Pride and Prejudice Test (Part 2: Essay)

Pride and Prejudice Test (Part 2: Essay)

You will have a choice in essay topics for your test on the novel. Your writing should include both well-crafted and varied sentences demonstrating a precise, flexible, and creative use of language. Be sure to incorporate grammatical and stylistic options that provide sentence variety, fluency, and flow. Length is somewhat important, but creativity, word choice, voice, and content need to be thoroughly developed to receive an A.

You may choose one of the following topics:

Option #1: Write a series of diary entries for Jane, Lydia, or Elizabeth. Use the tone and voice of the character. You can make the entries after the story finishes or throughout the novel. You can have 1 or 2 long entries or 3 or more shorter entries. Think about the events, the characters and the reactions. What would she think about these things? What would she put in her a diary (usually it is the deepest and truest inner-most feelings). Please be accurate to the novel and reflect the language as best as can be expected. Make the entries plausible and realistic. Think about word choice and tone.

Option #2: On page 258, we see a letter from Elizabeth to her aunt (Mrs. Gardiner) and we see a letter from Mr. Bennet to Mr. Collins. It states that Mr. Darcy sent a letter to Lady Catherine, but no letter is shown in the novel. You will write the letter to Lady Catherine using Darcy’s tone, voice, and word choice (no current slang – but does not have to reflect the exact language of the time). Be detailed; use information from the novel in the letter to show how Mr. Darcy really feels about Lady Catherine’s words and actions.

Option #3: Write a feminist criticism of the novel. Some things to keep in mind:

·  How are women portrayed in the novel? Are they portrayed the same way? If not, what makes the difference?

·  What are the power dynamics between men and women?

·  How self-aware are the female characters? How do they deal with their role in society?

·  What messages was Austen giving the reader in regard to the role of women in society?

You will be graded on the 6 traits of writing: (Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, and Conventions.)

Requirements: You may change the font (ex: with the letter or diary entries, you may want something that looks more like handwriting, but you don’t have to do this). The font should be 12 point font (TNR is preferred), double spaced, and using MLA format. You will have some time to work on this in class. This should be 1 ½ - 3 pages. (It MUST be at least 1 ½ pages). You may choose to conduct research in order to enhance your essay, but keep in mind that any references you consult must be credited in a Works Cited page.

You may also be creative and stick them in a “journal”, or do other things to make the entries seem creative and more realistic.

Due Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015