ENG 335: SF As Social Criticism Fall 2013 Mid-Term Examination 250 Points

ENG 335: SF as Social Criticism Fall 2013 Mid-Term Examination [250 Points]

Your mid-term examination will consist of three parts: a thirty question matching section, a short essay question, and a long essay question. The specific format of each section of the examination follows.

Part I: 30 Matching [3 points each = 90 points]. Place the letter of the alphabet corresponding to the correct story title in the blank preceding each item. The stories are presented in alphabetical order and assigned a letter of the alphabet below.

A. “Act of God” by Jack McDevitt

B. “All You Zombies” by Robert Heinlein

C. “First Commandment” by Gregory Benford

D. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

E. “A Martian Odyssey” by Stanley Weinbaum

F. “Microcosmic God” by Theodore Sturgeon

G. “Mozart in Mirrorshades” by Bruce Sterling & Lewis Shiner

H. “Nightfall” by Isaac Asimov

I. “The Quest for St. Aquin” by Anthony Boucher

J. “Savant Songs” by Brenda Cooper

K. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

L. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

M. “Twilight” by Joseph Campbell

I will supply a quotation, character, concept, or event, and you will place the letter of the alphabet corresponding to the correct story title in the blank preceding the item. Please note that we have covered only 13 texts to date, so each story can be the correct answer to more than one item. Therefore, it is not at all useful to keep track of which stories you have used and which you haven't while entering your answers. Some may be the correct response on three or more occasions, while others may be the correct response only once. Here are a couple of sample questions; use the above key to select your answers: __ __1. She paused a moment, peering at the reflection, which at just the right angle looked like the holy cross. _____2. Maybe the God who's actually running things is just a guy in a laboratory in another reality.

Part II. Identification [80 Points] I will provide twelve items [significant objects, images, character names, or quotations] and you will select only eight to identify and discuss. Each answer will be worth 10 points. In each case, you will identify the story and author relevant to the item, then comment on the significance of each item in four or five concisely worded sentences. You comments should indicate how the designated item is significant to the narrative structure, a thematic concern, or a conflict in the story. To earn full credit, begin your answer with the correct story title and full name of the author, establish the context in which the item appears, identify the speaker if the item is a quotation, and use character names to demonstrate your familiarity with the story. Use the key for the matching section and the projected list of the stories in the order in which we read them to assist you in remembering correct titles and full author Part III. Essay on The Sparrow [80 Points] Write an essay in which you discuss the function in the novel of one of the following characters. The term, "function," may be interpreted rather loosely here. How does the character help to develop a principal thematic concern or conflict in the novel? Or how does the character help us to understand a philosophical position being promoted by Russell through her novel? Or how does the character help us to understand the nature and resolution of Father Emilio Sandoz's spiritual crisis. Or how does the character help us to understand a point of social criticism being developed by Russell through her novel? Pick a single issue and discuss how the character helps us to understand that issue by citing specific examples from the novel. You may consult the novel while writing this section of the examination. Use MLA parenthetical documentation when you quote the novel.

Choose one of the following characters:

Sofia Mendez Felipe Reyes Father Vincenzo Giuliani John Candotti Johannes Voelker Hlavin Kitheri Jimmy Quinn Supaari VaGayjur Anne Edwards

Before deciding on an approach or selecting a character, review the discussion questions and reading notes posted at our web syllabus. For this essay response, you may bring a single sheet of paper with your thesis statement typed out and an outline of your essay. The outline may contain the topic sentence for each of your body paragraphs and a list of supporting examples that you intend to use to develop each topic. Your single page of preparation must have your name at the top of the page, have one inch margins on all four sides of the page, and must be in Times New Roman 12 font. You will submit your preparation with your answer. The quality of your preparation will affect your score on the essay.