FINAL EXAM ESSAY QUESTIONS

Your Final Exam will take place in our regular classroom on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 from 12:20 to 2:20.  It will consist of two parts: quote identifications and essay questions.

PART I: Quote Identifications

Using the quotation list generated by the class, ten quotations will be listed on the test. You will need to identify ten of them by title and author name. In addition, you will need to write a short answer response explaining why the quotation is important in terms of the author's view, the aesthetic issues inherent in the piece, the plot or purpose of the piece, or the social implications of the piece. You may also identify just the title and/or author of each of the remaining quotations for 1 point extra credit per title or author.

PART II: Essay Question

You will need to prepare an essay exam prep card using the following specifications:

• The card may be no bigger than 5" x 8".
• Your name must appear in the upper right corner of the card (with a horizontal orientation so that the longest side is at top).
• A clear space at the top left corner should be left blank for stapling.
• You may record quotes on the card, but each quote on the card needs to appear in the essay. Listing other quotes in an attempt to have the answers to the ID section is unacceptable. Quotes are expected in the essay since you can prepare ahead of time.
• You may not write out the essay on the card, but you may outline the key points.
• Failure to follow these directions will result in the card not being allowed during the exam.
• I will inspect the card before the exam starts. You may wish to show up early to get my approval.

Pick ONE of the following questions for your essay. Be sure to prepare an outline that answers all parts of the question.

1. Twentieth-Century American women of color offer readers insight into the unique challenges they face because of both their race and gender. Using three authors, document how race and gender can either work at cross purposes or combine to add an even larger burden than is felt by male members of that race or white women in general.

2. In families, women play any number of roles: wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister, niece, or even "the other woman." Explore the complexities of family relationships as described by three writers in their works and build a specific argument around the theme.

3. The personal desires and ambitions of women are every bit as strong as those of men, but the depictions of women who pursue these desires and ambitions show a marked difference in how women may pursue them. In some cases, social convention fetters these ambitions, while in other cases, left unfettered, women may pursue goals in very different ways than their male peers. Using three writers, document how women pursue their goals, focusing on how the social norms that affect women impact (or fail to impact) the pursuit of these goals.

4.The twentieth century saw the rules that govern poetry shatter under the weight of experimentation in both form and content. Using three poets, show how these new freedoms unleashed women to pursue new forms of expression, be it in style, theme, or both.