Essay Questions (Midterm)

1. Consider the way mental disposition is portrayed in the short stories “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner Ā and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. How do the mental breaks or perks of the protagonists contribute to the development of the story. In what way are both women similar in their realities. Consider this in relation to the sort ofĀ dementiaĀ that plagues the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” as well as Emily’s mental state due to her fathers interference.

2. In short stories setting is important because it is hard to portray certain feelings in such little space of time. Consider the story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell. How does language help to portray the setting and help to show the mood and tone of the story. For example cold in “A jury of her peers” and dark in “Young Goodman Brown” as they pertain to each story. Show examples where words help to set the feeling or tone in that portion of the story.

3. Consider the portrayal of theĀ strengthĀ of women and theĀ influencesĀ they have onĀ each otherĀ in the following stories “The Cottagette” Ā By Charlotte Perkins Gilman andĀ “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell. Consider the lies told by the woman to either get something in “The Cottagette” when Malda changes to get Fords attentionĀ lyingĀ to him in showing that she is a domestic woman when she isĀ definitelyĀ not. As well as the woman lie about the bird in the box. How do these actions help toĀ influenceĀ the outcome of the story.

One thought on “Essay Questions (Midterm)

  1. These are fantastic questions–they will certainly be at the center of our discussion in class today!

    Anyone interested in these approaches to our readings: what other texts could be included in any of these questions? Draft a revised version of any of these questions that includes a choice of more than the two texts already named, and be sure to situate the text in the question as the others have been.

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