American Modernism Unit quiz

When did the modernist movement primarily occur? (be as specific as possible, giving beginning and end dates) 1890 to
1940

When did the modernist movement peak in the United States? (give general era) Interwar period (between WWI and WWII)

How was modernism different from all preceding literary movements? People began to reject the ‘traditional’ forms of
expression and thought in favor of modes that expressed “new” ways of thinking and a new and different society.

How was modernism reflective of its time? Modernism espoused styles meant to fit into the ‘new’ way of industrialized and
increasingly rapid life reflective of rapid and extreme changes in technology and society

What quote by Ezra Pound exemplifies the modernist ethic? How does it do this? “Make it New”, which epitomized the
modernist ideal by establishing the idea that things must be new and different from all that came before.

What did the term ‘avant-garde’ mean in its original context, and why did the modernists associate the term with
themselves? The term "Avant-garde" comes from French military terminology. It refers to the front line of soldiers, the vanguard,
who are out in front of the rest (which is a super-dangerous place to be). This is how the Modernists saw themselves—at the
forefront of art and literature doing battle with established norms in order to push their modes of expression to new and greater
heights.

What two things do most modernist writers appear to have in common, and why didn’t they form a more comprehensive
list of tenants or ideals? an affinity for free verse, a degree of contemporary realism in most prose. Their 'make it new' mantra
precluded them from having much more in common.

How did Modernism specifically reject Realism? In realism, the big movement that preceded modernism, the main thought
was that the reality in everyday life is the ultimate truth. It is not dependent on the power of observers and so it must be depicted
as it is in art and literature. Modernism challenged realism, as it focused on inner self-consciousness and the power of scientific
experimentation to challenge and change reality. They also understood Realism to be a restraint on expression.

Identify the three significant works by E.E. Cummings mentioned it in class. “anyone lived in a pretty how town” (1940), “i
carry your heart with me(i carry it in” (1952), “Buffalo Bill’s” (1920)

In what way did E.E. Cummings’ work exemplifies a modernist sensibility? He was known for his distinctive use of
grammar and syntax, messing with sentence structure, typically using only lower case, and using punctuation and spacing to
express meaning

Identify the three significant works by W.C. Williams mentioned in class. “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” (1960), “This
Is Just To Say” (1934), “The Red Wheelbarrow” (1923)

With what literary concept was Williams primarily associated, and how does that concept function? Imagism:
unornamented free verse that uses as few words as possible, being as simple and clear as possible
Identify the four significant works by T.S. Eliot mentioned it in class. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915), “The
Waste Land” (1922), “The Hollow Men” (1925), “Ash Wednesday” (1930)

Identify the four significant works by Ernest Hemingway mentioned in class. The Sun Also Rises (1926), A Farewell to
Arms (1929), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), The Old Man and the Sea (1951)

Other than the modernists, with what group was Hemingway associated, and what kind of people comprised this group?
Lost Generation: the generation that came of age during World War I. The term is particularly used to refer to a group of
American expatriate writers, living in Paris during the 1920s.

Identify the three significant works by John Steinbeck mentioned in class. East of Eden (1952), Of Mice and Men (1937),
The Grapes of Wrath (1939)

Identify the four significant works by F. Scott Fitzgerald mentioned in class. This Side of Paradise (1920), The Beautiful and
the Damned (1922), The Great Gatsby (1925), Tender is the Night (1934)

Identify the five significant works by William Faulkner mentioned in class. The Sound and the Fury (1929), As I Lay Dying
(1930), Light in August (1932), Absalom, Absalom! (1936), “A Rose for Emily” (1930)

With what narrative device is Faulkner frequently associated, and how does that device function? ‘Stream of
Consciousness’ in which writers wrote in the first person, but in a way that reflected how people think instead of how they speak.

Identify and briefly define the subgenre of literature that Faulkner is credited with helping to create. Southern Gothic: a
subgenre of Gothic fiction in American literature that takes place in the South and that includes themes like deeply flawed,
disturbing or eccentric characters who may be involved in voodoo/hoodoo, decayed or derelict settings, grotesque situations, and
other sinister events relating to poverty, alienation, crime, and/or violence.

What is the term used to describe the upsurge in literary output in the American South in the 1920s and 1930s? Southern
Renaissance

The Great Gatsby Subunit Notes Quiz

In what year was The Great Gatsby published and in what year is it set? Published on April 10, 1925 during the Roaring
‘20s, it is set in 1922.

What is a magnum opus? Magnum Opus: a large and important work of art, music, or literature, especially one regarded as the
most important work of an artist or writer.
Briefly describe the Roaring 20s, including the prevailing economic situation and cultural context. Roaring Twenties: the
decade of the 1920s, which was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the United States and Western
Europe, particularly in major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.Among the cultural changes of the era were
expanded freedoms, opportunities and liberties among women, Prohibition in the United States, and the emergent popularity of
jazz.

Why is the term “Jazz Age” particularly associated with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald? Jazz was primarily associated
with youth culture at the time, and quickly gained popularity due to the advent of the radio. Fitzgerald deliberately idealized this
youth culture in all of his novels prior to The Great Gatsby, which offered a more nuanced portrayal of the youthful party culture
inspired by the music. F Scott Fitzgerald is actually credited with coining the term ‘Jazz Age’ after using it as the title of a
collection of short stories, Tales of the Jazz Age.

What was Prohibition? Prohibition: a constitutional ban in the United States on the production, importation, transportation, and
sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933.

What is the American Dream, and what attitude does F. Scott Fitzgerald adopted it in The Great Gatsby? American
Dream: the idea that in the United States one can achieve prosperity, success and upward social mobility through hard work and
determination, Fitzgerald adopts a melancholic or ambiguous attitude towards it, appearing to value the concept but also to
criticize it as unattainable.

Identify the two key themes of The Great Gatsby discussed in class and briefly explain how they work together in the
story. Illusion and Disillusionment: The destruction of illusions lead to disillusionment on the part of various characters—such
characters include Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, and (arguably) Myrtle Wilson.

How are racist ideas associated with characterization in The Great GatsbyWhere overt racism is present, it is sometimes
used to evoke a sense of dislike for the character expressing racist sentiments.

Briefly explain the significance of the cover art for The Great Gatsby. The cover of the first printing of The Great Gatsby is
among the most celebrated pieces of art in American literature. It depicts disembodied eyes and a mouth over a blue skyline, with
images of naked women reflected in the irises. A little-known artist named Francis Cugat was commissioned to illustrate the
book while Fitzgerald was in the middle of writing it. The cover was completed before the novel, and Fitzgerald was so
enamored with it that he told his publisher he had "written it into" the novel.

Identify three of the four examples of symbolism discussed in class. The Eyes, The Green Light, The Valley of Ashes, Water.
Much of the commentary surrounding The Great Gatsby deals with Fitzgerald’s use of symbols in the text. There are several very
obvious ones deliberately meant to convey meaning and there are some that are more subtle and ambiguous.
Define ‘juxtaposition’ and identify one way in which it shows up in The Great Gatsby. Juxtaposition: an act or instance of
placing two elements close together or side by side. This is often done in order to compare/contrast the two, to show similarities
or differences, etc.“Old Money” vs. “New Money”. Rich vs. Poor

As I lay Dying Subunit Notes Quiz

In what year and during what historical period was As I Lay Dying first published? Published in 1930 after the start of the
Great Depression.

What unique claim did the author make regarding the writing process for As I Lay Dying? Faulkner said that he wrote the
novel from midnight to 4:00 AM over the course of six weeks and that he did not change a word of it. This idea of an unchanged
Stream-of-Consciousness mirrors the devices used in the book and may have helped provide inspiration to later generations of
writers who emphasized the significance of ‘first’ and ‘unedited’ thoughts in their works.

To which literary movement associated with the American South did As I Lay Dying contribute? Southern Renaissance

From where did the title “As I Lay Dying” come, and what connection can be made between the source material and the
story? The title derives from Book 11 of Homer's Odyssey (William Marris's 1925 translation, then only 5 years old), where
Agamemnon tells Odysseus: "As I lay dying, the woman with the dog's eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into
Hades."It should be noted that Agamemnon’s words regard the moment when he is murdered by his wife’s lover, a key theme
underpinning The Odyssey. Likewise, the character of Addie Bundren (despite dying at the very beginning of the story)
underpins the plot of As I Lay Dying and provides the motivation or justification needed for other characters’ actions.

Name and briefly describe the fictional county created by Faulkner that is used as the setting for As I Lay Dying.
Yoknapatawpha County: a fictional Mississippi county created by the American author William Faulkner, based upon and
inspired by Lafayette County, Mississippi, and its county seat of Oxford, Mississippi (which Faulkner renamed Jefferson).

Describe the social class and surroundings of the Bundren family from As I Lay Dying. The Bundrens of As I Lay Dying
live in the pre-electrified county backwoods and are representative of the poorest and least educated kind of person who could
have lived in Mississippi at the time of the story’s publication.

What narrative technique, associated with modernist writers, did Faulkner use in As I Lay Dying and in many of his
other works? (not looking for ‘monologue’) Stream of consciousness

Define the term ‘monologue’ and explain how it pertains to the chapter format of As I Lay Dying. Monologue: a long
speech by one actor in a play or movie, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast program.Chapter lengths vary significantly, from
multiple pages to single sentences, making each chapter like a character monologue. Unlike normal monologues, however, these
monologues are characterized by self-delusion and self-aggrandizement (i.e. the characters think they’re smarter than they are or
act smarter than they are).
Briefly describe how Faulkner utilizes the idea of perspective in As I Lay Dying. He 'pieces' the story together by presenting
various situations from different points of view.

The Great Gatsby Essay Questions

1. The Great Gatsby is written from a limited first person perspective. Therefore, the reader is introduced to
characters from the point of view of one particular individual. This narrator chooses what to emphasize and,
importantly, what not to. However, this does not mean that the reader necessarily needs to share the narrator’s
perceptions. In fact, it should be obvious to readers that, throughout the novel, characters see things that aren't
there and miss things that are. What does Nick miss or misunderstand about the character of Jay Gatsby, and
how does this change how the reader sees Gatsby’s character?

Nick misunderstands many things of the character Gatsby throughout this novel, and this can change a lot about how
the readers see Gatsby. Nick sees Gatsby as a wealthy selfish man, although throughout the story this changes, because
Gatsby is not what he tries to make himself to be. He thinks that Gatsby is mysterious and shady also because he does
throw these parties but he does not really talk to people or invite most of the people who come. Nick changes his view
on Gatsby because he sees that Gatsby has a goal for himself that he is trying to accomplish, wealthiness was not
inherited down from his family so he had to find a way to be wealthy himself. Nick also is not always trusted and has a
different perspective than other characters in the novel. He has lied a couple times and has not always been honest.

2. Symbols abound in The Great Gatsby. Some are obvious- green lights and billboards are imbued with a
particular, if cryptic, meaning. Likewise, Daisy isn’t just a character in the store. As a character she is
representative of a person, but she can also be representative of other things, particularly in the context of
Gatsby’s obsession or Nick.s disgust. How does daisy function as a symbol, and what does she symbolize?

In Gatsby's quest to win Daisy back she introduced many different symbols and symbolic functions. While
Daisy can be perceived as a perfect, caring woman, others can disagree with her actions throughout the story. Daisy
represents a perfect woman, but she isn't so perfect and she shows us this throughout the story. Daisy isn't just one
specific symbol, she functions as selfish for leaving Gatsby, careless for being the reason he died, and ruining a lot of
people's lives, and then running away and buying her way through life and she was two-faced.

3. Essay

4. When citing it as a Great American Novel, many experts point to F Scott Fitzgerald’s commentary on the
American Dream in The Great Gatsby. Certainly the character of Jay Gatsby has turned his circumstances
around, rising to ‘greatness’ ( as the title implies) from humble beginnings. How do Gatsby’s dreams, ambitions,
 and success ( or lack thereof) relate to the concept of the American Dream? Remember to address how he
becomes successful in your argument.

Gatsby did not really live the American dream, he was just a fraud. The great Gatsby relates to the American dream, in
many ways. A lot of people compare the great Gatsby to the American dream because of Gatsby's story and where he
came from. What they do not mention is how Gatsby got him money. He was a fraud and did not really work for it but
cheated his way to get it, in dishonest ways. The American dream is about people who come from the bottom and have
many opportunities to get successful, Gatsby took advantage of that.

5. Illusions abound in The Great Gatsby. Many are inadvertent, based on erroneous observation or
misunderstanding, including Nick’s perceptions of others. Others are deliberate creations-illusions help to drive
the plot of the story. Identify one character arc that follows the pattern of illusion to disillusionment and explain
why the transition is important, either for that character’s development or for the novel as a whole.

Everyone has illusions that surround them, whether those illusions are intentional or not. In the great Gatsby, illusions
are found within each character. For example, Myrtle attempts to create an illusion around herself that she is an
upper-class lady when she is actually of the lower class. Daisy's transition from illusioned to disillusioned is by far the
most consequential of the story. Not only does it drive the plot by reforming Gatsby's views on her, but it also alters the
dynamic of her and Tom's relationship. The way she is disillusioned has consequences for everyone involved in the
situation, which is why it is the most crucial disillusionment.

As I Lay Dying: Final Questions

1.Throughout, as I lay dying, Anse sees himself as a victim of both fate and circumstance., while it is generally
implied that he brings much suffering upon himself, is there any way in which he could be seen as a victim?

He could be seen as a victim because his wife taught his children not to listen to him and turned everyone against him. Addie also
does not love him and cheated on him. Everything that happens on their journey is because of her.

2. Throughout the story, there is a stated disconnection between words and thoughts. Addie says that words are
just words, cash struggles to explain, philosophical concepts, verbally, and Darl’s ideas about life, and death
become increasingly cryptic as the story continues. Where, and when might words be inadequate? Is it a
problem that Faulkner tries to explain the problem with verbal/written communication by writing about it in a
book?
 Words can be inadequate when your mind is going too fast and you cannot convey them, like Darl and Dewey Dell.
Addie thinks love is just a word and is empty and meaningless. There are moments in life when words cannot express
how you are actually feeling. Yes, Faulker trying to explain this in a book is a problem.

3. Is as I lay dying, a tragic novel in the classical sense that includes tragic heroes with tragic flaws? Is it a
tragedy at all?

No, because in a tragic novel there is one specific tragic hero who has one tragic flaw which makes a lot of people die. In this
novel there is not one specific tragic hero. There is only one person who dies in the story, and we cannot identify one main
character in the novel.

4. Does FAULKNER achieve anything unique by utilizing the stream of consciousness technique, alternating between
narrators? Would a novel still be able to work with one narrator, or without the style of narration that was utilized?

It confuses the reader, and he makes it confusing to show us something, it is confusing for a reason. We would not
know what is going on in the character's head, if there was one narrator. Characters show their traits by the way they
think. We can see things about them based on what they think in their head. You could make the story work, but it
would not be the same. It would not be as detailed if it was one narrator and would not be the same story.

5. At the end of the novel, Darrell is committed to an insane asylum for setting a barn on fire. What justification,
if any, is there for his act of arson?

Darl is trying to help Addie by going faster. He wanted to end the trip after cash almost died trying to save her casket
from sinking. He thought it was getting too dangerous and out of hand, so he wanted to end the trip and go home. The
problem is he also ruined someone's personal property while doing that.

6. Why does FAULKNER choose to introduce Addie’s perspective when he does? What effect does this have on the
narrative and on readers' perceptions?

There is a moment in the story where there are a lot of questions being built up, and Addie's chapter answers those
questions. This makes it seem like all of their problems are because of Addie. It twists the story and makes us think
about it differently.

7. Compare the monologues of members of the Bundren family with those of outside observers like Vernon Tull,
Cora, and Mosley. Which set of monologues do you feel provide a more accurate perspective on the event?

Vernon tells us what is going on the best. The family is more emotionally involved and lets their emotions cloud their
mind, the outsiders tell it the best. Emotions make people not understand things clearly.

8. Which characters do you think are the most heroic? Which are the most heroic? Why does the story say about
the ideal of heroism?
 Cash is the most heroic because he made Addies casket and helps everyone in the family. He also tries to save her
casket. He does things just because they are the right thing to do and he wants to help others, and that is why so many
people like him. The most unheroic characters are Anse and Addie. They are the opposite of Cash and selfish. Faulkner
does not think there are true heroes who save everything. He thinks it is romanticized.

9. In the end, which character are you the most sympathetic towards? The least?

I am the most sympathetic to Vardaman because he is just a little kid and does not really know what is going on. He just
misses his mom. Dewey Dell is also in a tough situation and I have sympathy for her. I am the least sympathetic for
Addie because she caused everyone problems and thinks only of herself.

10. What does a novel have to say about the idea of death? What does it have to say about life?

people can still have a presence when they die. Even though they are dead they can still affect you and how you are by what they
did when they were alive. What people do will always linger and you do not have to be alive to still have an effect on someone.

11. What does the novel have to say about the nature of people ( the human condition)?

People are both good and bad, but mostly bad. It takes a lot for someone to do good than it does for them to do bad.
Faulkner is pessimistic and looks at the bad in people.

12. What major themes and ideas are included in as I lay dying? What central idea unifies the novel?

Death, secrets, relationships, peoples impact, mental health, and journey. The central idea is death because the novel makes it
seem like nothing matters and death will eventually happen. Everything that happened in the novel was because of Addie's death.
Their whole joinery happened because of that and she still has an effect on them all the time. She messed them up and it is still
present even though she is dead.