1971. The significance of a title such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is so easy to discover. However, in other works (for example, Measure for Measure) the full significance of the title becomes apparent to the reader only gradually. Choose two works and show how the significance of their respective titles is developed through the authors' use of devices such as contrast, repetition, allusion, and point of view.
Ellen Hopkins is probably one of my favorite authors. She writes her books in free verse poetry, making reading them go by much quicker, and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats (figuratively). Sarah Dessen was an author I looked to for a cushion during my early teenage years, as she basically creates chick flicks and puts them down to paper. Hopkins' Impulse and Dessen's Along For the Ride are two examples of books with titles that aren't too obvious as to what the book is about.
Impulse centers around three teens, Connor, Vanessa, and Tony. The three of them are in Aspen Springs, a rehabilitation center, for their specific addictions/problems. Vanessa is bi polar, and is addicted to self harming. Connor comes from a rich family, that is, rich in money, but dirt poor when it comes to family love and respect. Out of the lack of attention given to Connor by his parents, Connor seeks out a sexual relationship with the house maid, and then later with one of his teachers. Tony came to Aspen Springs after an overdose on pills, a result of his previously having been sexually abused by one of his loose mother's boyfriends, and then having killed him.
Sarah Dessen's novel, Along For the Ride, begins when a girl named Auden isn't sure what to do with herself the summer after her graduation from high school, after she's been accepted to a university, and settles on living with her father, his new wife and their baby. Unsure at first, Auden finds herself becoming close to her stepmother and half-sister, and after meeting a boy around her age, Eli, starts spending every night out with him.
The titles of these books don't exactly give away their plots, so it's more up to the reader to look to the story and the techniques and tones the author uses to pick up why the titles were chosen. Impulse becomes understanding and apparent while watching the struggle of the teens in rehab to try to force themselves out of their old habits - Vanessa wants to cut, Connor wants to seduce his therapist, Tony is battling his suicidal thoughts. The book is told in first person narrative, so the theme of acting on impulse is pounded into the reader's head over and over, by being able to read and feel the thoughts of each character throughout their struggle. Auden's story, while the theme is much less apparent because of the lack of intensity and drama, the "along for the ride" comes in with the fact that while growing up, Auden never learned how to ride a bike, and so Eli takes her out every night teaching her, while they do simple, carefree things like grocery shopping and talking in diner tables. She's along for the ride. Having been reluctant at first about living with her father, with Eli's help Auden lets go of her worries about taking care of everyone in her family, and has a new chance at a childhood.
At the beginning of the essay you used the word my and I think we're supposed to avoid using 1st person. I like how you introduced both authors and the book, but I think you should have done less summary and more explaining/analysis. I think you should have used some specific images or examples to prove your reasoning as to why the book is titled what it is. You used vague, big picture ideas instead of giving examples, like maybe a quote or an experience from Dessen's book that shows Auden going along for the ride. To get more specific about each novel maybe break up your last paragraph into two, one for Impulse, and the other to Along for the Ride. I also think you should add a conclusion paragraph to pull your whole essay together.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you introduced both authors of the books and gave some short descriptions of their work. I thought that was helpful as I had never heard of either of the books. One quick think I want to question is why did you put the word "figuratively" in sentence parenthesis? I thought it added some comedic value but I don't think it will score you any extra points with the AP readers. I just thought it was rather unnecessary because it is a commonly used expression to say that something keeps you on the edge of your seat. I commend you for tackling such a difficult prompt. It is difficult to fit all of the information they are asking for in an essay within the rime constraints of the exam. As a result of this I think (like Neha said) that you spent too much of your time summarizing. Your analysis of the paper really only begins in the final paragraph. As your essay is an analysis of these two books the majority of your writing should be analysis of them pertaining to the prompt. I think it would be more appropriate to write a paragraph for the introduction of your stories and authors,a thesis paragraph,a paragraph for the analysis of each book (with a bare-bones summary included in each along with analysis), and a final paragraph to wrap up your thoughts and make conclusisons. Additionally you had occassional run on sentences such as, "Auden's story, while the theme is much less apparent because of the lack of intensity and drama, the 'along for the ride' comes in with the fact that while growing up, Auden never learned how to ride a bike, and so Eli takes her out every night teaching her, while they do simple, carefree things like grocery shopping and talking in diner tables". This sentence has too much going on and therefore you ideas become muddied and confusing. I think it would be better to make your sentences a bit more concise so the point gets across easier.
ReplyDeleteLauren, as Danny said this seems like a very difficult prompt to choose. They are asking for two different works and claims and evidence for both of them. That being said, I also think that you did too much summarizing. I haven't read either of these books, and I feel like that's all I really read about in this essay (what they are about) I think that you could have pulled a lot more out from each of them if you just chose a couple examples to really bring out the inner meaning of the titles. I feel like you addressed them both, but you only said a sentence about each of them. If you just added a few more examples this would be really good though!
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