A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

1. The women in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream are sometimes treated poorly by the men in Elizabethan society: a) Identify, and explain, the manner in which two (2) women suffered at the hands of men in this text. b) How did the women react to their treatment and, in your opinion, was this reaction appropriate.

2. Romantic love is represented in various forms in the text A Midsummer Nights Dream. a) Identify, and discuss, the type of love relationship that three (3) couples represent. b) In your opinion, how does the power play between one of the couples impact both their relationship and their surroundings?

3. The tragic play Pyramus and Thisbe, put on by the craftsmen in A Midsummer Nights Dream, is a valuable piece of comic relief. a) Recount the original tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. b) Identify, and discuss, three (3) aspects of the craftsmen production that transforms their portrayal from tragic to comedic. .Elizebethan women are presumed to be subservient to the men in A Midsummer Nights Dream . 4 a) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which two (2) women do not conform to the presumed subservience of women in the Elizabethan era. b) What is the impact that these two womens actions have on one character in the play?

OLD STORY TIME 1. Racism is an important theme in the play Old Story Time.

a) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which Mama and George display racist tendencies in the play. b) Examine the manner in which their racist comments, or actions, affect the life of one character in their lives.

2.

Education and culture clash in the play Old Story Time.

a) Discuss the manner in which culture and education clash for Len. b) Discuss the distinct irony that exists in the conflict between the two realms.

3.

Love and family relationship is an important theme in Old Story Time.

a) Using examples from the text, what type of mother can Mama be described as and why? b) Describe the relationship that Len has with his mother in adulthood and examine the extent to which her approach to her son, in childhood, had an impact on their relationship. 4. Two dramatic techniques used in the play Old Story Time are: aside and singing (during set changes). a) Using the two (2) techniques listed above, discuss how effective each technique is in highlighting important information, as well as making the story interesting to the audience. b) Discuss the manner in which Trevor Rhone uses Pearl to pass time in the play, as well as how effective this is.

SONGS OF SILENCE 1. In the text Songs of Silence dreams often reveal what we subconsciously repress.

a) Recount the dream that Marlene experienced in the chapter titled A Story With No Name. b) Identify, and discuss, two fears that are highlighted by this dream.

2.

The concept of community, in the text Songs of Silence is one that is explored in the chapter Effita

a) Describe two (2) incidences, in this chapter, that highlights the closeness of the community. b) Discuss how the community feels about Miss Effie and Melwyn, and why.

3.

The following list of characters, from Songs of Silence, are silent in some fashion: Nathan,

Marlene, No Name, Ezekiel Watkiss (Hog), Miss Minnie, and Mr. Papacita. a) Using any two (2) characters from the list, identify and discuss the possible motivation behind their silence. b) Using the same two (2) characters, discuss the impact of this silence on one person in this characters life. 4. Silence is used as a metaphor for many things in Songs of Silence. Using any of the following chapters; Miss Minnie, Morris Hole, Nathanand The Idiot: a) Explain what the silence represents in your chosen chapter. b) Discuss the ways in which this silence affects one character, either positively ornegatively, in the chapter, and why.

THE WINE OF ASTONISHMENT 1. Bolo and Ivan Morrison, in the text The Wine of Astonishment, can be considered to be representing opposing elements in the Trinidadian society. Identify, and explain, the manner in which Bolo represents a fading cultural element, while Ivan represents a progressive educated future.

2.

Heroism is a fairly simple concept, but the flawed hero, on the other hand, is a very complex one in the text The Wine of Astonishment.

a) Discuss the ways in which Bolo can be considered to be a flawed hero. b) Discuss the extent to which Bolo had a choice in conducting himself, in the manner that he did, in order to achieve his goal of saving his village and why.

3.

Bee, in the text The Wine of Astonishment, can be said to be the voice of reason in the village

of Bonasse. a) Using two examples, discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement and why. b) How did Bees decisions affect his congregation and his family. 4. Power and authority is an important theme in theme in the text The Wine of Astonishment. a) Identify, and discuss, the manner in which two (2) individuals exerted power and authority over the Shouter Baptist congregation. b) Identify, and discuss, the irony in one of these characters use of their power and authority against the Shouter Baptists.

SHORT STORIES 1. Love and family relationship is an important theme in many of the short stories. a) Choosing any two short stories, discuss the loving relationship between any two characters and a parent or parental figure, respectively. b) Discuss the impact that the parental figure has on the characters.

2.The Boy Who Loved Ice-Cream and The Day the World Almost Came to An End are two short stories in which children learn life lessons. a) Describe the life of the children in each of these short stories. b) Describe a traumatic moment in each childs life and discuss the lesson that they have, or should have learnt. 3.Shabine and Emma, from the self titled short stories, are two women that encounter difficulties based on their gender. a) Identify the difficulty that each character faces in her life. b) Examine the connection between these characters issues, and the fact that they are female.

4. Using any short story from the selection given: a) Describe a racist incident that one character, from each short story, has encountered. b) In your estimation, how well did each character handle their racist encounter and why.

POETRY 1. Biblical allusions are used in the poems A Stones Throw and The Woman Who Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son.

a) Quote one (1) biblical allusion that is found in each poem and explain the allusion. b) Discuss the effectiveness of each biblical allusion in highlighting the problems of the persona in each poem.

2. Hypocrasy is a strong theme in A Stones Throw and Once Upon A Time. a) Describe the events that occur in both poems. b) Highlight one literary device, for each poem, that highlights the theme of hypocrisy, and examine the effectiveness of each device.

3. Racism is an important theme in the poems Dreaming Black Boy and Epitaph. a) Describe the racist events that occur in both poems. b) Identify one literary device, from each poem, that highlights the theme of racism, and examine the effectiveness of each device.

4. Using any two poems from the approved selection: a) Identify the dreams and aspirations of any two personas, respectively, in two poems. b) Identify, and discuss, one device that highlights this theme from each poem.