Discussion Questions
Question 1
In Anzia Yezierska’s short story, “The Lost Beautifulness,” the protagonist Hanneh Hayyeh longs for something to call her own.
In your response to question one, consider the following questions:
Does the piece give you sympathy for any of the characters? Do you dislike any of the characters? How can a writer add a “universal appeal” for their piece of literature and create a strong link to their audience? For example, course text authors Janaro & Altshuler (2012) refer to epiphany, which provides an “insight into life or human nature” (97). How is epiphany demonstrated in “The Lost Beautifulness”? Incorporate the Unit 6 reading material in your response; include APA formatting.
Question 2
Choose two of the poems here for your analysis, or you may also use Poets.org to search for other poems, or review the resources in this week’s My Humanities Kit.
Source: The Academy of American Poets. Poets.org. Retrieved from
Langston Hughes.
Source: Hughes, Langston. Let America Be American Again. Retrieved from:
June Jordan. . (audio only)
Source: Jordan, June. A Poem About Intelligence for my Brothers and Sisters. Retrieved from
Ted Kooser
Source: Kooser, Ted. A Happy Birthday. Retrieved from
Billy Collins.
Source: Collins, Billy. Introduction to Poetry. Retrieved from
Elaine Sexton.
Source: Sexton, Elaine. Public Transportation. Retrieved from
In your response to question two, identify the two poems selected, and provide the consulted source links to both poems. List the titles and authors of the two poems you chose to analyze. Research the authors to learn a bit about their lives. Discuss them one at a time. Include the reading material and links to the poems in your response; incorporate APA formatting.
In your response, consider the following:
1. Was the poem difficult to understand?
2. How did you interpret it?
3. What do you think is the idea of the poem beyond the descriptions?
4. What does the biographical information add to an understanding of the poem?
