Sophomore English/2015-2016
Character and Fate
Berger-White
Final Exam: Essential Information
During your final exam, you will be writing an essay. The essay will ask that you write about
two different characters (who appear in different texts.) You will have to make and support an
argument about each character—and you will have to explain what makes one character morally
admirable and another character morally ambiguous or morally troubling.
Part of your grade for the final will depend on your preparation. The preparation will count for
25% of the total exam grade; the essay will count for 75% of the total exam grade.
In order to get you a nice head start for the preparation, here are the ten characters that will be
the possibilities for the final essay:
Choose 10 of the 11:
1. Narrator (“The Place of the Swallows”)
2. Narrator (“The Fog Man”)
3. Professor Barnhouse (“Report on the Barnhouse Effect”)
4. Narrator (“Report on the Barnhouse Effect”)
5. Narrator/Swamp Boy (“Swamp Boy”)
6. Sedgewick Bell (The Palace Thief)
7. Mr. Hundert (The Palace Thief)
8. Hally (Master Harold and the Boys)
9. Sam (Master Harold and the Boys)
10. Montag (Fahrenheit 451)
11. Mildred (Fahrenheit 451)
It will be essential that you place the characters along the following continuum:
Morally Troubling
Morally Ambiguous
You must place at least two characters in each category.
Morally Admirable
On the final, you will be asked to write an essay in which you argue why one character is morally
admirable and why another character is morally ambiguous or morally troubling. Please express
this in terms of their qualities or traits. You want to make an argument that (1) explains what
accounts for their difference in character (2) and names the results of that difference.
During class this week and next, you will have time to do the preparation work for the final. You
should aim to complete the preparation on all ten characters by the middle of next week.
For each character, please gather the key passages and make a strong, bold, full claim that
synthesizes his character and addresses his morality. You will submit your preparation on your
last day of class next week. I will collect and grade these. Each one must be on its own sheet of
paper. It should look like this:
Character
Willie (Master Harold and the Boys)
Claim
Although he is initially angry, stubborn, and even
violent, Willie makes a significant change and becomes
a morally admirable character. His change comes about
from watching Sam, and even more so from witnessing
Sam and Hally fight. His observations teach him the
importance of relationships and the value of second
chances. By the end of the play he becomes a changed
man: sensitive, compassionate, and forgiving.
Support
“It won’t help, Boet Sam…You also hurt yourself” (57).
“You right. I think about it and you right. Tonight I find
Hilda and say sorry. And make promise I won’t beat her
no more” (60).
“To hell with it! I walk home” (He goes to the jukebox,
puts in a coin and selects a record.) (60).
“You lead. I follow” (The men dance together.) (60).
Character Assessments
 This must include ten characters from our studies this semester.
 Please create a title page that places each character on the moral continuum.
 Each character assessment must include a full claim in which you explain that character’s
morality—the quality of his or her character.
 Each character assessment must also include three pieces of evidence for support. This
must come in the form of direct quotes from each text.
 You should include page numbers—citations—after your evidence.
For example, a piece of textual support about Hally might be: “I love him, Sam” (57).
 Titles of short stories go in quotation marks.
 Titles of plays, novellas, and films go in italics.