Study Guide: Final Exam

POLSC 670 Law, Politics, and Literature
Study Guide: Final Exam
Directions: The exam will consist of 35-40 multiple choice questions based on the characters, symbols, key
scenes/events, and themes of the novel, In Dubious Battle, and Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice.
Reviewing the book/play and studying the discussion questions should help with that portion of the exam. In
addition to the multiple-choice questions, there will be some short answer and essay questions as described
below. The exam is Tuesday, May 10, 11:50-1:40.
Short Answer/Essay Questions: You will see at least three of these questions on the exam and you will have
to answer ONE of them.
1. Criminal attempt is incorporated into many criminal statutes. Identify the three main elements that are
necessary to successfully prosecute for criminal attempt. In James Thurber’s “The Catbird Seat,” can Mr.
Martin be accused of any crime even though he abandons his original plan? Why would this case be difficult,
if not impossible, to prosecute? At what point in a criminal attempt should we hold people liable for their
actions in planning a crime? Briefly discuss. (100 words)
2. Identify the famous NY Court of Appeals (state supreme court) case that is mentioned in James Reid
Parker’s, “The Most Outrageous Consequences.” How did Benjamin Cardozo’s opinion alter common law
doctrine involving contracts? Why was the decision so important for contract doctrine and product liability
during the Industrial Revolution? Briefly discuss. (100 words)
3. In his “Hath not a Jew eyes?” speech in Act 3, what arguments does Shylock make? Does the monologue
change the play’s overall tone from anti-Semitic to sympathetic to Jews and/or Shylock? Briefly discuss.
(100 words)
4. How is tenant farmer Timothy Haskins “Under the Lion’s Paw”? What does Haskins give in exchange for
his expectation that Butler will keep his original offer open? Does he have a binding contract? How does
Garland’s story reflect some of the concerns of citizens active in the People’s or Populist Party in the late
nineteenth century? (100 words)
5. Identify the essential elements of a legally binding contract and provide at least one example from our
readings. (100 words)
6. Explain the trial of the caskets in The Merchant of Venice. With reference to the material and inscriptions,
what are the different caskets supposed to represent? What theme or message do you think Shakespeare is
trying to convey? Briefly discuss. (100 words)
Long Essay Questions: You will see at least three of these questions on the exam and you must answer TWO
of them.
1. Many poets and authors addressed the theme of oppressive child labor in the early 1900s. Discuss a couple
of examples. What types of jobs did children work during the Industrial Revolution? How many hours did
they work in a typical week? In what case did the Supreme Court finally rule that the U.S. government has
the power to regulate child labor? Be sure to describe the basic facts, legal issue(s), and reasoning of the
Court opinion. Does it make sense for the federal government to exercise primary authority in this area?
Briefly discuss. (250 words)
2. In Steinbeck’s novel In Dubious Battle, both Doc Burton and Mac comment extensively about the merits
and frightening possibilities of “group man” or collective behavior. Describe their views. Why does Mac
think collective action is critical for success of the labor movement? Can mobs of men be controlled as Mac
suggests? Cite examples from the novel where group action has either positive or negative consequences.
What do you think is the novel’s ultimate point about collective action? Briefly discuss. (200 words)
3. Mac is described as an expert strike tactician. Explain several major decisions he makes to encourage and
maintain the strike. Which decisions worked best? Which decisions on his part do you think negatively
affected the strike? What are the strikers trying to gain? Does this match Mac and Jim’s goals? What
impact do you think his last decision to utilize Jim’s corpse will have on the strike? Briefly discuss. (250
words)
4. Women of the late 16th
century were not exactly paragons of social empowerment, yet several of the
women in The Merchant of Venice play significant roles in the fates of all characters. Portia and Nerissa
cleverly disguise themselves as an esteemed lawyer and clerk, respectively, and interpret the law in such a
way that Antonio and Bassanio are let off the hook, while Shylock is forced into a position of utter
humiliation. Jessica takes her father’s money, elopes with Lorenzo, and converts to Christianity. Analyze the
roles of these women, and indicate what factors made it possible for them to influence the outcome of the
play as they did. Do they achieve power or are their gender identities and social positions ultimately
reinforced? Briefly discuss. (200 words)
5. Clearly, religious issues and the tensions between different cultures are of central importance in The
Merchant of Venice; they are the foundation from which the primary conflict emerges, and they serve as the
plot propellants. These tensions are as explosive today as they were in Shakespeare’s time. How are Jews and
Christians depicted and treated in the play? Provide examples. Discuss the religious and spiritual lessons that
you think Shakespeare conveys in the play. Even if it was not Shakespeare’s intent, do you think the play has
an important modern message about understanding and tolerating diverse cultures and religions? Briefly
discuss. (250 words)
6. As we discussed on the first day of class, one of the reasons why some political scientists use literature to
explore important questions in politics and law is that literature prompts us to think critically about human
behavior and cultural values in ways that go beyond objective methods and quantitative analyses. In many
ways, literature has more freedom, both substantively and stylistically, to explore the great issues of politics
and law. Select at least three readings from the course (novels, short stories, parables, or poems) that you
have enjoyed and discuss how those readings, both in substance, style, and themes, provided you with a
better understanding or a new perspective on human nature and its relation to politics and law. (300 words)
Three Readings are:
1. Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid’s Tale
a. Discuss human nature and its relation to politics and law.
b. Dystopian Society: Sex, Religion, and the Republic of Gilead
2. Thomas More: Utopia
a. Discuss human nature and its relation to politics and law.
b. Utopian Society: Pros and Cons
3. Erich Maria Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front, Chapters 1-3
a. Discuss human nature and its relation to politics and law.
b. Discuss War, Nationalism, and Human Behavior