L141 American Best Sellers

Weekly Written Assignments

Weekly questions: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15


You need to answer one of the following questions, and submit your answer to your AI by no later than noon on Wednesday each week. Each assignment is worth 10 points. Assignments will be graded on content, grammar and spelling. No late submissions will be graded. Click here for more information on grades.

In answering your question, please be sure to refer to or use at least one piece of textual evidence (either quoted with a page number, or just referenced by a page number).

Limit your answer to no more than 100 words.

WEEK EIGHT: Peyton Place (pages 187-372)

1) How does Metalious's portrayal of male characters either add or detract from her female characters? Pick just one example to illustrate your point.

2) What do you make of the pus that runs in Nellie's veins?

3) What symbolic value does the carnival have in this section?

4) Why do you think Metalious does not allow Ted Carter and Selena to end up happily married?

5) What difference, if any, does it make that Samuel Peyton was an African American?

6) What might be some of the reasons that something as supposedly important as Selena's trial ends up taking up such a small portion of the story?

7) For what thematic reason might have Metalious included the book's final chapter, rather than simply ending the book with chapter 12?

8) Why might Metalious choose to include the character of David Noyes at the end of the novel?

Submit your question and answer
About bestsell | Weekly Written Assignments | Class Schedule
Argument Paper Assignments | Reading Tips | Texts & References |
 Instructor Info | Student Code of Ethics | Return to bestsell Home

Last Updated: 7/15/04
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~bestsell/wk8ques.html
Send Comments and Suggestions to: pgutjahr@indiana.edu
Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of Indiana University