Tribhuvan
University Model Question Set: Major English I
BA First Year, Major English 421
Syllabus
Course Contents
Unit 1: Study of
Literature and Its Close Reading Contact hours.: 40
Thinking about
Literature
1. Discussed Text: “Tell
all the Truth but tell it slant” (Emily Dickinson)
2. Discussed Text: “The
Sacred” (Stephen Dunn)
3. Activity Text: “When
my love swears that she is made of truth” (William Shakespeare)
Why Study Literature?
4. Discussed Text:
“Praise Song for the Day” (Elizabeth Alexander)
5. Discussed Text:
“Peanuts” (Charles Schulz)
Approaching Literature
6. Discussed Text: “Out,
Out—” (Robert Frost)
7. Activity Text: “Snow”
(Julia Alvarez)
Close Reading
8. Discussed Text: from
My Antonia (Willa Cather)
9. Activity Text: “To an
Athlete Dying Young” (A. E. Housman)
Elements of Style
10. Activity Text:
Re-reading “To an Athlete Dying Young” (A. E. Housman)
11. Discussed Text: from
“Old Mr. Marblehall” (Eudora Welty)
12. Activity Text: from
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Special Considerations
for Reading Poetry Closely
13. Discussed Text: from
“The Red Wheelbarrow” (William Carlos Williams)
14. Activity Text:
“Bright Star, would I were steadfast as thou art—“(John Keats)
15. Discussed Text:
“Delight in Disorder” (Robert Herrick)
16. Activity Text: “My
Father’s Song” (Simon Ortiz)
Talking with the Text
17. Activity Text:
“Promises are like pie-crust, made to be broken” (Christina Georgina Rossetti)
18. Discussed Text:
“When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes” (William Shakespeare)
Graphic Designer
19. Discussed Text: from
The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne)
From Analysis to Essay:
Writing a Close Analysis Essay
20. Discussed Text: from
“Slam, Dunk, & Hook” (Yusef Komunyakaa)
21. Activity Text: “Fast
Break” (Edward Hirsch)
22. Activity Text:
“Travelling through the Dark” (William Stafford)
23. Activity Text:
“Woodchucks” (Maxine Kumin)
Page 4 of 9
Unit 2: Elements of
Fiction & Drama Contact hours.: 40
Elements of Fiction
24. Discussed Text: “One
of These Days” (Gabriel García Márquez)
25. Discussed Text: from
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
26. Activity Text: from
Hard Times (Charles Dickens)
27. Discussed Text: from
“The Masque of the Red Death” (Edgar Allan Poe)
28. Discussed Text: from
The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
29. Discussed Text: from
“Call it Sleep”(Henry Roth)
30. Discussed Text: from
1984(George Orwell)
31. Activity Text: from
Tess of the D’Urbervilles (Thomas Hardy)
32. Discussed Text: from
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (Dinaw Mengestu)
33. Discussed Text: from
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)
34. Discussed Text: from
“Miss Brill”(Katherine Mansfield)
35. Discussed Text: from
“The Lottery”(Shirley Jackson)
36. Discussed Text: from
Mrs. Dalloway (Virginia Woolf)
37. Activity Text:
“Seeing Eye”(Brad Watson)
38. Discussed Text: from
A Crime in the Neighborhood (Suzanne Berne)
39. Discussed Text: from
Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
40. Activity Text: from
Brooklyn (Colm Tóibín)
41. Discussed Text: “The
First Day”(Edward P. Jones)
42. Activity Text:
“Girl”(Jamaica Kincaid)
Special Considerations
for Analyzing Drama
43. Discussed Text: from
Pygmalion (George Bernard Shaw)
44. Discussed Text: from
Othello, the Moor of Venice (William Shakespeare)
45. Discussed Text: from
A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen)
46. Activity Text: from A
Raisin in the Sun (Lorraine Hansberry)
47. Discussed Text: from
The Gin Game (D. L. Coburn)
48. Activity Text:
Andre’s Mother (Terrence McNally)
From Analysis to Essay:
Writing an Interpretive Essay
49. Discussed Text:
Trifles(Susan Glaspell)
Unit 3 General Topics in
Literature: Family, Culture and Love Contact hours.: 40
Home & Family
50. Activity Text: “The
Dead”(James Joyce)
51. Activity Text: “I
Stand Here Ironing” (Tillie Olsen)
52. Activity Text: “A
Prayer for My Daughter” (William Butler Yeats)
53. Activity Text: “My
Papa’s Waltz” (Theodore Roethke)
54. Activity Text: “Those
Winter Sundays” (Robert Hayden)
Home &
Family—Student Writing: Comparison and Contrast
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Connotation)
Identity & Culture
55. Activity Text: Heart
of Darkness (Joseph Conrad)
56. Activity Text:
“Interpreter of Maladies”(Jhumpa Lahiri)
57. Activity Text: “We
Real Cool” (Gwendolyn Brooks)
58. Activity Text: “The
White Man’s Burden” (Rudyard Kipling)
59. Activity Text: “The
Black Man’s Burden” (H. T. Johnson)
Home &
Family—Student Writing: Close Reading Fiction
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Specialized, Archaic, and Unfamiliar Diction)
Love &
Relationships
Page 5 of 9
60. Activity Text: The
Importance of Being Ernest (Oscar Wilde)
61. Activity Text: “To
His Coy Mistress” (Andrew Marvell)
62. Activity Text: “Coy
Mistress” (Anne Finch)
63. Activity Text: “Is
Arranged Marriage Really Any Worse than Craiglist?” (Anita Jain)
64. Activity Text:
“Boyfriend” (Randall Munroe)
Love &
Relationships—Student Writing: Analyzing Irony in Drama
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Irony)
Unit 4: Binary Topics in
Literature Contact hours: 40
Conformity &
Rebellion
65. Activity Text: Hamlet
(William Shakespeare)
66. Activity Text: “The
Book of the Dead”(Edwidge Danticat)
67. Activity Text:
“anyone lived in a pretty how town” (E. E. Cummings)
68. Activity Text: “An
Epitaph” (Matthew Prior)
69. Activity Text: “The
Unknown Citizen” (W. H. Auden)
Conformity &
Rebellion—Student Writing: Close Reading Drama
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Tone)
Tradition &
Progress
70. Activity Text: Daisy
Miller (Henry James)
71. Activity Text:
“Everyday Use” (Alice Walker)
72. Activity Text: “Dover
Beach” (Matthew Arnold)
73. Activity Text: “The
Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” (Langston Hughes)
74. Activity Text: from
Plum Bun: A Novel without a Moral (Jessie Redmon Fauset)
Conformity &
Rebellion—Student Writing: Working with Sources
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Syntax)
War & Peace
75. Activity Text:
Antigone (Sophocles)
76. Activity Text: “The
Shawl” (Cynthia Ozick)
77. Activity Text: “The
Management of Grief” (Bharati Mukherjee)
78. Activity Text: “Dulce
et Decorum Est” (Wilfred Owen)
79. Activity Text:
“Soldier’s Home” (Ernest Hemingway)
War & Peace—Student
Writing: Analyzing Theme in Drama
The Writer’s Craft
—Close Reading (Imagery)
Evaluation Scheme
Internal: 30% (Portfolio
Mandatory 15%)
External: 70%
Prescribed Book
Jago, Carl, et al.
Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing, Thinking. Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2011. from this syllabus
of BA first year Major English 421, make a question set
Tribhuvan University
Model Question Set: Major English I
Level: BA
Year: First
Subject: Major English
Course Title: Reading,
Writing, and Thinking
Course Code: ENGL 421
Full Marks: 70
Pass Marks: 28
Time: 3 Hours
Candidates are required
to answer the questions in their own words as far as practicable. The figures
in the margin indicate full marks.
Section A: Long Question
Answer any TWO of the
following questions:
2x15 = 30
Discuss the significance
of close reading in understanding literature. Illustrate your answer with a
detailed analysis of Emily Dickinson's poem "Tell all the Truth but tell
it slant."
How does Robert Frost's
"Out, Out—" reflect the themes of human fragility and the indifferent
nature of the world? Provide a close reading of the poem.
Compare and contrast the
portrayal of cultural identity in Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of
Maladies" and H. T. Johnson's "The Black Man’s Burden."
Section B: Medium-Length
Question
Answer ALL questions.
2x10 = 20
What is the importance of
studying literature according to Elizabeth Alexander's "Praise Song for
the Day" and Charles Schulz's "Peanuts"? Discuss how these texts
approach the value of literature.
Or
Explain the concept of
irony and analyze its use in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being
Ernest" and Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress."
Read the following
excerpt from Willa Cather's "My Antonia" and analyze the use of
descriptive language and its effect on the reader.
"I kept as still as
I could. Nothing happened. We went on again. Suddenly I felt the weight of my
clothes lifted off me; I was thrown on my back, and the lash of the sun struck
me. I gave a weak little scream and turned on my side. Above me were two open,
gentle faces, so close that they brushed the tips of my wings. They, too,
seemed panting for breath."
Or
Examine the use of
foreshadowing in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and its impact on
the story's overall theme.
Section C: Short Question
Answer ALL questions.
02x10 = 20
Explain any TWO of the
following literary terms:
02x05 = 10
i. Connotation
ii. Syntax
iii. Imagery
Write short notes on any
TWO of the following questions:
02x05 = 10
i. The theme of family
relationships in Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays."
ii. The representation of
societal norms and individual desires in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll’s
House."
iii. The significance of
the title in Gabriel García Márquez's "One of These Days."
Prescribed Texts for
Reference:
Jago, Carol, et al.
Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing, Thinking. Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2011.
from the same syllabus,
make 21 questions for section A
Section A: Long Question
Answer any TWO of the
following questions:
2x15 = 30
Discuss the significance
of close reading in understanding literature. Illustrate your answer with a
detailed analysis of Emily Dickinson's poem "Tell all the Truth but tell
it slant."
How does Robert Frost's
"Out, Out—" reflect the themes of human fragility and the indifferent
nature of the world? Provide a close reading of the poem.
Compare and contrast the
portrayal of cultural identity in Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of
Maladies" and H. T. Johnson's "The Black Man’s Burden."
Analyze the role of
imagery in Elizabeth Alexander's "Praise Song for the Day" and its
impact on the overall theme of the poem.
Examine the use of
symbolism in William Carlos Williams' "The Red Wheelbarrow" and
discuss how it contributes to the poem's meaning.
Discuss the theme of
tradition versus progress in Henry James' "Daisy Miller" and Matthew
Arnold's "Dover Beach."
How does Bharati
Mukherjee explore the complexities of cultural differences in "The
Management of Grief"? Provide examples from the text.
Analyze the character of
Mr. Gradgrind in Charles Dickens' "Hard Times" using both direct and
indirect characterization methods.
Discuss the theme of
rebellion in Edwidge Danticat's "The Book of the Dead" and its
significance in the context of the story.
Compare the portrayal of
family dynamics in James Joyce's "The Dead" and Tillie Olsen's
"I Stand Here Ironing."
How does the poem
"My Papa’s Waltz" by Theodore Roethke explore the relationship
between father and son? Provide a detailed analysis.
Discuss the use of
connotation in the poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks and its
effect on the poem's overall meaning.
Examine the theme of love
and relationships in Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" and Anne
Finch's "Coy Mistress."
How does Anita Jain
address the issue of modern relationships in "Is Arranged Marriage Really
Any Worse than Craigslist?" Discuss the cultural implications presented in
the text.
Analyze the theme of
conformity and rebellion in E. E. Cummings' poem "anyone lived in a pretty
how town."
Discuss the use of tone
in W. H. Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" and its impact on the poem's
message.
Compare and contrast the
themes of tradition and progress in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" and
Langston Hughes' "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain."
How does Sophocles
explore the theme of war and peace in "Antigone"? Provide examples
from the text to support your analysis.
Examine the role of irony
in Cynthia Ozick's "The Shawl" and discuss how it contributes to the
story's overall impact.
Discuss the portrayal of
grief and loss in William Stafford's "Traveling through the Dark" and
Maxine Kumin's "Woodchucks."
How does George Orwell's
"1984" explore the themes of oppression and identity? Provide a
detailed analysis using examples from the text.
Detailed Answers to Long
Questions
1.
Discuss the significance of close
reading in understanding literature. Illustrate your answer with a detailed
analysis of Emily Dickinson's poem "Tell all the Truth but tell it
slant."
Close reading is a method
of literary analysis that involves an in-depth, nuanced examination of a text.
This approach pays meticulous attention to the language, structure, and meaning
of the text. In Emily Dickinson's poem "Tell all the Truth but tell it
slant," close reading reveals the complexity of the poet's message about
truth and perception.
The poem begins with an
imperative: "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—". This line
suggests that truth should be communicated indirectly. Dickinson uses the
metaphor of light to illustrate how truth can be overwhelming: "The Truth
must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind—". The gradual approach to
truth protects the recipient from being overwhelmed, similar to how a person
needs to adjust to bright light. Dickinson's use of dashes and capitalization
emphasizes key ideas and creates pauses that make the reader reflect on the
meaning. Close reading uncovers these subtle nuances, allowing a deeper
understanding of the poet's intention and the poem's thematic richness.
2.
How does Robert Frost's "Out,
Out—" reflect the themes of human fragility and the indifferent nature of
the world? Provide a close reading of the poem.
Robert Frost's "Out,
Out—" explores the themes of human fragility and the indifferent nature of
the world through the tragic story of a young boy's accidental death. The poem
begins with a pastoral description of a rural setting, where the boy is working
with a saw. Frost's choice of language, such as "sweet-scented stuff"
and "five mountain ranges," creates a serene backdrop that starkly
contrasts with the violent event that follows.
The phrase "snarled
and rattled" personifies the saw, giving it a menacing presence. When the
boy's hand is severed, the tone shifts dramatically: "As if to prove saws
knew what supper meant, / Leaped out at the boy's hand." Frost's use of
vivid imagery captures the horror of the moment. The line
"Little—less—nothing!—and that ended it" poignantly conveys the boy's
rapid demise, emphasizing the brevity and fragility of life.
The poem concludes with a
chilling reflection on the indifference of the world: "And they, since
they / Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs." Frost's portrayal
of the other characters moving on with their lives underscores the theme of the
world's indifference to individual suffering. Close reading of Frost's diction,
imagery, and structure reveals the profound commentary on human vulnerability
and the impersonal nature of existence.
3.
Compare and contrast the portrayal of
cultural identity in Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of Maladies" and H.
T. Johnson's "The Black Man’s Burden."
Jhumpa Lahiri's
"Interpreter of Maladies" and H. T. Johnson's "The Black Man’s
Burden" both address issues of cultural identity, but they do so in
different contexts and through distinct lenses.
In "Interpreter of
Maladies," Lahiri explores the complexities of cultural identity through
the interactions between the Indian-American Das family and their Indian tour
guide, Mr. Kapasi. The story delves into themes of diaspora, cultural
disconnection, and the struggle to reconcile multiple identities. The Das
family, though of Indian heritage, exhibits behaviors and attitudes that
reflect their American upbringing. Mr. Kapasi, on the other hand, embodies the
traditional Indian culture and grapples with his own sense of inadequacy and unfulfilled
dreams. The cultural divide between the characters highlights the challenges of
maintaining a cohesive identity in a multicultural context.
H. T. Johnson's "The
Black Man’s Burden" responds to Rudyard Kipling's imperialist poem
"The White Man's Burden" by highlighting the exploitation and
suffering endured by colonized peoples. Johnson's poem emphasizes the
resilience and strength of black individuals in the face of oppression. The
portrayal of cultural identity in Johnson's work is rooted in the historical
context of colonialism and racial injustice. It challenges the notion of the
"civilizing mission" and underscores the dignity and humanity of
black people.
While Lahiri's story
focuses on the personal and familial aspects of cultural identity, Johnson's
poem addresses broader socio-political issues. Both works, however, underscore
the importance of understanding and respecting cultural differences and the
impact of external forces on individual and collective identities.
4.
Analyze the role of imagery in
Elizabeth Alexander's "Praise Song for the Day" and its impact on the
overall theme of the poem.
Elizabeth Alexander's
"Praise Song for the Day," written for the inauguration of President
Barack Obama, uses vivid imagery to celebrate the resilience and diversity of
the American people. The poem captures the spirit of hope and unity, drawing on
everyday experiences and historical references.
Imagery plays a crucial
role in creating a sense of shared humanity. Alexander describes "someone
is stitching up a hem, darning / a hole in a uniform, patching a tire,"
evoking the ordinary yet significant contributions of individuals to the fabric
of society. The imagery of "someone is trying to make music somewhere"
highlights the creativity and perseverance that define the American spirit.
The poem's imagery also
reflects historical struggles and triumphs. References to "the ancestors
on the auction block, the immigrants on the boat, the struck boy on the
railroad tracks" remind readers of the nation's complex past and the
enduring quest for justice and equality. The culmination of these images in the
lines "say it plain, that many have died for this day" emphasizes the
sacrifices made for progress and the hope for a better future.
Through rich and
evocative imagery, Alexander's poem reinforces the themes of unity, resilience,
and the collective effort required to build a more inclusive and equitable
society.
5.
Examine the use of symbolism in
William Carlos Williams' "The Red Wheelbarrow" and discuss how it
contributes to the poem's meaning.
William Carlos Williams'
"The Red Wheelbarrow" is a brief yet profound poem that relies
heavily on symbolism to convey its meaning. The poem's structure and language
are deceptively simple, yet they evoke a sense of depth and contemplation.
The poem begins with the
line "so much depends / upon," suggesting that the objects described
hold significant importance. The "red wheelbarrow" is a symbol of
labor, utility, and the rural lifestyle. Its color, red, stands out vividly
against the white "glazed with rain / water" chickens, creating a
striking visual contrast. The wheelbarrow and the chickens together symbolize
the interconnectedness of human life and nature, as well as the simplicity and
beauty found in ordinary objects.
The poem's simplicity and
focus on everyday objects encourage readers to find meaning and value in the
mundane. By highlighting the wheelbarrow and the chickens, Williams emphasizes
the idea that even the most commonplace items play a crucial role in the larger
scheme of life. The use of symbolism in "The Red Wheelbarrow"
transforms the poem into a meditation on the significance of the ordinary and
the overlooked.
6.
Discuss the theme of tradition versus
progress in Henry James' "Daisy Miller" and Matthew Arnold's
"Dover Beach."
Henry James' "Daisy
Miller" and Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" both explore the
tension between tradition and progress, albeit in different contexts and
through distinct narrative styles.
In "Daisy
Miller," James presents the character of Daisy as a symbol of the New
World—modern, independent, and unconventional. Her behavior contrasts sharply
with the more traditional European values represented by characters like
Winterbourne and Mrs. Costello. Daisy's actions, such as her willingness to
socialize freely and disregard societal norms, challenge the rigid expectations
of European society. The novella explores the conflict between the desire for
personal freedom and the constraints imposed by tradition. Ultimately, Daisy's
tragic fate underscores the harsh judgment and resistance to change that
characterize traditional social structures.
"Dover Beach,"
on the other hand, reflects Arnold's contemplation of the loss of faith and
certainty in the face of scientific and industrial progress. The poem's
melancholic tone and imagery of the receding "Sea of Faith" capture
the sense of disillusionment and anxiety brought about by the erosion of
traditional beliefs. Arnold juxtaposes the tranquil setting of the beach with the
internal turmoil experienced by individuals grappling with the changing world.
The poem suggests that, in the absence of traditional certainties, love and
human connection become vital sources of meaning and stability.
Both works highlight the
challenges and complexities of navigating the transition from tradition to
progress. While "Daisy Miller" focuses on societal norms and
individual freedom, "Dover Beach" addresses the broader existential
implications of a shifting cultural landscape.
7.
How does Bharati Mukherjee explore
the complexities of cultural differences in "The Management of
Grief"? Provide examples from the text.
In "The Management
of Grief," Bharati Mukherjee explores the complexities of cultural
differences through the experiences of the protagonist, Shaila Bhave, and the
Indian immigrant community in the wake of a tragic plane crash. The story
delves into themes of grief, identity, and the clash between cultural
expectations and personal emotions.
Shaila's journey is
marked by the tension between her traditional Indian upbringing and the demands
of her new life in Canada. Her interactions with various characters, such as
the social worker Judith Templeton and the fellow mourner Kusum, highlight the
different ways individuals cope with loss. Judith's well-meaning but culturally
insensitive approach to grief management contrasts with Shaila's need for a
more nuanced understanding of her cultural background.
Mukherjee uses Shaila's
internal conflict to illustrate the complexities of navigating multiple
cultural identities. Shaila struggles to reconcile her sense of duty to her
deceased family with her desire to move forward. Her decision to embrace both
her Indian
