English 301: Literature for Children
and Adolescents
Guidelines for Final Exam
Fall 2006
Dr. Tina L. Hanlon
Associate Professor of English
Ferrum
College
Children's Literature Course Home Page
Format of Exam:
Don't forget that in Angel, you can set the calendar to display as a list (and print those pages if you wish), in order to view a list of the assignments for each month or week.
Material You Should Study:
Be prepared to match terms and titles with definitions or
examples in the matching section.
Know what the items below mean or refer to for the matching
section and be prepared to discuss the ones we have studied since
midterm for the single-paragraph questions. Examples are given in
parentheses to remind you which selections that we studied fit
some of the categories, but you should be able to name and
discuss examples from the other categories we have discussed
since midterm. You may have the opportunity to discuss the oral
reports in section II or III.
Know titles and authors of the seven novels we studied.
Cautionary tale
Nursery rhyme
Ballad
Lyric poem
Picture book
Fable
Folktale
Myth (e.g., “Demeter,” “Orpheus”)
Epic (“Odysseus and the Cyclops”)
Pourquoi tale (“Determination of the Seasons,”
“How Glooskap Found the Summer”)
Sacred legend (“St. George and the Dragon”)
Medieval romance (“King Arthur and His Sword”)
Storytelling
Romantic influences on children’s novels (such as The
Secret Garden)
Historical fiction
New Realism in children’s fiction (1960s on)
Animal fantasy or folktale
Domestic or light fantasy
High fantasy
Looking glass fantasy
Survival fiction
Robinsonnade
Intertextuality
Culturally specific content in a book
Sexism in folktales and children’s literature
Satiric folk or fairy tale
Use the Introductions from the Riverside anthology to brush up on
definitions/characteristics of literary types and background that
might be useful in writing answers (but you aren’t
responsible for specific material in those chapters that we have
not touched on in class discussion).
III. For the essays, be well prepared to write about the novels and know at
least one example for each of the categories of oral literature we have studied
since midterm. You should be able to discuss realism and fantasy in fiction,
the influence of Romanticism on fiction (particularly through the early twentieth
century), methods of characterization in the novels, treatment of historical
and social problems in children’s and young adult fiction, portrayals of
friendship and adult-child relations, and the child’s or adolescent’s
point of view.
In your essays, if you mention examples of works not assigned for the class,
restrict your examples to those found in the Riverside anthology, films or performances
that were recommended in this class, and those mentioned in class (including
oral reports), or books you know the professor is familiar with.
You shouldn’t have to go beyond your course texts and class notes to prepare
for this exam, but if you think your notes are weak or you want to strengthen
your definitions and understanding of literary terms and types, you might consult
a reference book such as The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature,
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, or Rebecca Lukens’ Critical Handbook of Children’s Literature
or Critical Handbook of Literature for Young Adults (available in library
and Hanlon’s office).
IV. Take-Home Essay:
Discuss one of the generalizations about features of children’s literature
presented by Perry Nodelman in The Pleasures of Children’s Literature.
These are listed on the page Characteristics
of Children’s Literature as a Genre. Select one item on that
list and explain how it applies to at least three works of literature that were
assigned in this course. Two of your examples must be novels we studied.
One of your examples must come from the oral tradition (directly or through
adaptation). If you choose to use additional examples, they can
be of any type, including poems and picture books.
Nodelman’s generalizations are quite broad so there are many ways you could
focus and organize your answer. You don’t have to discuss every point
mentioned in the page summarizing Nodelman’s ideas. For example, if you
choose to write about repetition, you can focus on one type of repetition. Besides
the types of repetition mentioned on the handout, you could discuss the idea
that there is much repetition from one book and author to another in children’s
literature (e.g., that there are more sequels and more echoes of previous books
and reworkings of the same themes and motifs in children’s literature than
in adult literature—i.e., there is lots of intertextuality). You can structure
your whole essay as a comparison/contrast of your examples, or use some other
method to illustrate different dimensions of the topic.
If you think Nodelman is overgeneralizing, discuss works that provide exceptions
(but note that item 11 qualifies the generalization in item 9, so don’t
accuse him of saying all children’s literature is didactic). You may include
a sample work from the course readings that you believe should not be considered
a work of children’s literature, to contrast with your examples that do
fit the definition of children’s literature.
Don’t choose number one unless you feel quite confident about discussing
style and vocabulary in children’s literature.
Do not spend hours and hours writing this essay, but obviously you can consult
your books as you develop your ideas. Although you don’t want to
turn this into a research paper, you should give informal acknowledgement if
you use ideas you know came from particular secondary sources (e.g., you recall
reading that Maurice Sendak said X about the importance of fantasy). You don’t
have to use direct quotations from the primary works, but if you do, use quotation
marks and give page numbers from the Riverside anthology or novel you are quoting.
This essay is expected to be more polished in organization, completeness of
ideas, clarity of wording, use of standard English, and mechanics than essays
might be when they are written during the exam period. Typing is preferred.
Turn in this essay at the beginning of the exam period (or earlier if you prefer).
If for some reason you choose not to write this essay before Dec. 12 at 10:30
a.m., you can use part of the exam period to write it, rather than getting a
0 on 30% of the exam grade, but you will be taking the risk that having more
to write within two hours will weaken your performance on the whole exam. You
will not be allowed to refer to this study guide during the exam period.
Read the instructions carefully and answer the number of questions required. Don't leave any blank or it will cost you too many points.
Budget your time so that you won't be forced to leave anything blank or run out of time for checking your answers at the end.
Follow any instructions you might find about not duplicating the same examples or writing about a certain number of different authors.
Select examples that you know well and that fit the question especially well.
Don't just summarize plot or rephrase the idea in the question. Be sure you stress the significance of the examples you discuss.
Include specific details as much as possible, without just summarizing plot or using up too much time on any one question.
Write clearly, legibly, and in complete sentences (for your sake as you check your answers as well as the reader of the test).
If you have time, take a mental break from working on the test and then look back over answers you wrote earlier in the test period.
12/19/2006