PART II. ONE ESSAY, 50 points each.
Answer one of the following question complexes by constructing ONE essay. The essay should include a thesis statement and consistent references to course texts.

Using quotes and references to both texts, compare what Oliver Sacks and E.M. Forster say or show in “The Machine Stops.” Has humanity become too reliant on machines? What does the literature show about the consequences of over reliance and misuses of technology? What happens when the machine stops and how does this relate to America and the world today?

Analyze the imagery of black and white in course readings. How is the imagery of dark or light embodied in symbols like fire, knowledge, and/or the bright or dark future of humanity?

How do specific colors, such as white, black, blue, or purple symbolize ideas of tragedy or hope, purity or impurities? How do any or the course texts ( poems, stories and/or essays) invert fixed stereotypes or cultural associations of light and dark?

Using references and quotes from the course texts, discuss what the readings show about the state of humanity? What diverse perspectives or aspects of being human do the readings explore and how? Why are a range of different memories, identities, and observations important for humanity?

Extra -Credit: What does Oliver Sacks mean by “Humean Casualities” as a threat to history and the future of humanity?