Final Exam Prompt:
In two typewritten pages, please respond to one of the following prompts:
1) This semester, we have seen how tales of madness can be used as vehicles for addressing pressing social concerns, including shifting attitudes toward race, gender, and class. In this paper, you will be asked to find an outside text (i.e., a literary piece, film, television show, animated work, or graphic novel) and argue that it, too, is using the motif of madness to engage in a form of cultural critique. During the course of making your argument, you should draw direct comparisons between your chosen text and at least one of the works we have read and discussed in class, making sure to support your ideas and observations with textual evidence.
2) Over the course of this class, we have read works of poetry, fiction, and drama that explore the idea of madness in a variety of ways, from a range of differing perspectives. We have also encountered one nonfiction, psychological essay that seeks to trouble and challenge our most common assumptions about insanity. In this paper, you will be asked to reflect back on these readings, and the discussions they generated, and answer the following questions: Do you now think about the concept of “madness” differently than you did on the first day of class? How so? In developing your response, you should to quote from at least two of the texts we worked with this semester.
3) In two pages, retell one of the stories we have read from the point of view of a minor character. (For instance, you might retell “Mouthful of Birds” from Sara’s perspective, or “The Lottery” from Old Man Warner’s). Your story must incorporate scenes/dialogue from the original text, not contradict any major plot points, and creatively engage with some of the ideas we’ve been exploring throughout the course (e.g., the historical oppression of women, the lingering effects of poverty, the dangers of blindly following tradition, etc.).
In addition, Prompt 3 requires a “justification” of one page. In this justification, you will explain how your portrayal of the minor character touches on significant issues explored in this semester’s readings and class discussions, and how it helps us to see the original story in a new light. You should quote from at least one of this semester’s texts in your justification.
The final exam is worth 15% of your final grade for the course.
