Country setting in THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

Many writers use a country setting to establish values within a work of literature.  For example, the country may be a place of virtue and peace or one of primitivism and ignorance.  The setting plays a significant role in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  Analyze how the country setting functions in this work as a whole.  Do not merely summarize the plot.

"The Embassy of Death" and HAMLET

Do you agree with G. Wilson Knight's claim?  Why or why not?  Support your arguments with direct evidence from the play and Knight's essay. Also use this space for any other questions that you may have about Hamlet.

"For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls"

Is Christopher Durang's one-act play an effective parody of Tennessee Willams's play?  Why or why not?  Be specific in your analysis by incorporating the literary terminology for humor that we discussed earlier this week. Also use this space for any other questions about The Glass Menagerie.  

Passage from FASTING, FEASTING

The passage is taken from Fasting, Feasting, a novel published in 1999 by Indian novelist Anita Desai.  In the excerpt, Arun, an exchange student from India, joins members of his American host family for an afternoon at the beach.  Read the passage carefully and analyze how the author uses such literary devices as speech and point of view to characterize Arun's experience.

Passage from HENRY VIII

In the speech from Shakespeare's play Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey considers his sudden downfall from his position as advisor to the king.  Spokesmen for the king have just left Wolsey alone on stage.  Read the speech carefully and analyze how Shakespeare uses elements such as allusion, figurative language, and tone to convey Wolsey''s complex response to his dismissal from court.

"When I Have Fears" and "Mezzo Cammin"

In the two poems, Keats and Longfellow reflect on similar concerns.  Read the poems carefully.  Then compare and contrast the two poems, analyzing the poetic techniques each writer uses to explore his particular situation.