*From the textbook (some you have already read):

• "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway
• "The Cathedral" by Raymond Carver
• "Why Don't You Dance?" by Raymond Carver (TW: alcoholism)
• "Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes (this one is not in the book, click to read)

Assignment:

Read each of the above stories, and then download the document below and answer the discussion questions within the same document, then upload it to the folder titled "Week 2 Discussion Questions."

Each of your answers should be approximately 100 words in length, written using proper grammar, and make direct references to the text in the form of examples and evidence. You do not have to use outside sources for this assignment, but if you do, be sure to properly cite your sources using MLA format.

Homework:

*Each of the required reading stories can be found via Google. Additionally, if you are a slow reader and/or do not enjoy reading, many of them can also be found in an audio format on YouTube if you simply search "(story title) reading."

                                                                                 QUESTIONS

"Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway

1.     Last week you were asked to explain the significance of this story’s setting. Now, with the knowledge of what symbols are and how to identify them, re-examine the story’s setting. How is the setting symbolic of the conflict the characters are dealing with?

“The Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

1.     What is the significance of Robert’s blindness and how does that relate to the narrator’s own perspective? What is the theme being explored here? Consider what the narrator learns from this encounter.

“Why Don’t You Dance?” by Raymond Carver

1.     Singular objects are often mentioned throughout this short story—the record player, the bed, the television, etc. What is the symbolism of each of these objects?

“Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes

1.     This story is very direct with the lesson it is teaching, and thus its theme. What is the theme here, and why is it important despite its simplicity?

Identify three examples of figurative language in each of the stories.