Reference no: EM133042208
Essay Prompts:
• The eighteenth-century British novelist Laurence Sterne wrote, "No body, but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man's mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time."
From a novel or play you've read over the last two years, choose a character (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by competing desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict within one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid plot summary.
• In An Enemy of the People, Henrik Ibsen explores a conflict between the integrity of the individual and the will of society. Dr. Stockmann observes, "...remember now, everybody. You are fighting for the truth, and that's why you're alone. And that makes you strong--we're the strongest people in the world...And the strong must learn to be lonely."
The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. From a novel or play you've read over the last two years, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Avoid plot summary.
• Critic Roland Barthes has said, "Literature is the question minus the answer."
From a novel or play you've read over the last two years, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author's treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid plot summary.
• The concept of a "tragic hero" originates with Aristotle. He observes, that "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." A difference between tragedy and comedy, one might argue, is that in tragedy the hero succumbs to the flaw, while in comedy, the hero overcomes the flaw.
From a novel or play you've read over the last two years, select an important character who is a hero. In a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the hero's flaw and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Avoid plot summary.
General Advice:
• Your essay should be approximately 1000 words.
• Remember to write in the present tense.
• One simple way to structure your essay is as follows:
? Introduction
» Explain the essay prompt
» Provide a thesis
» Avoid an overly general opening sentence like, "Shakespeare is one of the most celebrated authors in the English language."
? Supporting evidence
» You need to provide a least two convincing arguments in support of your thesis.
» Each argument should have its own textual support. That is, quote the text.
• You should almost never begin or end a paragraph with a quote.
• Whenever you use a quote, you need to start off by providing context (who said the quote and what were the circumstances).
• After a quote, you need to explain what the quote means and how it relates to your topic. That is, you need to unpack the quote. You need to analyze the quote. You need to look at how the syntax and diction within the quote informs its meaning.
? Devil's advocate
» If you've argued that Oedipus' incestuous relationship with his mother represents an overthrow of Athenian morals, now is your opportunity to present the alternative argument. E.g. If Oedipus didn't know that he was married to his mother, how can one argue that his incestuous relationship is an act of social rebellion?
» You then need to explain why such a plausible argument is specious.
? Conclusion
» Restate your thesis
» Summarize your supporting arguments
» What are implications beyond your introduction?
• Remember that you can always hash out your ideas with me. Come by my office after school, and I'll be happy to help you plan your essay.
• As always, I'm happy to give you an extension if you're swamped, but please don't wait until the night before your essay is due to ask for an extension. Plan ahead.