Asian American Literature

The final exam will consist of three parts, listed below.  Be prepared to write about each of the texts that we’ve read for class. (I’ll provide a list of the texts for you to choose from)

I. Quote Identification (4 questions, 5 points each)

This will look exactly the way it did on our first exam: I’ll provide you with a quote from a class text, and I’ll ask you for the author and the title of the text.

[Tip: Read the quote carefully for clues: writing style; description of notable events, character names, time period, important themes or ideas in the text, etc.]

II. Short Answer (4 questions, 10 points each)

This will look very similar to the section on the first exam.  I’ll give you a list of themes (see below), and I’ll ask you to write about 4 of them.  For each, I’ll ask you to provide three kinds of information:

1. an example of the theme in a text (be specific here—paraphrase a quote, describe a scene, etc.)
2. an explanation of the ways that the scene represents the theme
3. the importance of that representation (i.e., what can we learn about the theme from its representation?)

III. Essay Questions (2 questions, 20 points each)

I’ll give you 3 questions and ask you to answer 2.  For each, you’ll need 3 examples from different texts to support your answer.  I’ll be looking for a thesis that answers the question, specific examples, and language that explains how your examples support your answer.  Topics to prepare are below:

1. the connection between Asian America and America
2. the variety of different ethnicities (e.g., Chinese American, Japanese American, etc.) that make up the group “Asian American”
3. Asian American experiences and stereotypes

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