Literature & Writing for Professionals Discussion 2

"A & P," by John Updike

"Brownies," by ZZ Packer

"This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona," by Sherman Alexie

"Battle Royal," by Ralph Ellison

Answer the following questions in one well-organized paragraph for each, using specific evidence from the text.

1. In "A & P," why does Sammy quit his job? Does he regret his decision? Why or why not?

2. When the narrator of "Brownies" says that she realizes "there was something mean in this world that I could not stop," what does she mean? Why do the incidents at camp remind her of the situation with her father and the Mennonites?

3. How will Victor and Thomas's relationship be different after their trip in "This Is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona"?

4. How do the references to the circus and the narrator's dreams of the circus and his grandfather relate to the battle royal itself and the narrator's place in it?