1. Choose one repeated symbol or theme and trace its development throughout SGGK. Where does it appear? What is its significance in the story? Sample topics include colors (red, green, white, gold); seasons; Christian rites (prayer, church services); armor and weapons; hunting; holidays; castles; saints; games; laughter; plants or animals; gifts.
2. The poet chooses a pentangle as Gawain’s personal emblem. If you had to choose a symbol for Gawain, or for any other character in the story, what would it be? How would you choose such a symbol, or symbols? Just as the poet does, explain how the symbol you chose relates to the character’s qualities.
3. Rewrite SGGK by transplanting it into a modern setting. Think about how the medieval setting affects the audience’s perception of the story. If Gawain could not be a knight, what position would he hold? Would the moral problems faced by the characters be the same? How would relationships between the characters change in the modern world?
