What part of a sentence is the part that says who or what is or what the subject is doing?

Frankenstein: what attitudes toward education are expressed by shelley in her description of victor’s upbringing in chapter 1? what, for example, motivates victor and elizabeth to study/practice?

Which sentence in this excerpt from leo tolstoy’s the death of ivan ilyich suggests that ivan ilyich felt his family and friends didn’t understand him and neglected him?

What is the direct object in the following sentence? jerry asked him a question. a. question b. jerry c. asked