4. Cain's mark is ambiguous because we never find out what the mark actually is or how it conveys a message not to kill Cain.  The fact that God is protecting a murderer would be unsettling to someone who has never studied the Bible.  So far, we only know God as the end all, be all of creation.  We do not know of his forgiving nature yet, just the side that demands respect and obedience.  If a person kills someone and then gets protection, does this mean that it is alright to kill?  But as we all know, this is not true.  On the contrary, it is not so unsettling to see God protecting a murderer because it is not unlike today's justice system.  Although Cain is protected from death, he still must suffer consequences.  In today's society, if a person is to murder someone, they must go to jail.  This person's punishment is to lose their freedom, but they still receive protection from the outside world, food, water, and shelter.  The fact that God did that to Cain seems normal; He wanted Cain to suffer the consequences of what He did, while also still allowing him basic needs and even a chance to redeem himself possibly.

5.  Civilization rises from the family of a murderer most likely because of the survival of the fittest theory--kill or be killed.  Cain may have killed his brother out of jealousy, anger, resentment, etc., but it shows that the fierceness is there in Cain.  He has the ability and personality to make those kinds of sacrifices.  People like that generally end up leading and bossing around meeker people.  Cain passed these traits down to his sons who passed them on.  Then civilization became a wicked place.  This also pertains to human nature because it"explains" the evils of human nature.  People are good, but they are also bad.  Often times evil prevails over good.  People are also more often drawn to evil than good.

Another theory is that the good brother (Abel) and the bad brother (Cain) explain how people are both good and evil.  It explains that when evil prevails over good, there are consequences, and we must suffer them.  When good prevails, God gives us his graces.

Noah. We see the theme of obedience which has been prevalent since the creation stories.  This reminds us of how God demands us to listen to Him and follow His ways; otherwise, we are punished in some way.  If we are obedient and do as He pleases, we are rewarded.  This shows God's power over us humans who are at His mercy always.  Another recurring theme is sacrifice.  Noah offers many sacrifices to God, and because of this God is pleased with him.  God was also pleased with Abel's ample sacrifice.  One more theme is promises, or covenants, which is less familiar.  God makes a covenant with Noah, which is sort of like a pact, that He will never flood the earth again.  This relates back to Noah's sacrifice and obedience.  Because Noah sacrificed what he had to God and did everything God told him, God then gave something in return: the covenant of the rainbow.

The only part of this text that I feel warrants more analysis and could be called problematic is the part about Noah and his sons.  I do not understand why Noah gets drunk then punishes his son for covering him up.  It is odd, and I think it needs to be further explained.  I especially think his punishment, a curse on Canaan, is a bit extreme, and I do not understand how Noah has (or thinks he has) the power to curse anyone.