The term "grandfathers" in this sense refers to persons who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries who may have occasionally discussed whether history repeats itself, but who convinced themselves that they were special and were therefore exempt from the lessons that history teaches. The author's real grandfathers are neither mentioned or alluded to in the paragraph.
The phrase "To us, in our generation" (lines 7-9) exhibits which of the following rhetorical shifts? The author briefly touches on our ancestors' perspectives on whether history repeats itself early in the section. The author starts to give a more current viewpoint with this clause.
The assertion is a clear, well-thought-out, and memorable concept in its context. As a result, it qualifies as an epigram.
The "second alternative" refers to our capacity to predict the future by looking at the past.
An illustration of an antithesis is seen in lines 17–18. Lines 21–24 examine a navigator's chart within the framework of a lengthy simile. The expression "charted rocks and reefs" is metaphorical. Alliteration can be found in word combinations like "probabilities/possibilities" and "rocks/reefs."
A theoretician, the author. He muses about how much we may wisely apply and gain from the teachings of history throughout the passage.
There are several examples of how women's look has changed that are expressed in similarly formatted phrases that start with the grammatical subject and the verb "will be."
The idea that "old ladies" will go extinct is exaggerated. In fact, the author contradicts the notion by saying that while the traits normally associated with aging women will become "old fashioned," they won't entirely vanish in the following phrase. The author's point—that the cult of beauty is progressively altering women's general appearance—is made stronger by the exaggeration.
The satirical designation "crone of the future" is somewhat akin to awards like "serial killer of the year" or "airhead of the month."
The only information we have about ancient civilizations comes from the ruins that have been left behind. We deduce teachings with the weight of scripture from the ruins.
The first paragraph's unanswered questions and expressions of uncertainty (such as "it depends" and "difficult to answer") set the stage for a conversation that considers all sides of the argument.
The passage's structure and substance demonstrate that the author possesses all the qualities stated, with the exception of scientific objectivity.
The analogy that contrasts a woman's attractiveness with the beauty of a porcelain jar takes up the most of the text.
Readers can deduce the lessons that history teaches because the "open book" documents the errors of earlier civilizations. However, the term "open book" itself relates to the history of earlier civilizations, particularly the errors and blunders that resulted in their disintegration.
The passage's second sentence hints at the author's meaning. People who belong to a "cult" are extremely devoted—almost obsessed—with a certain idea or set of practices; in this case, it is the need to produce, maintain, or revive physical beauty.
The author effectively criticizes himself and his fellow historians for their historical pessimism by posing the question in parenthesis. In comparison to the debate that comes before and after it, the inquiry has a very different tone that is much more casual and personal.
