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The midterm exam consists of two parts: Quotations and Essays. You will need to complete both portions. If you have a documented disability and need more time, you need to let Dr. Halbert know at least five days prior to the exam.
The Quotations section will give you ten quotes. Pick five and explain why the quote is significant in the context of the source. Be very specific: your answer needs to indicate a working knowledge of the source document's plot and theme. See the exam quotation guide (MS Word or PDF).
The Essay section has three possible questions. You will answer ONE of the following questions below. All will be on the test, so whichever essay question you choose to prepare is guaranteed to be on the test. Please prepare an outline of your essay response on an Exam Card ahead of time, including quotes from the texts you plan to write about. Do not write out the essay word for word in your outline.
Your essays are expected to be five to six paragraphs long with a traditional introduction that includes the authors and titles of the texts you plan to use in the essay, a clear thesis you plan to argue, and a list of the key points you plan to include in the paper. Remember to read your chosen essay topic carefully and answer all the expectations of the essay.
Essay Options for the Midterm Exam:
You may choose from one of the following questions for your essay:
Essay Option 1:
Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics introduces readers to key concepts and terms to help understand how comics create meaning. Pick one of his core terms and demonstrate how that term works in three of the graphic novels we read.
Essay Option 2:
In graphic novels, particularly American superhero comics, the origin story of a character provides the core motivation for a character. Often, these origins combine trauma with counterbalancing positives. Using three graphic novels from the course, identify the origin story's key elements for the primary character and then analyze a key scene other than the origin story to show how the complexities of the origin explain the choices or emotional responses of the main character.
Essay Option 3:
Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, unlike our other graphic novels in the course so far, is a memoir purporting to tell the true events of her life in relation to her father. A central issue is the concept of control, particularly given the social pressures both Bechdel and her father face for their sexuality. Identify how both Bechdal and her father each attempt to control aspects of their lives and explain how those efforts at control impact them and those in their orbits.