UEN41 AMERICAN LITERATURE - I Unit-1 Type: 100% Theory Question & Answers

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1 UEN41 AMERICAN LITERATURE - I Unit-1 Type: 100% Theory Question & Answers PART A ANSWERS 1. Comment on the significance of the title 'Brahma'. (April/May, 2013) (Nov/Dec 2016) Emerson's Brahma is a philosophical and spiritual poem. In the poem Emerson wants to ascertain that our soils is immortal and the whole universe is one with Brahma. 2. What type of poem is "The Raven"? (April/May, 2013) The Raven is the narrative poem by Edgar Allen Poe. The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. it tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. 3. Name any one source for the poem 'Brahma'. (April/May, 2014) Brahma is Emerson's stylistic poem. this poem contains the references of Eastern Religion especially Hinduism. In Hindu religion there are three major Gods; Siva, Krishna and Brahma. Of the three Brahma is considered the supreme God. 4. What is the poem 'The Raven' about? (April/May, 2014) Poe's 'The Raven' is an extremely skillful poem which arises the pity of the readers. The theme of the poem is simple that a lover is sad about his lady-love's recent death. 5. Who is the speaker of the poem Brahma? In Brahma Emerson takes the role of the God Brahma the God of creation in Hindu religion. He speaks like the God Brahma and Brahma is the speaker of the poem. 6. What is Emerson's view of soul? In this world, Emerson insists that nothing dies. Because only Brahma can create, destroy and recreate. Though the physical body dies, the soul remains alive and it is immortal. The soul goes to the God for the next birth. 7. What is the message that Emerson imparts with his opposites? Emerson says that shadow and sunlight are the same as shame and fame. in this material world, they are illusions which human beings believe to be real. Thus, he insists that these kinds of opposites are not counteracting forces but they are used to move the world in harmony. RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT - I /UNIT-1 Answers/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 1 of 5

2 8. Describe the introduction of the protagonist of the poem, The Raven. In this poem, a lonely young man is a lover. he is sad now because he has lost his beloved lady-love namely Lenore. The grief -stricken lover dreams and mourns of her. It is a night time so in order to ease his mind, he is reading a book. 9. Describe the raven's arrival and entrance. When the lover opens the window door, the Raven enters the house. The bird is a symbol of bad omen and it is black. It sits on the stature of Pallas, the Goddess of wisdom in Greek Mythology. 10. What does the lover do after receiving the Raven? After seeing the bird, the lover is curious and relieved from stress. The man asks the Raven what is name is. But the bird's answer surprises the young man because it answers 'Nevermore'. 11. Why does the lover call the raven 'Prophet of the doom and a thing of evil'? The lover thinks that his Lenore will never come back and sit with him on the chair. The bird, understanding his mind, and aswers 'Nevermore'. This intervention makes him sad and so he calls the Raven Prophet of the doom and a thing of evil. PART - B ANSWERS 1) Describe the greatness of Brahma as viewed by Emerson. (April/May, 2013) or What are the supreme qualities of Brahma according to Emerson (Nov, 2013) Brahma is Emerson's stylistic poem. This poem contains the reference of Eastern religion, especially Hinduism. In Hindu religion, there are three major Gods; Siva, Krishna, and Brahma. Siva is the God of destroyer, Krishna is the God of Preserver and Brahma is the God of creation. Of the three, Brahma is considered the supreme God in the universe because he creates everything and everyone. Even the dead one's soul goes to him for the next creation because soul is immortal. Hence, a pure soul goes to him to be recreated as a human being in the next birth. For this reason, the secondary Gods too want to unite with Brahma. Brahma in Emerson's opinion, is the God of creativity, continuity of life and the whole universe. Hence, whatever is created that is a part of his universe. 2) Write a paragraph about the introduction of the lover and mounting of fear in Poe's 'The Raven'. (April/May, 2013) (Nov, 2013) When the poem begins, a young man is presented with sadness. The reason is given that he has lost his lady-love namely Lenore. As a result, the lover is grief stricken and he is unable to come out of his shock. It is in this situation, the lover is introduced to the reader. He is trying to maintain his mental balance by reading books. At this moment, while the lover is reading the books, he is interrupted with a knock at the door. When he hears the sound, he thinks that it might be a ghost. So, his heart beat fast RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT - I /UNIT-1 Answers/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 2 of 5

3 and he feels thrilled. however he opens the door and finds no one outside. The young man disappointed. He goes back to continue his reading. But the knocking takes place again on the widow door. He fears and feels surprised that somebody is knocking the door. 3) Discuss the theme of Brahma. (April/May, 2014) Emerson's Brahma was written in 1856 and it was published in Emerson's Brahma is a philosophical and spiritual poem. In the poem, Emerson wants to ascertain that our souls is immortal and the whole universe is one with Brahma. In the beginning of the poem, Emerson says that Brahma is the ultimate God who keeps and moves and returns the human beings. He says that if the red-slayer or killer thinks or the one who believes that he is killed is a wrong belief. For no one dies because all energy is conserved by the God and takes different appearance. 4) Describe the structure of the poem "The Raven". (April/May, 2014) Poe establishes that a beautiful poem should be written with beautiful verses. he therefore based on his backwards theory, wrote the poem, The Raven and in it each section of the poem consists of alliteration and alternating interior rhythms. Also, he emphasizes that the refrain should be brie and no monotonous. The refrain has to come at the end of each stanza and it should be preferably a single word. He says that the refrain should contain the sonorous vowel. So, he used the long 'o' vowel in his refrain 'Nevermore' to reach the result he wanted. He cleverly used the refrain 'Nevermore' so as it should not be monotonous. He also advocates that a supreme poem should consists of proper symbols. He claims that such use of symbols can heighten the effect of the poem. PART - C ANSWERS 1. Summaries the views of Emerson in the poem "Brahma". (Nov, 2013) (April/May, 2014) Emerson's Brahma was written in 1856 and it was published in Emerson's Brahma is a philosophical and spiritual poem. In the poem, Emerson wants to ascertain that our souls is immortal and the whole universe is one with Brahma. In the beginning of the poem, Emerson says that Brahma is the ultimate God who keeps and moves and returns the human beings. He says that if the red-slayer or killer thinks or the one who believes that he is killed is a wrong belief. For no one dies because all energy is conserved by the God and takes different appearances. The Poet brings out the contrasting ideas such as far and near, shadow and sunlight, and shame and fame. Brahma says that all these contrasting ides are his own products and they should not be considered a separate entity. All these things are part of a unit. The opposites have the same value. Therefore, people should not prefer to any one item. RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT - I /UNIT-1 Answers/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 3 of 5

4 Emerson says that those who want to leave him, cannot go without him. If they fly away from him, he would be their wings. Similarly, he is the doubt and soubter. And he is the song that the Brahmin sings. Thus, Brahma asserts that in this universe, he is the essence and all things are part of the universe. He makes reference of the secondary Gods. The secondary Gods such as Indra, the God of the sky. Agni the God of fire, and Yama the God of death, come to him to get united with him. These three Gods are also not separate gods. They are the part of Brahma and they are absor4bed into him. Then. he talks about the seven great priests or maharishis of Hindu religion. These saints cannot find the home of Brahma because these priests pray for a material profit. At last Brahma says that if people are lovers of the good, they can find him and get united with him. 2. Narrate in your own words the story of "The Raven". (April/May, 2013) (Nov/Dec 2016) Raven is one of the best poems of Edgar Allen Poe. In this poem, a lonely young man is a lover. He is sad now because he has lost his beloved lady-love namely Lenore. The grief - stricken lover dreams and mourns her. It is night time. In order to ease his mind, he is reading a book. The lover is half asleep and dreaming of his beloved Lenore. At this moment, he is interrupted by a knock of tap on his room door. He gets up and opens the door. As soon as he opens the door, he looks out. But he finds only darkness and nothing more. Being in the darkness, he whispers, 'Lenore' and expects that his dead lady-love would have come back. But he could not see his lady-love Lenore. But the word Lenore is echoed in the darkness. With great upset, he returns to his room. At this time, he hers the knock again at the window. When he opens the window shutter, he sees the bird, Raven. The bird Raven is a symbol of ill-omen. As soon as the window door is opened, The Raven enters the house and sits on the statue of Pallas. This statue, Pallas is the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology. Being curious and relieved from stress the man asks the Raven what its name is. But the bird's answer surprises the young man because it answers "Nevermore". When he hears the word 'Nevermore', he feels that it is the echo of his heart. Then he worries that the bird will also go like his hope and friends. For this also the bird replies 'Nevermore'. Soon the young man understands that the birds does not speak from its knowledge but it repeats only the word that has been taught by its master. Also, he understands that the bird knows to utter the word, 'Nevermore'. So he continues to question the bird to understand what the birds wants to say from 'Nevermore'. He sits on a chair where his lady love Lenore sat once. While he is on the chair, he remembers his past days with Lenore. It gives him pain. He thinks that his Lenore will never come back and sit with him on the chair. The bird, understanding his minds, answers 'Nevermore'. Thus, the birds answers even for his mind -voice. This intervention makes him sad and he calls the Raven prophet of the doom and a thing of evil. And then, he asks is there balm in Gilead? RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT - I /UNIT-1 Answers/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 4 of 5

5 meaning that is there any comfort for me. The bird answers, 'nevermore'. Then he asks the bird if he will meet his Lenore in paradise. The Raven again says 'Nevermore'. Being outraged, the young man asks the Raven to leave him. The bird replies 'nevermore'. By hearing the negative answers, the lover's soul is moved into the depth of sorrow and he feels that his soul cannot be lifted anymore. for this thought also, the Raven says, 'Nevermore'. Thus, Poe has cleverly portrayed the psychological pain and he takes the readers to the final sorrow of the lover. RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT - I /UNIT-1 Answers/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 5 of 5

6 UEN41 AMERICAN LITERATURE - I Unit-2 Type: 100% Theory Questions & Answers PART A Answers 1. How does the poet know that someone has passed away in the house?(april/may, 2013) When the poem beings, a speaker appears and he sees the people's numbness and grief. By seeing their sad appearance, she decides that there has occurred a death today. She emphasizes that whenever death occurs at a house, the people are always sad and numb 2. What is the theme of the poem 'Birches' (April/May, 2013) In Birches, Robert Frost brings out the true nature of everyone that everyone wants to escape the harsh reality of the earthly life. But Frost seems to give the message that temporary escape is better than the permanent escape. 3. What is the dominant theme of Emily Dickinson's poems? (April/May, 2014) Death is the dominant theme of Emily Dickinson's poems. All of her poems are discussed about the death. 4. What is the actual reasons for the bending of birches?(april/may, 2014) (Nov,2013) After seeing the swinging trees, he thinks that some boys might have been playing on the trees and so the trees are swinging. But actually he knows that it is the winter season and the heavy ice has covered the trees. So, the trees are bent by the load of ice- Storm. 5. How does Emily Dickinson present the speaker in her poem? In this poem Emily Dickinson presents the speaker as a mere observer. The speaker sees a death at the neighboring house. Then, she narrates the events which are going on. But, the speaker is neither sad nor emotional. Shee detaches himself and becomes a mere observer. 6. What is the theme of the Poem 'There is been A Death in the Opposite House'? In the poem Emily Dickinson deals with the theme of death. In her opinion, Death is an everyday happening and we should be ready to face it. 7. How does the poet consider the different social roles at the death? The poet expresses her strong disapproval of the different social roles such as minister, millionare and doctor. Because all these persons enter the house not simple out RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 1 of 6

7 of sadness but to gain monetary profit. So, the poet condemns them and urges us that we should understand the news of nature. 8. What does the speaker connect climbing up the tree to? In the beginning of the poem, the speaker walks through a thick forest and notices the birches-trees swinging. He imagines that the trees are swayed by some boys. He now links the boys climbing up the tree to climbing toward heaven. 9. Why does the speaker want to climb up the tree? speaker thinks that if he goes up on the tree, he can be free from the harsh adulthood life. So, he says that climbing a birch tree is a way to 'get away from earth awhile'. 10. Does the speaker want to escape the real life. No, the speaker does not like to escape the real life. He says that man is tied to the earth, He claims that earth is the right place for love though it is imperfect. If a man wants to go away from the earthly life, he will be lost and its is the worst idea. PART - B ANSWERS 1. Critically appreciate the poem "There's been a death in the opposite house". (April/May,2013) In the poem Emily Dickinson deals with the theme of death. In her opinion, Death is an everyday happening and we should be ready to face it. When the poem beings, a speaker appears and he sees the people's numbness and grief. By seeing their sad appearance, she decides that there has occurred a death today. She emphasizes that whenever death occurs at a house, the people are always sad and numb. Then, he describes the actions happening in the house. The death-news reaches first to the neighbours. So, the neighbours enter the house to attend the death. Later the doctor comes to the house and confirms the death. Then the children rush to see what death means. They are very curious to know about death. Now the speaker says that he was also very curious to know about death when he was a child. After wards the minister enters the house. He shows his power and brings everyone under his control. Then, the millionaire and the appalling trader come to the house. They come, instead of expressing their sadness, just for getting monetary profit. Finally the funeral procession is a symbol to express the sadness. But the speaker is death is inevitable to all beings. 2. Comment on Dickinson's approach to death in her poem "There's been a death in the opposite house".(april/may,2014) Dickinson's main theme of the poem is death. In the poem, the speaker sees a death at the neighboring house. Then, she narrates the events which are going on. But, RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 2 of 6

8 the speaker is neither sad nor emotional. She detaches himself from the emotions of death and becomes a mere observer. By this Dickinson wants to say that death is an everyday happening. According to her, death is a natural event. Yet it is a sad event for those who lose their loved one. The consequence is that the losers are in sad mood with numbness. As death is inevitable, the poet does not use any sad tone while narrating the events. Further, she has used the present tense to emphasize that death is an everyday occurrence. 3. Describe how Robert Frost transport the reader from delight to wisdom in his poem 'Birches'. (Nov, 2013) In Birches, Robert Frost brings out the true nature of everyone that everyone wants to escape the harsh reality of earthly life. But Frost seems to give the message that temporary escape is better than the permanent escape. One cannot totally quit the everyday matters of life. So, to take some refreshment one can thing of his life in heaven but he is certainly to come back to his earth-life. In the beginning of the poem, the speaker walks through a thick forest and notices the birches-trees swinging. He imagines that the trees are swayed by some boys. He now links the boys climbing up the tree to climbing toward heaven. He thinks that if he goes up on the tree, he can be free from the harsh adulthood life. So, he says that climbing a birch tree is a way to 'get away from earth awhile'. His imagination tells us that when he climbs up the tree, he is able to go away from this normal life on the earth and reach a happy place where he can live without worries or responsibilities. But Frost explains that he can't get such happiness of going to the top of the tree because he is an adult not and he is unable to quit his responsibilities. 4. Describe the speaker's familiarity with death in the poem "There's been a death in the opposite house". The speaker reveals the familiarity with death in this poem. She says, 'I know it by the numb look such houses have always'. In this sentence, the speaker says that she knows that the people would be in numbness with grief if a death occurs at their house. She also reveals us that she has seen this type of numbness before. His numbness may tell us that if something always happens, then it will not give us the same feeling such as shock or sadness. In the third stanza the speaker says, 'I used to when a boy'. This implies that she has seen death and its related events earlier in her life. So, she understands that deathevents would be in the same way. Thus, the speaker implies that she has familiarity with death and implies that the events of death can be predictable. 5. What is the 'Truth' that the speaker realizes? The poet realizes that it is not the boy who is swinging the trees but it is the icestorm that bends the trees. So, he acknowledges the 'Truth' that his imagination of going back to his childhood is not possible. The Truth also implies that the poet's wish of escaping from the earthly life is questionable. By the word 'Truth' Frost implies one more idea that he wants to escape as a boy climbing toward heaven. But he does not seem to quit this earth. He wants to take some refreshment and wants to return to the earth. He says 'I'd like to get away from earth RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 3 of 6

9 awhile and then come back to it and begin over'. Thus, he is unable to move away from the reality. His imagination given him happy thoughts but still he cannot avoid coming to 'truth' because he is a responsible person. 6. Does Robert Frost advocate escaping the rest life on the earth? Robert Frost deals with the forces such as earth and heaven, and fight and return. He also brings out the universal truth that everyone wants to escape the harsh life on the earth. So, everyone wants to quit the difficulties of everyday life. This life on earth is like a pathless wood. The best way to find the way to the pathless wood is to climb a tree. However, Frost does not advocated escaping the reality. He says that man is tied to the earth. He claims that earth is the right place for love though it is imperfect. If a man wants to go away from the earthly life, he will be lost and it is the worst idea. PART - C ANSWERS 1) Write a critical appreciation of the poem 'Birches' (April/May, 2013) (Nov, 2013) In Birches, Robert Frost brings out the true nature of everyone that everyone wants to escape the harsh reality of earthly life. But Frost seems to give the message that temporary escape is better than the permanent escape. One cannot totally quit the everyday matters of life. So, to take some refreshment one can thing of his life in heaven but he is certainly to come back to his earth-life. In the beginning of the poem, the speaker walks through a thick forest and notices the birches-trees swinging. He imagines that the trees are swayed by some boys. He now links the boys climbing up the tree to climbing toward heaven. He thinks that if he goes up on the tree, he can be free from the harsh adulthood life. So, he says that climbing a birch tree is a way to 'get away from earth awhile'. His imagination tells us that when he climbs up the tree, he is able to go away from this normal life on the earth and reach a happy place where he can live without worries or responsibilities. But Frost explains that he can't get such happiness of going to the top of the tree because he is an adult not and he is unable to quit his responsibilities. Truth The poet realizes that it is not the boy who is swinging the trees but it is the icestorm that bends the trees. So, he acknowledges the 'Truth' that his imagination of going back to his childhood is not possible. The Truth also implies that the poet's wish of escaping from the earthly life is questionable. By the word 'Truth' Frost implies one more idea that he wants to escape as a boy climbing toward heaven. But he does not seem to quit this earth. He wants to take some refreshment and wants to return to the earth. He says 'I'd like to get away from earth awhile and then come back to it and begin over'. Thus, he is unable to move away from RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 4 of 6

10 the reality. His imagination given him happy thoughts but still he cannot avoid coming to 'truth' because he is a responsible person. Earth is the right place for love Robert Frost deals with the forces such as earth and heaven, and fight and return. He also brings out the universal truth that everyone wants to escape the harsh life on the earth. So, everyone wants to quit the difficulties of everyday life. This life on earth is like a pathless wood. The best way to find the way to the pathless wood is to climb a tree. However, Frost does not advocated escaping the reality. He says that man is tied to the earth. He claims that earth is the right place for love though it is imperfect. If a man wants to go away from the earthly life, he will be lost and it is the worst idea. Conclusion Thus, Robert Frost describes the speaker 's dilemma in a philosophical way and gives the poem many meaning. He excellently portrays the speaker's imagination and his sense of responsibility on the earth. Also, he gives the message that his true life, however difficult. cannot be avoided. 2) Write a critical appreciation of poem "There's been a death in the opposite house". In the poem Emily Dickinson deals with the theme of death. In her opinion, Death is an everyday happening and we should be ready to face it. When the poem beings, a speaker appears and he sees the people's numbness and grief. By seeing their sad appearance, she decides that there has occurred a death today. She emphasizes that whenever death occurs at a house, the people are always sad and numb. Then, he describes the actions happening in the house. The death-news reaches first to the neighbours. So, the neighbours enter the house to attend the death. Later the doctor comes to the house and confirms the death. Then the children rush to see what death means. They are very curious to know about death. Now the speaker says that he was also very curious to know about death when he was a child. After wards the minister enters the house. He shows his power and brings everyone under his control. Then, the millionaire and the appalling trader come to the house. They come, instead of expressing their sadness, just for getting monetary profit. Finally the funeral procession is a symbol to express the sadness. But the speaker is death is inevitable to all beings. Death - everyday occurrence Dickinson's main theme of the poem is death. In the poem, the speaker sees a death at the neighboring house. Then, she narrates the events which are going on. But, the speaker is neither sad nor emotional. She detaches himself from the emotions of death and becomes a mere observer. By this Dickinson wants to say that death is an everyday happening. According to her, death is a natural event. Yet it is a sad event for those who lose their loved one. The consequence is that the losers are in sad mood with numbness. As death is inevitable, the poet does not use any sad tone while narrating the events. Further, she has used the present tense to emphasize that death is an everyday occurrence. RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 5 of 6

11 Speaker's familiarity with death The speaker reveals the familiarity with death in this poem. She says, 'I know it by the numb look such houses have always'. In this sentence, the speaker says that she knows that the people would be in numbness with grief if a death occurs at their house. She also reveals us that she has seen this type of numbness before. His numbness may tell us that if something always happens, then it will not give us the same feeling such as shock or sadness. In the third stanza the speaker says, 'I used to when a boy'. This implies that she has seen death and its related events earlier in her life. So, she understands that deathevents would be in the same way. Thus, the speaker implies that she has familiarity with death and implies that the events of death can be predictable. Conclusion Thus, in the beginning the speaker detaches herself and narrates the events indifferently. but later, he describes his belief that death is a serious affair and the deceased should be honored. In this series, he condemns the opportunists who want to make money on this occasion. By all, we understand that Death is an everyday happening which cannot be avoided. So, we have to understand it and express our deep emotions to the lost one. RAAK/B.A/ S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IV Sem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LITERATURE - I/UNIT-2 Q & A/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 6 of 6

12 UEN41 AMERICAN LITERATURE - I Unit-3 Type: 100% Theory Questions & Answers PART A ANSWERS 1. Why is short story superior to poetry, according to Edgar Allen Poe? (April/May, 2013) Poe believed that all literary works should be short. "There is", he writes, "a distinct limit... to all works of literary art - the limit of a single sitting." He especially emphasized this "rule" with regards to poetry, but also noted that the short story is superior to the novel for this reason. 2. Comment on Poe s opinion on length. (April/May, 2014) A poem should be read and enjoyed in one sitting. So, he suggests that a poem should be written in the proper length and it should contain around 100 lines. To prove this point, he takes his poem, The Raven as a fine example. 3. What are the important considerations for good writing, according to Poe? (April/May, 2014) Length, province, tone of the subject, versification, refrain are the important considerations for good writing, according to Poe 4. What is single impression advocated by Poe? In Poe s view, a poem should give the single impression. By this, he means that a reader should be able to read and enjoy the poem in one sitting. It he requires two sitting or more to read the poem, then his impression or interest will be destroyed. 5. What is Province according to Poe? By province, Poe means the selection of the subject matter. He claims that the theme of the poem must be beautiful because beauty is the legitimate province of the poem. 6. Bring out Poe s ideas on versification in poetry. Poe establishes that a beautiful poem should be written with beautiful verses. He wrote the poem The Raven and in it each section of the poem consists of alliteration and alternating interior rhythms. Also, he emphasize that the refrain should be brief and not monotonous. 7. How does Poe imply the idea of elevation of soul? Poe says that truth, satisfaction and passion are the components that can be used in prose that in poetry. He reasons that the beautiful poem should try to give the excitement and to elevate the soul. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-3 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 1 of 5

13 8. Describe Poe s technique of backwards writing. By Backwards, Poe means that a poet has to set the effect in his mind and then the whole plot. In other words, a work should be written after the author has decided how it should end and what kind of emotional response it should create. 9. Bring out Poe s ideas on versification in poetry. Poe establishes that a beautiful poem should be written with beautiful verses. He wrote the poem The Raven and in it each section of the poem consists of alliteration and alternating interior rhythms. Also he emphasizes that the refrain should be brief and not monotonous. 10. Give a short account on refrain suggested by Poe. The refrain has to come at the end of each stanza and it should be preferably a single word but it should not be monotonous. He says that the refrain should contain the sonorous vowel. So, he used the long o vowel in his refrain Nevermore to reach the result he wanted. PART - B ANSWERS 1) Comment on Poe s opinion on Unity of effect.(april/may, 2013) The essay states Poe's conviction that a work of fiction should be written only after the author has decided how it is to end and which emotional response, or "effect," he wishes to create, commonly known as the "unity of effect." Once this effect has been determined, the writer should decide all other matters pertaining to the composition of the work, including tone, theme, setting, characters, conflict, and plot. In this case, Poe logically decides on "the death... of a beautiful woman" as it "is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world, and equally is it beyond doubt that the lips best suited for such topic are those of a bereaved lover." Some commentators have taken this to imply that pure poetry can only be attained by the eradication of female beauty. [2] Biographers and critics have often suggested that Poe's obsession with this theme stems from the repeated loss of women throughout his life, including his mother Eliza Poe, his foster mother Frances Allan and, later, his wife Virginia 2) What are the suggestions offered by Poe for composing poetry? (April/May, 2013) Following is a summarized version of his recommendations for writing a good story or narrative poem. 1. Know the ending before beginning to write Once writing commences, the author must keep the ending constantly in view in order to give a plot its indispensable air of consequence and inevitability. 2. Keep it short (the one-sitting rule) If any literary work is too long to be read in one sitting, we must be content to dispense with the immensely important effect derivable from unity of impression. Force the reader RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-3 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 2 of 5

14 to take a break, and the affairs of the world interfere and break the spell. This limit of just one sitting allows for exceptions, of course (or the n ovel would be disqualified from literature). But the one-sitting rule, he says, applies to any poem. 3. The choice of impression Beforehand, the author should have the choice of impression that he wants to leave in the reader. This is the writer s skill over a reader s emotions. 4. Choose the tone of the work As beauty is the sole legitimate province of the poem, melancholy is thus the most legitimate of all poetical tones. Whichever tone one chooses, the preferred and recommended technique is that of refrain a repeated key-note in word, phrase, or image that sustains the mood. In The Raven the word nevermore exercises that function, a word that Poe chose as much for its phonetics as for its conceptual qualities. 5. Determine the theme and characterization of the work Unlike the methods of many writers, Poe moves from the abstract to the concrete and chooses characters as the mouthpieces for ideas. The important thing is to be clear where you move between. 6. Establish the climax Poe recommends having a very clear place in which to gather the narrative threads to form a climax, and that the writing has its beginning at the end (as in The Raven ) 7. Determine the location Once you have decided why you want to put certain characters in their place, saying a certain thing, and once you have crystalized your idea and made a sketch of how to reach your climax, you can decide to place the lover in his chamber richly furnished. 3) Give a short account of versification as suggested by Poe. Versification In this paragraph, Poe establishes that a beautiful poem should be written with beautiful verses. He, therefore, based on his backwards theory, wrote the poem The Raven and in it each section of the poem consists of alliteration and alternating interior rhythms. Also, he emphasizes that the refrain should be brief and not monotonous. The refrain has to come at the end of each stanza and it should be preferably a single word. He says that the refrain should contain the sonorous vowel. So, he used the long o vowel in his refrain Nevermore to reach the result he wanted. He cleverly used the refrain, Nevermore so as it should not be monotonous. H also advocates that a supreme poem should consist of proper symbols. In The Raven, he used the symbols such as the Rave, the room, the statue, the night storm and old books. He claims that such use of symbols can heighten the effect of the poem. PART C ANSWERS 1. How does Poe trace the logical progression of his creation The Raven in The Philosophy of Composition?(April/May, 2013) / How does Edgar Allen Poe philosophize the art of composing? Describe (April/May, 2014) In The Philosophy of composition, Edgar Allen Poe suggests the ways to write a good and effective poem. His claims that writing a poem is a methodical, conscious RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-3 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 3 of 5

15 process. A poem should be read and enjoyed in one sitting. He stresses that a poem should give effect of a single novel. Every poem should be arranged with this viewpoint. His emphasis primarily falls o the briefness of the poem. For him if a poem requires two sitting of reading, the impression or interest of the poem will be destroyed. So he suggests that a poem should be written in the proper length and it should contain around 100 lines. To prove this point, he takes his poem, The Raven. He says that he had written only 108 lines in the poem. His poem The Raven is a good example for the unity of impression. While writing the poem, he aimed at the creative process. He began the poem with the aim of creating a single impression. Melancholy and tone of the subject By Province, Poe means the selection of the subject matter. He claims that the theme of the poem must be beautiful because beauty is the legitimate province of a poem. After choosing beauty as the province, Poe considers sadness would be the most beautiful theme. So he chose the melancholic subject, the death and wrote about death in his poems. For him, Death is the most suitable theme and it excites the sensitive should to tears. After choosing death as the theme, he says that the best suited character is the death of a beautiful woman. Thus Poe establishes his choice of subject and tone of the poem. Elevation of soul Then he says that truth, satisfaction, and passion are the components that can be used in prose that in poetry. He reasons that he beautiful poem should try to give the excitement and to elevate the soul. Techniques of writing He explains that his method of writing a poem consists of writing it backwards. By Backwards, Poe means that a poet has to set the effect in his mind first and then whole pict. In other words, a work should be written after the author has decided how it should end and what kind of emotional response it should create. Poe calls this as effect. He claims that before the plot is written down as a poem, the poet must plan about the effect he wants to deliver. To prove this point, Poe takes his poem, The Raven and points out in detail how he chose the theme, the setting, the characters and rhythmical effect. He further shows that The Raven is not an accidental or intuition-work. It is definitely written with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematician s problem. Versification In this paragraph, Poe establishes that a beautiful poem should be written with beautiful verses. He, therefore, based on his backwards theory, wrote the poem The Raven and in it each section of the poem consists of alliteration and alternating interior rhythms. Also, he emphasizes that the refrain should be brief and not monotonous. The refrain has to come at the end of each stanza and it should be preferably a single word. He says that the refrain should contain the sonorous vowel. So, he used the long o vowel in his refrain Nevermore to reach the result he wanted. He cleverly used the refrain, Never more so as it should not be monotonous. H also advocates that a supreme poem should consist of proper symbols. In The Raven, he used the symbols such as the Rave, the room, the statue, the night storm and old books. He claims that such use of symbols can heighten the effect of the poem. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-3 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 4 of 5

16 Conclusion Thus, Poe closes his essay with a kind of summary of his poem The Raven. However, he includes lost of steps to write a good poem. His suggestions are remarkable but we cannot question whether his ideas are fully followed by him in his poem. But, it is the first of its kind which described the process of writing a supreme poem. Hence, his essay stands as a great essay in English Literature. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-3 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 5 of 5

17 UEN41 AMERICAN LITERATURE - I Unit-4 Type: 100% Theory Questions & Answers PART A Answers 1. From whose memory, is the action for the play Glass Menagerie/drawn. (April/May, 2013) Tennessee William s The Glass Menagerie is a memory play. It is said that this is an autobiographical play which describes Williams own life. The characters and story mimic Williams' own life more closely than any of his other works 2. Why is Amanda disappointed with Laura?(April/May, 2013) Laura disappoints Amanda by dropping out of the typing class at the business college. Amanda had hoped that the class would give Laura some marketable skills so that she could support herself if necessary, but Laura, after throwing up before a test, gave up on it. Amanda's plan to secure a future for her daughter is ruined; now she has to find another way to provide security for her child. 3. Write a note on Laura Wingfield. (April/May, 2014) Amanda's daughter and Tom's older sister. A childhood illness has left her with a limp, and she has a mental fragility and an inferiority complex that have isolated her from the outside world. She has created a world of her own symbolized by her collection of glass figurines. 4. What type of play is The Glass Menagerie? (April/May, 2014) The Glass Menagerie is a memory play. It is said that this is an autobiographical play which describes Williams own life. 5. Write a note on Tom Wing field? (Nov. 2013) Amanda's son, and younger brother to sister, Laura. Tom works at a shoe warehouse to support his family but is frustrated by his job and aspires to be a poet. He struggles to write for he is sleep-deprived and annoyed. Yet, he escapes from reality through nightly excursions, apparently to the movies but also to local bars. Tom feels both obligated toward yet burdened by his family and longs to escape. 6. Why is Laura called as Blue Roses? (April/May, 2016) When she was studying in high school, she had crush on a boy namely Jim. Once she told Jim that she would not come to school due to the disease called Pleurosis. But Jim misunderstood the name and began calling her blue roses. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-4 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 1 of 5

18 7. Why and how does Laura confess her familiarity with Jim? When Amanda says that Jim O Connor a gentleman caller, is visiting their house, Laura realizes that the visitor is the same young man on whom she had a crush in high school. Fearfully, she reveals the fact to her mother. 8. What is Jim s opinion about Laura? As soon as Jim learns that Laura felt discomfort and embarrassment about her crippled leg, he condemns her saying that she is over self-conscious and has low self-esteem. He further says that she has an inferiority complex and underestimates herself. However at last he praises Laura that she is unique. 9. What is special about Amanda s young days? Amanda had memorable youth-days. She is unable to forget the past. So, while eating, Amanda talks about her youth-days in which she had seventeen gentlemen callers in her home. In Mississippi, a district in the Southern Region of America, all on one Sunday. 10. What is Amanda s opinion about instinct? When Tom says that a true man is t go for adventurous things, Amanda does not want o listen to his instinct. In her belief, a good Christian young man should not give way for instincts since it is only for animals. PART - B Answers 1. Discuss the various symbols used in the play Glass Menagerie. (April/May, 2013) (Nov. 2016) (April/May, 2016) Laura s Glass Menagerie As the title of the play informs us, the glass menagerie, or collection of animals, is the play s central symbol. Laura s collection of glass animal figurines represents a number of facets of her personality. Like the figurines, Laura is delicate, fanciful, and somehow oldfashioned. Glass is transparent, but, when light is shined upon it correctly, it refracts an entire rainbow of colors. The Glass Unicorn The glass unicorn in Laura s collection significantly, her favorite figure represents her peculiarity. As Jim points out, unicorns are extinct in modern times and are lonesome as a result of being different from other horses. Laura too is unusual, lonely, and ill-adapted to existence in the world in which she lives. The fate of the unicorn is also a smaller-scale version of Laura s fate in Scene Seven. When Jim dances with and then kisses Laura, the unicorn s horn breaks off, and it becomes just another horse. Blue Roses Like the glass unicorn, Blue Roses, Jim s high school nickname for Laura, symbolizes Laura s unusualness yet allure. The name is also associated with Laura s attraction to Jim and the joy that his kind treatment brings her. Furthermore, it recalls Tennessee Williams s sister, Rose, on whom the character of Laura is based. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-4 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 2 of 5

19 The Fire Escape Leading out of the Wingfields apartment is a fire escape with a landing. The fire escape represents exactly what its name implies: an escape from the fires of frustration and dysfunction that rage in the Wingfield household. Laura slips on the fire escape in Scene Four, highlighting her inability to escape from her situation. Tom, on the other hand, frequently steps out onto the landing to smoke, anticipating his eventual getaway. 1) Sketch the Character of Laura Wingfield. (April/May, 2013) The physically and emotionally crippled Laura is the only character in the play who never does anything to hurt anyone else. Despite the weight of her own problems, she displays a pure compassion as with the tears she sheds over Tom s unhappiness, described by Amanda in Scene Four that stands in stark contrast to the selfishness and grudging sacrifices that characterize the Wingfield household. Laura also has the fewest lines in the play, which contributes to her aura of selflessness. Yet she is the axis around which the plot turns, and the most prominent symbols blue roses, the glass unicorn, the entire glass menagerie all in some sense represent her. Laura is as rare and peculiar as a blue rose or a unicorn, and she is as delicate as a glass figurine. Other characters seem to assume that, like a piece of transparent glass, which is colorless until light shines upon it, Laura can take on whatever color they wish. Thus, Amanda both uses the contrast between herself and Laura to emphasize the glamour of her own youth and to fuel her hope of re-creating that youth through Laura. Tom and Jim both see Laura as an exotic creature, completely and rather quaintly foreign to the rest of the world. Yet Laura s crush on the high school hero, Jim, is a rather ordinary schoolgirl sentiment, and a girl as supposedly fragile as Laura could hardly handle the days she spends walking the streets in the cold to avoid going to typing class. Through actions like these, Laura repeatedly displays a will of her own that defies others perceptions of her, and this will repeatedly goes unacknowledged. 2) Trace the role of Jim O Connar in the play Glass Menagerie (April/May, 2014) An old acquaintance of Tom and Laura. Jim was a popular athlete in high school and is now a shipping clerk at the shoe warehouse in which Tom works. He is unwaveringly devoted to goals of professional achievement and ideals of personal success. The audience is forewarned of Jim's character even before he makes his first appearance. Tom tells Amanda that the long-awaited gentleman caller is soon to come. Tom refers to Jim as a plain person, someone over whom there is no need to make a fuss. He earns only slightly more than does Tom and can in no way be compared to the magnificent gentlemen callers that Amanda used to have. Jim's plainness is seen in his every action. He is interested in sports and does not understand Tom's more illusory ambitions to escape from the warehouse. His conversation shows him to be quite ordinary and plain. Thus, while Jim is the long-awaited gentleman caller, he is not a prize except in Laura's mind. The ordinary aspect of Jim's character seems to come to life in his conversation with Laura. But it is contact with the ordinary that Laura needs. Thus it is not surprising RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-4 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 3 of 5

20 that the ordinary seems to Laura to be the essence of magnificence. And since Laura had known Jim in high school when he was the all-american boy, she could never bring herself to look on him now in any way other than exceptional. He is the one boy that she has had a crush on. He is her ideal. PART C Answers 1. Discuss Glass Menagerie as a memory play. (April/May, 2013) (April/May, 201 4) (Nov, 2013) The Glass Menagerie is a memory play, and Tom makes it clear from the beginning that we are seeing events through the lens of his memories, heightening emotions and drawing out significances as memories do. We are also privy, however, to memories within memories the recollections of Amanda as she speaks of her girlhood, and her futile attempts to relive it. Even Jim is trapped in a cycle of memory, as he yearns to recapture the glory days of his high school career and becomes attached to those who remember him from that time. In the end, however, we are left with the haunting image of Tom's last memories, as he describes the figure of Laura following him through the rest of his guiltstricken life. According to Tom, The Glass Menagerie is a memory play both its style and its content are shaped and inspired by memory. As Tom himself states clearly, the play s lack of realism, its high drama, its overblown and too-perfect symbolism, and even its frequent use of music are all due to its origins in memory. Most fictional works are products of the imagination that must convince their audience that they are something else by being realistic. A play drawn from memory, however, is a product of real experience and hence does not need to drape itself in the conventions of realism in order to seem real. The creator can cloak his or her true story in unlimited layers of melodrama and unlikely metaphor while still remaining confident of its substance and reality. Tom and Tennessee Williams take full advantage of this privilege. The story that the play tells is told because of the inflexible grip it has on the narrator s memory. Thus, the fact that the play exists at all is a testament to the power that memory can exert on people s lives and consciousness. Indeed, Williams writes in the Production Notes that nostalgia... is the first condition of the play. The narrator, Tom, is not the only character haunted by his memories. Amanda too lives in constant pursuit of her bygone youth, and old records from her childhood are almost as important to Laura as her glass animals. For these characters, memory is a crippling force that prevents them from finding happiness in the present or the offerings of the future. But it is also the vital force for Tom, prompting him to the act of creation that culminates in the achievement of the play. RAAK/B.A/S.SASIREKHA/II YEAR/IVSem/UEN 41/AMERICAN LIT /UNIT-4 ANSWER/VER 1.0 Unit 2 Answers Page 4 of 5