Choose four questions of the five exam questions. Compose a brief original essay (roughly 3-4 well-developed paragraphs) that reflects your understanding
of and response to the texts in response to each question. Be sure to thoroughly analyze the texts by addressing specific moments/quotes while you answer
the questions about the underlying themes that these authors are trying to express. (Each response earns up to 25 points)
Many of our texts explore a character’s growth and journey. What are the common characteristics of these journeys and what do they reveal about our
relationships to the larger community? Select one text from weeks 1 through 3 and two texts from weeks 4 through 6 as the basis for your analysis. Be sure
to offer textual support by citing specific scenes and passages.
The garden of Eden/paradise is frequently referenced explicitly or implicitly in several of our texts starting with Pythagoras’ argument in favor of a vegetarian
diet, Babette’s Feast, Kafka’s “A Hunger Artist” and Updike’s “A&P”. It is often associated with abundance and innocence. What does a comparison of the food
imagery reveal about each of the four author’s vision of a garden of Eden on earth? Support the analysis with references to specific scenes/passages.
East Side Sushi, Last Night at the Lobster, Burnt, and Julie & Julia draw our attention to contemporary issues and depictions of the protagonists’ individual
journeys. Compare Juana, Manny DeLeon, Adam Jones, and Julie Powell’s journeys of self-discovery through their interactions with food. What is revealed
about present-day assumptions about healthy and unhealthy relationships with others and the substances that nourish our bodies and spirits? Make
reference to specific scenes/passages to develop the response.
Neruda’s Odes offers many literary allusions to celebrate the need for nourishing the spirit while M. F. K. Fisher’s writings take a very varied approach to
celebrating life and all that it has to offer. Compare and contrast the two author’s approaches. What assumptions do they share? Where do they diverge?
What does each offer that is of value to you? Support the analysis with references to specific scenes/passages.
Poverty and hunger have been existential threats to human beings throughout history. Compare and contrast Swift’s Modest Proposal with Jack London’s
short story “A Piece of Steak” to draw attention to the need for action. Consider the genre each author has chosen as well as the language and literary
devices such as specific symbols, allusions, and metaphors. Support the analysis with references to specific scenes/passages