Exam Format

I. Vocabulary.
    a. Matching (20 words and definitions)
    b. Covers Units 1-9 and Life of Pi context words.
II. Grammar and Usage
    a. Correct the sentences.
    b. Covers all punctuation, commonly confused words, misspellings, dangling modifiers, faulty
        parallelism, and singular/plural disagreement
III. Literature Review
    a. Multiple Choice and Fill in the Blank
    b. Covers the characters, plot, and ideas in The Sunflower, Freedom, The Joy Luck Club, and Life  
        of Pi.
IV. Essay
    a. A well-developed, well-supported five paragraph analytical essay (similar to the one you
       wrote for The Joy Luck Club). Analyze, don't summarize.
    b. You are required to reference at least three texts we have read this semester.
    c. You must bring your books to the exam. You will be allowed to reference them only during this
        part of the exam.
    d. You may bring in outlines, but you must write the actual essay during the exam period.
    e. Worth 50% of your exam grade (in other words, this needs to be your best work)
    f. I will choose TWO of the following five prompts; you choose one essay to write:

       1. “And, after all, our surroundings influence our lives and characters as much as fate, destiny or any supernatural agency.” Pauline Hopkins, Contending Forces

          Consider how cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings can shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect three characters and illuminate the meaning of the texts as a whole.

          2. Critic Roland Barthes has said, “Literature is the question minus the answer.” Using three texts we have studied this semester and, considering Barthes’s observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the works raise and the extent to which they offer any answers. Avoid plot summary.

          3.  Memory has proven to be a powerful force in all of the texts we have studied this semester. Using three texts to support your answer, argue what role memory plays in people's lives.

          4. Minor characters can play very powerful roles in literature. Their physical presence in the text might be limited, but their influence on the main character(s) and text’s themes can be of utmost importance. Choose a minor character in three of the works we have read this semester and argue how he/she/it specifically impact the texts. The following characters are considered major characters and thus cannot be the focus of your analysis: Simon, Karl, the mothers and daughters in TJLC, and Pi.

         5. In many novels, some of the most significant events are mental or psychological (for example, awakenings, discoveries, changes in consciousness).  Select three texts from your readings that has a psychological emphasis and show how the author manages to give these internal events the sense of excitement and suspense usually associated with external action.