Lullaby / Ring Final Exam Essay Topics
Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, Lullaby (2002), and Koji Suzuki’s novel, Ring (1991), have a striking number of similarities: Both plots begin with a mysterious series of deaths that an investigative reporter begins to explore because of a death in his family, and each reporter’s investigations ultimately reveal the existence of a magical murder weapon that can be used to kill vast numbers of people without any apparent cause of death. Whenever two texts have an unusual number of similarities like this, they provide readers with an opportunity to analyze the subtle differences that exist between them in terms of theme and technique and to construct an argument about the overall significance of these differences. For this essay, you can choose ONE of the following TWO TOPICS in constructing your argument.
1) One subtle set of differences that arises through careful analysis of these two novels relates to the moral merits and shortcomings of the different characters. Each novel contains a murder weapon that can be used with impunity, and people approach and employ this murder weapon with moral standards that differ greatly. Some characters commit murder unintentionally, some do it out of carelessness and some do it with calculated intent. Some characters also have back stories that allow readers to sympathize with their cruel behavior.
If you choose this topic, you should assess how each author uses techniques such as characterization, internal conflict, external conflict, foil and flashback to create characters who are innocent, malevolent or something in between. Your essay should analyze at least TWO main characters from EACH of the two novels in separate body paragraphs (four characters body paragraphs minimum), and the topic sentence of each paragraph should indicate the techniques each author uses to create complex characters whose life stories, motivations, statements and actions provide readers with the opportunity to formulate complex moral evaluations. In your introduction, you should make sure to provide a statement of the moral standard you will be using in your essay to evaluate the comparative moral qualities of the different characters you analyze. Conclude your introduction with a thesis statement that assesses each author’s preferred techniques and underlying moral message.
2) Another subtle set of differences that arises through careful analysis of these two novels relates to the techniques that each author uses to create suspense, curiosity, sympathy, fascination, terror and horror (terror plus disgust) in their readers. These two mystery writers employ techniques of character development (dynamic, static, minor and foil characterization, internal and external conflict, exposition of back story, etc.), techniques of plot (conflict, complication, climax, resolution, etc.) and other formal techniques (different time settings, etc.) to make their novels more mysterious and to sustain the interest of their readers.
If you choose this topic, you should assess how each author uses techniques to create the different kinds of reader reactions I have just outlined. You should organize your discussion of EACH text in terms of at least TWO body paragraphs (four body paragraphs minimum), and the topic sentences of each paragraph should indicate BOTH the different literary techniques AND the reader responses (curiosity, sympathy, fascination, terror, horror, etc.) that the body paragraph will analyze. Conclude your introduction with a thesis statement that assesses the differences between these two mystery writers in terms of the techniques they employ and the reader responses they evoke.