Success is in the preparation.
With the AP exam a little under two weeks away, it is time to pack in the review. Pick one of the works we have studied this year and write an AP style essay prompt. After writing the prompt, write the organic thesis and outline how you would attack this essay. Remember to keep the thesis organic and not three pronged or any variation. The works we have read are as follow:
Their Eyes Were Watching God
The Metamorphosis
A Glass Menagerie
Heart of Darkness
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Hamlet
Ethan Frome
A Doll House
Prompt: In the novel the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, critics argue either that Conrad was for the "white man's burden" and sympathsized with the Europeans or that he was against imperealism and convyed the horrors and tragedy of the African natives. Heart of Darkness is characterized by its intense vivid imagery throughout the book dipicting the mystery, dangers, and turmoil along the Congo River. Take a standpoint for one side of the arguement and anaylize Conrad's imagery and diction to present and prove your viewpoint on the arguement.
ReplyDeleteThesis: Although Conrad does describe the horrors that lurks in the heart of the Congo River, he describes the evil that lurks in the hearts of greedy and souless people more negatively. Through Conrad's imagery it is clear that he is scared of the dangers and affected by the menacing circumstances near the Congo River, but the images he gives of Kurtz and the abuses that the natives endure and suffer through have greater detail with subtle condesending tones of disapproval to further emphasize the heart of darkness that lurks in the heart of all humans.
Outline: * Mention how although Marlow, at first, though highly of Kurtz came to realize his ugliness of spirit and soul. (example when Marlow and the crew talk to Kurtz's "assistant" and how Kurtz has abused him and how the assistant describes the entrapment of the local tribes) Also how although Marlow might speak well of Kurtz, Conrad gives an undertone and description of his evils.
* Give examples of instances when the natives have been abused horribly - how extensive Conrad describes it and how it affect Marlow (one example is when Marlow sees the heads of the stakes)
* Show how Conrad desribes Kurtz for the first time and Marlow's horrific encounter
* How Conrad paints the faces of the natives to be lost, tragic, angry, defensive but helpless as to their situation
*How Conrad presents some good situations of the white men, along with the bad, while he never describes any good circumstances of the natives
In today’s often harsh and judgmental society, people find themselves excluded or isolated from the public for the smallest defects (social and physical). This theme of isolation/alienation is one that many authors use in their works because many people can relate to this feeling. Using Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, show the importance of the theme of alienation in the novella.
ReplyDeleteThesis: Judgment is an inevitable act that we all face at some point in ours lives, whether “given” or “received”. Almost anywhere we go, we can be sure that someone will judge the way we act or the way we look causing us to be insecure and therefore alienated from friends and even family. This theme of isolation can be shown through Gregor Samsa, the main character in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.
Body Paragraphs
A. Explain how Gregor is a traveling salesmen who provides for the family
B. Show how when he transforms, his family pulls away because he has become a hideous disgrace as he has let his family down.
C. At first his sister cares for him but even she eventually isolates herself from him just like his parents.
D. Gregor is trapped in his room and faces constant humiliation as his family tries to hide him from society. Gregor ultimately becomes a burden, so it is a blessing to the family when he dies.
Conclusion
A. Relate back to thesis and the society of today.
B. Tie it into aspects discussed in body paragraphs.
In many great works of literature a character in the story is torn between their duty and their responsibility. The theme often brings to light the complex relationships with other characters in the novel. Choose one character from a work of literature and show how their relationships with others illuminate the theme of duty vs. responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI chose The Glass Menagerie for this essay.
My thesis: Although Amanda, in some ways, wants Tom to be a surrogate husband she holds him responsible for supporting the family although she does not permit him the authority of a head of a household Tom's action, while being objectively similar to his father's, might not be identical morally.
Main ideas of my essay:
1) While Amanda insists that Tom's primary duty is to her and Laura, Tom resents this responsibility because it presents him with so few options
2) Tom also has a responsibility to himself, one he might say he exercises precisely by attempting to abandon his family
a) Yet, the responsibilities of a son are different from those of a father.
3)By the end of the play, however, we see that Tom is both irresponsible and a failure in attaining his goals
Prompt: (Their Eyes Were Watching God)
ReplyDeleteIndependence has been a common theme in many literary novels and novellas throughout history. Ironically, authors often use relationships as a way to stress the theme of independence in their literature. Choose a novel or novella in which this is the case, and discuss how a specific character’s relationships in the work contribute to the theme of independence.
Organic Thesis:
Throughout the novel, Janie is involved in three major relationships with men of different characters which add significant obstructions such as power and hatred to her never ending quest for independence. In the end, it is because of her trials, errors, and eventual success in her relationships in which she able to discover the greatest feeling of independence.
Outline:
A) Opening Paragraph
i) hook
ii) introduce novel
iii) thesis
B) First relationships
i) failures and confinement
ii) begins her quest for independence
iii) hatred
C) Success
i) Tea Cake
ii) respectful
iii) offers source of independence
iv) life after Tea Cake
D) Conclusion
i) tie back to thesis
ii) Universal message: relationships help Janie find independence
Prompt: Whether a tragedy, or a passionate romance, authors use the common theme of human struggles in their works. One of these human struggles is the internal conflict that the protaginist is faced with, which often times results in the protaginist being his or her own worst enemy. Pick one work of literature in which this the protaginist faces an internal conflict throughout the work, and provide textual evidence to support your conclusion.
ReplyDeleteOrganic thesis:
Through the novel Ethan Frome, the protaginist, Ethan, struggles to act between what he feels is his duty and what he desires. Ultimately Ethan knows that he must choose, but throught the novel the readers are taken through Ethan's journey to come to a conclusion.
Body Paragraphs:
I: Ethan's feeling of a duty to provide for his sick wife, Zena, whom he has keep his broken, unpleasent marriage in tact with, yet his constant longing to be with Maddie, the woman which he desires.
II: Ethan's desire to follow his heart and be with his true love Maddie, however he is unable to do so without carrying the guilt of leaving Zena with him.
Concluding Paragraph:
Ethan's ultimate decison and how his internal struggle never allows hom to feel truly happy. Ethan is caight in a "rock and a hard place"
@Lindsay- Good essay prompt and thesis. Maybe a little more organic however, I still liked it. I also like the plan for the essay including a great amount of textual evidence, details are always good!
ReplyDelete@Allison- Good organic thesis and I really liked how you tied together the universal message of isolation in with the theme in the novel!
@Emily- Good essay prompt overall. Also, nice specific thesis statement!
@Brooks- I like how you centered in on her "never ending quest for independence". Also, nice organized detailed outline!
@Alex- I liked how you focused on the inner struggles of Ethan and overall good job!
Prompt: In literature, women have been portrayed in many ways, ranging from the typical subservient housewife to the rebellious and revolutionary woman who has established herself as an equal to the male sex. Pick a novel, novella, or play and evaluate the portrayal of one of the female characters.
ReplyDeleteOrganic Thesis: In Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”, female protagonist, Nora, seems to epitomize the wonderfully subservient housewife with the perfect family, however beneath the surface is a woman in conflict over the societal expectations forced upon her, and her desire to break free from her confinement and become her own woman. She is therefore portrayed as both a typical woman of the time period and a fiercely independent woman way beyond her time.
Organization:
Intro Paragraph
-Beginning with hook
-Thesis statement
-Transitional sentence
First Body Paragraph
- Transitional sentence to begin
- Nora as the traditional perfect housewife
- Subservient and somewhat childish in nature
- Quote weaving throughout
- Concluding sentence to transition
Second Body Paragraph
- Transitional sentence to begin
- Nora begins to question her life and existence
- Wants to break free from Torvald
- Her subservient behavior has all been an act thus far, in order to keep Torvald from realizing the fact that she is questioning her treatment and status as a woman
- Nora’s decision to leave Torvald and the children to find her own way
- Stands up against the social stigma
Concluding Paragraph
- Transitional sentence
- Concluding remarks on the two sided portrayal of Nora’s character
- Closing remarks
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