237. What is American naturalism?
238. What is Imagism (in American literature)?
239. Why did ―Beauty‖ and ―Truth‖ in Emily Dickinson‘s ―I died for Beauty—but was scarce‖ meet in the tomb?
240. Use examples to illustrate Emily Dickinson‘s attitudes towards death.
241. Sister Carrie is the greatest literary work by Theodore Dreiser. Discuss Carrie Meeber, the protagonist of the novel.
242. Summarize the characteristics of the 20th century American literature. (You should include in your answer such aspects as the general features, the specific fields and the representative writers with representative works, and future development, etc.)
243. Comment ―The Road Not Taken‖ by Robert Frost from such aspect as the theme, the symbols, language, structure, artistic style, etc.
244. Comment ―After Apple-picking‖ by Robert Frost from such aspect as the theme, the symbols, language, structure, artistic style, etc.
245. Why does Robert Frost say in his ―After apple-picking‖ ―But I am done with apple-picking now‖ but in fact ―there‘s a barrel that I didn‘t fill/ Beside it, and there may be two or three/ Apples I didn‘t pick upon some bough‖?
246. Why does Robert Frost say in his ―After apple-picking‖ ―Were he not gone/ The woodchuck could say whether it‘s like his/ Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,/ Or just some human sleep‖?
247. Comment ―Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening‖ by Robert Frost from such aspect as the theme, the symbols, language, structure, artistic style, etc.
248. How do you understand ―The woods are lovely, dark and deep./ But I have promises to keep,/ And miles to go before I sleep,/ And miles to go before I sleep.‖ in ―Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening‖ by Robert Frost?
249. Why does Robert Frost say in his ―The Road not Taken‖ ―Oh, I kept the first for another day!‖?
250. Why does Robert Frost say in his ―The Road not Taken‖ ―I shall be telling this with a sigh/ Somewhere ages and ages hence:/ Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—/ I took the one less traveled by,/ And that has made all the difference.‖?
251. In ―The Road not Taken‖, Robert Frost described one of his life experiences when choosing a road before him. In your opinion, what significance does the poem have?
252. It is said that Frost‘s poetry, for all its apparent simplicity, often probes mysteries of darkness and irrationality in the bleak and chaotic landscapes of an indifferent universe where men stand alone, unaided, and perplexed. Use examples to illustrate (how do you understand it?).
253. How do you understand ―A Bird came down the Walk‖? Your answer should include: a. What is the image of the ―bird‖? b. What is the relation between the bird and ―I‖? c. Why does the bird let the Beetle pass (not eat it)? d. Why does ―I‖ offer the bird some crumb and why did the bird fly away? e. When the bird flies away, what feelings did the poet have? f. What is the theme of the poem?
254. Comment ―I died for Beauty—but was scarce‖ from the following aspects: a.
What is the relation of ―Beauty‖ and ―Truth‖ in the poem? b. Why does the poet arrange the talk between beauty and truth in the tomb? c. What does the poet really want to express? d. What is the theme of the poem?
255. Comment ―Because I could not stop for Death—‖ from the following aspects: a. What image is the ―He‖ in the poem? b. Why did I get on his carriage? c. What does the carriage carry? Why? d. What does Stanza III mean? e. How do you understand the last stanza? f. What attitude does the poet have towards death? g. Why does the poet say ―Because I could not stop for Death—―? h. What is the theme?
256. Analyze the poem ―To Helen‖ stanza by stanza and pay attention to the allusions the poet used, and then comment the theme of the poem. 257. Analyze the poem ―The Wild Honey Suckle‖.
258. What is the theme of ―The Wild Honey Suckle‖? Compare the poem with Wordsworth‘s ―She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways‖.
259. The following poem was written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Study it carefully, then analyze the poem stanza by stanza and comment the theme of the poem. (other pieces of works can also be made into such question)
A Psalm of Life
Stanza I
Tell me not in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.
Stanza II
Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.
Stanza III
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us farther than to-day.
Stanza IV
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.
Stanza V
In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!
Stanza VI
Trust no Future, howe‘er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, — act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o‘evhead!
Stanza VII
Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sand of time;
Stanza VIII
Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o‘er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.
Stanza IX
Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait
VII. Write a summery of the following works in about 200 words. Your answer should include the writer, the main characters (including their relations), the plot, the result, and you should pay attention to your grammar. 260. The Scarlet Letter 261. Moby Dick
262. The adventures of tom Sawyer 263. The Portrait of a Lady 264. Sister Carrie
265. The Great Gatsby 266. A Farewell to Arms 267. The Grapes of Wrath