practice essay

Here is the essay topic for the weekend:

Something happens in your environment.  It might be a sound just outside the field of your peripheral vision, it might be be an action that inspires or outrages you, or it might be an outright crisis or opportunity.  Adopt the persona of any character from either the "Allegory" or "No Exit" and explain how this character would respond to the event and why.  Explain how the response reflects the characterization, theme, tone, and general philosophy of the author (Plato or Sartre) who created the character.  Compare this analysis with the work you didn't choose (for example, if you choose Estella from "No Exit," explain her response in these terms and then compare with a slave from the cave in Plato's "Allegory).

Helpful hints: (1) Start with a pre-write to organize your thoughts; (2) Include enough about the literary techniques to support your argument without hijacking your entire thesis; (3) Feel free to collaborate-- this exercise is practice/study/review for next week's essay final.