Thursday, February 6, 2014

today's essay prompts


[NOTE: None of these prompts explicitly ask you to cite literary terms/techniques.  However, the terms you've been studying are the lingua franca of literary criticism, the language in which you are now expected to write, so please illustrate/support your points accordingly.]

PROMPT 1
American literary critic Harry Levin once described comedy as, “Responding to the conditions of tragedy by laughing in the darkness.”  Do you think this accurately characterizes Joseph Heller’s tone and/or use of humor in Catch-22?  Please respond in a well organized, articulate essay that includes textual examples and does not merely summarize the plot.

PROMPT 2
How does the opening of Tale of Two Cities reflect the conflict/s in the novel and Dickens’ attitude toward the characters, the story, and the audience for whom he wrote?  Please respond in a well organized, articulate essay that includes textual examples and does not merely summarize the plot.

PROMPT 3
In Great Expectations, Pip perceives lessons and even future versions of himself in the adult characters he meets.  How does this dynamic influence his development, and why is it an important feature of a bildungsroman?  What (if anything) does it suggest about Dickens’ perspective on growing up?  Please respond in a well organized, articulate essay that includes textual examples and does not merely summarize the plot.

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