LITR201-1403B-06 : Literature: AReflection of Life

Part 1 600 words

The bonds between siblings are among the strongest.May-Lee Chai describes the relationship between two sisters in her short story,“Saving Sourdi.” 

After reading “Saving Sourdi,” discuss the followingquestions in 3–5 paragraphs:

1. Thestory begins with a strong revealing statement from Nea, the narrator. Howdo you think Nea feels about her sister Sourdi based on this information?How does what happens at the beginning of the story foreshadow whathappens later?
2. Thisstory is told from Nea’s point of view. How do you think the story wouldchange if it were told from Sourdi’s point of view? Do you feel closer tothe character than you would if this story were told in third person?
3. Neabriefly mentions an experience she and Sourdi had in a minefield when theywere younger. What impact do you think this had on the relationshipbetween the sisters?
4. Nea’sfamily is not originally from the United States. What are some clues theauthor gives to describe the origin of their ethnicity? Give 2 examples ofcharacters who say things that are racially offensive, and discuss howthis makes you feel about those characters. Can you relate to theseexperiences?
5. Howdoes the author describe Duke and Mr. Chhay? Do you get a sense of whothese characters are based on these descriptions?
6. Asthe story progresses, how does the relationship between Nea and Sourdichange? Why do you think it changes?
7. Whatdoes the mother value, based on how reaction to updates she receives fromSourdi? Why do you think she might feel this way?

Thisis an example of what the professor expects

After “Saving Sourdi” byMay-Lee Chai, p. 81-96, discusses the following questions in 3 to 5paragraphs.” Refer to the numbered prompts above.

· This assignment isasking you to answer a number of questions

· Develop a topicsentence for each of the assignment prompts.

· You must quotefrom the story is support of your ideas

· Follow this methodto quote:

RULE: Add the author,insert the quote in quote marks, and add the page after. CAUTION: Do not quote morethan 39 words.

EXAMPLE: According to Gilb(1193) “The fact was that he’d probably have to change his whole style” (p.219).

REFERENCE EXAMPLE:

MacGowan, S. (1987). Belfast bombsite. In S. L. Fingers (Ed.). AnIrish Punk Poetry

 Anthology (pp. 117-118). Donegal: Culchie Press.

LINK TO APA FORMATTING:http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

 Make sure to reference my book and page numbers

NOTE: Add a title page,develop an introduction (with a thesis statement at the end), body paragraphsand a concluding paragraph, and add a Reference page.

Part 2

For this assignment, you will be analyzing two moreshort stories, “Battle Royal” (which is the first chapter in Ralph Ellison’snovel, Invisible Man) and “The Birthmark.” As you read, reflect onthe ways each depicts characters that are deemed socially unacceptable becauseof their outward appearances.

Please write a comparison/contrast essayof 1000 to 1200 words or more discussing the questions below.Remember to begin your paper with an engaging introduction and clear thesisstatement, develop each point in the body of your paper using examples andquotes from the stories, and conclude your paper with a restatement of yourthesis and closing remarks. Also, be sure to maintain your credibility byincluding in-text citations and a reference list correctly formatted in APAstyle.

1. Setting:Describe the settings of both pieces and identify how the eras in whichthey take place—with their distinct societal attitudes and customs—affectthe main characters?
2. Characters:

• “BattleRoyal:” Discuss the young man and his grandfather. Why do we neverlearn the young man’s name? What do the grandfather’s dying wordsreveal about him?
• “TheBirthmark:” Describe the main characters: Aylmer, Georgiana andAminadab. What is important to each?

Pointof View: In which point of view (first- or third-person) is each piecetold? If the point of view in “Battle Royal” was changed, would it havemade the story more effective, or less so?Symbolism: 

• “BattleRoyal:” Analyze the deeper meaning of the following: the “battle royal”itself, the naked blonde, and the young man’s dream at the end of thestory.
• “TheBirthmark:” What does Georgiana’s birthmark signify, first to her andthen to Aylmer? What does alchemy represent in the story?

Themes:What are the main themes/messages of each piece? What, in other words, doyou think the authors, Ralph Ellison and Nathaniel Hawthorne, are tryingto communicate about life and human nature in their respective stories?Fear:What role does fear play in both pieces?Discrimination:Both stories address physical appearance, specifically one’s skin, and theway people may discriminate against others because of externalcharacteristics they deem inferior. Compare and contrast howdiscrimination and prejudice are presented in “Battle Royal” and “TheBirthmark.”FinalThoughts: Author Tim O’Brien wrote, "That's what fiction is for. It'sfor getting at the truth when the truth isn't sufficient for thetruth." Talk about how literature might give us “truer” insights intothe human experience by appealing to our senses, emotions and empathy.Describe a situation in which you or someone you know may have beendiscriminated against because of appearance, gender, race or anotherattribute. What did the experience teach you?

For this last questionif this relates to you be sure to use it as an example of someone else that youmay know. Or just simply make up something.