Literature
1. In A Rose for Emily, the narrator is unreliable. Why is this important for understanding the townspeople as well as the plot?
2. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor kills Fortunato. Explain how Montresor dehumanizes Fortunato in an effort to feel justified for committing the murder. Provide quotations to demonstrate Montresor dehumanizing Fortunato and explain how your quoted examples demonstrate dehumanization.
3. In Everyday Use, explain why Dee changes her name to Wangero and what that reveals about her perceptions of race. Provide quotations for support and thorough discussion of those quotes.
4. In Fences, explain what Troys explanation for cheating on Rose with Alberta reveals about him as a person and his views on gender roles. Provide quotations for support.
5. In Trifles, explain how the specific time period in which the play is set as well as the physical setting help us understand the Wright murder as well as the womens justification for covering up for Mrs. Wright. Be sure to clearly and specifically identify all the elements of the setting.
6. In Oedipus, how does the Chorus help us understand the ancient Greeks as well as the Theban people? You are not required to provide quotations.
7. Identify two images from Those Winter Sundays and explain what is being described through those images. You should provide your images as quotations.
8. Explain how the differences in tone in My Papas Waltz work together to create the poems overall effect. Provide quotations and analysis to demonstrate what the tones are and comparison to explain how those tones differ.
9. In Talk, the speaker exhibits an internal conflict over his reaction to what M says. Explain the nature of this internal conflict, taking into account what the various sides of the conflict reveal about race in America. Provide quotations and analysis for support.
10. Based on what youve learned this semester, choose movies, television, or video games and argue whether or not your chosen genre can contain works that can be considered literature. If so, provide examples and discussion to validate your stance. If not, consider what about your chosen genre definitively means it cannot contain literature. Be sure your argument is logical, not emotional or based on personal bias. There is not a correct answer to this question, so dont worry about your stance. You will be graded on the quality and logic of your argument. Your answer should not be based on an adaptation of a current written work of literature.
