Point of View; Style, Tone, and Language; Symbol, Allegory, and Myth

“Big Black Good Man,” Richard Wright, pp. 314-324

“The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman, pp. 375-387

“Everyday Use,” Alice Walker, pp. 422-429

After reading the assigned short stories, answer the following questions adhering to the rules found in the Guidelines document located in the Course Menu and in the attachments:

1.  "Big Black Good Man" --  In what ways do Jim's words and actions contribute to Olaf's fears?  Are Olaf's reactions reasonable, or is he overreacting?

2.  "The Yellow Wallpaper"  --  What is it about the house, the grounds, and her room that upset the narrator?

3.  "Everyday Use"  --  What is the literal meaning of the two quilts to Maggie and her mother?  To Dee?  What symbolic meaning, if any, do they have to Maggie and her mother?  Do the quilts have any symbolic meaning to Dee?

4.  "Everyday Use"  --  How does the contrast between the two sisters' appearances, personalities, lifestyles, and feelings about the quilts help to convey the story's theme?

Required:  Each of the four discussion question responses should be a paragraph of a minimum of 175 words and include at least three brief quotes as well as three correctly formatted parenthetical citations (MLA).  Type in a Word document to maintain correct formatting, save, upload, and submit as an attachment in the assignment area of the online classroom.

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2-.  In the story "Big Black Good Man" by Richard Wright, do you believe that Olaf is a racist?  Why or why not?  What do you think Jim thinks of Olaf?  Do you suppose he realizes the effect that he has on Olaf?

2.  In the story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, do you think a present-day woman would respond differently to such advice from her husband or doctor?  Explain your position.