Ms. Tischner

1) For Aristotle, Macbeth would not "count" as a tragedy, since Macbeth appears too evil to be a proper tragic hero. But he does not begin the play as an evil character. Note statements concerning Macbeth's past, i.e. his role and reputation prior to the beginning of the play. What has he accomplished, and how is he rewarded? What is King Duncan's opinion of him? Is it justified? How fundamentally does Macbeth change in the course of the play? Pinpoint key moments in his evolution from war hero to tyrant. Compare and contrast Shakespeare's treatment of Henry's past in Henry V.

2) One of the Aristotelian principles of tragedy is that the hero's downfall is caused by a moral weakness or flaw that inexorably leads him to his tragic destiny. In this respect, can Macbeth be seen as an Aristotelian tragedy? What basic human flaws or weaknesses does Macbeth display? How do they contribute to his downfall?

3) The three witches have been seen as figures of the Greek Moirae (Latin Parcae), or Fates, who respectively spin, measure out and cut the thread of human life. Note how the scenes with the "weird sisters" (Old Eng. wyrd=Fate) punctuate and structure the play. To what extent do their predictions dictate events? Are their prophecies binding? Is Macbeth trapped by destiny, a victim of fate, or does he have free will? How do we know? Note specific scenes and speeches that justify your point of view.

4) Banquo is a foil to Macbeth in that both are the subject of prophecies concerning the future kingship of Scotland, but they react to these prophecies differently. How does each respond to his encounter with the witches? Are there key differences? Why does Shakespeare include two sets of prophecies? What is the effect of this juxtaposition?

5) Macbeth begins with three witches chanting "fair is foul and foul is fair" (I.i.10), a line which evokes a world upside down, the reversal of the natural order. Look for other indications of nature gone awry within the play. Where does natural imagery occur? Note references e.g. to weather, vegetation, animals and birds, sterility and fertility, disease and health. What is the connection between this imagery and events in the play? For Shakespeare, "natural" behavior includes love for one's family and the loyalty between subject and liege lord; mistreating kinsmen or betraying one's rightful leader is "unnatural" (see e.g. Oliver and Duke Frederick in AYLI; the traitors Scroop, Grey and Cambridge in HV). Note examples of such "natural" and "unnatural" behavior (and occurrences of these words and of "nature") in Macbeth. Since treachery and betrayal play significant roles in the plot, look also for the familiar Shakespearean themes of the difficulty of distinguishing between appearance and reality (allusions to disguises, masks, clothing, etc.) and the power of language to deceive (flattery, lies, double meanings, ambiguity).

6) Macbeth displays high regard for his wife, Lady Macbeth, who is a surprisingly equal partner in their marriage (a situation that many in Shakespeare's time would find "unnatural"). Pick out references to their partnership or feelings for each other throughout the play. What is the effect of these details? (To excuse Macbeth from responsibility for his actions? To humanize him by showing him in at least one "natural" relationship? Or what?) Overall, do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth appear to have a good marriage? Are they well matched? Do they feel real affection for each other? To what extent is Lady Macbeth responsible for Duncan's murder? Are she and Macbeth equal partners in crime? Does their relationship (and their collaboration) shift over time? At what point does Macbeth start to act alone, without her help or knowledge? Read carefully Lady Macbeth's words in the sleep-walking scene. What do you think caused her breakdown? What prior events does she allude to, and what does she have to say about them? How does Macbeth react to the news of his wife's death? How does her death change him as a character?

7) Apart from the Weird Sisters, there are only two significant female characters in the play. Compare/contrast Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff. Are they foils to one another? Why or why not? What do they have in common? How do they differ? Lady Macduff is defined principally as a mother, while Lady Macbeth is apparently childless (see IV.iii.216). Nonetheless, Lady Macbeth says that she has "given suck, and [knows]/ How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks [her]" (I.vii.54-55). Can that shared experience of motherhood be seen as a bond between the two women? Does Lady Macbeth share the blame for Lady Macduff's murder? Does she approve of her husband's actions? Before she dies, Lady Macduff complains of her husband's "unnatural" behavior in abandoning wife and children (IV.ii.9). Is her anger justified?

8) At the end of the play, Macduff kills Macbeth in a scene easily read as the victory of Good over Evil. But would that be an accurate characterization? Is Macbeth wholly evil? (Consider e.g. his initial heroism in the war against Norway; his love for his wife; any other factors that may serve to make him seem more "human" or believable.) By the same token, is Macduff wholly good? (Is he really blameless? What mistakes has he made? Of what is he guilty?) Are we dealing here with entirely "black" and "white" characters, like the "good guys" and the "bad guys" in an old western, or is there some "gray" area? And if so, is that a strength or a weakness of the play? What is the effect of this moral ambiguity?

9) In some respects, Macbeth is a meditation upon "manhood." It explores "natural" and "unnatural" gender behavior, offering varying views on what constitutes real "manhood." Note statements throughout the play that deal with "manliness," masculine identity, being a man, etc. How do the various characters in the play define "manhood"? How do these definitions shift over the course of the play?

   Macbeth Quotations and Analysis

1. “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”

From Act 1, Scene 3, these are the first lines uttered by Macbeth when he first appears on the
stage accompanied by his bosom friend, Banquo. Immediately the playwright establishes the
theme of equivocation: the day is both fair and foul at the same time. It is fair in that Macbeth
and Banquo have won a great victory against the Norwegian invaders, but the atmosphere on
the blasted heath where the two men will meet the Weird Sisters is foul. Directly after this
quotation is spoken, the two men meet the witches and hear the prophecies that will set the
action of the play in motion. Notice the playwright’s rigid use of iambic pentameter here: there
are precisely ten, monosyllabic words on this line that follow the unstressed-stressed pattern
precisely. This gives the utterance extra weight and significance.

2. “This supernatural soliciting
  Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
  Why hath it given me earnest of success
  Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
  If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
  Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
  And make my seated heart knock at my ribs
  Against the use of nature?”

In Act 1, Scene 3, after Macbeth has been informed by Ross and Angus that he has been named
Thane of Cawdor, he wonders in this soliloquy about the possible truth of the witches’
prophecies. After all, the first of their prophecies has just come true, and that means that
perhaps the second will as well [i.e. that Macbeth will become king]. This is the first time in the
play that Macbeth contemplates accelerating his fate by murdering Duncan. That is the
“suggestion” whose “horrid image” comes suddenly to Macbeth while Banquo speaks to Ross
and Angus elsewhere on the stage. However, we see that Macbeth is unnerved by this idea right
from the start, and he likely would not have gone through with it without the prompting from
Lady Macbeth.

3. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me
Without my stir.”

In this critical aside from Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth reveals that he understands that a prophecy
should come to pass without any conscious action from the receiver of the prophecy. He
understands that if the witches have spoken the truth, then he will become king whether or not
he takes action to accelerate the process. Perhaps Duncan would have died of natural causes if
Macbeth had not murdered him. Either way, it is of great importance that the playgoer
understands that his decision to commit regicide was not an ignorant one.

4. “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
  On which I must fall down or else o’erleap,
  For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
  Let not light see my black and deep desires.
  The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be
  Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.”

Here in Act 1, Scene 4, Macbeth fumes at the news that Duncan has reaffirmed his son
Malcolm's right to inherit the throne. Although Macbeth was previously only considering
accelerating his fate through violent action, his jealousy of Malcolm helps prod him into action.
This quotation, the final lines spoken by Macbeth at the very end of Act 1, set the stage for the
rising action in which the murder is consummated. Notice the playwright’s use of rhymed
couplets. Shakespeare liked to end important scenes with couplets to accentuate the moment,
and Macbeth’s six rhymed lines here are much stronger and more poetic than the five lines
spoken immediately after by Duncan which actually draw the scene to a close. The theme of
darkness is clearly expressed here as well: Macbeth calls upon the stars to cease shining so that
the horrible deed he plans to commit will go unseen.

5. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
  What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature;
  It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness
  To catch the nearest way.”

Having received a letter from her husband in the very beginning of Act 1, Scene 5, Lady
Macbeth muses upon her mate’s lack of ambition and resolve. We are shown right from the
very first moments in which Lady Macbeth is on stage that she is a Machiavellian schemer who
will push her husband to do an evil act if it will bring him greater fame. She loves Macbeth and
lives vicariously through his accomplishments, yet she does not admire his “human kindness”
which she feels impedes the success that he deserves. Lady Macbeth’s monologue introduces us
to a nuanced female character typical of Shakespeare’s complex vision of a woman’s place in
society. Despite the cultural norms that keep her from achieving power and influence herself,
Lady Macbeth affects the course of events through her control of her husband.

6. “The raven himself is hoarse
  That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
  Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
  That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
  And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
  Of direst cruelty.”

In this soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth calls upon evil spirits to give her the strength
to impel her husband to murder Duncan. As this kind of cruel action is not womanly, she asks
the spirits to “unsex” her; i.e. to take away her soft, feminine qualities so that she may act
brutally. Birds are harbingers of evil deeds in many places in the play, and here the black raven
signals the coming murder of Duncan as he enters Macbeth’s keep.

7. “He’s here in double trust:
  First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
  Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
  Who should against his murderer shut the door,
  Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
  Hath born his faculties so meek, hath been
  So clear in his great office, that his virtues
  Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
  The deep damnation of his taking-off;”

Act 1, Scene 7 begins with Macbeth speaking a monologue in which he talks himself out of the
planned murder of Duncan (Lady Macbeth quickly sets him back on the path of regicide). His
reasons for not murdering Duncan are bonds of kinship and duty; plus he has the traditional
duty of a host to his guest. Shakespeare also includes strong Christian overtones here, as the
pious Duncan is a god-fearing man, and Macbeth fears retribution in the afterlife should he
murder his king. As usual, Shakespeare employs foils: Macbeth will be an evil and dark king in
contrast to Duncan’s Christian, benevolent reign.

8. “Is this a dagger I see before me,
The handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?”

As we enter the Rising Action, Macbeth’s mind is beginning to become unhinged in Act 2, Scene
1. Macbeth imagines that he sees a vision of a dagger leading him to Duncan’s room where he
will commit the murder. The dagger he sees is not real, since he draws his actual one
immediately after these lines are spoken. The playwright creates a very rich, complicated, moral
universe for his protagonist to inhabit. Macbeth has been contemplating the murder since the
beginning of the play, and he had resolved against it until his wife used guilt to persuade him
and questioned his manhood. By following this illusory dagger, Macbeth seems to be ceding the
decision to supernatural forces. It is left to the playgoer to decide if Macbeth can be held
responsible for the terrible deeds that he commits or if fate impelled him.

9. “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!
  Macbeth does murder sleep’”

In Act 2, Scene 2, as Macbeth recounts his (partially botched) murder of Duncan to his wife, he
claims that he heard a voice in his head say these words. From the moment of the regicide,
Shakespeare plunges his medieval Scottish world into a macabre phantasmagoria in which
darkness and night rule. In this sinister setting Macbeth will continue to commit horrible acts as
he becomes an increasingly cruel tyrant. However, both he and Lady Macbeth will suffer from an
acute insomnia caused by the psychological toll of their responsibility for the murder. Recall that
in medieval times, people believed that the king was chosen by God to rule, and therefore
murdering the king was a terrible sin.

10. “Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus
   And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.
   The fit is momentary; upon a thought
   He will again be well. If much you note him
   You shall offend him and extend his passion.
   Feed and regard him not.”

Act 3, Scene 4 is the climactic scene in the climactic third act. Here Lady Macbeth asks the
assembled thanes to excuse the bizarre behavior of her husband. Macbeth alone sees the ghost
of his murdered friend, Banquo. Lady Macbeth attempts to explain away Macbeth’s strange
actions by claiming that he has been subject to fits such as these since he was a child, but as
Macbeth becomes more and more upset by the ghost’s presence, it becomes impossible for her
to sweep this strangeness under the rug. We expect the climax of a Shakespearean play to be
the moment of greatest dramatic tension and also the turning point in which the plot begins to
move towards resolution (in a tragedy like this one, it moves towards a bloody denouement).
This banquet should mark Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s happy fulfillment of their dreams of
power, but instead it causes an increasingly growing rift between husband and wife. Having lost
his chance at a normal reign unbesmirched by guilt or suspicion, Macbeth will increasingly
embrace the evil patch from this time on.

11. “I am in blood
   Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
   Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”

At the very end of Act 3, Scene 4, Macbeth makes the frightful choice to return to the blasted
heath and consult the witches once more. In his conversation with his wife after the ruined
banquet, Macbeth uses a metaphor to compare his choices to a traveler fording a river. The river
represents evil, and Macbeth argues that he has waded halfway across the river, and so it is just
as easy to continue on this evil path as to retrace his steps and try to return to normalcy. As this
quotation takes place in the climactic scene of the play, the halfway across metaphor is especially
fitting. Also, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to reverse roles here, as she is now the one
urging him to be cautious.

12. “Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
    Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.
    Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
    Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
    Shall come against him.”

All of the Apparitions and their prophecies in Act 4, Scene 1 are of great importance; the lines
spoken by the Third Apparition here were chosen as a likely representative. The Third Apparition,
which appears as “A Child Crowned, with a tree in his hand” represents Malcolm’s eventual rise
to power in the denouement. All of the prophecies Macbeth receives in this scene inspire him to
greater confidence in his chosen path, but the witches are a force of evil in the play, and the
prophecies all have ironic twists. Macbeth believes it is impossible for a forest to literally move
against him, but he does not imagine that it could be poetic license on the part of the
Apparition.

13. “Whither should I fly?
    I have done no harm. But I remember now
    I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
    Is often laudable, to do good sometime
    Accounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas,
    Do I put up that womanly defense
    To say I have done no harm?”

Lady Macduff only appears in Act 4, Scene 2. Her murder is the most upsetting and tragic
demonstration of the depths of evil to which Macbeth has stooped. Just as Macduff is an
honorable foil for Macbeth, Lady Macduff is a foil for Lady Macbeth. While Lady Macbeth is too
ambitious at first and then descends into madness, Lady Macduff is cool-headed throughout.
She is well acquainted with the ways of the world, and she knows that she is merely a pawn in
the events that have swept across Scotland. She provides a counterbalance to Lady Macbeth’s
gender-role defying attempt to influence the events of the world. Her murder shortly after these
lines are spoken, and the murder of her children, impels her husband to seek revenge against
the tyrant Macbeth.

14. “Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two. Why then, ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky.
   Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none
   can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had
   so much blood in him?”

As the Doctor and Gentlewoman look on, Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep in Act 5, Scene 1.
The insomnia brought on by the murder of Duncan will not allow Lady Macbeth to sleep
peacefully, and her words as she talks in her sleep are damning evidence of her guilty
conscience. She imagines spots of blood on her hands that will not be washed away. Even
though she seemed bold and unafraid to clean up the mess left by Macbeth’s botched murder
of Duncan, we now see in the final act how these terrifying images have unhinged her mind. The
“old man” of whom she speaks is Duncan, and she is still seeing in her mind’s eye the mass of
blood surrounding him when she entered his chambers to “fix” the evidence after the murder.
The Doctor will say after this quotation that Lady Macbeth’s illness can not be cured by his
medicine, but rather that she must see a priest in order to be healed.

15. “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
    Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
    To the last syllable of recorded time,
    And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
    The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
    Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
    That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
    And then is heard no more. It is a tale
    Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
    Signifying nothing.”

Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 5, Scene 5 is one of Shakespeare’s most powerful and poetic
speeches. Having been told of the suicide of his wife, Macbeth embraces a nihilistic view of the
world. In opposition of the Christian values of Duncan, Macbeth argues that life is meaningless
and history itself is of no consequence. The playwright often employed metaphors about the art
of drama itself, and here he compares life to an actor in an absurd, meaningless play. The degree
to which Shakespeare was both in the Classical tradition here (e.g. Plato’s allegory of the cave)
and yet light years ahead of his time (e.g. Existentialism) cannot be overstated. It is this most
crucial aspect of Shakespeare’s art that separates him from lesser artists: he gives expression to
the most profound elements of our experience as human beings. Macbeth has lost his wife to
suicide as a result of his own ambitious overreaching, and now, when he should be mourning,
he must instead go out onto the field of battle to kill again.

16. “Despair thy charm,
    And let the angel whom thou still hast served
    Tell thee Macduff was from his mother’s womb
    Untimely ripped.”

In the final scene of the play, Act 5, Scene 8, Macbeth meets Macduff face to face on the field of
battle. Believing the prophecies of the Apparitions mean that he is invulnerable, Macbeth learns
from Macduff that his enemy was not “of woman born,” but rather he was delivered via a
Caesarian section. On this technicality all of the prophecies have now come true, and Macbeth is
slain by Macduff (offstage). Macduff has thereby avenged the murder of his wife and children
and ended the nightmarish reign of Macbeth. This ironic technicality through which Macbeth is
slain reveals Shakespeare’s appreciation for the ancient Greek playwrights (such as Sophocles).
As with most of Shakespeare’s tragedies, our protagonist’s death ends the play, and the
surviving minor characters are left to pick up the pieces and restore order to a world rent
asunder by violence.

Posted at 07:54 AM | Permalink

April 21, 2010

The Stranger - Study questions

Part 1 - Chapter 1 questions

1. Where does Meursault live?

2. How does Meursault react when he learns of his mother’s death?

3. What happens when Meursault asks his employer for time off to attend his mother’s funeral?

4. Who is Celeste?

5. What happens to Meursault on the bus to the nursing home?

6. How does Meursault feel when he talks to the warden?

7. What do Meursault and the doorkeeper do during the all-night vigil?

8. Who is Thomas Perez?

9. Does Meursault cry at his mother’s funeral?

10. What does Meursault react to during the funeral?

Chapter 2

1. Why does Meursault worry about his employer when he wakes up on Saturday morning?

2. Who is Marie Cardona?

3. What kind of movie does Marie want to see?

4. How does Marie react when Meursault tells her about his mother?

5. Why does Meursault decide not to eat at Celeste’s on Sunday?

6. What does Meursault do when he’s alone in his apartment?

7. Who does Meursault see from his bedroom window?

8. How does the tobacconist sit on his chair?

9. What does the football fan say to Meursault?

10. How does Meursault feel about Sundays?

Study Questions - Chap 3
1. How does Meursault’s employer treat him when he returns to work on Monday?

2. Who is Emmanuel?

3. How does Celeste react when he sees Meursault?

4. How long has old Salamano had his dog and why does he abuse him?

5. Who is Raymond Sintes?

6. Why does Raymond want to get revenge on his girlfriend?

7. What does Raymond ask Meursault to do for him?

8. Does Meursault want to be Raymond’s friend?

9. What does Raymond say about Meursault’s mother?

10. What does Meursault do after he leaves Raymond’s room?

Study Questions- 4
1. Where do Meursault and Marie go on Saturday?

2. What does Marie do when Meursault tells her about old Salamano and his dog?

3. How does Meursault feel about policemen?

4. How does Raymond greet the policeman who comes to his door?

5. Why is Raymond shaking when he talks to the policeman?

6. How does Meursault feel about being Raymond’s witness?

7. Why is old Salamano so upset?

8. How does Raymond treat Salamano?

9. When Salamano visits Meursault, what does Meursault tell him?

10. Why does Meursault think about his mother?

Chapter 5 - Study Questions
1. Where does Raymond want to go on Sunday with Meursault and Marie?

2. What does Meursault’s employer suggest during their ¬meeting?

3. How does Meursault feel about Paris?

4. What does Marie ask Meursault?

5. Does Meursault want to marry Marie?

6. With whom does Meursault eat at Celeste’s?

7. What does Meursault notice about the “robot” woman?

8. What was Salamano’s occupation?

9. According to Salamano, what do Meursault’s neighbors say about him?

10. Why did Me --ursault put his mother in the nursing home?Chapter 6.

Chapter 6 -Study Questions
1. How does Meursault feel when he wakes up on Sunday morning¬?

2. Where does Meursault first see the Arabs?

3. What does Meursault think about Raymond’s outfit?

4. Who is Masson?

5. How does Meursault feel after he eats lunch?

6. Where do Meursault, Raymond, and Masson go after lunch?

7. What happens when Raymond fights with the Arab?

8. What does Raymond do when he meets the Arab again?

9. How does the sun affect Meursault when he’s walking alone on the beach?

10. What happens when Meursault confronts the Arab?

Part 2, Chapter 1: Questions
1. What does Meursault think about the magistrate when he first meets him?

2. What does Meursault’s lawyer look like?

3. What charge against Meursault, besides murder, is the lawyer concerned about?

4. Is the lawyer optimistic about Meursault’s case?

5. How did Meursault feel about his mother?

6. How does the lawyer react to Meursault during their first meeting?

7. What does the typist do during Meursault’s meeting with the magistrate?

8. How does Meursault react to the magistrate when the magistrate starts talking about God?

9. How does Meursault feel sitting in the magistrate’s office?

10. Does Meursault accept the fact that he is a criminal?

Chapter 2
1. What does Meursault hope for when he’s first put in prison?

2. How does the Arab prisoner help out Meursault?

3. What does Meursault feel the first night he spends in jail?

4. How far apart are the prisoners kept from their visitors?

5. What does Meursault long for when he sees Marie?

6. What does Marie do when Meursault is led back out of the Visitors’ Room?

7. Why does the jailer think Meursault is different?

8. Besides women, what else are the prisoners deprived of?

9. As Meursault loses track of time, what are the two words that still have meaning for him?

10. What does Meursault use for a mirror?

Part 2 -Chapter 3

1. During what month does Meursault’s trial begin?

2. What does the special news correspondent from Paris look like?

3. How many judges preside over Meursault’s trial?

4. What is the first thing the judge questions Meursault about?

5. What does the judge ask Meursault about his mother?

6. Following Meursault, who is the first witness called?

7. What does the doorkeeper say about Meursault?

8. Who does the defense call as its first witness?

Chapter 4

Study Questions
1. According to Meursault, what did the prosecutor “aim at” during his closing argument?

2. How does Meursault want to explain his lack of regret to the prosecutor?

3. What does the prosecutor call “the most odious of crimes?”

4. How does the prosecutor compare Meursault’s crime to the parricide case?

5. Since Meursault has already admitted killing the Arab, what verdict does the prosecutor ask for?

6. How do some of the spectators in the courtroom react when Meursault tries to explain his reaction to the sun?

7. What word does Meursault’s lawyer use when referring to Meursault during his speech?

8. What is Meursault’s impression of his lawyer?

9. How is Meursault to be executed?

10. How do those near Meursault react to him after the sentence is read?

9. What does Marie do at the conclusion of her testimony?

Part 2 - Chapter 5

Study Questions
1. How many times has Meursault refused to see the chaplain?

2. The guillotine reminds Meursault of what other type of device?

3. How does Meursault spend his nights in his cell?

4. What subject does Meursault wish he had read more about?

5. What does Meursault do after he refuses to see the chaplain?

6. Instead of a “divine face,” what image does Meursault try to see on the wall of his prison cell?

7. Does Meursault allow the chaplain to kiss him?

8. What happens when the chaplain touches Meursault’s shoulder?

9. When the jailers rush into Meursault’s cell, what do they do to him?

10. What does Meursault do after the chaplain leaves?

10. Who is the last witness?

Posted at 09:04 PM | Permalink

April 13, 2010

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Study Guide

Act I, scene 1

1. How does Shakespeare use humor in the opening scene?

2. A pun is a play on words, two words that sound alike but have different meanings. Find two examples of puns in the opening lines of the scene.

3. How does Shakespeare show the political conflict in Rome?

4. What is the reason the cobbler tells Flavius and Marullus he is leading the people through the street?

5. What is the real reason the people are out in the street?

6. What about Pompey is revealed in this scene?

7. What information is given about Caesar?

8. How does the scene show the fickleness of the crowd?

9. Shakespeare often uses comparisons (metaphor and simile) and figurative language. What is the comparison Flavius makes in the final lines of the scene?

10. What are the intentions of Flavius and Marullus as the scene ends?

Scene 2

1. How is Caesar’s power indicated in the scene?

2. What was the soothsayer’s warning?

3. What reason does Brutus give Cassius for his coolness towards him?

4. What two stories does Brutus tell about Caesar?

5. What does Cassius compare Caesar to in lines 142–45?

6. What reasons does Caesar give Antony that Cassius is dangerous?

7. Why does Casca say Caesar fell?

8. What does Brutus mean when he says Caesar has the “falling sickness”?

9. What does Cassius mean when he says, “But you, and I / And Casca, we have the falling sickness”? (266–67)

10. How does Cassius plan to trick Brutus into joining the plot against Caesar?

Act I, Scene 3

1. Why does Casca have his sword drawn?

2. What two “supernatural” events does Casca describe to Cicero?

3. What unusual “natural” event does he tell about?

4. Why does Casca think these unusual things are happening?

5. What information about Caesar is revealed in their conversation?

6. How is Cassius’ conduct in the storm different from Casca’s?

7. How does Cassius interpret all that is happening in Rome?

8. What news does Cinna bring to Cassius?

9. Why does Casca think it is important for Brutus to join with them in the plot against Caesar?

10. How does Cassius plan to put extra pressure on Brutus at the end of Act I?

Act II, Scene 1

1. What reason does Brutus give in his soliloquy for killing Caesar?

2. What do the letters addressed to Brutus say?

3. Why can’t Lucius identify the men with Cassius?

4. Why does Brutus oppose the idea of swearing an oath?

5. Why does Brutus object to Cicero joining the conspiracy?

6. Why does Brutus oppose killing Mark Antony?

7. How does Decius plan to get Caesar to the Capitol?

8. What advice does Brutus give the conspirators as they leave his house?

9. Why does Portia think she is strong enough to share in Brutus’ plans?

10. How does Caius Ligarius prove his high regard for Brutus?

Act II, Scene 2

1. Why is Caesar concerned when the scene begins?

2. What is Calphurnia’s request of Caesar?

3. What is Caesar’s response to Calphurnia’s concern he might be killed?

4. What was the result of the sacrifice performed by the augurers?

5. What reasons does Caesar give Decius for staying home?

6. What was Calphurnia’s dream?

7. How does Decius use flattery to get Caesar to change his mind?

8. How does Decius interpret Calphurnia’s dream?

9. What does Trebonius say when Caesar tells him to stay by?

10. What is the irony in Caesar’s last lines in the scene?

Act II, Scenes 3,4

1. How does Shakespeare add the element of suspense in these two short scenes?

2. What is Artemidorus’ warning?

3. What does Artemidorus mean when he says, “Security gives way to conspiracy”? (Sc. 3, 7–8)

4. How does he plan to give Caesar his letter?

5. Why doesn’t Lucius carry out Portia’s request?

6. What does Portia mean in her aside, “O constancy, be strong upon my side; / Set a huge mountain ‘tween my heart and tongue. / I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might. / How hard it is for women to keep counsel!” (Sc. 4, 7–10)?

7. What does she tell Lucius to do?

8. What does the soothsayer tell Portia he plans to do?

9. What is Portia’s wish for Brutus?

10. How does Portia try to cover up being overheard by Lucius?

Act III, Scene 1

1. Why does Caesar not read Artemidorus’ letter?

2. Why does Cassius think their assassination plan has been discovered?

3. Why does Caesar get angry at Metellus?

4. What does Brutus tell the frightened senators after Caesar’s assassination?

5. How does Calphurnia’s dream come true?

6. What does Antony want from the conspirators?

7. What restrictions does Brutus place on Antony when he allows him to speak at the funeral?

8. What does Antony predict in his soliloquy?

9. What information does the messenger bring to Antony?

10. What are Antony’s intentions as the scene ends?

Act III, Scenes 2,3

1. How does Brutus justify the killing of Caesar to the people of Rome?

2. What is the crowd’s reaction to Brutus’ speech?

3. What two reasons does Antony give to prove Caesar wasn’t ambitious?

4. How does Antony use irony in his funeral speech?

5. What is the pun Antony uses in line 114 of Scene 3?

6. How does Antony use Caesar’s cloak to manipulate the crowd?

7. How does Antony say that Caesar died?

8. What is the news that the messenger brings to Antony at the end of the scene?

9. Why is Cinna out on the streets?

10. What is the excuse the mob uses to kill Cinna?

Act IV, Scene 1

1. Why are Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus together in the scene?

2. How does Shakespeare show their callousness?

3. Why does Antony send Lepidus to Caesar’s house?

4. What is Antony’s true opinion of Lepidus?

5. Why did Antony pick Lepidus as one of the new leaders of Rome?

6. What does Antony compare Lepidus to?

7. What is Octavius’ assessment of Lepidus?

8. What is Antony’s response to Octavius?

9. What news does Antony tell Octavius about Brutus and Cassius?

10. Why does Octavius agree with Antony’s plan to go after Cassius and Brutus?

Act IV, Scenes 2,3

1. Why is Brutus concerned about Lucilius’ account of his meeting with Cassius?

2. Why does Brutus tell Cassius to come into his tent?

3. Why is Cassius angry with Brutus?

4. Why is Brutus angry with Cassius?

5. Why does Brutus say he is not afraid of Cassius’ threats?

6. What is the advice given to Cassius and Brutus by the poet?

7. What is the news from Rome?

8. What are Brutus’ and Cassius’ battle plans?

9. What reasons does Brutus give for his plan?

10. What does the ghost of Caesar tell Brutus?1. What order does Brutus give Messala in the battle?

Act V, Scene 1

1. What does Octavius report to Antony in the opening lines of the scene?

2. What is the cause of the disagreement between Antony and Octavius?

3. How does Antony insult Cassius and Brutus?

4. What is Cassius’ response to Antony’s insult?

5. Why is Cassius reluctant to fight the battle?

6. What are the omens he has observed?

7. Why would it be ironic if Cassius dies in the battle?

8. What is Brutus’ attitude concerning suicide?

9. What is Brutus’ response when Cassius asks if he is “contented to be led in triumph / Thorough the streets of Rome?” (119–20)

10. Why is Brutus anxious for the battle to begin?

Act V, Scenes 2,3

1. What order does Brutus give Messala in the battle?

2. How does Cassius try to prevent the retreat?

3. What news does Pindarus bring the retreating Cassius?

4. Why does Cassius ask Pindarus to describe Titinius’ ride instead of doing so himself?

5. What does Pindarus describe?

6. What request does Cassius make of Pindarus?

7. What is ironic about the way Cassius dies?

8. What is the message Titinius has for Cassius?

9. How does Titinius show his high regard for Cassius?

10. Why does Brutus plan to send Cassius’ body to Thasos for burial?

Act V, Scenes 4,5

1. What happens to young Cato?

2. How does Lucilius try to confuse the enemy troops?

3. What does Lucilius request of the two soldiers?

4. What does Antony do when he recognizes Lucilius?

5. Why does Brutus say he wants to commit suicide?

6. What is the one thing Brutus says he is happy about before he dies?

7. How does Brutus die?

8. How does Strato answer Messala’s inquiry about Brutus?

9. How does Octavius restore order to Rome after the battle?

10. How does Antony regard Brutus at the end of the play?

Very Cool Links

Julius Caesar Suzanne Cross's site with in‑depth history of Caesar, plus a timeline and links.
C. Julius Caesar Jona Lendering's in‑depth history of Caesar (Livius. Org)
Julius Caesar — virgil.org An Annotated Guide to Online Resources categorised into Primary Sources, Background & Images, Modern Essays & Historical Fiction.
Julius Caesar, page with many links in several languages, including English
History of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar: An alternative view of his motives
The Heart of Change: Julius Caesar and the End of the Roman Republic
Julius Caesar at BBC History

Posted at 02:31 PM | Permalink

World Lit Calander

Julius Caesar study guide and great links on blog

J.C. test 4/20

Vocab 14 due4/19 - 14 Quiz 4/23

Begin Macbeth - 4/ 22

Vocab 15 due 4/26 - 15 Quiz 5/3

Macbeth test 5/4

Posted at 10:35 AM | Permalink

March 16, 2010

World Lit and American Lit - Research samples

Follow MLA formatting guidelines. See orange sheet, blue research guide or on-line version on Walton site.

Sample Preliminary/ working outline

T.J. Murphy

Mrs. Murphy

Honors American Lit 111B

12 March 2007

An Unhealthy Balance: Deterioration of the Mind in “The Fall of the House of Usher”

Thesis: In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism to reflect his theme that man inherently possesses a dual nature and that a physical or emotional imbalance in that nature deteriorates both his character and his sanity.

I. Roderick and Madeline Usher as twins symbolize the inseperable…

II. The symbolism of Roderick alone is …..

III. The house of Usher acts as a personified character

IV. The symbolism of the irreparable fissure in the house of Usher foreshadows the twins’ demise.

Essay Titles

1. The title of your essay is not the same as the title of the work.

Incorrect: Romeo and Juliet

Better: Romeo and Juliet: Victims of Fate or Fools of Free Will?

2. The title of your essay is not a label.

Incorrect: Romeo and Juliet Essay

Incorrect: Light and Dark Imagery

Better: Sunshine and Shadow in Romeo and Juliet

3. The title of an essay is not a sentence.

Incorrect: Fate Plays an Important Role in Romeo and Juliet

Better: Fate versus Free Will in Romeo and Juliet

4. The title of your essay should be clear and specific.

Incorrect: Romeo and Juliet Essay

Incorrect: Character in Romeo and Juliet

Better: Friar Laurence: Sage or Stumbler

5. Follow the rules of capitalization and punctuation.

· Do not underline, place in quotes, or italicize your essay title.

· Capitalize the first and last words of a title plus all words in between except for articles (a, an, the), short prepositions (to, of), and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or). Capitalize prepositions that are five or more letters (Between, Across).

· Underline or Italicize the title of novels and plays if they are use in the title of your essay.

Example:

Rochester

as Byronic Hero in Jane Eyre

· Place the titles of short stories, poems and essays in quotation marks if they are used in your title.

Examples: Ambiguity in Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

The Introductory Paragraph

Introductory Paragraphs should include the following:

· A “hook” to grab the reader.

· An introduction to the topic (including title of work(s) and author(s) for literary analysis).

· A brief explanation of the topic. This may involve very brief plot summary.

· A bridge sentence or two to ease the reader from the overview of the topic to the specific point to be demonstrated.

· A thesis statement (the specific point(s) to be “proved”).

How NOT to begin an essay:

· Place Holder: Broad, generic statement that lacks focus.

Example: Great literature provides a window to another world; it enables readers to travel to a different time and different place and experience events and emotions they might otherwise not be able to know.

· Webster’s Dictionary: Define a key word and proceed from there.

Example: Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines “fate” as “that which is destined or decreed.”

· Dawn of man introduction: A broad, sweeping statement about the topic since the beginning of mankind.

Example: Mankind has long sought to understand the nature and power of love.

· Book report introduction: beginning with the title, author and a general comment about the work

Example: In Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare presents the tragic story of star-crossed lovers challenging both fate and the conventions of the time.

· Sweeping generalizations: grandiose statements making sweeping generalizations about the work

Example: William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous and widely-read plays of all time.

· Rush to write introduction: jumping right in to the paper without providing an introduction to the topic

Example: Prince Escalus’s three appearances dramatically alter the course of Romeo and Juliet.

How TO begin an essay:

The key to a good introduction is to be informative and thought-provoking and to make your material relevant to your audience. Ways to do this include the following.

· General Discussion: Explain in general terms how your topic relates to society as a whole. For example, on the theme of the inevitability of the corruption of innocence, you might start with something like, “At some point in life, everyone experiences that moment where he can feel himself beginning to change, the moment when he knows that the carefree days of youth have been left behind.” Continue to relate that scenario to society as a whole; then gradually lead into your novel, ending with a more specific thesis statement.

· Quotations: Begin your introduction with a meaningful, philosophical, or inspirational quote that enhances your overall point. Make sure that your quote is by an author different from the author of your novel or any of the sources you use in the paper: the idea is to get an alternative perspective on your topic. For instance, if your topic is that the search for self-identity is essential to humankind, you might use J. R. R. Tolkein’s quote, “Not all who wander are lost.” Elaborate on the universal relevance of your quote and relate it to the ideas in your paper; then end with a specific thesis.

· History / Biography / Statistics: Some topics lend themselves to “real world” backdrops. In this case, you might want to use facts to prove the relevance to the reader. For example, if your novel is highly autobiographical, you might want to include several pertinent facts about the author’s life and then show how these facts relate to the theme. If your topic is related to abuse, you could use current statistics about abuse in

America

to emphasize the relevance of the topic. In the case of Elie Wiesel’s Night, you could use the historical backdrop of the Holocaust to enhance the relevance of the theme. Be careful in choosing your details and make everything relevant; make sure you don’t give too much information. Save specific details about your novel for body paragraphs.

· Imaginary / Hypothetical Scenario: Use strong sensory imagery and somewhat hypothetical scenarios to pull at the “heart strings” of your reader. Create a mental picture for the reader in the first few sentences of your paper that will stay with him/her throughout. For instance, if you are writing on the myth of idealistic heroism in war, you might begin like this: “The eighteen-year-old soldier crouches in the muddy ditch in the middle of the night, all senses alert and ready for anything. His best friend and platoon mate tries to hide his paralyzing fears by joking about what their mothers would think if they saw how dirty they were. Neither one hears the imperceptible grenade that hurdles through the air and lands on one soldier’s leg, severing it immediately like a hot knife through butter.” You would then go on to relate this little story to your novel and eventually to your thesis.

· Definition: Sometimes the novel has a word or phrase that is key to the theme but is difficult to define. This is especially common in novels set in foreign cultures (The Joy Luck Club, All the Pretty Horses, The House of the Spirits, etc.). You can begin your introduction by defining that term, thus bringing the reader “into the loop” and relating it immediately to your topic.

· Rhetorical Question: Begin with a question or two that you will answer in your paper. This type of introduction can easily become trite; use with caution. For an example of this type of introduction, see the sample essay on page 16.

Introductory Paragraph and Exteneded Outline

Will Murphy

Mrs. Murphy

Honors American Lit

2 March 2006

Symbolism in “The Fall of the House of Usher”

“I became insane, with large intervals of horrible sanity,” wrote Edgar Allan Poe, the most famous of the anti-transcendentalists and the man recognized by many critics as the creator of the horror story (12). As for Poe’s own assessment of his mental health, the truths of his evaluation clearly shine through in his works: he blends the sane and the insane to create intense, horrifying tales. Among his many famous works, “The Fall of the House of Usher” stands as a monument to Poe’s stunning talent as an author; he constructs—piece by piece, crumbling stone by crumbling stone—a literal house of unseen fear. In this ghastly short story, Poe plays upon the anti-transcendentalist ideas that man contains a balance of good and evil and that self-knowledge is always limited. Like the weaver who winds thread in and out to create a multi-colored tapestry, Poe weaves enticing lines filled with symbolism, similes, and metaphors to demonstrate his beliefs. Each thread in the intricate storyline reveals a little more about the nature of the human character, and each end of a line leads the reader to conclusions within the farthest realm of surreal thought. In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Poe uses symbolism to reflect his theme that man inherently possesses a dual nature and that a physical or emotional imbalance in that nature deteriorates both his character and his sanity.

I. Roderick and Madeline Usher are physical manifestations of the imbalance in man’s nature.

A. Roderick and Madeline Usher represent one being.

1. As Roderick Usher and the narrator entomb Madeline Usher after her death, the narrator comments, “A striking similitude between the brother and sister now first arrested my attention; and words from which I learned that the deceased and himself had been twins, and that sympathies of a scarcely intelligible nature had always existed between them” (Poe 319).

a. Roderick and Madeline Usher are physically alike.

b. They have a deep connection and understand each other with a comprehension that goes beyond normal thought.

2. The twins represent “one consciousness in two bodies” (Abel 381-382).

3. Though the twins symbolize one being, some critics suggest that they represent different facets of that being: Martha Womack, for example, states, “Roderick represents the mind or the intellect, while the portion of personality that we refer to as the sense (hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, and smelling) is represented by Madeline” (4).

a. Each twin represents part of a whole.

b. Their differences eventually cause the dissolution of the being, meaning the death of the two parts of that being.

B. Roderick’s own well-being relies on Madeline’s.

1. Much of the gloominess and illness of Roderick Usher can be attributed to the illness and approaching death of Madeline Usher, his only companion and last living relative (Poe 314).

a. As two parts that must work together to function, as Madeline deteriorates, she indirectly drags Usher down with her.

b. Usher, in trying to separate from Madeline and gain some semblance of independence, unwittingly brings about his own demise.

2. Madeline’s condition worsens; so does Roderick’s.

II. Through Madeline Usher’s symbolic death, Poe clearly suggests that man’s duality must be resolved or reconciled in order for him to survive.

(Obviously, this would be continued)

Intro paragraph:

For your intro, you need to relate your works to the literary period(s) in which they were written. Use this paragraph as a model, but, when in doubt, go for conciseness and clarity! Thesis last. Remember to use MLA format (TNR 12-point, double-space, header, margins, etc.)

Detailed outline:

A few tips to remember: 1. The detailed outline is an opportunity for you to organize your notes the way you think they should be ordered in your paper. If you did a good job taking notes, you don’t need to create anything new for this part of the research paper. 2. Nothing can stand by itself. You can’t have a I without a II, an A without a B, a 1 without a 2, an a without a b, etc. 3. Your outline should be in parallel structure. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use sentences for everything except the Roman numerals. The Roman numerals, however, should be in the same grammatical form. (They probably are if you did well on your preliminary outline, but double-check.)

Final Rubric

Honors World Lit Research Paper Name ____________________

Research

An “A” (45-50) in research indicates that the writer did all of the following:

_____correctly used parenthetical documentation (all paraphrasing and direct quotes documented

correctly; documentation flows, introduced writer in first reference and used last names from then on, used names in lead-in or signal phrases, used “line” in first poem reference and numbers afterward, used backslashes between lines of poetry, etc. )

_____ included a Works Cited page that meets requirements, is in proper format, has all sources used

listed and all listed sources used

_____paraphrased in a way that represents the writer’s ideas accurately

_____used exact direct quotes

_____used a variety of lead-ins and blends for quotes

_____used an appropriate number of quotes and paraphrases to support ideas

_____used correct number and type of authoritative sources

_____used correct formatting: header, heading, page numbers, margins, font size, spacing, indents, etc.

_____highlighted sources

Content

An “A” (45-50) in content indicates that the writer did all of the following:

_____meets length requirement (percentage factor)

_____has an appropriate title

_____has an effective intro with a powerful grabber and a strong, approved, specific, significant thesis statement that is supported in the paper

_____has clear and relevant topic sentences and smooth transitions—every sentence relates to the previous and subsequent sentences

_____has good development of ideas with little (if any) deviation from topic

_____used source material appropriately

_____has a well-developed conclusion that rephrases thesis, returns to intro hook and says something new, states something significant about the topic in a broad sense, is not too specific for a conclusion

_____does not have unnecessary wordiness to “pad” paper

Grammar/mechanics/style (5 points off per error unless otherwise noted)

_____agreement errors (s/v, pronoun/antecedent, number)

_____comma splices, fragments, run-ons (-15 each)

_____diction (inappropriate, incorrect usage)

_____modifiers incorrectly used (dangling or misplaced)

_____parallel structure errors

_____passive voice used when active voice would suffice

_____person (other than third)

_____pronoun usage (unclear reference, incorrect cast)

_____proofreading (word, letter omissions, etc.)

_____spelling errors (includes capitalization, contractions, abbreviations, apostrophes, numbers, homonyms)

_____syntax that’s not varied, clear, correct

_____verb tense problems (inconsistent or does not adhere to literary present and historical past)

The total of the three parts will equal the research paper grade. ________________/100

Posted at 03:16 PM | Permalink

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Modernism: An Introduction

The dominant artistic movement from about 1900 to 1940, modernism was characterized by the reexamination of existence from every possible angle. Modernist writers sought to leave the traditions of nineteenth-century literature behind in terms of form, content, and expression. They realized that a new industrial age—full of machines, buildings, and technology—had ushered out rural living forever, and the result was often a pessimistic view of what lay before humankind. Frequent themes in modernist works are loneliness and isolation (even in cities teeming with people), and a significant number of writers tried to capture that sense of solitude by engaging in stream-of-consciousness writing, which captures the thought process of a single character as it happens without interruption. Some of the most famous modernist authors include Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce.

Essential Facts

Open form and free verse are distinguishing characteristics of modernist poetry. Though commonplace now, this style was quite a break from nineteenth-century rules about meter and rhyme.
The moniker “The Lost Generation” was coined by Gertrude Stein and refers to those artists of the 1920s who had become disillusioned with America and found themselves living as ex-patriots in Europe, chiefly in France.
An example of stream-of-consciousness (also called “interior monologue”) from Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway: “She felt somehow very like him—the young man who had killed himself. She felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away. The clock was striking. The leaden circles dissolved in the air. He made her feel the beauty; made her feel the fun. But she must go back. She must assemble.”
One of the most famous poets and influential critics of the modernist era was T. S. Eliot, whose seminal works like The Waste Land captured the despair and angst of the new century.
“The Jazz Age” (1918-1929) was an especially productive period of modernist literature. The Jazz Age was immortalized by F. Scott Fitzgerald in his classic novel The Great Gatsby, which describes the decadence and sexual freedom of the post-World War I generation.

Study Guide

Chapter 1

1. Who is the narrator of the story?

2. What is the significance of the white space between paragraphs 4 and 5?

3. From what part of the country does Nick originally come?

4. Why has Nick moved to New York?

5. How does Nick come to live next door to Jay Gatsby?

6. Where had Nick known Tom Buchanan before?

7. What is Jordan Baker’s relationship to Daisy Buchanan?

8. What does Nick learn from Jordan when Tom is called to the phone?

9. What is the “secret society”?

10. What does Nick see Gatsby doing at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 2

1. What is the Valley of Ashes literally?

2. Who or what is Dr. T. J. Eckleburg?

3. What is George Wilson’s occupation?

4. What items does Myrtle purchase in the city?

5. What is significant about Myrtle’s questioning whether the dog is a boy or girl?

6. Who is Catherine?

7. What effect does the change of dress have on Myrtle?

8. How does Myrtle talk about the help at the hotel?

9. What rumor has Catherine heard about Gatsby?

10. How does Catherine explain to Nick the affair of Myrtle and Tom?

Chapter 3

1. What kinds of cars does Gatsby use to transport guests?

2. How do the guests behave?

3. What does Nick wear to the party?

4. How does Gatsby interact with the guests?

5. What observation does Owl-Eyes make about Gatsby’s library?

6. What is Nick’s first opinion of Gatsby?

7. What happens at the end of the party as the guests are leaving?

8. What does Gatsby’s formal gesture of waving farewell remind us of?

9. What story does Nick recall about Jordan, and what is the catalyst for his remembering?

10. How does Nick provide a contrast, a foil character, to Jordan?

Chapter 4

1. What is the date at this point in the novel?

2. Whom does Nick encounter at Gatsby’s party?

3. What is the suggestion about Henry L. Palmetto’s death?

4. In the description of Gatsby’s car, what is the significance of its being bright with nickel and swollen in its monstrous length with all kinds of boxes?

5. What phrase does Gatsby repeatedly use to address Nick and others?

6. In what country did Gatsby receive a medal “For Valour Extraordinary”?

7. Who fixed the World Series in 1919, according to Gatsby?

8. Why is Daisy’s reputation so pristine?

9. For how long has Gatsby been pursuing Daisy?

10. What phrase keeps coming back to Nick?

Chapter 5

1. Why does Nick say Gatsby’s house looks like the World’s Fair?

2. How does Gatsby’s gardener help prepare for Daisy’s visit?

3. How does Gatsby dress for the rendezvous with Daisy?

4. Who is the Finn referred to in Chapter 5?

5. How long has it been since Daisy and Gatsby had seen each other?

6. What does Gatsby’s maid do when leaning out a central bay window?

7. In what way are the various rooms in Gatsby’s mansion described in historical terms?

8. Who was Gatsby’s first benefactor?

9. What part does nature play in the rendezvous?

10. Who provides the musical background for the love scene?

Chapter 6

1. In what state did Gatsby grow up?

2. What was his real name?

3. What was Dan Cody’s background?

4. Who was Ella Kaye?

5. How much was to have been Gatsby’s inheritance from Cody?

6. Why did he not receive it?

7. What is the significance of the threesome not waiting for Gatsby?

8. Why was Daisy appalled at Gatsby’s party?

9. How did Tom charge Gatsby with making his money?

10. In what season of the year had Gatsby met and kissed Daisy?

Chapter 7

1. Why does Gatsby let all his domestic help go?

2. Whom does he use instead?

3. Why do the characters decide to go to New York?

4. What does Pammy wear when she comes into the room?

5. What does Gatsby say about Daisy’s voice?

6. What does Tom drive to New York?

7. Who rides with Gatsby?

8. What comment does Tom make about drug stores?

9. Of what does Tom accuse Gatsby?

10. How old is Nick at the party?

Chapter 8

1. How late does Gatsby stand outside Daisy’s house, waiting to see if she needed him?

2. Why is Gatsby’s house unkempt?

3. Why does Nick advise Gatsby to go away a while?

4. Where had Gatsby met Daisy, according to the story he tells Nick?

5. What might Fitzgerald mean in describing Daisy’s porch as “bright with the bought luxury of starshine”?

6. Why didn’t Gatsby return to Daisy immediately after the war?

7. When Gatsby returned to Louisville, where was Daisy?

8. Why is the chauffeur about to drain the pool?

9. Why does Gatsby ask him to wait?

10. After learning who owns the yellow death car, what does Wilson do?

Chapter 9

1. How is Gatsby’s death explained by the press in local newspapers?

2. How does Catherine respond to questions about her sister?

3. How does Wolfsheim’s letter attempt to explain his not attending the funeral?

4. Who is Henry C. Gatz?

5. Why does Klipspringer call?

6. When Nick locates Wolfsheim’s office and demands to see him, what is ironic about the situation?

7. How does Wolfsheim remember Gatsby?

8. Why did Gatsby continue to wear Army uniforms?

9. What could Nick mean when he concludes, “This has been a story of the West, after all—”?

10. What is the meaning of the last paragraph, the metaphor, of the book?

Even More Gatsby and Daisy

references - these are so cool, especially #2; Summer, Terrance, and Maddy will love #3.

^ Leader, Zachary. Daisy packs her bags. London Review of Books.
^ Cornell University New Student Reading Project.
^ http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/essays/eyes/eyes.html

[edit] External links

quotations related to:

The Great Gatsby

Sources

The Great Gatsby, from Project Gutenberg Australia, plain text.
The Great Gatsby online.
Three Novels (1953). Scanned book from Internet Archive, includes The Great Gatsby.
Index to The Great Gatsby

Movies

The Great Gatsby (1926) at the Internet Movie Database
The Great Gatsby (1949) at the Internet Movie Database
The Great Gatsby (1974) at the Internet Movie Database
The Great Gatsby (2000) (TV) at the Internet Movie Database
G (2002) at the Internet Movie Database

Miscellaneous

Posted at 12:43 PM | Permalink

March 15, 2010

THESIS/INTRO/CONCLUSION : American and World Research paper examples

Strong examples of introductory paragraphs:

The Beatles said it’s all people need. Nat King Cole spelled it out. Bob Marley said it makes people one, and Shakespeare made it rough. Love, passionate affection for another person — everybody wants it. Everybody craves it. To grow, teenagers, especially, need it. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses Holden’s relationships with Jane, Sally, and Sunny, along with Holden’s search for a father figure, to show his theme that all teenagers, either consciously or subconsciously, need many different kinds of love and affection to grow into adults.

Whether physical, personal, or environmental, change is bound to occur. Change sneaks around the corner when it is least expected. Consequently, change becomes the factor that shapes one’s personality and makes one emotionally stronger. The result of change is experience; humans are able to look back on the past and to build their outlooks of the future by undergoing change. After a change, even the most negligible aspects of life become deeply appreciate. In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the symbolism of Allie’s baseball mitt and the ducks in the park reveal human’s inherent fear of change.

Strong examples of theses and conclusions:

Thesis: In his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses vivid characterization and description of relationships to establish the theme that, in order to grow, humans must never end the search for parental love and wisdom.

Conclusion: J.D. Salinger’s astute portrayal of characters and relationships allows the reader to gain insight into Holden Caulfield’s existence and his need for parents to love him and give him wisdom. In the novel, Holden embarks on a universal journey. All people search for guidance and love; all people need parental figures to show them these qualities. Holden, like all of society, is looking for someone to guide him in a harsh world. Though he is not a child taking his first literal step, Holden is making his first entrance into a world in which parental figures are essential.

Thesis: In The Catcher in the Rye¸ J.D. Salinger uses Holden’s relationship with his parents to reveal his theme that children who lack unconditional love from their parents are full of insecurities that hinder them from making mature decisions when placed in the unforgiving, outside world.

Conclusion: Throughout the book, Holden’s displays of immaturity and rash thinking insinuate that he did not receive unconditional love and support from his parents. Parents are generally the most influential people in a teenager’s life. Holden, however, has never been given fatherly advice on how to achieve success and happiness in the real world. He has never been given motherly advice on how to treat women or make responsible decisions. Having to pave his way through life almost completely alone, Holden suffers from his lack of parental instruction. He lacks self-confidence, and his insecurities hinder him in every aspect of his life. Many kids today are in the same predicament as Holden. They are permanently unsure of themselves and how to react to the world the live in. The lives of children who lack parental attention and advice are inevitably more difficult that those of children who have the complete support of their parents. Through Holden, an extremely relatable character to many, Salinger vividly portrays the life of a teenager who finds the outside world unconquerable due to the absence of his parents in his everyday life.

Thesis: In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses minor characters to show that once a person sees himself as superior to others, he inevitably transitions from being authentic to artificial.

Conclusion: Because Holden finds that most of the world is phony, sometimes he makes light of the matter. He enjoys lying to people. He can lie for hours, using his creative imagination to entertain himself. In a sense, he is hypocritical, considering Holden’s strong criticism for liars and fakes. But Holden realizes and explores the idea that people are more interested in lies than the truth. As Holden gallivants through the city, his views on others convey his attraction to honesty and his aversion to fakeness. The purity of children in a corrupt world significantly substantiates Holden’s desire to become a figurative “catcher in the rye.”

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THESIS/INTRO/CONCLUSION : American and World Research paper examples

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