3. In many works of literature, there is a marked difference between who a character appears to be to the world and who they are in private. A character may maintain a facade to gain social status, hide a vulnerability, or deceive others, creating a tension between their public persona and their private self.
Either from your own reading or from the list below, choose a work of fiction in which a character demonstrates a significant disparity between their public appearance and their private reality. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how this tension contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation.
Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.
Alias Grace
All the King's Men
Americanah
Atonement
The Awakening
Beloved
The Blind Assassin
Cat's Eye
The Catcher in the Rye
Crime and Punishment
Death of a Salesman
A Doll's House
Emma
Frankenstein
The God of Small Things
Great Expectations
The Great Gatsby
Hamlet
The Handmaid's Tale
Heart of Darkness
The Importance of Being Earnest
Invisible Man
Jane Eyre
The Joy Luck Club
King Lear
Life of Pi
Little Fires Everywhere
Macbeth
Madame Bovary
Never Let Me Go
Othello
Passing
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Pride and Prejudice
The Remains of the Day
The Scarlet Letter
A Streetcar Named Desire
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Things Fall Apart
Wuthering Heights
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