English 334: Paper #3 topics

Spring 2003: Due April 12 by 5 pm., under my office door (2035 Wescoe) or e-mail/drop-off by arrangement.

Please see the paper topics for paper #2 for more possibilities; you are encouraged to come up with your own paper topic, but feel free to use or modify one of the topics I have suggested either on the last topics sheet or below.  All papers should give evidence of close reading of the text being discussed.  Those doing the long paper in particular should remember to FOCUS.  Outside readings should be cited in a bibliography page. "Alternative" assignments should be cleared with me before they are turned in.

Length:  6-8 pages OR, if you did not do a second paper, 12-16 pages

Topics

  1. Does the final chapter of Ulysses provide closure for the text? How?
  2. In what ways are ghosts important?
  3. Is Joyce providing a critique of language in Ulysses or Finnegans Wake?  What kinds of relationships does language facilitate?
  4. Open Finnegans Wake to any page. Try to find meaning in that page. Then discuss the strategies you used to find meaning.