| English
213 A Study Guide: Test 3 and Comprehensive Final Spring 2002 |
|
Dr. Rosemary Allen
Pawling Hall 115 |
|
|
Your two-hour exam will be split into two sections. The first section will be a standard sectional test, complete with the usual IDs, short answer, and essay questions. The second part will be a comprehensive final, which will be all essay (one long, one short). General advice: For the sectional exam, become familiar with style, issues, focus, and characters in each of the works we have studied. I will put a list of the works at the top of page 1. Remember that a lot of these poems tell stories, and in many cases there may be characters to identify. It should be a little easier than last time because of the distinctiveness of the individual stories. Remember that only one of the five points in this section comes from identifying the work; the other points come from identifying the significance of the quotation. Remember, as always, that the explanation of your reasoning is going to be important (since good reasoning will make it possible for me to give you credit even if your answer is wrong). This section is designed primarily to test whether you have read all assignments carefully; the best way to study is to read all assignments carefully. Short answer questions will ask you to address an issue we discussed in class, or apply terms and ideas that we discussed. This section is designed primarily to test your understanding of class discussion; the best way to study is to review your class notes. If you didn't take good notes, study with someone who did, and reform your evil ways in the future. Sectional Essay possibilities In sectional essays, I am looking for clear understanding of the issues and thorough support through brief but compelling example and detail. Because you have these questions in advance, there should be no excuse for a failure to come up with good examples. The best way to study is to do an outline of the answer and review the selected works for supporting evidence. 1. Trace the use of the "buried life" motif through three authors, including Arnold and Eliot. Define the concept, and relate it to that distinction between the social and psychological selves. Is there any change in the portrayal of the concept between the Victorian and Modern eras? 2. One of the major commonplaces about the Victorian and Modern eras is that they mark a decline in idealism in comparison to earlier eras. Discuss four works that demonstrate a sense of loss of faith in the progress of humanity. 3. The dramatic monologue is a popular literary device during the Victorian and Modern eras. Define the dramatic monologue, and then choose monologues by three different authors, including T.S. Eliot. In each case, answer each of the following questions: What does the reader conclude about the character of the speaker? How is this conclusion reached (give specific evidence)? Is this conclusion different from the conclusion the character reaches about himself? And what do you think the poet’s underlying message might be? Comprehensive Final Exam--main essay Characterize each of the four major literary periods we have covered, and discuss how a work (or two works) from each era illustrates the nature of that era. DO NOT use the poem on which you wrote your paper, and DO NOT use BOTH "Prufrock" and "The Buried Life" (you may use one of the two, if you wish). Be sure to include the approximate dates for the eras in your summary of the characteristics of the era. Review from class notes and look at the introductions to the literary periods in your book. This question will be worth 80 points. There will be a second question that I will not give you in advance. It is impossible to get the second question wrong, though it is possible to fail to develop it sufficiently to receive full credit. You need not study for this second question, though you will need to spend some time considering it carefully during the exam. |
Links
Study guides
|
||