Oates and Mason

Both stories we read for this week - Bobbie Ann Mason's "Shiloh" and Joyce Carol Oates' "Where are You Going, Where Have You Been"- deal with romantic relationships and desire in very different ways. Both stories also share the trait of ambiguous endings. The audience is left wondering if Mason's Norma Jeane kills herself, and if Oates' Connie was raped at the end of the stories. Using evidence from the story, do you folks agree with these endings, or do you think something different happened to these women? I have my own opinions, and they don't necessarily mesh with the above endings. I'd like to know what you guys think. Make sure to use textual support in your answers!

Dave's Dilemna

After reading Richard Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Ma," what do you folks think of Dave's decision to buy the gun and how it affected his life? Do you think it was a good idea or a bad idea? Tell me why - prove it with examples from the story. Think carefully about Dave's life before the gun, and how he acted after. Was he turning into a man, or was it forcing him to make poor decisions? Either way ( and I can agree with both sides), tell me why.

Mob Mentality

In Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," one of the short stories we read for this week's classes, the reader is faced with a troubling scenario. I read this story years ago, and forgot how disturbing it was until I reread it in preparation for class. If one of the definitions of great literature is that it is timeless, how is "The Lottery" still relevant today, especially when applied with the idea of mob mentality? Use examples from contemporary issues or situations you are familiar with, from personal experience or from current situations you may have heard about/read about/seen on the news or internet. Try to match details from Jackson's story to details from the example you choose.

Colors

In Toomer's "Blood-Burning Moon," the author uses various colors to create the image he wants the audience to see. Read over the story closely to find colors besides the more obvioius, "black and white." Why do you think Toomer used these particular colors? What do these colors represent for you? Use evidence from the story and personal experience if you care to in order to illustrate your point.