Final Exam Prompt

ENG 351, l9th-Century American Literature (Dickinson and James)

Fall 2001, Robert K. Wallace

Prompt:

Using the writings of Emily Dickinson and Henry James as your only evidence, write an essay about the essential similarity or difference between each of these categories:
a. poetic verse / prose fiction
b. female / male
c. human thought / human worth
d. our two deceased authors / ourselves as living persons

Notes, Hints and Suggestions:

l. be sure to address each pair of categories (though you need not give equal space or attention to each).
2. this is an open-book test (though I do not recommend heavy reliance on the books themselves during the exam).
3. you may bring a one- or two-page outline of topics and/or works you plan to cover.
4. in writing the exam, support your argument with appropriate references (however brief they might necessarily be) to individual works by our two authors.
5. come to the exam with a clear idea of how you plan to answer the question; this will help you to use your time well, and to have about half an hour for each of the four paired categories (if you decide to give them equal time).

» Read Response Excerpts from the Final Exam

» Back to Note from Teacher

» Back to Home