1English 100-399Winter 2021Chris Gbekorbu-MattersThis final exam consists of two parts. The first part examines information that was covered inclass during the semester. The second part looks at poems that we have not studied in class, andare designed to test your application of the concepts learned throughout the class. As this is atake-home exam, you may work on it at your leisure and have until the due date to submitthe exam. As you have more time and access to tools (i.e., spellcheck and a grammarchecker) that you wouldn’t have in a face-to-face setting, grading standards will also behigher.Part I – Short(er) Answer (20%)1. Why is it important to consider who the speaker is in a text? (4%)Answer FOUR of the following. Each question is worth 4%.2. What are the four elements of writing, and why are they essential to effective writing. Ofthe four, which is the most important and why?3. Describe the writing process.4. Why is metaphor an essential part of literature and of writing in general?5. What are some common themes in poetry about love and loss?6. All words have a denotative and a connotative meaning. Explain the difference and whythese meanings are important in communication.7. What is narrative and how is it an essential part of literature and of writing in general?2Part II (A) – Long(er) Answer (40%)Pick ONE of the following questions and discuss. Answers must be in paragraph/essay form(i.e., they should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion). Pay particular attention todates the poems were published and make sure your answers are reasonable given the timeperiod.1. While both of these texts talk about seemingly different subjects, they share a deepertheme. What is each song saying (i.e., paraphrase the texts), and what is the deeper themethat these two texts share? (Be sure to consider the speaker’s tone as well.) In what waysare the two texts similar and different, how do they complement each other andcontribute to the deeper theme? Why is this significant? Ella Wheeler Wilcox – Arise (1916?)Why sit ye idly dreaming all the day,While the golden, precious hours flit away?See you not the day is waning, waning fast?That the morn’s already vanished in the past?When the glowing noon approaches, we will restWho have worked through all the morning; but at best,If you work with zeal and ardor till the night,You can only make the wasted moments right.Think you life was made for dreaming, nothing more,When God’s work lies all unfinished at your door?Souls to save and hearts to strengthen—ah! such work,Such a richly freighted labor, who should shirk?Then arise, O idle dreamer! Dreams are sweet,But better flowers are growing at your feet.If you crush, or pass unheeding, idle friend,You shall answer for their ruin in the end.Bruce Springsteen – Glory Days (1984)I had a friend was a big baseball player,Back in high school.He could throw that speedball by ya’,Make you look like a fool boy.Saw him the other night at this roadside bar.I was walkin’ in, he was walking out.We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks,But all he kept talkin’ ‘bout wasChorusGlory days. Well they’ll pass you by,Glory days. In the wink of a young girl’s eyeGlory days. Glory days.Well there’s a girl that lives up the block.Back in school she could turn all the boys’ heads.Sometimes on a Friday I’ll stop byAnd have a few drink, after she puts her kids to bed.Her and her husband, Bobby, well they split up,I guess it’s two years gone by now.We just sit around, talkin’ ‘bout the old times.She says when she feels like cryingShe starts laughing thinkin’ ‘boutChorusNow I think I’m going down to the well tonight,And I’m gonna drink ‘til I get my fill.And I hope when I get old, I don’t sit around thinkin’about it,But I probably will.Yeah, just sittin’ back, tryin’ to recapture,A little of the glory of. Well time slips awayAnd leaves you with nothin’ mister butBoring stories of glory days 32. While both of these poems talk about seemingly different subjects, they share a deepertheme. What is each song saying, and what is the deeper theme that these two songsshare? How do these songs complement each other and contribute to the deeper theme? “Are You Gonna Go My Way” (1993) –Lenny Kravitz (b. 1964)I was born long agoI am the chosen I’m the oneI have come to save the dayAnd I won’t leave until I’m doneSo that’s why you’ve got to tryYou got to breath and have some funThough I’m not paid I play this gameAnd I won’t stop until I’m doneBut what I really want to know isAre you gonna go my way?And I got to got to knowI don’t know why we always cryThis we must leave and get undoneWe must engage and rearrangeAnd turn this planet back to oneSo tell me why we got to dieAnd kill each other one by oneWe’ve got to love and rub-a-dubWe’ve got to dance and be in loveBut what I really want to know isAre you gonna go my way?And I got to got to knowAre you gonna go my way?‘Cause baby I got to know, yeah“What Did I Do With My Life?”(2004) –Lenny Kravitz (b. 1964)Did I work on the battlefield?Did I do what I thought was right?Did I do all that I could do?Did I put up a good fight?Did I love all that I should?To everyone in my sight?What did I do with my life?Did I exercise giving and forgiveness with all mymight?Did I honor my freedom and did I live in the light?Did I cherish my moments?Did I take a good enough bite?What did I do with my life?You can live any way you wannaAll you have to do is danceAchieve anything you thought ofYou just have to take the chanceYou can fall in love with your life‘Cause that truly is romanceWhat did I do with my life?Did I learn what I came to learn?Did I listen with my heart?Did I do what I came to do?And how did I play the part?Did I see all the beauty?Because living is an artWhat did I do with my life?You can live any way you wannaAll you have to do is danceAchieve anything you thought ofYou just have to take the chanceLearn to love your life‘Cause that truly is romanceOh what did I do with my life?What did I do? Say it again!What did I do with my life?Oh what did I do?What did I do with my life?What did I do?What did I do? 4Part II (B) – Long(er) Answer (40%)Pick ONE of the following questions. Answers must be in paragraph/essay form (i.e., theyshould have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion) and should draw on topics discussedthroughout the semester.1. While the following two [contradictory] quotations refer to writing fiction, discuss howthey relate to writing in general.Plotting is like sex. Plotting is about desire and satisfaction, anticipation and release.You have to arouse your reader’s desire to know what happens, to unravel themystery, to see good triumph. You have to sustain it, keep it warm, feed it, just a littlebit, not too much at a time, as your story goes on. That’s called suspense. It can bringdesire to a frenzy, in which case you are in a good position to bring off a wonderfulclimax. – Colin GreenlandPlotting isn’t like sex, because you can go back and adjust it afterwards. Whether youplan your story beforehand or not, if the climax turns out to be the revelation that themad professor’s anti-gravity device actually works, you must go back and silentlydelete all those flying cars buzzing around the city on page one. If you want to revealsomething, you need to hide it properly first. – Colin Greenland2. Discuss what Polotnik and Twain are suggesting in the following quotations.You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what’s burning insideyou. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke. – Arthur PolotnikThe time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to yoursatisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is youreally want to say. – Mark Twain3. Explain Safire’s rules of writing.Do not put statements in the negative form.And don’t start sentences with a conjunction.If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that agreat deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.De-accession euphemisms.If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.Last, but not least, avoid clichés like the plague.– William Safire, “Great Rules of Writing”
