One of a series of volumes containing units on specific themes designed for use in college freshman English courses, this particular volume considers people and their responsibilities, through the use of recordings, cartoons, satire, modern and ancient drama, modern fiction, and contemporary essays. The sequence is divided into four sections. Section 1, "Humor and Satire," juxtaposes ancient and modern satires written in formal and informal styles in order to provide the student with an awareness of satire as an effective vehicle for protesting the evils of society. Section 2, "Lanugage and Speech--Drama," emphasizes the spoken word through an examination of two plays and of Greek mythology. Section 3, "Lanugage and Speech--Fiction," stresses the use of drama techniques for analyzing fiction. Section 4, "Ideas and Their Expression," investigates philosophies and themes concerning civil disobedience, and draws attention to written styles and effective devices. (LL)