Passage Analysis

Provide brief and informative responses (5-10 sentences) to both of the passages below. Briefly explain the context of the passage and then provide an interpretation of the passage in terms of theme or character. Your writing will be evaluated for content, organization of ideas, and use of standard written English and in accordance with the English 101 Essay Rubric. Permitted materials: The Art of the Story and any previous assignments related to the stories. Outside/internet research or prewritten papers are not permitted and would result in a zero. Each passage will be graded separately and then averaged together.   Explain how each passage relates to a particular character’s worldview or development OR explain how it relates to a particular theme of your choosing.   Passage 1 = (50%) Lydia Davis, “The House Behind” “The people of the house in front were afraid of us here behind, now, and there was no communication between us at all. By killing the woman from the house in front, M. Martin had killed something more: we lost the last traces of our self-respect before the people from the house in front, because we all assumed responsibility for the crime. Now there was no point in pretending any longer” (201).   Passage 2 = (50%) Robert Olen Butler, “Mr. Green” “But a Vietnamese woman is experienced in these things and Mr. Green did not have a chance even to make a sound as I laid him on his side, pinned him with my knee, slid my hands up and wrung his neck” (116).