Final Exam

As we discussed in today's class, your final exam will cover all assigned readings since the midterm. There will be an essay question as on the midterm, and also five short answer questions on individual readings. The short answer questions may involve terminology and concepts, key themes and symbols, or material covered in our discussion questions.

Exam times:
Section 02 5/4 10:45-1:15
Section 03 5/4 1:30-4:00

"The Underground Stream"

Here is the ending of Dickey's "The Underground Stream," which did not make it into your packet:

I turned from the girl I had found
In a song once sung by my mother,
And loved my one true brother,
The tall cadaver, who
Either grew, or did not grow,
But smiled, with the smile of singing,
Or a smile of incredible longing
To rise through a circle of stone,
Gazing up at a sky, alone
Visible, at the top of a well,
And seeking for years to deliver
His mouth from the endless river
Of my oil on water smile,
And claim his own grave face
That mine might live in its place.
I lay at the edge of a well;
And then I smiled, and fell.

For several classes, starting 4/18, we'll be reading a selection of poems by James Dickey, which I'll hand out as a packet today. Here are the "pre-reading" questions to help generate some insight into Dickey's poetry:

1) Try to identify the tone of each poem. Which poems are intense, urgent? Which ones are more contemplative?
2) Which ideas and images get repeated throughout the selection of poems?
3) For each poem, underline some phrases that strike you as unique and arrest your attention. How does the poet's choice of words convey an emotional or intellectual effect?
4) Characterize the relationship between human beings, animals, and nature in these poems.

For our next blog, due Sunday evening at the usual time, write a brief response to one Dickey poem of your choosing.

Easter Break

A few of you have e-mailed to ask whether you need to blog this week, given our Easter holiday. Why don't we say this--you can skip this week's blogging requirement BUT you should compensate for this by finishing the O'Connor readings if you haven't already. Chances are, given the fact that so many people neglected to read her last week, a question about her work will appear on the final exam.

If you have already done the blog assignment, don't worry--I will go ahead and give you a bit of extra credit for it.

This week's blog

I know that this week's schedule indicates that your blog should compare Streetcar the play with Streetcar the film. However, since we haven't yet started the film, you can just focus on the play itself for your next entry. Then we'll use the film as a topic in next week's blog.

Blog Update

First, let me congratulate both sections of 126 on their excellent blogs this week. The posts are growing ever more insightful and the comments are very responsive--I see a true dialogue emerging, which is really the idea here. Good work, and please keep it up.

We'll be on break next week (duh), so you can skip the posting and commenting for that week. Please post for the following week by the usual deadline--that would be by 6:00 Sunday 3/11 (you can post on either Wright or Hurston).

Have a great break!

Exam grading

When evaluating an exam, I am always looking for a strong grasp of both the themes of the course and of individual texts. I really want to see your interpretation of the texts; I am looking for analysis (vs. summary) and for detailed evidence to back up your assertions.

A: Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the texts discussed; includes in-depth, detailed analysis of these texts; offers a clear and well-argued answer to the exam question; includes an introduction and conclusion that make connections (comparisons and contrasts) across texts, and are not mere restatements of my question.

B: Demonstrates a good grasp of the texts and the issues discussed in class; gives a clear answer to the exam question. Uses examples from individual texts to back up own ideas.

C: Displays a basic understanding of the texts but lacks detail or depth. May be more summary than analysis. May lack a clear, definitive answer to the exam question.

D-F: Essay lacks a clear understanding of the texts and the issues of the course. May distort elements of the texts, suggesting inattention or incomplete reading. Weak or incoherent response to the exam question.

Presentation dates

Here is the list of assigned presentation dates and partners based on your requests:


Section 02

Wednesday, 4/11

Kyle Pero and Jessica Foley
Seth Bied and Sarah James
Ryan Brown and Alyssa Gauthier

Friday, 4/13

Laura Durkee and Stephanie Gericke
Grace Gleason and Nicole Zullo

Monday 4/16

Kathryn Cahill and Colleen Sullivan
Jennifer Horton and Matt Barrington
Kaycie Tyll, Nicole Hoag, and Amanda Loitsch


Section 03

Wednesday, 4/11

Andrea Belanger and Shannon Mosher
Gregory Laruccia and Taysha Marcano
Erin Phinney Jennifer Crouse and Drew Countryman


Friday, 4/13

Nancy Gimondo and Ginger Fryer-Hollner
Lindsay Bombard and Greg Parent

Monday, 4/16

Sharae Jury and Kelly Cerneglia
Liz Hill and Kate Nesbitt
Roger Hartnett and Stacey Hill