Academic Writing 2

One of the most important elements of a story's "anatomy" is the psychological component -- what makes the character(s) "tick." In other words. what do their thoughts and actions tell you about a particular character's inner make-up? In any given situation, two characters --or five or ten -- would think and act differently according to their psychology. As a story develops, characters go through what is called an "arc." A character sees him/herself and the world-- - their view of reality -- one way at the story's beginning and, in response to the events in the story, experience changes in how they see reality----and themselves—-by story's end. In so many stories, the main characters go through their own arcs in accordance with their own individual make-up, this revealed to the reader by how they react to their situation and the type of society in which they live. With the above in mind, read the attached story, "Truth and Consequences," by Brendan Gill. and write an essay (aim for at least five paragraphs) discussing the arc that Charlie goes through from the beginning of the story to the end. How does the way he sees and thinks about himself and his world his sense of reality, his relationship with his mother, his views on entering the priesthood, his thoughts and feelings about the girl who speaks to him, etc.—change as the story evolves. To do this most effectively---- you will need to read the story more than once, perhaps more than twice; that is up to you. Pay close attention to ALL the elements in the stors: set-up (the world of the story), conflict (must vs. can't). struggle to resolve the conflict, outcome and. finally, the story's theme—its meaning. the statement about people and life the author wants to make to you the reader. Exactly how has Charlie changed from the first sentence of the story to the last and what does this tell vou about him and how he views reality at the end in contrast to the beginning? What realizations about himself and perhaps his mother and their relationship differ from how he saw reality before his conversation with the girl? Will he look at his mother and how he has always related to her in a way he hasn't done before? Make sure to be specific in how you answer these questions and refer specifically to the stork's text to support your answers. A question you might consider is what will Charlie do next with his life? What might be his situation, say a year from story's end? Remember there is no right or wrong answer here. Above all, do not just make statements; you need to explain them. Due date is 8/25