First, review the items “Writing About Literature” and “General Directions for the Three Essays,” both in Module 1.
You have read, viewed, and studied John Guare’s play Six Degrees of Separation. Now, based on your knowledge of the characters, plot, and themes of the play, respond to one of the following prompts:
1. Write about privilege and the protagonist in Six Degrees of Separation.
Clarify what Ouisa’s conflict is? To what degree does it relay to economic or social privilege, to wealth, or to racism? She is a dynamic character (she changes): how is she different at the end from how we know her at the beginning. What brings about this change in her?
The questions in this prompt are designed to elicit ideas from you and to give you a sense of how to organize the essay. You certainly have poetic license to rearrange or enhance your reply to the question of how the playwright presents the protagonist. Be sure to support your observations with quoted evidence from the text, at least two.
2. Write about racism in Six Degrees of Separation. How does playwright John Guare present the issue in his play? What characters help depict the theme of racism in America, and how does it drive the play? Finally, conclude your essay with some brief commentary on the importance of race and racism to American literature, and how the play addresses it.
The questions in this prompt are designed to elicit ideas from you and to give you a sense of how to organize the essay. You certainly have poetic license to rearrange or enhance your reply to the question of how the playwright deals with racism. Be sure to support your observations with quoted evidence from the text, at least two.
3. Write about sexual orientation (or sexual identity) in Six Degrees of Separation. How does playwright John Guare present the idea in his play? What characters are confronted with sexual identity and/or homophobia, and how do we get a clear picture of this? Do you think Paul is really gay, or does pretending to be gay make him less threatening in some way to the Kittredges and their circle? Finally, conclude your essay with some brief commentary on the idea of sexual orientation and how the play addresses it in light of contemporary America.
The questions in this prompt are designed to elicit ideas from you and to give you a sense of how to organize the essay. You certainly have poetic license to rearrange or enhance your reply to the question of how the playwright deals with sexual identity. Be sure to support your observations with quoted evidence from the text, at least two.
Please Note: One of my goals for you through this assignment is that you read and view a play in my class and write an essay that demonstrates original thinking about that play. If it appears to me that you have not read or viewed the play and/or you have not written the essay yourself, I reserve the right to schedule a meeting with you–either in person or via Microsoft Teams–and give you an oral examination to determine whether you read or viewed the play and/or wrote the paper yourself. If you decline that meeting, or otherwise fail to attend that meeting, you will receive a grade of zero (0).
Minimum length 500 words. (Max., 1000.) In my vast experience, I can tell you that an essay of 510 words is less likely to be as good as one that is 750 words long.
Refer to “General Directions for Writing and Submitting Essays” (under Important Documents) for additional questions.
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