Friday, December 12, 2014

Possible Essay Prompts

Enjoy!


1.     Compare the treatment of the migrant “Okies” in the novel to the treatment of modern immigrant workers. What can modern readers learn from the similarities and the differences of these situations?

2.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is anti-religious.

3.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is a patriotic novel.

4.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that The Grapes of Wrath is a pessimistic novel.

5.     In this novel, “bad things happen to good people.” What, specifically, causes bad things to happen to good people? What can good people do about it?

6.     Consider how Steinbeck’s writing style is a reaction to, rejection of, or embracement of each of the following styles of American Literature: The Age of Faith, The Age of Reason, Romanticism, Gothic Literature, Transcendentalism, Realism, and Naturalism. (This question requires you to prepare for seven different questions.)

7.     How would Steinbeck define justice? Point to three examples of justice or injustice to support your answer. Does his definition agree with or contradict with yours?

8.     Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim that Casy becomes a “better” man after he renounces his faith. Be certain to define what “better” means.

9.     Defend, qualify, or challenge the claim that one of the following is the purpose of Steinbeck’s novel:

a.     Steinbeck wants the reader to understand that to succeed in life, as people, and as a country everyone needs to work together and help one another equally.
b.     Steinbeck wants us to stop letting money keep us from living as if all people are part of one big soul.
c.     Steinbeck’s purpose is to show that bad things happen to good people and there isn’t anything you can do about it.
d.     Steinbeck’s purpose is to illustrate that men aren’t the problem: the things they build are.
e.     Steinbeck wants to prove that the greatest aspect of mankind is that we are willing to suffer and even die to further an idea or concept.

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