Final exam questions

Here are the two essay questions for the final, as well as the layout of the first part of the exam. Prepare to write on one of essay topics, but give yourself some flexibility as to which texts you might use for the essay. Remember that you can't deal with the same work twice over the course of the exam. Each of the short stories counts as an individual text.

Final exam: May 5, 2005. 2 PM L108 (Lafayette)

PART A (50%):

CHOOSE FIVE OF THE FOLLOWING EIGHT PASSAGES AND IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING:

• The title and author of the text from which the passage is taken (1 mark)
• The names of the speakers, listeners, or narrator if relevant (1 mark)
• When and where this passage takes place in the book if relevant (1 mark)
• The significance of this passage. Questions you will need to consider in this regard include: What do we learn from this passage? Does this passage affect the overall plot of the text? Which of the major themes in the text are present here? How does this passage tie into other themes or ideas we’ve seen in some of the other novels we’ve looked at in the course? What else do you notice about this passage? (7-9 marks)

ANSWER ONLY IN COMPLETE SENTENCES AND PUT YOUR ANSWER IN PARAGRAPH FORM

PART B (50%):

USING AS YOUR CHIEF EXAMPLES THREE TEXTS WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN CLASS, WRITE AN ESSAY THE FULLY ANSWERS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

1. In this course, we have studied a wide variety of Canadian literature. If someone were to ask you what Canadian literature is like, how would you describe it? Your answer must take into account the complex issues we have discussed in class as well as the diversity of texts we have read. Your discussion must also include a detailed discussion of at least three texts covered in this course.

2. Much of the Canadian poetry we have read this term deals, either explicitly or implicitly, the question of Canadian identity, whether national or personal. Using three poems as your primary texts, examine the theme of Canadian identity. How does each poem address this question? Where does it locate the essential qualities of Canadian identity? (you may use poems we have read but not discussed in class, and even poems from the anthology that were not assigned in order to answer this question).

N.B. Over the course of the exam, you may not focus on the same work twice.