Essay

The midterm is composed of five questions.  All questions are based on the readings of Death Of A Salesman, A Raisin In The Sun and Glengarry Glen Ross.  Choose two questions from the five below to answer for your midterm.  Each question is worth up to 50 points for a total of 100 points possible.  AT LEAST ONE QUESTION MUST ADDRESS THE PLAY, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS.

Answers should be HEAVILY supported with a minimum of FIVE quotes and/or examples from the play texts themselves as well as other research sources if required. A Works Cited MUST FOLLOW AT THE END OF EACH ESSAY. If a question asks for outside research sources, you should use online sources BUT the full website address MUST be included in the works cited.  Each answer MUST be a MINIMUM five paragraphs (minimum of five sentences per paragraph).   WORKS CITED IS NOT COUNTED AS PART OF REQUIRED MINIMUM PARAGRAPHS. 

 USE OF PARENTHETICAL CITATION IS REQUIRED. Basically, the answers should be completed in proper paper format.  Please refer to an MLA handbook and/or the MLA website for assistance with parenthetical citations.  An extra credit question (worth up to 10 points) is included and should be two paragraphs (five sentences per paragraph) MIDTERMS MUST BE PROOFREAD.  TYPOS WILL COST POINTS. NONE OF THE PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS MAY BE USED FOR ANY PART OF THE MIDTERM ANSWERS.  THE ANSWERS WILL BE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS HOMEWORK.  As always, THE MIDTERM SHOULD BE SAVED IN PDF FORMAT AND POSTED THROUGH SAFEASSIGN.

1) During this section of class, there has been much discussion of "The American Dream" theme.  Choose and identify ONE MAIN CHARACTER FROM EACH PLAY READ (for a total of two characters) and explain their "vision" of this dream and whether or not they achieved it

2) The topic of family legacy weighs heavily in these plays.  Discuss what legacies have been left to or by the characters in one of these plays and discuss how those legacies influence the characters in that play.

3) "Victimization" is evident in one way or another, in both plays.  Choose two characters from any of the three plays and discuss how they are "victimized."  If you feel that either or both characters are not really victims but present themselves as such, you may discuss that.  Is "victimization" part of the cost of achieving the "American Dream?"  Why or why not?  Use online research on "victimization" to support your answer.  

4) Compare and contrast the salesman/salesmen mentality in Death of A Salesman and Glengarry Glen Ross.  Are the pressures similar or completely different?  Research “high pressure sales.”  Did David Mamet and/or Arthur Miller highlight this? How?  

5) DEATH OF A SALESMAN AND A RAISIN IN THE SUN both give readers/viewers a look into parent/child relationships.  Choose one or the other of these plays and discuss the particular parent/child relationship that is depicted.  Are there problems in the relationship? Does it mirror our society?  Explain why or why not.  

One website has two plays on them "a death of a salesman and a raisin in the sun - http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~IrvineA/FOV1-0013DC8B/Important%20Documents%20for%20Students/ARTHUR%20MILLER%20Death%20of%20a%20Salesman.pdf

glengarry glen ross - http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/glengarry.html