Hi Class,

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL WORK MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE 5PM ON MAY 20. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DEADLINE.

 

1–If you opted to miss today’s class for a religious reason, that is fine as long as you know that you are responsible for any and all missed material.

2–In preparation for the Final Exam, all students should watch Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.

Study Questions for Life of Pi:

  1. Pi’s full name, Piscine Molitor Patel, was inspired by a Parisian swimming pool that “the gods would have delighted to swim in.” The shortened form refers to the ratio of a circle’s circumference divided by its diameter. Why is his name significant? Who taught Pi to swim?
  2. Pi is polytheistic. Is that possible or believable?
  3. Consider the ideas about zoos, captive animals, and animal behavior expressed in this book. Do you agree that humans are the most dangerous of animals? Why or why not?
  4. What did Pi lose when the Tsimtsum sank? What did he gain?
  5. Who is Richard Parker?
  6. What does the floating island signify? Is it believable?
  7. Why is Pi so sad when Richard Parker leaves him once they land on the beach in Mexico?

 

3– FINAL EXAM DETAILS: I will post the Final Exam on Blackboard before 5pm on May 17 (Monday). Submit your completed exam before 5pm on Thursday. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY WORK SUBMITTED AFTER 5PM ON MAY 20TH. The final exam will consist of three sections: short definition and identification; quotation identification and explanation; brief essay. The exam will cover Othello and Life of Pi and major concepts and film terms such as redemption, revenge, Five types of ethics, empathy, scene, shot, mise en scene, diegetic sound, and others. I’ve designed this exam to take approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. It is an open book, open film, and open notes exam. 

 

4–FINAL ESSAY DETAILS: Submit your Final Essay on Blackboard before 5pm on May 20.

Note: I’ve posted the first three paragraphs of a student sample of the final essay–Readings menu tab.

 

5–I will have class on the 20th for about 30 minutes. 

 

**Email any questions to me.

-Prof. Scanlan