read the poem “when i heard the learn’d astronomer” given in prompt c. in this poem, the speaker spurns “educated” discussion of nature, and seeks to discover the stars for himself, in isolation. select one other work from this unit where a character or speaker abandons or rejects society's rules or expectations in order to follow his own path. then, in a clear, well organized essay, analyze why that decision is made and evaluate whether it was ultimately a beneficial decision for the speaker/character. be sure to quote specific references to the texts you use.

Directions: in 2 - 3 paragraphs respond to mack's idea about the "interplay of life and literature" in lines 92 - 100 in " why read shakespeare". 1. explain what it means to say that finding meaning in shakespeare "is a sort of proving ground for finding beauty and meaning in life". provide reasons that support your claim. 2. explain which is more important - that literature teaches readers about life or that understanding life readers understand literature. identify examples from literature you have read. 3. summarize your view of the interplay between literature and your own lives, explaining whether you see a connection or not and why.