Essay Topic Proposal
You will write an analytical essay on The Pickup, on a topic of your own design, of 800 - 1200 words. You may do a comparison with our previous novel, a close reading of an important section, and so on. Choose a topic that interests you and that you can confidently write about.
In preparation for this essay, post a brief proposal. Include:
- a general description of your topic, with either a thesis statement, or a set of essential questions surrounding this topic.
- at least five page number references that you might use in your essay.
Sign in before posting so that I can give you individual feedback on your topic. First drafts will be due Nov. 8, with final drafts due Nov. 16.
posted by Randy Barnett @ 12:37 PM
10 Comments:
I will be writing my essay exploring the issues and difficulties Julie has faced as well as the adjustments she has made in coping with and embarking upon this journey or adventure in Ibrahim’s world. In my essay I will prove the meaning of Julie’s desire to separate herself from her family and enter into a new world far different from her old, privileged one. The page numbers on which I will be taking some of my quotes include pages 115, 122, 124, 131, and 136 to start off.
My essay will focus on the roles of both Julie and Abdu in the novel and how they change over time. It will also discuss how and why these roles are the way they are and what this revelas about their character. My quotes will range throughout the novel, but there will be some on pages : 43,7, 90, 123, 223
I want to compare and contrast Ibrahim and Julie's perspectives and world outlooks. I will consider their backgrounds, goals, motivations, and influences. I'll referrence pages 219, 223, 231, 238, 210-214, as well as some of the earlier decriptions of The Table and Julie's family.
In my essay I will explore Julie and Ibrahim's search for self and belonging. I will investigate Julie and Imbrahim's individual feelings about living in South Africa and the Middle East. Some ideas that are related to this are Julie's connection with the water and the desert, Ibrahim's shame of his homeland, and Ibrahim's idea of Julie's ongoing "adventures."
Page #'s: 268, 45, 25, 26, 123, 172
(I don't understand how to post a comment on someone else's page so this will just have to do for now... I have commented on Falyn, Logan and Colin's ideas...)
FALYN:
I think Falyn’s idea is a really good one. I think it’ll be interesting to see her perspective on Julie’s reflection of people in the real world. If she wanted maybe she could explore what Julie’s intentions are as she tries to escape her parent’s control. Is it solely the need of freedom or is it her own desire for extra attention? What other actions does she take in the book that may suggest she could be distancing herself from her family other reasons than just purely the idea of disowning something she is not proud of? In other words, is she only trying to make a statement about her thoughts and feelings surrounding the materialistic lifestyle of her native people, or is she attempting to do something more which may reflect upon her inner insecurities of not being noticed enough, not standing out when she is simply another member of the “EL AY” café.
LOGAN:
Logan’s idea is a really good one and there is a lot in the book that would allow him to prove whatever thesis he comes up with. It will be interesting to see what views he comes up with in terms of what roles these characters play and how or what this reveals about their characters. I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast the original characters to the mind-altered characters. I mean it would be interesting to explore who Julie was at the beginning, what she stood for, where she was from, what kind of person she was and what role she played, same for Abdu. And then go into what kind of character she was at the end, what she represented to herself, to Abdu, to her LA Café family and how her mindset had changed, for better or for worse if at all.
COLIN
Colin’s idea is very clever and there is much to talk about. In each of the examples of the affect of landscape on a character if you wanted to elaborate, you could also shine light on those characters who led them to notice the landscape, or who opened their minds to things beyond the materialistic world, meaning Gemmy and Abdu. You could talk about how they were influential on the girls Janet and Julie and what roles they played as the girls continued their journeys of exploration in these worlds which were new to them.
comments:
jazzy:
I like your idea, because sex is definently a major theme in the novel. Try to look at what each characters feels/thinks about while havin sex, and how sex fulfills different needs in both characters lives.
colin:
Good call on using both books. I think the similarities are important, and your paper could adress the deeper connections that the course is about. Definently try to include the majority opinions about the lands in both books. And how the characters gradually see more and more details of the lands.
kimothy(kim?):
I like how you want to analyze the characters' game. Could you include the notion of Julie's adventures? I think you could, because Ibrahim sees her as wanting adventures, playing games.
Logan - social roles are awesome, we study them in B&B, How do the roles change when the characters are in different environments? Does the presence of a certain character make an obvious change in someones role? Are you going to be specific by going into family roles and roles withing the relationship, or are you going to look at their roles within society? I think both are excellent options!
Colin - I think writing about the desert is a good idea because depending on whose perspective you are looking at, the desert can be full of life (as it was depicted in the movie, but not realized by the main characters) or it could be desolate and barren. Is Julie's fascination with the desert a result of her narrow perspective on it?
Emily - for your new idea - Is there a certain tone that is always present when these lines come up? What kind of scene is it, or what do all of these moments have in common when these lines are written? Also, what could this say about Gordimer's style?
Colin -
props to you for cpmparing the two books, I think you aare the only one. I really like your idea, and never thought about the connection. Is the desert a place that Ellen McIvor can get lost in (mentally - not face reality) like Julie? - just something to think about.
Jazz -
I think its really interesting. I think you should pick a specific aspect of sex and explain the relevance, make your thesis very specific (we already kinda talked about this).
Samus -
It sounds very interesting but make sure not to generalize to much, the experience of one is not the experience of all.
Falyn: I think that Julie definately shows the need to rebel against her parents, but I think that as she progresses, her personal change becomes less about rebellioin and more about what is actually right for her. I would try to incorporate that aspect into your essay too.
Jazzy: I think this is a really good topic cuz sex is definately a HUGE factor in thier relationship. However, i dunno what you are considering a traditional loving relationship that you are going to compare it too. But i like the topic. good job.
Kim: I think your topic is really interesting and is definately true that a lot of thier mutual attraction comes from the mysterious quality the other person has, especially in the Julie-Abdu direction. I dunno if they ever become completely dependant on each other though cuz in the end they go their seperate ways. But i think you could do a lot with this topic.
ok.... a refined proposal since my last one seems to be too broad (although i don't know if anyone still reads this).... I want to look at the importance of name in the book. The reader does not learn Ibrahim's name until halfway through the book, and it is only at the moment he comes home. I think that this reveals alot on the roles that Julie and Ibrahim have in their relationship. In South Africa, Julie is the dominant one, setting the tone and Ibrahim has to follow her. At that point in the novel, he has no name to call his own. However, when they move to Ibrahim's home country, he comes into himself and his name is revealed, whereas she becomes simply "the white girl" to the rest of the family. This illustrates how the roles are reversed. In this second country, she has become the outsider, and though it is not out of government obligation, her name has been lost just as Ibrahim's was before.
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