From the following sixteen questions, select eight and answer fully in essay form (i.e., more than one paragraph for each answer), using specific quotes and references from the novels and short stories being discussed. Please note that your eight selected questions must include questions about The Great Gatsby, Washington Square, and various short stories. You cannot focus on only one piece of literature. You must demonstrate engagement with both forms – long and short -- that we covered. Note: Each question is worth 12.5 points. 1. The Great Gatsby is sometimes described as a love story. However, closer examination reveals that there are also other complex themes present, such as the nature of friendship or illusion vs. reality, in addition to romantic or obsessive love. Select a theme that you feel dominates the story and discuss what it reveals about at least two of the main characters. 2. Although Fitzgerald’s novel is entitled The Great Gatsby, the main character does not physically appear in the book until the middle of Chapter Three. Discuss why Fitzgerald as author has elected to delay Gatsby’s physical entrance into the tale. What purpose is served by having people gossip about Gatsby before he actively participates in the story? 3. As a writer, Fitzgerald is famous for his elegant use of language, creating a solid sense of time and place. Discuss a scene you find particularly vivid and well-described. Tell why, using specific examples. 4. Washington Square by Henry James is largely a quiet novel driven by characterization. Please select any two of the main characters and discuss ways in which they grow – or remain the same. Be specific with your examples. 5. What is Dr. Sloper’s view of Morris Townsend? How does it differ from the way Catherine sees Morris? Why does Dr. Sloper feel Catherine should accept his view of her suitor as accurate and ignore her own feelings? 6. Explore the relationship between Morris Townsend and Lavinia Penniman. What does each expect from the other? Does the way Aunt Lavinia regards Morris help or hurt the relationship between Catherine and Morris? 7. We have covered three short stories that deal with mental illness – The Tell-Tale Heart by Poe, The Yellow Wallpaper by Perkins Gilman, and Bartleby by Melville. Although they share a common theme, that of madness, it is handled in very different ways. Describe how each author creates a sense of isolation and/or emotional turmoil for the main character in each story. 8. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Bierce and The Story of an Hour by Chopin are innovative tales with surprise endings. Decide which of the two presents its “twist” more effectively and discuss why using specific examples. 9. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair, is an exploration into how to be popular – or so it would seem. In the tale, Marjorie tutors her unpopular cousin Bernice in ways to be flirtatious and well-liked, but the ultimate outcome is no ...

1. From the following sixteen questions, select eight and answer
fully in essay form (i.e., more than
one paragraph for each answer), using specific quotes and
references from the novels and short
stories being discussed. Please note that your eight selected
questions must include questions
about The Great Gatsby, Washington Square, and various short
stories. You cannot focus on only
one piece of literature. You must demonstrate engagement with
both forms – long and short --
that we covered. Note: Each question is worth 12.5 points.
1. The Great Gatsby is sometimes described as a love story.
However, closer examination
reveals that there are also other complex themes present, such
as the nature of
friendship or illusion vs. reality, in addition to romantic or
obsessive love. Select a
theme that you feel dominates the story and discuss what it
reveals about at least two of
the main characters.
2. Although Fitzgerald’s novel is entitled The Great Gatsby, the
main character does not
physically appear in the book until the middle of Chapter Three.
Discuss why
Fitzgerald as author has elected to delay Gatsby’s physical
entrance into the tale. What
purpose is served by having people gossip about Gatsby before
he actively participates
in the story?

2. 3. As a writer, Fitzgerald is famous for his elegant use of
language, creating a solid sense
of time and place. Discuss a scene you find particularly vivid
and well-described. Tell
why, using specific examples.
4. Washington Square by Henry James is largely a quiet novel
driven by characterization.
Please select any two of the main characters and discuss ways in
which they grow – or
remain the same. Be specific with your examples.
5. What is Dr. Sloper’s view of Morris Townsend? How does it
differ from the way
Catherine sees Morris? Why does Dr. Sloper feel Catherine
should accept his view of
her suitor as accurate and ignore her own feelings?
6. Explore the relationship between Morris Townsend and
Lavinia Penniman. What does
each expect from the other? Does the way Aunt Lavinia regards
Morris help or hurt the
relationship between Catherine and Morris?
7. We have covered three short stories that deal with mental
illness – The Tell-Tale Heart
by Poe, The Yellow Wallpaper by Perkins Gilman, and Bartleby
by Melville. Although
they share a common theme, that of madness, it is handled in
very different ways.
Describe how each author creates a sense of isolation and/or
emotional turmoil for the
main character in each story.
8. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Bierce and The Story
of an Hour by Chopin are

3. innovative tales with surprise endings. Decide which of the two
presents its “twist”
more effectively and discuss why using specific examples.
9. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair, is an
exploration into how to
be popular – or so it would seem. In the tale, Marjorie tutors
her unpopular cousin
Bernice in ways to be flirtatious and well-liked, but the ultimate
outcome is not quite
what anyone expects. How does Bernice grow throughout the
story? Does Marjorie
grow as well? Use specific plot points to help explain your
answer.
10. Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien is a famous allegorical
tale about creativity and
connection to people. What does the artist Niggle learn about
his own creative process
as he struggles first to complete his painting -- and then to
complete himself?
11. Paul's Case by Willa Cather is a story of a young man trying
to shape his life to fit his
desires. Are any of his expectatoins realistic? Is the ending of
the story a surprise or a
logical outcome? Defend your answer.
12. Fitzgerald's Bernice Bobs Her Hair and Willa Cather's Paul's
Case are stories about the
search for adolescent identity. Both Bernice and Paul go
through personal
transformation in attempts to fit into different social groups. Of

4. the two, which
charater is more successful in doing so, even if only for a
short while?
13. O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi is a famous story about a
surprising gift exchange
between a newlywed couple. How does the twist at the end
demonstrate the concept of
irony?
14. Kate Chopin's A Pair of Silk Stockings is a story about
dreams and indulgences . Does
Mrs. Sommers make good use of her unexpected windfall of
money by treating herself
to a day out? Why or why not?
15. The Real Thing by Henry James is a story of a commercial
artist/illustrator who desires
to be more connected to the upper classes of society. He sees
his work withhis new
models -- the Monarchs -- as a way to elevate his talent and his
position in the artistic
community. Does he succeed? Why or why not?
16. Select any one of the short stories we discussed this
semester and demonstrate how it
follows (or does NOT follow) Poe’s ideas for short story
construction set forth in his
1846 essay The Philosophy of Composition.
From the following sixteen questions, select eight and answer
fully in essay form (i.e., more than one paragraph for each
answer), using specific quotes and references from the novels
and short stories being discussed. Please note that your eight
selected questions must include questions about The Great

5. Gatsby, Washington Square, and various short stories. You
cannot focus on only one piece of literature. You must
demonstrate engagement with both forms – long and short --
that we covered. Note: Each question is worth 12.5 points.
1. The Great Gatsby is sometimes described as a love story.
However, closer examination reveals that there are also other
complex themes present, such as the nature of friendship or
illusion vs. reality, in addition to romantic or obsessive love.
Select a theme that you feel dominates the story and discuss
what it reveals about at least two of the main characters.
2. Although Fitzgerald’s novel is entitled The Great Gatsby, the
main character does not physically appear in the book until the
middle of Chapter Three. Discuss why Fitzgerald as author has
elected to delay Gatsby’s physical entrance into the tale. What
purpose is served by having people gossip about Gatsby before
he actively participates in the story?
3. As a writer, Fitzgerald is famous for his elegant use of
language, creating a solid sense of time and place. Discuss a
scene you find particularly vivid and well-described. Tell why,
using specific examples.
4. Washington Square by Henry James is largely a quiet novel
driven by characterization. Please select any two of the main
characters and discuss ways in which they grow – or remain the
same. Be specific with your examples.
5. What is Dr. Sloper’s view of Morris Townsend? How does it
differ from the way Catherine sees Morris? Why does Dr.
Sloper feel Catherine should accept his view of her suitor as
accurate and ignore her own feelings?
6. Explore the relationship between Morris Townsend and
Lavinia Penniman. What does each expect from the other? Does
the way Aunt Lavinia regards Morris help or hurt the
relationship between Catherine and Morris?
7. We have covered three short stories that deal with mental
illness – The Tell-Tale Heart by Poe, The Yellow Wallpaper by
Perkins Gilman, and Bartleby by Melville. Although they share

6. a common theme, that of madness, it is handled in very different
ways. Describe how each author creates a sense of isolation
and/or emotional turmoil for the main character in each story.
8. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Bierce and The Story
of an Hour by Chopin are innovative tales with surprise
endings. Decide which of the two presents its “twist” more
effectively and discuss why using specific examples.
9. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story Bernice Bobs Her Hair, is an
exploration into how to be popular – or so it would seem. In the
tale, Marjorie tutors her unpopular cousin Bernice in ways to be
flirtatious and well-liked, but the ultimate outcome is not quite
what anyone expects. How does Bernice grow throughout the
story? Does Marjorie grow as well? Use specific plot points to
help explain your answer.
10. Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien is a famous allegorical
tale about creativity and connection to people. What does the
artist Niggle learn about his own creative process as he
struggles first to complete his painting -- and then to complete
himself?
11. Paul's Case by Willa Cather is a story of a young man trying
to shape his life to fit his desires. Are any of his expectatoins
realistic? Is the ending of the story a surprise or a logical
outcome? Defend your answer.
12. Fitzgerald's Bernice Bobs Her Hair and Willa Cather's Paul's
Case are stories about the search for adolescent identity. Both
Bernice and Paul go through personal transformation in attemp ts
to fit into different social groups. Of the two, which charater
is more successful in doing so, even if only for a short while?
13. O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi is a famous story about a
surprising gift exchange between a newlywed couple. How does
the twist at the end demonstrate the concept of irony?
14. Kate Chopin's A Pair of Silk Stockings is a story about
dreams and indulgences . Does Mrs. Sommers make good use of
her unexpected windfall of money by treating herself to a day
out? Why or why not?
15. The Real Thing by Henry James is a story of a commercial

7. artist/illustrator who desires to be more connected to the upper
classes of society. He sees his work withhis new models -- the
Monarchs -- as a way to elevate his talent and his position in
the artistic community. Does he succeed? Why or why not?
16. Select any one of the short stories we discussed this
semester and demonstrate how it follows (or does NOT follow)
Poe’s ideas for short story construction set forth in his 1846
essay The Philosophy of Composition.