By now you've been exposed to a few examples of "Question #3," the open-ended prompt at the end of the free-response section of the A.P. Literature test. (For further examples, follow the link at the bottom.)
Please write your own original open-ended prompt that could be applied to a variety of works of literary merit. (Also, please include a title that you have in mind as a response to your prompt.)
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Yay! First Post!
Here's my prompt:
Often in literature there is a distinct image used as an extended metaphor throughout the work. Focusing on one novel, identify the extended metaphor and show how it relates to the message of the work as a whole or to the central characters and themes.
(the wording of that is probably weird, but i hope its understandable)
Possible Novels:
Catcher in the Rye (the ducks)
Green Gatsby (daisy as a symbol, the green light)
A Separate Peace (the tree)
... and so on.
Alright, this probably isn't the most creative prompts of all time, and I am basing this from last year's english class, but whatever, here it goes:
A lot of times in literature there is some kind of foil in the text. Choose a play or a novel and explain who or what is the foil and how the foil affects the text as a whole.
That's probably a bit too easy for a prompt, but everybody gives freebes once in a while right? ...And then there was Mr. Cianflone (now you see Mr. Cianflone that is a good one).
Possible Novels/Plays:
Othello (Iago)
Hamlet (Ophelia)
Sebby - not a bad prompt at all! In fact, it appeared a few years ago on the A.P. test!
Yeah--kudos, Sebby, I'm just going along with this idea on a whim.
Oftentimes in literature a setting is used not only as a place for the characters to stay but as a symbol for something. It doesn't have to be a whole country but perhaps the home, etc.
And I suppose the question would continue to ask the student to identify one work of literature and the setting and complete the circle by relating it back to the work as a whole..
Possible Novels:
Crime and Punishment (St. Petersburg=freedom vs Stale Air)
Hamlet Denmark as a symbol that something is "rotten" i.e. the corruption in Elsinore
Dubliners Ireland and the inability to escape it, or the extended references to England invading it.
Prompt:
Literature bridges the past and the present. How do the issues discussed in this work retain their relevance today? Why have they transcended time? What are contemporary examples of internal or external struggles or triumphs similar to those presented in the text?
Possible Works:
The Great Gatsby (pressure to be accepted by peers)
The Dubliners (devastating effects of poverty)
Frankenstein (how power transforms a man)
Lord of the Flies (corruption of society)
Walden Pond (truth in nature)
Think of one theme or common image that is used across many different types of writing. Come up with at least three different novels, plays, short stories, poems, etc… that have this common theme or image, and then explain how the author incorporates this theme/image into their work.
Theme is paralysis
Dubliners – novel
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock – poetry
The Yellow Wallpaper – short story
Prompt:
Color symbolism plays a large role in many artistic works. It may shed light on the author's central message, character develop, or the significance of the setting. Select a short story, play, novel, or other literary piece, and analyze the importance of color symbolism to the text.
Possible Works:
Hamlet (red/ white)
The Catcher in the Rye (green)
Their Eyes Were Watching God (green)
The Raven (black)
The Yellow Wallpaper (yellow)
righto
With some literature, it is almost impossible to fully comprehend the author's meaning without understanding the historical setting of the author's life and society.
well i dont really know if that sounds right but i dont care, you get the point.
possible (probable)works:
1984
a man for all seasons
brave new world
Um, I may be terrible at this one:
Literature presents us with characters that are changing ever so often. Analyze a character's journey within the story and his/her overall changes.
Possible novels:
The Great Gatsby
Candide
Oedipus
Many times in literature a character's external features exhibit his or her internal features, or background. Explain a work in which a main character's appearance or external actions says something about them as a person or their state of mind. or shows irony, saying something about the work as a whole.
Crime and punishment: raskolnikov and his external appearances during monologues
Frankenstein: the monster (ironic)
hamlet: hamlet
The protagonist has usually held the role of the hero in literature, even if some of his or her doings are less than appropriate. Describe "antiheroes" in literature and what makes them antiheroes.
Crime and Punishment:Raskolnikov because he killed the pawnbroker
Hamlet: Hamlet because he dreamed of killing Claudius
As I lay Dying: Darl because he set a barn on fire
1884: Winston because he broke a bunch of Oceania laws
Okay, prompt-
Often times, in literature, there is an underlying meaning to the story. These meanings are often representative of mankind and not easy to identify. They are intended to change the character(s) in the novel and, in some cases, the reader as well. Choose a novel that has an overall, underlying meaning and identify how it changed the character(s) and possibly yourself.
Possible Novels:
Crime and Punishment (Sinning)
Great Gatsby (Wealth vs. happiness)
Anthem (Society)
Prompt:
The works that writers create tend to reflect how they see the world or their own life stories. Using the biographies above describe how the authors intertwine their own life on the pages they write.
Possible Works:
Shelley with Frankenstein
Fitzgerald with The Great Gatsby
Thoreau
Prompt:
Sometimes in literature, an inanimate object can affect the lives of the characters by drastically swaying their paths of life. Choose an example of a story where an object or objects are an important element of a story and explain how it affects the character(s) of the novel.
(I know its weird but hey I gave it a shot)
Possible Novels:
Othello- hankerchief
Gatsby- green light
Crime & Punishment- cross
Prompt:
Literature is often considered great when it is timeless. Think of a novel that can be considered timeless based on how it connects to the contemporary world.
Novels:
Frankenstein-cloning, stem cell research, "playing God"
1984-surveillance, totalitarianism, governmental power
Lord of the Flies-the numbing of morality, especially in children(due to media violence)
Romeo and Juliet- as long as there is love, there will be obsticles to it
My prompt:
Sometimes authors write satrical pieces in order to reform flaws in society. In a well written essay find the flaw or flaws that the author wishes to be fixed, the arguements of why it is wrong, and the author's suggestion of how it should be changed. Also, analyze the literary devices the author uses to convey his/her message.
Huck Finn (slavery/predujice)
The Great Gatsby (corruption of society by money and greed)
Catcher in the Rye (loss of innocence)
All authors have his or her own technique when it comes to writing. Compare and contrast the writing techniques and style of two novels and their authors.
Possible novels:
Great Expectations vs. Crime and Punishment
Lord of the Flies vs. Candide
Many times in literature there are outside pressures brought on by society or others that can affect an indivdual. Identify one play or novel which describes a character's response to pressure and how it affects their actions.
Possible Novels:
Hamlet (pressure to revenge his father's death)
Crime and Punishment (pressure to be a "Napolean")
A work of literature often embodies a certain mood, theme, or rhythm throughout its whole. Think of a song, and compare it's rhythm, meaning, and mood to a work of literature of your choice. Explain your reasoning.
The song "Dirty Little Secrets" by All American Rejects for The Great Gatsby
The song "Crime and Punishment" by Godley & Creme for the novel Crime and Punishment
The song "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down for Hamlet
I'm not sure of this one, but...
Prompt:
In literature, authors tend to accompany a main plot with a series of other, smaller, conflicts in the story that tend to connect back to the original plot. Pick one novel, and explain why the author chooses to elaborate his central theme with more than one focus, how each smaller "plot" connects to the central one, and how he/she suceeds in getting the theme across by doing so.
Possible Works:
-Crime and Punishment
-The Scarlet Letter
Prompt:
Typically, a work of fiction is written in one of varying forms of "point of view." For instance, first person or omniscient narrative. Choose a piece of literature that is composed in a distinct point of view. Identify the point of view utilized and analyze how the author's choice contributes and relates to the overall message of the work as a whole or prevalent themes and characters. Responses should focus on how the point of view coincides with the author's message, not mere summation of the novel.
Possible Works:
Crime and Punishment (Raskolnikov's duality/madness shown in omniscient perspective)
Huckleberry Finn
(the narrative view of Huckleberry Finn and his limited scope and analysis toward humanity)
Prompt:
Many of literature’s greatest characters have what critics call a 'tragic flaw' that leads their inevitable demise. Pick one character and analyze their tragic flaw and how that contributed to their demise.
Possible characters:
Hamlet, Raskolnikov
Another Prompt:
How does the sub-plot of the novel emphasize the theme or message of the main plot? Also discuss why the author chooses to include this sub-plot and why the story could not exist without it.
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Crime and Punishment
Harry Potter
To Kill a Mockingbird
Great Expectations
Another prompt by me:
In a work of literature, the role of a family or lack of a family can influence the primary characters. Discuss a work of literature in which the presence of a family member or the omission of a family member influences the protagonist or antagonist.
Possible Works:
Catcher in the Rye (Phoebe)
Dubliners (lack of parents in any of the stories)
Hamlet (role of Gertrude, Claudius, etc)
Prompt:
In many important pieces of literature, controversial topics and ideas are often brought up, challenging our common preconceptions and our stale, unchanging ideas and philosophies.
Possible Works:
Brave New World
1984
Crime and Punishment
Prompt:
Often in literature, the time period during which a work is created influences it and provides a broader context. Discuss one piece of work in which the time period in which it was written influences the elements (plot, characters, themes, etc) of that work. How does the time in which it was written contribute to the meaning of the work?
1. Crime & Punishment (Russia's place in the world and its society when it was written)
2. The Great Gatsby
This is a typical prompt:
Sometimes the significance of a title can be easy to discover. In other novels, the full significance of the title becomes apparent to the reader only gradually. Choose two works and show how the significance of their titles is developed through the authors' use of devices such as contrast, repetition, allusion, and point of view.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- easy to understand
Measure For Measure- harder to understand title
Another one:
Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.
Possible: HAMLET!
Almost always an author’s work of literature is influenced by their feelings on certain situation, so by reversing that determine an authors feelings on a topic based on characters actions, themes, setting, or even basic plot.
Possible Works
Crime and Punishment – need to confess
Frankenstein – creation, then fear of ones own creation
Any love story, best example Romeo and Juliet
I always read through everyone's stuff and KRISTEN! My favorite thing in yours is example: hamlet:hamlet. HA, that was humorous.
Anyway. My Question.
Literature itself has the potential and capacity to transcend death. We often study, analyze and debate works written by people who have been dead decades before our own birth. What is the signficance of death being "transcended" through literature? Elicit examples from texts where deceased and seemingly forgotten characters are the true subjects of the piece.
Examples:
Hamlet: The Ghost
Dubliners: Michael Fury
Crime & Punishment:The Pawn Broker & Lizaveta
Harry Potter 6: Dumbledore (just kidding, even though you could TOTALLY use it.)
Another prompt:
Often in literature, the author attempts to comment on a particular social class and its influence in society. Choose a work of literature and explain how the author uses a character or group of characters to comment on social hierarchies.
Examples:
Great Gatsby (Daisy, Gatsby)
Dubliners (after the race)
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