"The Cask of Amontillado," by Edgar Allan Poe

Homework Due

Wednesday, May 5, 2010,

at start of class

Read “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe, available online at:

http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/amontillado.html

Be sure to bring a copy of the story with you to class on May 5^th.

You do not have to prepare a response paper; however, keep copious notes of the events that occur and be prepared to defend or prosecute defendant Montresori in a court of law.

FINAL EXAM: MONDAY, MAY 10, 2010

Monday, May 10, 2010 @ 3:15 PM

Final Examination

All students are required to attend the final examination.  There are no opportunities to make up the final examination.  Any student who does not attend the final examination will fail the course (WCC Policy).

You will be given a short story to read and evaluate.  The short story will take about 20-30 minutes to read; you will then have an hour and a half to write about the story within the context of “The Methods of Fiction” (pages 9-11 of our text) and the archetypes handout we have used throughout the semester (available online at: http://www.flagler.k12.fl.us/media/documents/02053085-6ca6-495a-aa6a-ecb27a004a9b.pdf). 

In other words, in writing your final examination you will be discussing:

ª Tone

ª Plot

ª Characterization

ª Setting

ª Point of View

ª Irony

ª Theme(s)

ª Archetypes

You may bring the following with you to the final examination:

ª A paper dictionary/thesaurus (no electronic devices will be permitted).  I will also bring a dictionary/thesaurus for everyone to use.

ª A printout of the archetypes handout.

If you have any questions about the final few weeks, please send me an e-mail at english102wcc@gmail.com.

The PRESENCE OF DEATH: READINGS

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

DUE MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010

@ 6:00 PM EDT

Read “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by Edgar Allan Poe.

Available online at:

http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-tale-heart.html

Read “Death Knocks,” by Woody Allen (p. 1308)
Also available online at: http://www.danking.org/evergreen/Summer_2002/English1B/deathknocks.html

Read “An Appointment in Samara” (see below):

Sayed Mohammed heard from the people in his village that Death was looking for him.

Sayed was still a young man.  He was not ready to die, and he frantically made plans to escape Death.  He went to his friend Ahmed and begged to borrow his horse.  This horse was known to be the fastest horse for hundreds of miles around.  Ahmed loved his horse, but he loved his friend Sayed more.  He told Sayed to take the horse and ride to Samara, 100 miles away from their small village.  Ahmed promised Sayed the horse would get him to the well at the center of Samara by midnight, if he left immediately.  Sayed thanked his friend profusely, jumped on the horse and headed out into the desert towards Samara.

In the meantime Death was at the well at the center of Samara.  He was very distraught and looking quite sad.  A man recognized Death and came to speak to him.  “Why do you look so sad?” the man asked Death.  “I am quite troubled,” Death replied.  “I have an appointment tonight at midnight with Sayed Mohammed.  The last I heard he was still in his village 100 miles from here. I have never missed any appointment.  Unless Sayed Mohammed has borrowed Ahmed’s horse and has already left for Samara, it will be impossible for me to keep my appointment with him!”

You do not have to write response papers for the three readings.  However, be prepared for an in-class quiz on May 3rd.

ESSAY #4: "KILLINGS" VS. "IN THE BEDROOM"

ESSAY #4: KILLINGS VS. IN THE BEDROOM

DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010

@ 12:00 NOON EDT

ESSAY TOPIC: “Killings” (the short story) vs. “In the Bedroom” (the movie)

ESSAY TITLE: ESSAY #4: KILLINGS VS. IN THE BEDROOM

ESSAY STRUCTURE: Compare and contrast

ESSAY QUESTION:

Frank Fowler begins a relationship with the spouse of Richard Strout, and ends up being shot by Richard Strout because of it. Richard is arrested, but gets out on bail and walks around town seemingly taunting Frank’s grieving parents.  Unable to bear the injustice of his son’s murderer walking free, Matt Fowler takes the law into his own hands and avenges his son’s murder by killing Richard Strout.

The short story “Killings,” by Andre Dubus, was first published in the New Yorker Magazine in 1980; the movie adaptation, “In the Bedroom,” was released in 2001. 

Compare and contrast the short story and the movie within the context of love, hate and revenge.  Identify and discuss the significant differences between the short story and the movie.  For example:

Which plot is more compelling? Why?

Is Frank Fowler in any way responsible for his own murder? Why, or why not?

Which plot garners more sympathy for the Fowlers? Why? 

Which plot garners more sympathy for Richard Strout? Why?
Does either plot justify Matt Fowler's revenge killing? Why, or why not? 

Does either plot justify Frank Fowler's murder? Why, or why not?

ESSAY VALUE: 100 points

ESSAY GUIDELINES: Be sure to follow the guidelines for preparing and submitting your essay. Essay guidelines are available at this link:

http://english102wcc01.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-guidelines.html

"Killings," by Andre Dubus

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Due Wednesday, April 28, 2010

@ 3:00 PM EDT

Post a Comment: An Eye for an Eye:

http://english102wcc01.blogspot.com/2010/04/eye-for-eye.html

Read “Killings,” by Andre Dubus (see syllabus for information on where to purchase the text) (you may also find this book at your local Westchester County Library System library).

You do not have to write a First Response paper. However, you must complete the at-home quiz below and submit your responses via e-mail by Wednesday, April 28, 2010 @ 3:00 PM EDT.  Submit your quiz responses to english102wcc@gmail.com with the following information in the subject line:

FIRST NAME and LAST NAME: KILLINGS QUIZ. Please also bring a copy of the quiz and your answers with you to class on April 28th.

1. How long had Frank Fowler lived?
2. Who are Frank Fowler’s siblings?
3. Who is Willis Trottier? What does he do for a living?
4. “How often have you thought about it,” Willis said.  What is “it”?
5. What does Ruth Fowler “know”?
6. How old is Richard Strout?
7. What is the business of Strout and Sons?
8. What did Richard Strout do to Frank Fowler “one night”?
9. How did Frank Fowler meet Mary Ann Strout?
10. What was the status of Richard and Mary Ann Strout’s marriage when Mary Ann met Frank Fowler?
11. Why didn’t Ruth Fowler like Mary Ann Strout?
12. How did Matt Fowler feel about Mary Ann Strout?
13. How did Richard Strout shoot Frank Fowler?
14. What kind of father was Matt Fowler?
15. What was Matt Fowler’s job?
16. Who was waiting for Richard Strout outside the bar where he worked?
17. What reason did Richard Strout give for shooting Frank Fowler?
18. What did Matt Fowler and Willis Trottier do in the woods on the Sunday they told their wives they were going to Fenway Park?
19. Why did Matt Fowler and Willis Trottier take Richard Strout to his apartment?
20. What reason did Matt Fowler give to Richard Strout for helping him to jump bail?
21. “I’ll do twenty years, Mr. Fowler; at least.  I’ll be forty-six years old.”  “That’s _______ years younger than I am,” Matt said . . .
22. Strout turned to walk, the suitcase in his right hand, and Matt and Willis followed:  Describe what happened next:
23. What did Matt Fowler and Willis Trottier do next:
24. What did Matt Fowler do when Ruth Fowler asked him, “Did you do it?”
25. Ruth Fowler wanted to make love to Matt Fowler, but he could not.  Why couldn’t he?

You may also enjoy the New York Times review of In the Bedroom, the 2001, Oscar-nominated adaptation of Killings, starring Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9401EED8143AF930A15752C1A9679C8B63

If you have any questions, e-mail me at english102wcc@gmail.com, and allow up to 24 hours for a response (although I will most likely get back to you much sooner than that).

AN EYE FOR AN EYE

ONLINE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Due Tuesday, April 27, 2010

@ 10:00 PM EDT

Comment on the idea of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," and the concept of taking the law into your own hands.

Be sure to put your first name and the initial of your last name on the post, or it will be rejected and we won't be able to enjoy your comment!

Guidelines for “Post a Comment” activities are here: http://english102wcc01.blogspot.com/2010/03/post-comment-assignment-guidelines.html

ESSAY #3: LITERARY THEMES OF KATE CHOPIN

ESSAY #3: KATE CHOPIN

DUE FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010

@ 12:00 MIDNIGHT EDT

I apologize for the delay in posting the essay guidelines.  Because of the delay, your due date has been extended to Friday, April 30, 2010 @12:00 midnight EDT.

ESSAY TOPIC: Literary Themes of Kate Chopin

ESSAY TITLE: ESSAY #3: LITERARY THEMES OF KATE CHOPIN

ESSAY CONSIDERATIONS:

Kate Chopin’s writings deal most frequently with the themes of

Female Identity and Selfhood: female self-discovery and identity

The Role of Women in Marriage: sense of freedom vs. confines of marriage

ESSAY SOURCES:

© “The Story of an Hour”

© “Her Letters”

© “The Storm”

ESSAY QUESTION:

© Within the themes of Female Identify and Selfhood and The Role of Women in Marriage, compare and contrast the essay sources.

ESSAY VALUE: 100 points

ESSAY GUIDELINES: Be sure to follow the guidelines for preparing and submitting your essay. Essay guidelines are available at this link:

http://english102wcc01.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-guidelines.html

If you have any questions, or if you would like a copy of the power point from the April 19^th class, send me an e-mail at english102wcc@gmail.com, and allow up to 24 hours for a response (although I will most likely get back to you much sooner than that).