For the Unit 2 Complete assignment, select ONE short story from either chapter 3 or chapter 11, and then select ONE of the prompts below for response in a well-organized and developed essay (minimum of 1000 words). When finished, the essay should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the READ and ATTEND sections. A minimum of three scholarly sources are required, and all sources should be cited and referenced in APA format.

1. Often people’s perceptions of reality or of themselves differ from society’s perceptions. The theme of illusion vs. reality is common in literature. Explain how your selected story reflects this theme. What is the character’s illusion and how does he/she strive to maintain it? How does the destruction or perpetuation of the illusion develop as a theme of the story? Why do people sometimes choose a world of illusion as opposed to reality? Be sure to include and discuss various elements of fiction to develop your essay.

2. Setting is an important component of any story. Discuss the role that setting plays in your selected story. How is the setting integral to the story? How does the author use the setting symbolically? How does the setting reflect the characters or plot? If the story were set in your hometown in modern-day, how would the story change? What would stay the same? Be sure to include and discuss various elements of fiction to develop your essay.

3. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Using your selected story, explain how a character(s) must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal and how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. How can a person’s past serve as either a hindrance or a help for their present and future? Be sure to include and discuss various elements of fiction to develop your essay.