English 203, Children's Literature
Final Exam
May 1, 1996
The exam is in three parts; one short answer section, and two essays. The short answer section is worth 30 points, the essays 35 each. Please read the whole exam over carefully before beginning, so you have a sense of what is required of you and can plan your time accordingly. Know your strengths. If you tend to have total recall about identifications, character names, etc., it may increase your confidence to do the short answer portion first. You may even find some of the information useful as you write your essays. If, on the other hand, you tend to bog down in detail and take longer than necessary on the short answers, leave them for last. You can afford to lose a few points here; the essays are the major portion of the exam.

PART ONE: SHORT ANSWERS (Do five from each group; 30 points total)
Group A: Answer five of the following short answer questions in your blue book or on a separate sheet of paper. DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS HERE!

1.Name two supernatural and/or fantastic (ie, non-human) characters in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

2. Who wrote In the Night Kitchen?

3. Name one book by Arnold Lobel.

4. Name one book by William Steig.

5. Who is the author of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin"?

6.Provide the author, title, and main character(s) of one early reader book we discussed in class.

7. Name the author and two main characters of The Bridge to Terabithia.

8. Who wrote The Snowy Day?

Group B: Seven first lines follow. Identify the author and title of five of them.

1. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe

2. The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another...

3. One winter morning Peter woke up and looked out the window.

4. Elizabeth was a beautiful princess.

5. Morning and evening/Maids heard the goblins cry

6. The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play.

7. "Where's Papa going with that axe?"

PART TWO: ESSAYS (You must write both essays; 35 points each)
In writing the following essays, you must treat at least four longer works (the two assigned for the class, and the two additional texts you read) in your two responses. You may choose to include additional texts (long or short) as well, but if you do not treat at least the four required texts you will lose points on this section.

Essay A
Read the passage below and write an essay in which you respond to the questions which follow the passage. Make sure your essay answers the questions, but do not simply answer the questions in order without constructing a unified argument. Do not forget to treat at least two works in your response.

Lord, what was the matter with him? Janice Avery had given him nothing but trouble, and now he was feeling responsible for her--like one of the [those] timber wolves or beached whales. "She didn't even cry when kids teased her 'bout Willard after the note."
"Yeah, I know."
He looked at her. "Well," he said. "What should we do?"
"Do? " she asked. "What do you mean what should we do?"
How could he explain it to her? " . . . If she was an animal predator, we'd be obliged to try to help her."

Identify the work from which this passage is taken. Note the use of language, the representation of both thought and dialogue. What important comparisons are made? What is the situation here, and how is it related to the themes of the novel? Compare and contrast the attitude towards enemies (predators, etc.) here to that depicted in at least one other longer text you've read for the course. What function do enemies serve in these texts? Do novels need them?

Essay B
In almost all of the longer texts we've read this semester, the protagonist gives or receives a significant gift. In a brilliant, well-organized, coherent, thesis-driven essay, compare and contrast the function and meaning of gifts in at least two children's texts (using the two novels you did not treat in Essay A, and any others you choose to add). Consider the following questions in formulating your response: what kind of gift is exchanged? Who gives and receives it? Does the gift itself have symbolic or supernatural power? What purpose does it serve in the plot? What larger significance does it have in relation to the themes of the novel(s)? If you absolutely can't think of two gifts--material, spiritual, real, or implied--focus instead on a significant object.

As with the first essay, you should try to answer all or most of the questions raised above, but simply answering them in order will not constitute a well-organized essay. Rather, use the questions to focus your own response, in which you should state a thesis and demonstrate its validity with examples from the texts you choose.

Please sign the honor pledge here and turn this sheet in with your exam responses.
I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance in the completion of this work.


Signed:________________________________________________________