Work is not a legitimate excuse for absence. We learn by asking and working out answers to questions. The study questions in the packet are designed to stimulate your thinking and activate your reading, to highlight important issues, and to prepare you for in-class discussion. I ask three kinds of questions, reading and interpretive , and critical . Reading questions ask about feeling, subject, content, plot, the literal story-line.
Interpretive questions ask about meanings, theme, figurative language, symbolism, and form.
Critical questions ask about evaluating and judging the taste, ethics, history, and politics of the literature. You will have the chance to revise each paper. Except when noted in class, assignments always include biographical sketches and introductions in the Norton text. Feel free to ask questions about the readings, which, while they may come from unfamiliar time periods and cultures, are nevertheless exciting and entertaining. Come to class prepared, having read the material and thought about the study questions and any other questions you have raised on your own.