Choose one of the prompts below to write a 5-paragraph essay. Choose one of the following novels: The Fault
in Our Stars or The Lord of the Flies.
Prompt #1: In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions,
attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect
of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character’s relationship
to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Prompt #2: Novels and plays often depict characters caught between colliding cultures – national, regional,
ethic, religious, institutional. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Select a novel
or play in which a character responds to such a cultural collision. Then write a well-organized essay in which
you describe the character’s response & explain its relevance to the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot
summary.
Prompt #3: Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends & even family may betray a protagonist;
main characters may likewise be guilty of treachery or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that
includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal & show how it
contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
also incorporate two words from the following:
Fritter, Peckish, Vociferous, Paradox, Frolic, Bliss, Discern, Sanguine, Shrewd, Discombobulated, Insatiable,
Livid, Astute, and Insolent