Short answer essays: Answer four of these questions in two to three paragraphs each.
1.Define situational irony and then describe how the plot of "The Story of an Hour," the actions of Dave in "The Man who was almost a Man," and the goals of Michael Obi in "Dead Man's Path" reflect situational irony.
2. [Needs the handout "The Kidney Shaped Stone that Moves Everyday"] Delia Jones in "Sweat," the narrator from "The Yellow Wallpaper," and Junpei from "The Kidney Shaped Stone that Moves Everyday" all experience something or someone holding them back. Are these three characters successful in overcoming and how do they do it? Based on the outcomes of these three stories, what can we learn about the human condition in general?
3. In class we discussed the drive-in restaurant Connie hangs out at in "Where are you Going, Where have you Been?" as being a type of Church for Connie. Punishment for a sinful nature could be a theme in this story because there are numerous details in the story that also point to Arnold Friend being the devil. What are at least three of these devilish details?
4. Dee/Wangero from "Everyday Use," Dave from "The Man who was almost a Man," and Joy/Hulga from "Good Country People" are similar because they believe their parents are somehow ruining their lives. How accurate are they in this belief?
5. What do the stories, "Young Goodman Brown," "Dead Man's Path," and "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" imply about people who claim to be religious? Is this a positive view of worship or a negative view?
6. [Needs the handout "Orange"] Three stories this quarter have a lot to do with color. What symbolism do you feel is associated with the colors yellow, orange, and red in the stories "The Yellow Wallpaper," "Orange," and "The Red Convertible" (why was Lyman's car red instead of white, why was the wallpaper yellow instead of pink, etc)?