美国文学问答题作业 (5th Week )

美国文学问答题作业

Week 1 (2014.2.17——2.24)

1.Why did Franklin write his autobiography? P. 8

2.What made Franklin decide to leave the brother to whom he had been apprenticed?

P. 8

3.How do you comment on the puritanism and consumerism in American culture against the background of globalization?

4.Free Q&A. (questions raised and answered by the students themselves on the basis of their reading and understanding of Franklin and his Autobiography )

Week 2 (2014.2.24——3.2)

1. According to Emerson, what do most people believe to be virtue?And what is real virtue?(p.24)

2. What is Emerson’s attitude on “consistency” and the agreement of one’s actions? Do you agree with him? Why? (p.24)

3. What is your comment on one of the wide-spread guiding principles held by Chinese universities that university students should adapt themselves to the society?

4. Free Q&A. (questions raised and answered by the students themselves on the basis of their reading and understanding of Emerson and his works .)

Week 3 (2014.3.3—3.9)

1.Where indeed did Thoreau live, both at a physical level and at a spiritual level?

2.Why did Thoreau enjoy the act of buying the farm but give up buying it at the last

moment?

3.How do you explain the fact that Thoreau loved living in Walden but decided to

leave it in two years?

4.Free Q&A. (questions raised and answered by the students themselves on the

basis of their reading and understanding of Emerson and his works .) Week 4 （2014. 3.10-3.16）

1.Describe the appearance of Hester Prynne and the attitudes of the people towards

her throughout the whole novel.

2.Is The Scarlet Letter a novel about adultery? Give your reasons.

3.What is your comment on Hawthorne’s moral vision supported by his negative

capability?

4.Free Q&A. (questions raised and answered by the students themselves on the

basis of their reading and understanding of Emerson and his works .)

Week 5（2014. 3.17-3.23）

1.Find some biblical allusions in Moby-Dick and interpret their significance.

2.Why does Ahab react so violently against the white whale? Ishmael suggests that

Ahab is “crazy” and calls him “a raving lunatic.” Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

3.Why was Melville so fascinated with Hawthorne and vise versa?

4.Free Q&A. (questions raised and answered by the students themselves on the

basis of their reading and understanding of Emerson and his works .)