Western Literature
May 18, 2015
FINAL EXAM PREPARATION
INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL EXAM
In assigned groups, you will be creating a body biography to demonstrate high-level close
reading and character analysis. Your group will receive a character and assigned “body
parts” to analyze specific aspects of a character in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.
Each body part needs to have a written response using claim, evidence (with an in-text
parenthetical citation), and commentary.
 STEP ONE: Tape butcher paper to the floor. One group member should lie on the
paper while others draw an outline of the body in pencil. After the group member gets
up, trace the outline with a marker so it will show.
 STEP TWO: Find quotations/passages to illustrate at least three of the following “body
parts” for a post-reading “autopsy” of the character. You will include these as
evidence in your responses to the questions for your “body parts” (see below).
Remember to place these strategically on the body outline.
 STEP THREE: Write a response using a claim to answer the question for your assigned
“body part” using evidence and commentary. Write the citation in parentheses after
each quotation or passage.
 STEP FOUR: Illustrate the character in the body biography using colors and features
that are symbolic of the character.
 STEP FIVE: Group members should label the parts they worked on, and all members
should sign the project on the poster. Individual will receive grades based on the work
that they contributed.
Though you should prepare your responses prior to your final exam. The actual body
biography (for these steps) must be made in class with your team as a collaborative
assessment.
“BODY PARTS” ANALYSIS
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Head (Intellectual side of the character): What are his/her dreams? Visions?
Philosophies he keeps inside?
Eyes (Seeing through the character’s eyes): What memorable sights affect him? How?
Ears (Hearing through the character’s ears): What does he notice and remember
others saying to him? How is he affected?
Nose (Smelling through the character’s nose): What smells affect him? How?
Mouth (The character’s communication): What philosophy does the character
share/espouse? What arguments and debates?
Arms (The character’s work): What is the character’s relationship with work in
general? To specific work?
Hands (The practical side of the character): What conflicts does he or she deal with?
How?
Heart (The emotional side of the character): What does he or she love? Whom? How?
Torso (The instinctive side of the character): What doesn’t he or she like about himself
or herself? What does he or she hide? What brings the character pain? What does he
or she fear? (Describe his or her dark side).
Legs (The playful side of the character): What does he or she do for fun? What are his
or her avocations (hobbies)?
Feet (The character’s mobility): Where has he or she been (literally/figuratively)? How
has he or she been affected by travel or setting?
“Wings” (The character’s future): What is he or she going in the future? What are his
or her aspirations?
EXAMPLE RESPONSE FOR BIDDY (TORSO)
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Torso (The instinctive side of the character): What doesn’t he or she like about
himself or herself? What does he or she hide? What brings the character
pain? What does he or she fear? (Describe his or her dark side).
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Though Biddy is not obsessed with class and expectation as Pip, she does seem to
resent her “commonness” because Pip is not spellbound by her as he is with
Estella. Her love for Pip is revealed when he tells her about his unreasonable lust
for Estella and desire to be a gentleman. She asks him why he wants to be a
gentleman and she replies, “If it is to spite her…that might be better and more
independently done by caring nothing for her words. And if it is to gain her
over…she was not worth gaining over” (Dickens 125). Though Pip incessantly calls
Biddy “the wisest of girls” (Dickens 125), her reaction to Pip’s infatuation with
another girl demonstrates her realization that she is different from Estella. She is
not the enchanting temptress archetype but rather a plain virtuous maiden. Since
she is pure and kind, she cannot reveal this side of herself but it escapes in some
of her disappointment in conversations with Pip.
FINAL EXAM PREPARATION
Read over the questions for your assigned
“body part” and start writing your claims and
looking for evidence.
 Before you leave today, you should have a piece
of evidence for every body part.
 When you come to our final exam period, you
should have your responses entirely written and
printed out.
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HOMEWORK
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Finish the novel! (It is only 10 pages!)
 PERIOD
5: Prepare for the final exam on Thursday
by writing your responses. Tomorrow, we will be
watching
 PERIOD 7: Prepare for the final exam tomorrow by
writing all of your responses. You must bring your
three completed responses to class or you will lose
points for your teamwork because you are letting
down your group.