Due Wed.: Bring 2 copies (1 copy identifying work, character, page, and 1 copy with no identification) of 10 practice quotes on theme or character (see boldfaced list of characters below), covering all four works (no more than 1 quote per character). Journal credit of 10 pts. (ink or typed). In order to get journal credit, quotes need to be well-chosen enough to use on the final exam.

FINAL EXAMINATION STUDY SHEET

Objective part: Multiple choice and matching

Matching quotes for characters (significant character qualities or attitudes). Here is a list of characters: Odysseus, Athena or Zeus, Rama, Sita, Oedipus, Tiresias, Tripitika, Monkey, Pigsy, Kuan Yin. (I'll include other characters from Monkey in a matching section of "characteristics.")

Matching quotes with the work (themes or important issues.

Matching characteristics with main characters from previous works and one or two significant characters from every episode in Monkey (like the matching section with Skylla in it on the Odyssey test).

Multiple choice on authors, chronology, nationalities, language, and genres (characteristics of the genre and which work is which genre)

Multiple choice on the following:

Attitudes, issues, and themes important in the works? Features of genres (for ex., epic characs.)

What are some of the primary differences between Western and Eastern perspectives?

What kind of culture does the work portray and what features does it emphasize?

What do various societies consider important to "civilized" behavior? How do they view Nature?

Which characters had recognitions (understood their own responsibility in creating their fate)?

Study questions and topics of class discussion for Monkey.

How to prepare for the objective part of the exam:

Review and learn the factual material connected with chronology, authors, etc (see underlining above).

Review what themes/issues/attitudes are important in each work and find quotes that exemplify these (without overt clues such as events, names). Think about the author's purpose in the work (to give a broad view of the ethics and ideals of the society? to stimulate thinking about life goals and ways of living?). (For ex., what is the definition of "a monster"-- the nature of "evil" in each culture?)

Review the important attitudes and characteristics of the characters listed above.

What stylistic features would you find in one work that you wouldn't find in another (these will help with identifying quotes)? For example, which are prose and which are poetry? Where might you find an address to the muse or a heroic epithet?

Review notes on significant perspectives and values typical in each culture

Oral Presentation Topics: Every group should answer the first and the last and 2 of the others. (Support your answers with details from the readings and explain why.)

1. How Monkey changes over time

2. Monkey's relation to Tripitika and Pigsy

3. Props in this work (like the metal band, as well as other physical things described in detail)

4. Water: judging from when it appears, how it is described,& problems that it causes- what does it signify?

5. Humor: what is funny? How does this humor affect our interpretation of the nature of seeking enlightenment?

6. What 3 questions can you think of that are important to understanding the "meaning" of this work (The answers to the following big questions constitute the "meaning" of the work: What is the nature of life? What does it mean to be "aware" or "enlightened"? How does one go about seeking enlightenment? What constitutes "progress" toward the goal and what turns out to be an illusion of progress?)

In order to answer the big questions, we must first formulate little ones, like "What do the two emperors signify?" "Why are the major characters described as former "monsters"? "What does it mean that the scriptures they are supposed to bring back are blank?" You're trying to think of 3 questions concerning details of the happenings that will help us move toward answering those big questions.