Final Exam For English 102 Due Date December 14, 2020 738104

Final Exam For English 102 800due Date December 14, 2020

Final Exam for English Due Date: December 14, 2020 (no paper accepted after this date) Value: 20 points

Introduction: By now you should have read my “Concluding Remarks” for the course posted on Blackboard. If not, please do so now and before you attempt this exam essay. In those remarks I take a single concept (beauty) and trace its development through the works we have read this semester. I anticipate that your essay will be, perhaps, much shorter than mine since yours only has to cover a minimum of three (3) works (one each from fiction, poetry, and drama); however, please use my remarks as a model for your own essay.

Required Format: The minimum requirement for the Final Exam essay is as follows: two (2) pages (type-written, double spaced, Times New Roman 12) or more. You may cite other sources; however, these will not be included in the “two-page” requirement. Below please find a list of literary terms, each of which constitutes a particular ‘lens’ through which a literary work (poem, play, short story) can be viewed. Definitions for most of these terms can be found in the Glossary portion of our textbook (Page A61): Allegory, archetype, ambiguity, comedy, conflict, dramatic tension, epiphany, fable (the fabulous), fantasy, figure, imagery, irony, legend, magic realism, metaphor, mythology, narrative, parable, paradox, parody, realism, romance, symbolism, tragedy. Please choose one of the above terms as a ‘lens’ through which you wish to examine several of the works we have read this semester.

Please refrain from providing a formal definition of your chosen perspective; assume the reader (me) is familiar with the term or lens that you choose. Choose at least three (3) (you may choose more) of the works we have covered this semester: one each from prose/fiction, poetry, and drama (for your poem, you may choose your own poem or a rap or hip-hop song that you have written about). You may also choose works about which you have previously written. In a manner similar to the way I have done so in my “Concluding Remarks,” trace your chosen perspective through your chosen works, showing how your literary device is manifested in various ways in the works you have chosen, and how, through that lens or perspective, the works are related to one another.

Word of advice: Please do not “fight” this exam. I’m looking for your own words and impressions; not those of other scholars or critics. I want to assess what you, personally, have taken from the course. So relax and “essay” your own ideas. Also, keep in mind that the purpose here is to be able to identify and address various literary perspectives that “unite” your chosen works, one to the other.

To discuss each work separately and say how each is expressive of your chosen perspective would most likely yield only an “average” essay. A higher graded essay would show how, through your chosen device, the works might be related to one another. Questions, Questions, Questions!! Please, please, if you have any questions or concerns about this Final Exam, please call me asap. Do not wait until the night before the due date since I may not be available at that time.

Martin Perrotta

Paper For Above instruction

The concept of beauty as a unifying lens in literature offers profound insights into how writers depict human experience across various genres. By examining selections from fiction, poetry, and drama, one can observe how the idea of beauty manifests in contrasting yet interconnected ways, revealing deeper truths about human nature, society, and morality.

In Ralph Ellison’s “King of the Bingo Game,” the protagonist’s internal struggle reveals a form of beauty rooted in dignity and humanity amidst social oppression. Ellison’s vivid prose captures the young man’s desire for self-respect and equality, illustrating how beauty resides not merely in aesthetic qualities but also in moral integrity and the quest for recognition. This work exemplifies how beauty can serve as a source of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.

Similarly, John Updike’s “A&P” explores beauty through the protagonist’s act of standing up for what he perceives as aesthetic and moral ideals. His gesture, though rebellious, signifies a search for personal integrity and aesthetic authenticity in a conformist society. Updike’s depiction of the young man’s declaration underscores how beauty can be associated with individuality and moral courage, even when it leads to social repercussions.

In Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” beauty manifests in both the enchanting fairy realm and the natural world. The magical setting, with its intertwining themes of love, illusion, and transformation, highlights the intrinsic link between beauty and harmony. The play’s depiction of romantic love, coupled with the playful chaos of the fairy characters, suggests that beauty often resides in chaos and disorder, ultimately fostering renewal and unity.

Throughout these works, beauty emerges as a multifaceted concept—one that encompasses aesthetic elegance, moral virtue, and the harmony of worldly and spiritual realms. The authors depict beauty not solely as superficial allure but as a vital force that sustains human dignity, inspires resilience, and fosters harmony amid chaos. In doing so, they reveal that beauty is essential for the human soul’s survival and its capacity for compassion, understanding, and growth.

References

• Ellison, Ralph. “King of the Bingo Game.” In Invisible Man, Vintage International, 1995.
• Updike, John. “A&P.” The New Yorker, 1961.
• Shakespeare, William. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Arden Shakespeare, 2008.
• Hirsch, E.D. Jr. “The Artistic Mind and Literary Creativity.” Harvard University Press, 2012.
• Barthes, Roland. “The Death of the Author.” Aspen, 1967.
• Bloom, Harold. “The Western Canon.” Harcourt Brace, 1994.
• Bloom, Harold. “The Anxiety of Influence.” Oxford University Press, 1973.
• Jensen, Robert. “Understanding Shakespeare’s Language.” Oxford University Press, 2020.
• Wellek, Rene, and Austin Warren. “Theory of Literature.” Harcourt, Brace & World, 1959.
• White, Hayden. “The Content of the Form.” Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987.