"Orpheus and Eurydice" 01-85
(optional) "The Death of Orpheus" 01-66
Make sure you read my "Expectations for Reading Responses "prior to getting started on your assignment.
| 1. Very rarely in Greek mythology do heroes journey into the Underworld. Is Orpheus a hero? What is Orpheus' power or talent that he demonstrates for Pluto and Persephone? Why is this power or talent significant? |
| 2. One of the keys to this myth is our understanding of why Orpheus failed. On page 327, the gods command Orpheus not to "turn back until he'd passed / the Valley of Avernus. Just one glance at her, and all he had received . . . " would be for nothing--Eurydice would be returned to the land of the dead. Why was Orpheus unsuccessful in this quest? Why was his backward glance merited / not-merited? |
| 3. For a moment after his wife's second death, Orpheus becomes "a body totally transformed--to stone" (328). Why is Orpheus' momentary transformation into stone significant? Why is this metamorphosis important, given Orpheus' character and representation early in the story? |
| 4. How does Orpheus' attempt to bring back his wife from the world of the undead represent a central archetype, one that demonstrates a deeply primal human wish? |
| 5. Ultimately, was Orpheus' quest worthwhile? The text asserts that after awhile, the only things that Orpheus consumed were "desperation, pain, / and tears"--and given these less-than-tasty treats, should he even have bothered? |
| 6. Additional comments or points you'd like to make. |
| 7. Extra-credit: What are two things that happened to Orpheus after he loses his wife for a second time and spends time lamenting his loss? What is significant about those events? |
Expectations for Reading Responses
In general, any teacher will tell you that what they are looking for is insightful, often original commentary that 1) cuts to the core of the piece read; 2) answers questions deftly rather than swiftly; 3) provides quotable evidence; 4) offers insightful analysis of those quotes. Ideally, a good response usually has 3 things that are completely related to basic PIE structure: a general claim, evidence supporting that claim, and analysis of that evidence.
As such, here is a sample of strong analysis based on a seven-line poem that I use in my English 100 class. The poem is Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool."
"WE REAL COOL"
--Gwendolyn Brooks
The Pool Players.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.
We Real Cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk Late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon. (642)
Sample Question: Why is the setting of this poem important?
Sample Answer: The setting of the Golden Shovel not only typifies the type of activities that go on at the pool hall, but also foreshadow the early deaths of the seven pool players. While there is no clear indication of a physical setting in terms of climate or geographical location, Brooks' decision to call the pool hall the Golden Shovel is a symbolic act. Most pool halls might give their establishments "cooler" names; even in Hawai'i, pool halls have cool names such as Hawaiian Brians' or Velvets; these names accentuate the fun or supposed grandeur of the activity. A shovel, golden or not, typically serves one purpose: it is used to dig a hole. Treasure-seekers or gravediggers use it as their most important tool. The narrators seem to be simultaneously living out the dual nature of the shovel's use: they seek hedonistic excess, and at the same time, are brought to dig their own graves because of that search. The word "Golden" implies that the pursuit for sensuality in this piece is valuable and worthwhile for these players, even though their lives may be at stake.
Commentary: The author has tried to employ what is known as "quote recycling" to set forward the juiciest and tastiest bits of quotes so as to comment on them strongly.
And here's an example of a response that is a rush-job, which usually results in a less than stellar grade.
Sample Question: Why is the setting of this poem important?
Sample Answer: The Golden Shovel is a bar. Bars usually attract drunks. That's why it's important. These kids are drunks.
The student, it can be argued, has made a strong assertion. Lacking quotable evidence, however, the student's claims cannot be significantly made legitimate in the reader's mind.