4 Reading and Review Questions
Amy Berke; Robert Bleil; Jordan Cofer; Doug Davis; and OpenAI
Writing answers to these questions can be a great way to dive deeper into the works of the authors in each section. There are reading and review questions provided at the end of each part to help you gain a better understanding of the author’s style, structure, and themes. As you consider these questions, it’s important to remember that there’s no right or wrong answer; the main goal is to get you thinking more critically about the texts. As you explore the works of each author, you may discover new insights, interpretations, and ideas. Engaging with the questions can help you cultivate a more meaningful and complete understanding of the authors and their works. So, take the time to read, review, and answer question about each of the authors in this section to get the most out of your studies.
Wallace – Reading and Review Questions:
- Examine the structure of “Consider the Lobster.” How does Wallace develop his argument about the ethos of eating lobster? What is his
argument? - How do you think the original readers of Gourmet, where “Consider the Lobster” was first published, reacted to this essay? Why do you think
they printed it? - From the excerpt from Infinite Jest, how do the characters’ reactions to hugging reveal their personal struggles and attitudes towards recovery?
Silko – Reading and Review Questions:
- What elements seem out of time? What effect on readers do these anachronistic elements have?
- Is this a story of alienation or community? How does the narrator use the Kachina yellow woman story to connect with her community?
- Is this a story about humanity or the mystical?
Faulkner – Reading and Review Questions:
- Why is the discovery of the single grey hair at the end of “A Rose for Emily” significant?
- Faulkner received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. In his award speech, he lamented that many of America’s young authors had forgotten “the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing.” Discuss how “A Rose for Emily” show the human heart in conflict with itself.
