Your exam will be composed of three sections: one for fiction, one for poetry, and one for drama.
_ For the fiction portion, you will be asked to write a short essay relating to how two to three specific literary devices/elements are used by one of the fiction authors we have read this semester. You can choose from any of the stories we have read or in the textbook, providing it is not the same story you wrote about in your fiction essay. Since this is an essay, so you will need to have an introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You must have a clear claim about how the author uses specific literary devices and provide sufficient textual support in the form of analysis. (Topic: How to date a brown girl by Junot Diaz)
_ For the drama portion, you will be asked to write a short essay relating to a common idea/theme explored in one of the plays we have read (not just watched) this semester. Again, you can choose from any of the plays in the text, providing it is not the same piece of drama you wrote about for your research essay. Again, this is an essay, so you will need to have an introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion. (Topic: Trifles by Susan Glaspell)
*For both the fiction and drama portions of the exam, you only be graded on both content and composition so prepare accordingly.
_ For the poetry portion, you will be given a poem to analyze that we have not discussed in class. For your analysis, you should focus on identifying at least three poetic devices being used in the poem and discuss what you think the poet is using the devices in order to accomplish. Remember: if you are analyzing the poet’s use of diction, you must identify specific word choices and explain the relevance of those particular word choices. If you are analyzing the poet’s use of imagery, it is not enough to say that the poet uses imagery in order for the reader to picture or see what is going on. Again, you must analyze WHY the poet selected a particular image and explain, for example, how it relates to an important idea or concept in the poem. Since knowing the devices we studied in class is the only way to prepare for this section and you will need time to read and analyze the poem before you can write about it, this section will be graded on content only, not a composition. (Topic: Kitchenette Building)
Watching, or reviewing again, the virtual lectures I gave this semester is one important way to prepare for this final.
Below are the grading guidelines for the essays:
Indicators
__ Provides an insightful answer that demonstrates a deep understanding of both the literary elements and the work, providing analysis and textual support within a well-composed short essay: 30-35 points
__Provides an adequate answer about the work using low level plot details such as who, what, when, and where type statements along with analysis. May have a few errors in conventions: 20-29 points
__Responds with a plot summary of the text with no analysis. May have errors in conventions that interfere with fluency: 10-19 points
__No answer, unrelated details, confused plot details, incoherent composition unbecoming of a student in a second term composition course: 0-9 points
