We are not having that much time this week for our Discussion since it is again a short week but we are also “only” reading two stories (and some other links); so, let’s focus o

We are not having that much time this week for our Discussion since it is again a short week but we are also “only” reading two stories (and some other links); so, let’s focus on our two fantastic short stories, “Greasy Lake” by T.C. Boyle (T.C. Boyle teaches at USC!!) and “”A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, our reading assignments for this week.

I’m posting some general questions below but please feel free to add your thoughts. Hope you had a change of looking at my comments for Discussion 1.

This won’t be a lengthy intro here, I’ll try to be short though there is sooooo much to say about each of theses classic short stories. But I’ll join you in your discussion!

For both stories, think about the setting (you might have already watched the video, “Elements of Literature” https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introliterature/chapter/elements-of-literature/ which will help in your analysis ).

How does the setting affect “Greasy Lake”?
How does the protagonist feel about the setting–before the events and then after?
What is the significance of having the sentence “This is nature” repeated twice in the story. What do you think that means?
Do you think the protagonist has an epiphany? (epiphany=a sudden insight, a realization which will change forever a protagonist’s or character’s life thereafter). If he has, what is it? What does he realize–if anything?
Similarly,

how does the setting function in “A Rose for Emily”?
Read carefully the first couple of paragraphs: note and ask yourself, when does it take place? What function does “time” have?
You might want to briefly review when Faulkner was writing.
For this story, we also need to discuss Point of View. Who is telling the story? This story is also of a genre we call gothic stories (more about this subgenre later when we read E.A. Poe).