homework

ENG 102: English Composition II

Homework

E. Essay: Choose one of the following essay questions. Plan your essay on the outline form before writing it. This should be a five-paragraph essay with an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Be sure to support all of your ideas with specific examples and/or quotes from the stories; include at least one direct quotation from each story as supporting evidence. Use MLA-style parenthetical citations to properly document your quotations, and be sure to include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper. You are free to use your textbook, study guides, and lecture notes, but you may not use any outside sources. (30 pts.)

Question #1 While “‘I would prefer not to’” is Bartleby’s repeated response to his situation in “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” his statement also captures the spirit of several characters in other stories. For any three of the following characters, discuss what he/she refuses to do, the reasons for his/her refusal, and the consequences of his/her actions: Jig in “Hills Like White Elephants,” Emily in "A Rose for Emily," Lili in “A Wall of Fire Rising,” Sylvia in "The Lesson," Sammy in "A & P," and Sister in "Why I Live at the P.O."

Question #2 The following stories all involve family conflicts: "A Wall of Fire Rising," “Cat in the Rain,” “Interpreter of Maladies,” "Why I Live at the P.O.," and "The Red Convertible." For any three of these stories, identify the specific conflict, describe its impact on family relationships, and indicate whether the ending of each story suggests resolution or continued conflict.

Question #3 "A & P," "Araby," "The Lesson," and "Recitatif" all relate learning experiences that end the childhood innocence of the first-person narrators who tell the stories. For any three of these stories, describe the character of the narrator at the beginning of the story, state what experience changes him/her, and discuss how he/she has grown as a result of this experience.

Question #4 While setting is rarely the predominant element in a work of fiction, description of time and place frequently serves to reinforce other elements of the story. For any three of the following stories, describe the setting (time and place), explain its relationship to the plot of the story, and discuss how it reinforces the theme(s): “Hills Like White Elephants,” “Bartleby, The Scrivener,” “A Wall of Fire Rising,” “The Lesson,” and “Araby.”