• Extra Credit LiteraryResponse and Analysis Essays

     

    Cite all sources.  See MLA Guide.

     

     

    Harry Potter

     

    And the Sorcerer'sStone (Philosopher's Stone)

     

    Harry Potter has many allusions to classic Greek literature/mythology.  Compare and contrast Harry's "adventure" going after the stone and Hercules's 12thlabor (Cerberus).  Analyze any significant differences or similarities. 

     

    Helpful websites: 

    www.hp-lexicon.org                        http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/cerberus.html

     

     

    and any of the 7 books
     
    Joseph Campbell, an American scholar, identified The Hero’s Journey - a pattern of narrative identified that appears in drama, storytelling, myth, religious ritual, and psychological development.  It describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of the group, tribe, or civilization.  Compare and contrast any of the 7 Harry Potter books with The Hero's Journey.  Analyze the how successfully Rowling uses this archetypal pattern.
     
    Helpful website:
     
     
    Hunger Games
    (Choose one)
     
    1.  Some of us are quite proud of our country and others often speak out against it.  In an essay, explain how Katniss feels about the country of Panem, why she need to make her face “an indifferent mask”, and why she needs to be careful what she says in public.
     
    2.  Relationships with other people often help create the person we are, or shed light on our personality.  In an essay, describe Katniss’s relationships with Gale, with Prim, and with her mother. How do those relationships define her personality?
     
    3.  Reality TV has been a part of the entertainment world since the early days of television (with shows such as Candid Camera and the Miss America Pageant), but in the 21st century there has been a tremendous growth of competitive shows and survival shows. Discuss this phenomenon with respect to The Hunger Games. What other aspects of our popular culture do you see reflected in this story?
     
    4.  In an essay, explain what you think is the cruelest part of the Hunger Games? What kind of people would devise this spectacle for the entertainment of their populace? Can you see parallels between these Games and the society that condones them, and other related events and cultures in the history of the world?
     
     
    The Crucible
     
    Write an essay answering the following question with support from the text:  What is ironic about the actions of the village during the witch hysteria considering that Puritans believed that children should be seen but not heard? 
     
     
    If you would like me to come up with a prompt for a particular book you've read, please come talk to me and I'll see what I can do. 
     
     
     
     
Last Modified on January 15, 2015