Cumulative Essay- Book List and Prompt



Many characters begin their literary journeys sheltered/distanced from the bleak, cruel, and often brutal realities of the world around them; however many encounter an event- a life experience of some sort- that served as their entrance into maturity. Write about one such time where the veil was stripped away, and analyze how it impacted the development of the character and the meaning of the work as a whole.




You may want to use the following artistic references:




East of Eden




The Grapes of Wrath




The Tortilla Curtain




All the Light We Cannot See




Avatar: The Last Airbender




The Pillars of the Earth




The Book Thief




Meditations- Marcus Aurelius




Dark Poet- Antonin Artaud




Green Book




Whiplash




Saving Private Ryan







Piano Concerto No.2- Rachmaninoff




Ante El Escorial- Lecuona




Transcendental Etudes- No. 9, 11, 12- Liszt




Ballade No.2 in G minor- Chopin




Reverie- Debussy

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 1, 2020 at 9:11 AM

    I LOVE your prompt!! It is very specific and will guide a deeper analysis of a character's shift in perspective within their current world/situation. I also think you have a excellent selection of literature for your book list, and I especially love how you included a few pieces of music as well. Ausgezeichnet!

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  2. AnonymousApril 1, 2020 at 1:38 PM

    I like how your prompt is universally applicable, since this "entrance into maturity" is really the key to almost any fictional story (the Hero's Journey). I also like how you leave open the possibilities to arrive at an enlightened understanding of the world through the perspective of the novel's characters- will they view it as bleak and cruel, or will their maturity guide them to a more optimistic mindset?

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  3. DeliaApril 2, 2020 at 8:45 AM

    What a fantastic prompt to approach the idea of the cumulative essay- mirroring the transition from high school through the maturation of characters. I'm also fascinated by your choice to use music as a "text"- especially music without lyrics. Great prompt, and I can't wait to see where you end up going with it.

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  4. kleclaireApril 2, 2020 at 9:58 AM

    Beautifully phrased prompt with a thoughtful focus on disillusionment. I'm excited to see how this opens up the wonderful texts on your list!

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