Who needs Cliffs?

Cliffs notes are over-rated.  Who needs them when all of you start plying your critical reading skills to the text at hand?  So here we go . . .
What is the key, central passage in Frankenstein that works to reveal the theme of the work, or a central tenet, or a major understanding of character?  While you needn't quote the entire passage, refer to it specifically, along with the page number, and include some commentary on why you believe this passage to be so significant and indispensible to the work.

Do you remember when . . . ?

Endgame is both a dark, sordid tragedy and a witty, ironic parody of life itself; as such, it has a little something for everyone. I hope that – at the least – some parts of this story spoke to you directly. Considering this, what are some of your favorite quotes or passages from the text? Why do these excerpts resonate with you?

The tension is KILLING me!

Any worthwhile story has a source of tension that propels the characters, and usually a central protagonist who must confront the problem and overcome obstacles en route to a discovery of self or other. Endgame is a classic drama – but one which avoids some of the trappings and traditions of pre-twentieth-century literature. What is the tension at play in this work? Who is the “hero” and what is his journey and discovery?

"Did it hurt much when you fell from Heaven?"

As we compare Hero and Claudio's relationship with Benedick and Beatrice's, it may be too easy to draw the commentary that "young love is prone to failure" while "an older, mature love is grounded and real."  This may be true, and certainly something Shakespeare frequently hints at; but what else is he saying about love and relationships in MAAN? What makes for an enduring love? Is marriage the seat of contentment?  Should husbands fear their wives? Is friendship more important than love?

Who's on first? What's on second?

Where does Language and typical human behavior fail us in Much Ado? Note a specific scene or two where the characters fail to understand each other.  What is the cause or result of this misunderstanding?  With these examples in mind, what is Shakespeare noting about human nature and the facility of language?

The James Dean of his day

Shakespeare was a rebel, a mover and shaker, and an instigator who enjoyed turning convention on its ear.  With this in mind, what typical conventions does he introduce and fiddle with in Much Ado?  Consider stock characters, social rank and status, gender roles, marriage, love, cultural fears and taboos, and even the comic structure itself.

Contrasts to NOTE . . .

What contrasting images and ideas (or elements, including character) do you see at work in Much Ado?  And because we can't possibly leave our understanding at the doorstep of mere observation, What SIGNIFICANCE do these contrasting images serve?