Select two of the following essay questions and write a brief essay of about 250 to 300 words (two to three paragraphs) in response to each question. Reference specific scenes and images from each story in your responses. Your essay will be graded on how well you develop your ideas. Be sure to save time to proofread your essays. The essays should evidence a solid grasp of basic language skills and be free from major grammatical errors.

"The Secret Lion," Alberto Alvaro Rios

"The Secret Lion" focuses on the changes that the boys in the story go through as they grow up. A recurring theme in the story is that "things get taken away." There are several ways in which this theme can be interpreted. Marxist criticism focuses on class struggles between those who are empowered in society and those who are not, and the story can be interpreted along these lines. It is also possible to see this story as a coming of age story and that what gets taken away is the boys’ childhood. Select one of these two possible interpretations, and write an essay exploring the theme of things getting taken away according to that interpretation.

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You been?" Joyce Carol Oates

The short story "Where are You Going? Where Have You Been?" focuses on issues of sexuality and gender, which opens the story up to a variety of psychological or feminist interpretations. One approach would be to look at the elements of the story which seem to suggest sexual conquest and sacrifice (a Freudian interpretation). Another approach would be to focus on images that suggest a mythological interpretation of the story. In particular, some of the images in this story can be seen in religious terms where sex becomes sacrificial (a Jungian or formalist approach). A third approach would be to view the story within gender relationships, focusing particularly on the mother and the two daughters (a feminist approach). Select one of these approaches, and write an essay that develops a coherent interpretation of the story. [Link to story ]

"Once Upon A Time," Nadine Gordimer

There are many elements of irony within this story related to the fairy tale motif, the occasion for writing the story, and the cultural forces that underlie this story. Discuss the use of irony in this story as it develops the theme that "apartheid debases the lives of both blacks and whites." [Link to story ]

"A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner

This story is ultimately a Southern story; the destruction of Emily is a consequence of the antagonism of Southern culture. Discuss the ways in which the culture of the town (as it is expressed by the narrative "we") push Emily to the self-destructive choices she makes, that is, identify the cultural values by which the town judges Emily’s behavior and show how her downfall is a consequence of and reaction to these societal pressures. [Link to story ]

"Young Goodman Brown," Nathaniel Hawthorne

Despite the fact that Young Goodman Brown resists the temptations of Satan, "his dying hour was gloom." Discuss the theme of human depravity as it relates to the character of Young Goodman Brown and as it is developed through the symbolism and allegory of this story. Possible approaches include a psychonalytic interpretation using Freud's id, ego, and superego; a Jungian interpretation using the anima, shadow, and persona; or a historical/traditional interpretation focusing on elements of Calvinism. [Link to story ]

"Doe Season," David Michael Kaplan

David Michael Kaplan belongs to a group of writers who are called "'magic realists,.' . . . seamlessly interweaving magical elements and detailed, realistically drawn 'everyday' settings " (Kirszner and Mandell 342). The central theme of this story revolves around Andy’s growing up and becoming a woman, the shift she makes away from the world of men which her father wants her to share and toward the world of women. Many of the events of the story, the conversations of the men, and the references to forest and ocean, to Andy’s name, and to the deer suggest deeper meanings related to the theme. Discuss this theme of initiation or coming of age as it is developed within the story, particularly where it is developed through scenes that have about them elements of magic or myth. [Link to story ]

Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing /cite>. 3rd. Harcourt, 1997. Print.