Reading for this semester
-Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton
-“The Necklace”
-“Cathedral” Raymond Carver
-“Barn Burning”- William Faulkner
-“Why I Live at the P.O.”
-“Everyday Use”- Alice Walker’s
-“The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour” – Kate Chopin’s
-“The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” – Poe’s
-“Gimpel the Fool”-
– “Sweat” -Zora Neale Hurston’s
– “I Stand Here Ironing” -Tillie Olsen’s
– “How I Met My Husband” -Alice Munro’s
Topic 1 (25 points)
Choose the three stories from our readings this semester in which you feel that symbolism factored the most heavily. Mention the main symbol in each of the three stories and how the symbol relates to the overall message of the work.
Topic 2 (25 points)
Family is a central theme in many short stories, and the interactions between family members often are a source of conflict in the story. Discuss the theme of family in at least three of the stories we read this semester. In your response, be sure to touch on each of the following relationships:
parent/child
husband/wife
extended family relationships
Topic 3 (20 points)
The point-of-view of a short story can greatly affect the way a reader interprets that story. Choose two of the stories we read this semester, identify the point-of-view in each of the stories, and make a case for why you think it was important for each story to be written in that point-of-view. What would have changed had the author used a different point-of-view?
Topic 4 (20 points)
When reading a story, there is nothing quite like a good comeuppance – where justice is served and a character gets what they deserve. Which two stories that we read this semester do you feel are the best illustrations of this idea of comeuppance?
Topic 5 (10 points)
Our textbook editors explain that “the way a master writer handles his or her characters often results in portrayals of human beings with which we identify and remember” (854). Which character did you identify the most with and why?
