English 12
Ms. Toledo
Name:________________
Date:_________________
Period:________
English 12 Study Guide 2013
Authors: Know the following authors biography and how it connects to their work.
A. Herman Hesse
B. Yann Martel
C. Yukio Mishima
SHORT ANSWER.
1. Explain how Yukio Mishima uses different symbols in three of his short stories,
“Death in Midsummer,” “Thermos Bottles” and “Swaddling Clothes,” to
reinforce the same theme.
2. Where do we see allusions to Japan’s cultural icon, the samurai, in “Patriotism,”
“Death in Midsummer,” and “Thermos Bottles,” and what is the significance of
each allusion?
3. Use the following quote as the foundation to explain Pi’s journey towards
understanding survival. “I had to stop hoping so much that a ship would rescue
me. I should not count on outside help. Survival had to start with me.”
4. How does Siddhartha's life with the Samanas condition him for his process of
self-recognition?
5. Discuss the conflict between fate and destiny on one hand and free will on the
other. Which dominates? How does each character grapple with their limited free
will?
6. What are some steps that you can immediately take to alleviate the suffering of
women and girls mentioned in this book?
7. What is the function of Kamala in the novel?
8. How is the riddle of the Sphinx a metaphor for the life of Oedipus? Why than is it
ironic that Oedipus solved the riddle?
9. Do you believe Pi forgets all too quickly about his family? Can we criticize Pi for
not talking about the loss of his brother and his parents? Or does the alternate
story at the end explain his silence?
10. What is the function of the river and of Vasudeva in this novel?
ESSAY
1. Both Siddhartha and Oedipus are seekers, but how are these two heroes and their
journeys different?
2. What is mankind’s role in God’s creation? Examine this idea in the following works:
Siddhartha, Life of Pi, and “Oedipus.”
3. Compare and contrast the following female characters by paying particular attention to
the extent to which each woman shapes her own destiny. Which of the three is most
heroic and why? Use Reiko in “Patriotism,” the female character from your “Half the
Sky” short story, and Jocasta from “Oedipus the King.”
RUBRIC FOR ESSAY.
5 POINTS
15 POINTS
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15 POINTS
5 POINTS
10 POINTS
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STRONG CONCISE AND SPECIFIC THESIS.
SPECIFIC DETAILS FROM LITERARY WORKS PROVE
THESIS.
TEXT, CONTEXT, AND SUBTEXT ARE ACCURATE.
PLAN IS INCLUDED. ORGANIZATION IS EVIDENT.
SYNTAX, DICTION, GRAMMAR DO NOT INTERFERE WITH
MEANING.