"The state of being barred from one's native
country": the dictionary definition
of 'exile'. While the dictionary defines it in a more practical sense, it is
better recognized as a "sadness that cannot be surmounted". Although
that is true it is also very commonly both alienating and enriching. In
literature, alienating and enriching is how it is most commonly portrayed: as a
terrible circumstance with a rather positively life changing outcome. In
Barbara Kingslover’s novel “The Poisonwood Bible”, Nathan Price moves his
entire family to The Congo in hopes of saving souls. Although Nathan’s
intentions were respectable, he manages to put his entire family’s lives on the
line and change their futures forever.
Being uprooted from the only home and life you have ever
known can have many consequences; some good, but others bad. Like any
experience being exiled has many benefits and positives in the long run, but as
for the rest, that’s simply a lesson. In regards to the Price family their
experience with being uprooted from their “home”. Rachael Price is the
character throughout the novel that we see the most change in. At the beginning
of the story she craves all of the things from home that she lacks in the
Congo, and this alienates her from the rest of her family and neighbors. She
denies herself that chance of assimilating as easily as the rest of her family
did, which in the long run alienates her from the rest of the community that
she’s living in.
As Rachael’s character develops she sees the light in her
present situation and changes entirely from the character that we once knew her
to be. She realizes that to not only survive, but to thrive in the Congo she
has to come to peace with their situation and take on some of the family
responsibility. As she starts to work to put food on the table for her family
she grows to respect the people of the Congo and decides to remain living in
Africa. She marries a man that she had met in Africa, and after he dies she
ends up running his family hotel.
At the beginning of Kingslover’s novel Rachael Price is an
alienated teen who longs to return to the only home that she has ever known. By
the end of the novel, she has developed into an assimilated American who has
made her home in the Congo. Through her struggles and triumph she discovers
what ‘home’ really means to her and decides not to return to America. Rachael Price
begins as an alienated teen being exiled to The Congo, and develops into an
enriched women who makes her home in Africa.
Overall, a well written piece. Your introduction was solid, containing all elements a textbook introduction should except for 'summary of my thesis sentence' - in my opinion. I enjoyed the start of your essay being with the actual definition of the word exile, that was good to give the reader. I think you picked good examples from the story, but I also think expanding on those examples would have made your essay stronger. The last note I had would be that you motioned the 'literary illuminance' in your introduction but it slipped through the cracks in the rest of your essay. I liked your character choice. Again, a solid piece.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good essay with only minor mistakes. The hook is a great piece but could be rewritten to make it look and sound more polished (the way it is makes it look really cluttered). The thesis, as a make-or-break, needs to be clearly stated. As the main point of the story, the thesis defines a great essay. Your thesis didn't mention the whole point of your essay: Rachel Price.
ReplyDeleteI like the the closing sentence that just sums up the entire essay. The opening paragraph was well thought out and it transitioned to what you were going to talk about. Your main point was clear and you reiterated that throughout the piece. I am not sure if you are suppose to use the word "you" in an essay but I might be wrong on that but for future use just use it sparingly (you only used it once I believe so no worries!). There was only little repetition but overall it was well constructed and executed with a clear idea in mind!
ReplyDeleteNice job Taylor. You addressed the prompt thoughtfully. You did a good job of puling evidence from the book and connecting it with your ideas. If anything try to elaborate and develop on your ideas more. try to answer how or why she developed into the character she was in the end.
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job answering the prompt in its entirety. I liked that you pulled direct evidence from the book to support your main ideas. I think you can still use a little more evidence to give your essay a little more strength. Overall, you did a really good job.
ReplyDelete