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Short answers are 2/3 sentences

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Short answers are 2/3 sentences. short essays are 3/4 paragraghs - there are 6 questions

Short Answer:

Discuss the use of the Bible as a symbol in The Book of Eli. Why is it important to the characters, what does it represent, and what is its significance?

Short Answer:

Justina Ireland in an interview speaks of her interest in the “gray” area of people who can do both good and bad work at the same time without recognizing the contrast. In Dread Nation, there are multiple characters who embody this idea. In your short response, choose a character who embodies this duality, explain how readers can see it, and explain the significance of that character’s moral split.

Essay:

Over the course of the semester, we established that the one thing necessary to survive in an Apocalypse is a choice to hold onto one's humanity. Most of our texts touched on this idea, with a character's success or failure being contingent upon the degree to which they've maintained their humanity.

Ultimately, three of our texts, more than any others, helped us build and shape our understanding of this idea: The Last Man on Earth, "Bounty," and The Walking Dead. These three texts helped us build the foundation of this idea and then tweak and refine our understanding of it.

In your response, construct a definition of what it means to maintain one's humanity. Your definition should touch on how these three texts help build, modify, and/or contribute to our understanding of this definition by providing specific examples from and discussing the impact of each on our understanding of this idea.

Essay:

The ultimate hopefulness or cataclysm of the ending of The Girl with all the Gifts hinges on one important question: Is Melanie a human? In your response, you must determine whether or not the ending of the book is hopeful by answering this question.

To do so, provide evidence that demonstrates her humanity or lack thereof. You must choose and analyze at least two plot elements that show your choice. Then, discuss Miss Justineau and Dr. Caldwell's views and opinions on Melanie’s humanity supported by sufficient textual evidence (can be general--you do not have to use quotations), and discuss the impact on the plot of each character's belief.

Once you've done this, analyze the different interpretations of the ending: Why might it be hopeful? Why cataclysmic? Which ending does the book seem to have aligned with, and what is being conveyed by that alignment? Provide examples here to support your response.

Essay:

Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation actively works to reconnect zombie narratives to their roots in Haitian history and slavery. To do this, Ireland explicitly includes issues of race and (in)equality in her novel.

In your essay response, discuss and analyze any 2 elements of your choosing from the novel that discuss the themes of race and/or (in)equality as Ireland has presented them in the novel. Your responses should present and analyze your chosen story elements.

Essay:

The concept of moral relativism has been key to our discussion this half of the semester. In your response, you will discuss the presence of moral relativism in the plot of two of our texts, The Road and Snowpiercer.

First, briefly define moral relativism and contrast it to moral absolutism, providing a general example to demonstrate each (you can create your own example or use any of our course texts other than these two). Then, address the following prompts:

For Snowpiercer, despite the fact that there is clearly a “hero” and a “villain,” neither is particularly suited to that role outside of the context of their world. Why isn't Curtis much of a hero, and why isn't Wilford much of a villain (providing and analyzing two examples for each as support)? What makes them hero/villain in THIS world? Ultimately, then, are their actions the right ones in this context? Why?

For The Road, there are many moments that capture the idea of moral relativism v. moral absolutism: We have a mother who abandons her husband and her young son, a father who steals and murders, and a young boy who repeats certain phrases over and over to bring himself comfort. Discuss two of these three characters. How does each, and his/her actions and beliefs, embody moral relativism? Are your chosen characters' views/actions the right one in their context? Why or why not, and what point is McCarthy making through that character's beliefs and actions?