12 CP Senior English—Midterm Exam

Below are two options for the exam. Choose one and prepare your piece in advance of your scheduled exam period. During the exam period you will present your piece and submit a written copy to give to me at the time of your presentation.

Option 1

CONTENT

Create a two-voice poem based on two characters from the different works we studied (The Alchemist, Seek, Oedipus the King, Himalaya). The two characters need to come from two different works. For example, you could choose Santiago from The Alchemist and pair his voice with Oedipus from Oedipus the King. You need to address issues of self in this poem. Therefore you need to know the characters’ beliefs, feelings, personalities, responses to their situations in life and culture. Focus on juxtaposition of the characters. You may address any or all of the following:

  • Why am I in my world?
  • Who am I in my culture?
  • Who am I in my family?
  • Where do I come from?
  • How does where I come from connect with who I am?
  • What do I want most in life?
  • What is my biggest fear? Concern? Worry? Struggle?
  • Etc.

FORMAT

The 2-voice poem

  • Utilizes one of the two formats for construction (columns or alternating lines)
  • Goes beyond the basic bio-poem structure in order to convey insights about the characters and culture
  • Uses higher level vocabulary that is appropriate to the works used
  • Puts down images, drawing upon the five senses to show rather than tell
  • Includes a statement of intent – typed 1-2 paragraph explanation of piece
  • Is a minimum of 20 typed lines for each character

Option 2

CONTENT

Create a descriptive narrative of a significant moment in one of the three major works (The Alchemist, Seek, Oedipus the King, Himalaya). Choose an alternative point of view, a point of view other than what the story is told in. For example, if you describe a scene in The Alchemist, choose Melchizadek’s point of view; don’t choose Santiago’s. Or if you describe a scene in Oedipus, chooseJocasta’s point of view and not an omniscient narrator.

FORMAT

  • Includes a statement of intent
  • Shows rather than tells through vivid imagery and/or dialogue
  • Has an engaging beginning, middle and end
  • Develops and sustains tensions
  • Uses higher level vocabulary that is appropriate to the works used
  • Is a minimum of two-pages typed, double-spaced in 10 to 12 size characters