Open Prompt Part One: 2004 Student Responses

2004 Prompt: Critic Roland Barthes has said, “Literature is the question minus the answer.” Choose a novel, or play, and, considering Barthes’ observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

N: This essay on the novel, Candide, is very persuasive on the topic of how the main character manages to raise  question, answer it, and not answer it at the same time. Much like the philosopher who wrote the novel in the first place, the author of this essay leaves the answer to the question open to interpretation. I mostly think that this is a good thing. Additionally, I got the feeling that the essay-writer had a list of words that they were going to use on their AP exam. Overall the author lacks originality and is generally repetitive.

J: While the writer makes understanding the novel easy for the reader, he may have dwelled on the plot more than needed, ultimately creating a defect in analysis. Well, to be quite honest, this essay is just like every other one. Too general (due to the lack of time), too vague (due to lack of physical materials during the thought processing), and poorly articulated (due to the fact that it was written by a high schooler). Needs work.

UU: too general not enough plot points. This author is incredibly vague with everything that he brings to the essay. The plot is hardly discussed, which disrupts the reader due to the fact that we are not expected to be familiar with any work that is being brought up in the essays. The theme statement is also vague, in that I have no idea what it actually is. Finally, the relation to answering the prompt is also incredible inadequate because it leaves the question too open. No novel goes without a purpose, and while contemplation is required upon finishing, the resolutions that the reader reaches should be alike in some ways. This essay was also way too short and failed to expand on idea properly.