DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
ENGLISH 1A MAIN EXAMINATION – JUNE 2023
COURSE:
ENGLISH 1A
TIME:
3 HOURS
COURSE CODE:
ENG1AA1
MARKS:
100
EXAMINERS:
1.
Dr T. Tsehloane
Prof. S. Mngadi
2.
Prof. R. Frenkel
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THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF TWO (2) PAGES
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INSTRUCTIONS:
1. THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF TWO (2) QUESTIONS. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO
ANSWER ONE (1) QUESTION. THERE ARE NO COMPULSORY QUESTIONS
IN THIS PAPER.
2. THIS PAPER IS THREE (3) HOURS IN LENGTH.
1
QUESTION 1: J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
Pencey Prep is this school that’s in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. You probably heard of it.
You’ve probably seen the ads, anyway. They advertise in about a thousand magazines,
always showing some hot-shot guy on a horse jumping over a fence. Like as if all you
ever did at Pencey was play polo all the time. I never even once saw a horse anywhere
near the place. And underneath the guy on the horse’s picture, it always says: ‘Since
1888 we have been moulding boys into splendid, clear-thinking young men.’ [. . .] They
don’t do any damn molding at Pencey than they do at any other school. And I didn’t
know anybody there that was splendid and clear-thinking and all. Maybe two guys. If that
many. And they probably came to Pencey that way.
The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1
Using the above quotation as your starting point, discuss Holden’s search for meaning in a
society that he believes has lost meaning. In the course of your discussion, you must pay
particular attention to Holden’s critique of greed, vanity and sloth (laziness).
(100)
OR
QUESTION 2: Niq Mhlongo, After Tears
“Ahhhh!” Uncle Nyawana opened his mouth wide and looked at the roof of the car as if
to allow fresh air into his lungs. One nine nine nine was a bit of a rough year, Advo, but
this coming year of two gees belongs to us, me and you, Advo,” he whispered into my
ear. His eyes were bloodshot. “We’ll be fucking rich. You’ll be an advocate and together
we’ll sue Transnet for my lost leg. I’m telling you that we’ll win the case, as it was all
because of their negligence that I lost it. I tell you, we’ll be rich, my Advo.
After Tears, pp.13-14
Using the above quotation as a starting point, discuss how in Niq Mhlongo’s After Tears the
obsessive quest for material prosperity is a passionately pursued dream which remains
unfulfilled for many characters in the narrative.
(100)
2