Please write an essay (of between 900-1000 words) on one of the following topics.
- A major feature of the novel genre is character development. One way an author can develop a character is by counterpointing the protagonist with another character in the text. This other character could pose as a “double”, showing similar features to the protagonist, or a “foil”, his or her opposite. Either way, by considering the protagonist in terms of his or her counterpoint, you are able to develop a better understanding of the protagonist and the parallels included in the text. How does the novel depict the relationship between these characters and why? What does it reveal?
- Both The Handmaid’s Tale and Frankenstein include framing devices. The Handmaid’s Tale includes the Historical Notes, Frankenstein includes letters, and both novels include epigraphs. Examine the function of one or more of these framing devices and explain how they change or influence your interpretation of the main story. What is the purpose or significance of these elements, and how do they draw attention to our own acts of interpretation?
- Choose a key passage from either The Handmaid’s Tale or Frankenstein (a single paragraph or 5-6 sentences). Explicate the passage and explain its importance to the novel as a whole. Pick a crucial moment in the plot, or a passage that reveals a key theme. Although you will focus on the key passage, you will need to make reference to other parts of the novel.
- Examine the chronology of the narrative in The Handmaid’s Tale or Frankenstein. In what order are we told the story and how does it influence how we interpret particular characters or events? How do flashbacks, gaps in time, fragments, or contradictions influence how we interpret the story or draw our attention to the act of interpretation or story-telling? What is the purpose or importance of these elements?
- Consider the point of view of the narrator and how it influences the way we receive and interpret the story and characters in The Handmaid’s Tale or Frankenstein. How does the novel use these particular points of view to reveal important themes or critiques? How does the point of view change the way we interpret the narrator and/or other characters? In what ways does the point of view expose the effect of perception on interpretation?
Essay should be in MLA format. Please use The handmaid’s Tale (seal) & Frenkenstein (seal) as references.
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