Final exam questions (Fall 2005)

Here are the three essay questions for the final, as well as the layout of the first part of the exam. When you prepare to write on the essay topics, give yourself some flexibility as to which texts you might use. 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.

N.B. Students in 180B: You may write on any of these three topics, because of the short preparation time you have for the exam
Students in 180A: Only two of the essay questions below will be on the final exam. So, although you will be writing only one essay, prepare for at least two of the essay questions so that you can be certain that one of the questions for which you have prepared is on the exam.

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 THAT 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. Throughout this course, we have come across a number of texts that describe a character attempting to make sense of the world, their environment, their past, their future, or even the events of history. Discuss the theme of interpretation as it applies to three of the texts we have looked at in this course. What conclusions, if any, do these characters ever reach?

3. Memory is a significant theme in many of the works we have looked at in this course. With reference to three of the texts we have read in the class, discuss the role of memory in each.

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