw said, "fate rules people's lives and those who interfere with fate do so to their sorrow." the message is a warning, but mr. white doesn't believe it. even though sgt. maj. morris makes it clear that he tried wishing with unfortunate results and he tries to throw the paw on the fire,   mr. white makes a wish for 200 pounds only to find that he receives the money when herbert dies in a factory accident. according to the fakir, then, because mr. white had wished for something he should not have had, his son lost his life.

the second wish that mrs. white encourages him to make is for herbert's return--one week after his death. when the strange knocking begins at the door during the windy night, mr. white panicks, believing that the previously dead but still mangled herbert could have walked home from the cemetary and is now at the door. because he fears what his wife will find if she opens the door, mr. white makes his third wish--for the noise to stop.

therefore, he uses his three wishes and to his sorrow, loses his son and disappoints his wife, who fervently believed that their son was at the door. she wanted him back, regardless of his condition.

explanation: