“Anna’s struggle to find a sense of identity is the real triumph of the novel.” Discuss
Geraldine Brooks’ “Year of Wonders,” is a novel depicting the destruction and degradation of the town of Eaym, through both a brutal disease and a disarray of judgement. Ms Brooks Interesting. I've never heard someone use a gender title in an essay. It sounds nice, though. If it doesn't remain consistent through the essay however, you should get rid of it. portrays the story and themes through Anna’s eyes, a maiden and servant of Mr Mompellion. The most aggressive of these themes would be change, represented through Anna’s desire and perception of an elusive identity. She, and characters around her, experience her growth from a meek and demure servant, to a character possessing true strength and motivation.
Nice introduction. Writing is good. The structure of this intro is quite contrary to what I use through what I've been taught/what I've read etc. I hesitate to correct the structure because your writing is good enough, so perhaps this is just the way you're taught strictly. I'm not so arrogant as to say that my way is better than your way, but would you like me to outline my way? Perhaps you are hiding some confusion behind eloquent writing.
Anna is first described in this novel as a woman experienced in difficult times, whose character has been morphed from soft to hard, accepting to questioning, and obedient to defiant.The writing is nice but due to the nature of your introduction and the nature of this topic sentence, I still don't know 100% what you will be discussing this paragraph. This is the aim of your topic sentence; to encompass your argument. You haven't given me an argument here, rather a recap of how Anna is described. She first speaks of how she “…used to love this season” and “…used to love to walking in the apple orchard at this time of year,” dictating that her strength of character at one stage eluded herHm? Interesting interpretation. I wouldn't take loving the season/orchard as a sign of weakness... Rather the memories have been tainted by the plague (and the symbolism of it the apples hold). I think you'd need to justify/explain it further if you wanted to call it weakness. Another option would be to take this evidence and say how the mystery hints at a conflict of identity and the theme therein. . When initially speaking with her master, Mr Mompellion for exampledon't say for example. Work it into your essay with more sophistication, Anna was in awe and amazement of the man who she described as “… a compassionate and caring leader,” and was more than happy to undertake in any action he desired without defiance.At the moment it seems like you're story telling but I'm assuming you're going to juxtapose evidence and then analyse Furthermore, when addressing the rector’s gaze, Anna would often fall short in fear, once again reiterating her demureness. However, later that year, and after a significant amount of work with Elinor Mompellion, Anna gains a level of confidence unbeknownst to her previous self. She no longer finds conversing with her rector frightful, but rather enjoyable and interesting. During discussion, there are stages when they speak at a level of almost unrivalled equality, and Anna’s confidence even compels her to speak out against Mr Mompellions stern words to Jane Martin. Still story tellingThis is the first time she recognises her change of character, exclaiming she “… could scarce believe she had spoken so.” Another example yucky. This just demonstrates you want to throw evidence at the examiner.affirming her change would be her final farewell to the rector. Anna slowly “raised her hand to him,” indicative of her new bravery in possessing the strength to address her former master so unceremoniously.In this paragraph you essentially give an outline of how once upon a time, Anna was submissive, but now she is dominant. It neglects the second half of the prompt. You don't much discuss how this is the triumph of the novel at all. You've just taken "sense of identity" and written about how Anna has strengthened through the novel, there's not really any nitty gritty analysis here. (I always found it difficult with character prompts)
Another modification within Anna is her reappraisal of religion This TS reinforces the idea that you haven't fully addressed the prompt. You're discussing how her modifications are a triumph of the novel, now just her modifications. Being the rector’s servant, she finds herself compelled to live on the ‘path of God,’ but finds it challenging following the ordeals she encounters during the devastation of EnglandYou should probably mention the plague at some point lol. She is in disbelief at whether the earth is “in the soil beneath us,” or “in His (God’s)nooopppppe. Never bracket like this. The capital H is plenty. Only use parenthesis > [these]< if you want to substitute a word to better embed it. word.” This denotes Anna’s love of nature, and resembles a new pragmatic view upon her previously mysterious world, further allowing her to pursue in essential activities surrounding her dwellings. This is particularly prominent in the acquisition of herbs and plant-matter with Elinor, in order to protect the citizens of Eyam to their best ability. Anna ceases to accept ‘God’s judgement,’ but rather attempts to take matters within her own boundaries. She becomes more involved in the translation and interpretation of knowledge and information. Examples of this are prevalent in her decoding of the late Gowdies’ books with Elinor. Anna’s change to a more scientific and technical lifestyle enables her to undertake in tasks that would be seen as excessive for others. She is able to assist in the birthing of young Kate Talbot’s son, and is still in a position to assist in the collection of valuable ores for the young orphaned Quaker, Merry Wickford. This translates directly to a rich experience in life, and acts as the foundation of her identity.
I still found this lacking in analysis and not fully addressing the prompt. I think disagreeing with it would've allowed a better scope of discussion.
Likened to her attitude toward Mr Mompellion in her metamorphosis, so too does Anteros play an admirable part in denoting itI needed to read this three times. Probably a sign that you should change something around.. When, for exampleget rid of it., Anna first interacts with Anteros, she is quite timid but compassionate. She offers him an apple, and briefly apologises for his inhumane conditions. Anteros then dismisses her from the stables with a violent gesture, and we are left to acknowledge a resigned Anna.Retelling. However, only weeks later, and with a far greater level of confidence, she unleashes Anteros and rides him out of town, bareback and “barely decent.” This link with Mompellion’s horse expresses the shift in power within Anna’s internal hierarchical conception. Mr Mompellion is no longer considered a master, but rather a being at a level of equality. Whenever Anna is with Anteros, she displays some sense of courage, mostly prominent in language used during the mounting and departure of Eyam.You should google the meaning of Anteros' name. That'd give you some pretty solid analysis. As Anna rides off, the beating of her heart and hoofs of Anteros scream “We live, we live, we live… I am alive,” also representative of her dismissal of the “shackles” oppressing her free spirit. Moreover, Anna could be likened to the growth of the sapling from the previously concrete road, with the town’s degradation symbolic of the walnut shell, and Anna the growth and hope, expelled from within.That last sentence was irrelevant to the rest of your paragaph/had nothing to do with your topic sentence and seems like a 'throwaway' line.
The altercation Anna undergoes in “Year of Wonders” is both exceptional and extraordinary. Her ability to overcome doubtful scenarios is unparalleled to any other character. Moreover, her relationships within her tale, with both God, and Michael Mompellion, undergo an extensive reappraisal that uncovers her true sense of character and identity. As she transforms through the novel, she gains a sense of confidence, compelling her to leave the city of Eyam and pursue a new life beyond the rector’s servant. This forms the foundation of her identity, and is the most exhilarating obstacle overcame.
You've quite nice writing (as can be seen by the lack of corrections)... However I just straight up don't think this has fully addressed the prompt. I think it lacks analysis. To rectorfy (okay that was terrible I'm so sorry) both of these things, I'd discuss the messages Brooks is trying to convey through Anna's metamorphosis and how having this as the real triumph of the novel serves to endorse/reinforce the messages Brooks is sending through Anna. Fixes both of your problems because a) you'll be discussing the author (which conspicuously wasn't done in your essay) and this will keep your analysis on track because you'll be using 'why' and 'how' automatically instead of just 'what'. Annnnd b) because you can't really go off track of the prompt when you're literally discussing why Brooks has made the prompt so. This is a pretty big call for me to make so I'm going to message VivaT and just give him the chance to disagree just in case I'm fucking you up. I'm entirely happy to be wrong. It'll look pretty funny if he disagrees.