Final Paper for English 001B Class, based on Novel \’The Woman in the Dunes\’ by Kobo Abe
The teacher gave 5 questions. You only HAVE TO PICK ONE question and write about it.
1. Each of the main two characters experiences being taken as a hostage or prisoner. How do they each react differently to this experience? What accounts for this difference?
2. In the novel, the sand function almost like a third major character. What does it symbolize and how does it relate to the routines of human life?
3. Towards the end of the novel, the man\’s attitude towards his captivity seems to change to some extent. In what ways does it change? What is the novel suggesting through its portrayal of these changes?
4. Discuss the portrayal of the woman. How does the man see her? At various points, she\’s described in terms of an insect, an animal, a co-conspirator, etc. Do the man and woman in any way humanize each other during their times together?
5. One way to read the novel is as a retelling of the myth of Sisyphus. Is Niki trying to escape the meaninglessness of his routine back home? Is the routine he experiences in captivity just as meaningless?
Compose a 4-6 full page essay that includes a brief introduction (including a thesis) and enough body paragraphs to fulfill the page requirement. You must include at least one quote in each body paragraph. Each of these paragraph should be structured around a close-reading and discussion of your quotes. You will cite all quoted material (only the book itself), and your body paragraphs will contain only enough summary to set up your analysis. No outside sources are required. Strive to be as grammatically correct as possible.
(I personally prefer a writer that is familiar with the book.)
