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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Gallimard feel about his inability to produce a child?
2. Where does Act 2, Scene 2 take place?
3. According to Gallimard, how many American dollars were spent for every Viet Cong killed?
4. How does Song respond when Chin asks how Song came to live in an exalted position?
5. Finish Gallimard's sentence: "Oriental women - when they're good they're very good, but when they're bad..."
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The politics of a changing world play a major part in the direction of the plot. Write an essay on how the political tumult defines the conflict between certain characters and situations.
1. What are some of the major political events that happen while Gallimard is in office? What are the major global events that occur during the 1960's?
2. As the 60's progress, how does life for the characters in the play change? What is at stake for characters involved? How does the play and the stakes within it change as time goes by?
3. Describe how the growing chaos of the 1960s reflect events within M. Butterfly.
Essay Topic 2
When Song is on the witness stand, he describes his situation with Gallimard in great detail. One major point he has relates to the masculine/feminine characterization of the West and East and the "Rape mentality" the former has for the latter.
1. How does Song define "Rape mentality?"
2. How does this mindset relate to Song's opinion of international relations? How do those relations compare to Song's opinions of men and women from those countries?
3. How do all of these factors culminate in Song's relationship with Gallimard?
4. Do you agree with Song? Do you believe Gallimard's intentions reflect Songs opinion on their relationship?
Essay Topic 3
Hwang wrote M. Butterfly after hearing details on the true account of a French diplomat falling for a cross-dressing Chinese spy. However, the spectrum of ideas presented in this play are Hwang's. Write an essay summing up the larger ideas of this play.
1. What are the political themes of this play? What did Hwang hope to achieve by resenting them dramatically? Was he successful?
2. What are the gender issues associated with this story? How is the perception of the feminine/masculine a major thematic element?
3. Dramatically, what did Hwang attempt to present with this play? What are we as the audience supposed to walk away from this story feeling or wanting?
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This section contains 470 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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