Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Midterm Exam: Can you Guess the Essays?

One of the best ways to study for an essay exam is to try and get inside the teacher's head. To help each other study, this blog will serve as a forum. Try to think of possible Daily Reflection questions or Critical Lens quotes that I might ask. Then, try to plan out your response. Remember: they will probably ask you to compare works of literature. Focus on common elements among the stories we have read. These include:
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Oedipus Rex
  • "Marigolds"
  • The Odyssey
  • And Then There Were None
  • Edith Hamilton's Mythology will NOT be on this exam.

Pose a question or quote for your classmates to consider and analyze so they may post ideas on what works of literature they would choose and how they would approach the question. I will post a sample question to get you started.

V-Squares earned for participating on this blog site will be distributed after midterms during the 3rd quarter.

Have fun...and good luck on midterms :-)

10 comments:

Miss Arney said...

Possible daily reflection:
Courage is a common thematic concept among several of the stories we have read. Select two works of literature and describe how the author's develop a theme from this concept through characterization.

ambika said...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and Homer's The Odyssey, the theme of loyalty and courage develope through characters actions. Scout Finch, the main character in To Kill a Mockingbird, sees her father Atticus shoot a mad dog. She is impressed, but Atticus thinks that what he did was not an act of courage, but something that had to be done. Since Atticus couldn't reason with the mad dog, he had no choice but to shoot it. Other than this, the theme of courage comes up many other times in the novel.
(Atticus defending Tom Robinson, and when Atticus explains to Scout and Jem that Mrs. Dubose was a courageous woman) In The Odyssey, Odysseus faces many obstacles on journey home to Ithaca. He overcomes all of these obstales and makes it back home, proving his courage and bravery.

Miss Arney said...

BEWARE: Themes are expressed in complete sentences. What is the actual theme about courage or loyalty that is common between the stories?

Erica Guerin said...

A possible daily reflection could be...
The theme administartion of justice or good vs. evil is seen in many of the types of literature's we have read. Select two works of literature and describe how the author's develop this theme in the novel.

ambika said...

The theme of these two stories is that lessons about life are often learned when people are put in difficult situations that test their loyalty and courage.

lauren cook said...

almost all of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird show that they are couragous. Ambika- you put that a good way and that also shows like maybe something about growing up..like maybe that will have something to do with the writing section of the midterm

allison said...

Lauren- Not only does Scout grow up, but so does Lizabeth from "Marigolds". They both learn things from the difficult situations they are put in.

Regina said...

Many of the characters in many of the books, are put in difficult situations that test their courage. Through many of these "tests", many of them connect with the theme of growing up.
For Example: As Ambika said the incident with the mad dog. Atticus shows courage but he also connects with the theme of growing up. He shows that courage isnt being able to use a gun, but being able to do the necessary when the right situation comes along.

Miss Arney said...

I'm glad you guys aren't neglecting "Marigolds" -- nice connection, Allison.

Anonymous said...

compare Odysseus and Atticus Finch. How do they both have to master pride and reclaim something?