In 1963 Walter Kerr wrote in The Decline of
Pleasure, "one of the first great adult dreams of the twentieth century
was the dream of leisure. . . .
The twentieth century has not only realized, within reason, its dream of
leisure time but has also supplied the riches with
which to fill it." End of story? Recently Juliet B. Schor's book,
'The Unexpected Decline of Leisure, asserts that there is no time for fun
or humane endeavor in our technological age. Even that bastion of leisure time, Saturday night, may be
endangered as the distinction between worktime and playtime blurs. Susan
Orlean writes, "Murray Melbin, a sociologist at Boston University, recently
wrote that we have run out of land to colonize, so we are now colonizing
nighttime, operating businesses twenty-four hours a day, and setting up
services to obviate the importance of time. Many people work from their
homes via computer work stations and modem hookups and don't have work
schedules. . . . Some people see this as liberation. Other people--I'm
inclined to include myself in this camp--think it sounds awful. Maybe it
would eliminate the problems of getting to work on time, but that's only
because it means you're at work all the time."
Even defining leisure time is a problem, especially defining by example. Some people spend their leisure communing with nature while others "work" at their backhands. Some relax by spending money thus creating the necessity for more work. The Arizona Republic of April 5, 1992, reports one man so stressed by work he takes up gardening and a vow of silence six months a year.
The materials provided for this exam focus
on different views about leisure. Read the articles, discuss them, and
draw your own conclusions. In addition,
the following activities may help you develop your thinking on this topic:
1. Freewrite for five or ten minutes about
how much or how little leisure you have and how you spend it. Brainstorm with others about uses of leisure time.
Is leisure best spent actively or passively? Is one person's work anotherlb
leisure? Is leisure desirable? Necessary?
2. Talk to people of different ages and
lifestyles. Do they have more or less leisure than they used to? Than they
think they should? Are non-working hours fragmented by too many shoulds?
3. Work in small groups to define the
"commodification of leisure" and to list three possible causes and effects.
These could be economic, social, and philosophic.
4. In a journal entry analyze this statement
by Agnes Kepplier and reflect on its implications for contemporary society:
"It is in his pleasure that a man really
lives; it is from his leisure that he constructs the true fabric of self."
If you need additional information or want to read at greater depth about leisure, we have placed on reserve at the library the full text of articles excerpted here along with additional articles and books. Skimming materials may help you expand your interest and understanding of the topic. Look for current newspaper and magazine articles on leisure. Share what you find with members of your class.
In English 101 this semester, you thought and wrote about topics in at least four ways. You investigated the causes or effects leading to or following from certain actions. You grouped similar things into categories or divided a single thing into parts; you looked at similarities and differences between two things; and you advanced a thesis supported by examples and reasoning. You may have also defined terms, explained a process, described an object or situation, or argued a position. All these ways of thinking will help in preparing for this final exam.
In past exams, students who planned writing
strategies ahead of time did a better job on the final. You may wish
to brainstorm and prewrite to generate
material for your essay. You may bring into the exam one 3" x 511 file
card containing outlines, thesis statements, or notes. You may also bring this test packet, a dictionary, and a
thesaurus. Computerized sections of English 101 may write on computers.
During the final exam period, you will be assigned two of the following topics and then allowed to choose one of the two. Write a well-developed, multiple-paragraph essay which responds to the topic. Your response should reflect familiarity with the source materials in the packet. Make sure that your essay addresses the issue raised and follows the organizational pattern that is specified.
1. "No [one] who is in a hurry is quite
civilized." Interpret this statement by Will Durant and illustrate its
meaning by examples. (Thesis developed by example)
2. Analyze the causes OR effects of the
"commodification of leisure." (Thesis developed by causes or effects)
3. Explain the opposing views on the availability
of leisure time today. Your purpose is to reconcile the views or show the
superiority of one. (Thesis developed by comparison or contrast)
4. Classify attitudes toward the use of
leisure. (Thesis developed by classification)
Attached references:
"Americans' Leisure Time on the Rise" USA Today. December 1991.
Kinsley, Michael. "You Must Be Very Busy" Time. August 20, 1990: 82.
Keyes, Ralph "Do You Have the Time?" Parade. February 16, 1992: 22.
Crowder, William W. "Helping Students Use Leisure Time Effectively" The Social Studies. November, 1987:v 55,
#3.
Posner, Michael. "Whatever Happened to Spare Time?" World Press Review. September, 1991: 26-27.
Samuelson, Robert J. "Rediscovering the Rat Race" Newsweek. May 15, 1989: 57.