Humanities Homework Help

• Central to The Book Thief as an “end of the world” text is the role of books. Discuss this idea: What is symbolic about books and why might someone want to obtain them in an “end of the world”? What role, then, do books play in an “end of the world,” and why might the destruction of books be symbolically important or significant? How, then, do that symbolism and role manifest in The Book Thief?
• The theme of “understanding” (or rather the “inability to understand”) is one that recurs frequently in The Things They Carried, often in the context of a character’s world coming to an end. In your response, discuss how Norman Bowker’s “end of the world” (which you should identify) in “Speaking of Courage” portrays this theme of understanding or an inability to understand.
• Though we decided that Roo Borson’s “After a Death” is a text that chooses hope over cataclysm, that determination was not an easy one, as the poem isn’t overwhelmingly hopeful. In your response, discuss the possibilities: In what way is the poem hopeful? In what way is it not hopeful? Ultimately, then, why did we decide that Borson’s poem chooses hope? Use specific examples to support your response.
• Anne Sexton’s “After Auschwitz” contains a message that is, at first, hard to understand, as what she wants or is asking for isn’t readily apparent. In your response, offer an analysis of Sexton’s poem that identifies her message (what does she want?) and discusses how she makes it clear. Use specific examples to support your response.
• Tim O’Brien identifies two “kinds” of truth: story truth and happening truth. In your response, briefly identify the difference between the two. Then, discuss “story truth” in the context of an end of the world text: What is its role and importance in conveying a sense of the “end of the world”? You should provide a specific example from The Things They Carried to support your point.
• Choose any two texts from the first half of our semester (EXCEPT Roo Borson’s “After a Death” or any of the World War 1 poetry, which you cannot choose) that make the same choice of either “hope” or “cataclysm” in their depiction of an “end of the world.” In your response, identity how those texts approach the SAME choice of hope or cataclysm DIFFERENTLY. Use evidence and specific examples to support your discussion.
• Providing examples from among the World War I poetry we discussed, discuss the progression that occurred in that poetry over the duration of the war. Your response should show how this poetry demonstrates the shift from hope to cataclysm. You should use specific examples from 3 or more of our World War I poems to show this shift and should explain why it is occurring. You should touch on tone, symbolism, message, setting, or any other elements that demonstrate the progression clearly.

Essay:

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World War 1 poems (in discussion/publication order):

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– John McCrae, “In Flanders Field”

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– Charlotte Mary Mew, “June, 1915”

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– Isaac Rosenberg, “Break of Day in Trenches”

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– Ivor Gurney, “To His Love”

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– Marjorie Pickthall, “Marching Men”

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– Wilfred Owen, “Dulce et Decorum Est”