The Golden Age by Tahmima Anam, This isn't a traditional essay, it's four questions with specific word count responses.
1) What elements of femininity come through even when female characters are faced with a situation that forces them from their gendered roles? Name at least one example from the novel. (100 words)
2) Many of you have commented that the novel puts you “in someone else’s shoes” about what it is like to go through a war. What have you learned? Instead of speaking about specifics, what does Rehana’s or Maya’s experience teach us about the larger complex issues of humanness and war? For me, I think about the passage when Rehana is thinking about Sohail “A toothache is the sort of thing I used to worry about. Now I worry about your legs, your heart, your life” (109). Her thoughts make me think about how war changes all the little worries we have and creates a perspective about how dynamic life is. It changes so quickly. (100 words)
3) Flowers, material, food, smells…there are many elements in the novel that say more than the novel itself, or Rehana says. Choose one passage in the novel that includes something that helps express Rehana’s feelings. Make sure you provide a context for your passage, give just enough quoted material to make your point, and provide an explanation about HOW this helps us understand Rehana’s feelings or actions. Use MLA citation. (150 words)
4) "The Mommy Myth” takes a critical perspective of the construction of contemporary mothering. Social media, advertisements, television, and movies are all playing a part in constructing an unrealistic expectation of women—to be completely consumed and fulfilled by the role. With that in mind, choose one action/passage and provide a two-sided perspective about Rehana’s mothering. Make sure you provide a context for your passage, give just enough quoted material to make your point, and provide an explanation. Use MLA citation. (150 words)