He's trying to describe a physical feeling that he's experiencing. He used a metaphor to try to explain his heartache and what he feels about his loss.
A: The explorers were discovering gold in California hope that helped :)
It means most important. For example, a priority for you would be to get good grades. It's currently the most important thing for you right now.
Yes because history always repeats itself but with different characters
It can affect how you act and think
