Final Exam

Choose ONE of the following questions and write a 2-3 page essay responding to the prompt and supporting your claim with specific evidence from the story of your choosing. You can use your book, notes, or any other material you find useful. When you have completed the essay, please email it to dlupton@email.unc.edu.

Many of the stories we've read this semester have been rather cryptic, or at least required closer and more sustained attention than some others. Choose a story whose point wasn't immediately obvious to you on the first reading or a story about which your opinion changed substantially after re-reading and/or class discussion. Explain how your reading process gradually grew deeper, and speculate why the author might have "hidden" his or her point rather than making it more obvious.

Choose a story that has a setting substantially different from the world we inhabit. What do 21st century American readers gain from reading this story? In other words, how does the story navigate the divide between the particulars of its setting and more universally applicable themes?

Choose a story with an ending that is unconventional, surprising, or intriguing. What were some of the author's other options for ending the story? Why do you think that the author chose the option he or she did? How does it relate to the story's wider themes?

Paper #2 Due Date

Just to clear up any confusion, I want to reiterate that paper #2 will be due at our final exam meeting.