1.
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Travis Bogard has written “. . . the universality of pain makes pity and understanding and forgiveness the greatest of human needs.” Write an essay using his remark as your thesis statement.
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2.
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Some critics have argued that many of the quotations O’Neill used in the last act didn’t contribute very much to the play. Do you agree or disagree? Do you think the use of the quotations is effective?
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3.
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Argue in a well-written essay, that David Wilson’s, Markland Taylor’s, Margaret Spillane’s or Frank Rich’s appraisal of a certain performance of
Long Day’s Journey
is (or is not) fair and justified.
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4.
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State in an essay that
Long Day’s Journey
is or is not the right subject of tragedy. Cite appropriate lines from the play. Support your thesis statement by coming to valid conclusions based on personal study and class discussion.
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5.
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Write a description of each of the four characters in this play.
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6.
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Write an autobiographical dialogue between two or more people. Don’t have your characters talk like cardboard figures, but have them talk as they would in real life. The dialogue should deal with a life-like situation. The conversation may lead to a decision or action of some kind. Begin the dialogue with a description of the setting in which the dialogue takes place. Also, describe the characters involved and the relationship between them.
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7.
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Choose an artistic or practical object that is important to you because it makes you think of a certain person or experience. Describe the object vividly and write about the characteristics of the person or experience it reminds you of.
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8.
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Write an autobiographical play about something that happened to you or a member of your family. Begin with an opening situation and a description of the setting in which the action and conflict will take place. Tell what happened to start the conflict or problem. Describe briefly the characters and show the relationships between them. Decide whether the drama should be a tragedy, satire, T.V. movie, or stage drama. Use stage directions to show movement and facial gestures. How was the conflict resolved? Did anything happen after the conflict was resolved? Students may discuss their plays with the teacher and class.
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9.
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Write your autobiography after reading one of the following: Mary McCarthy’s
Memories of a Catholic Girlhood
, Richard Wright’s
Black Boy or Native Son
, Maya Angelon’s
I Know Why
. . . or
Heart of a Woman,
Alice Walker’s
In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens,
Lillian Hellman’s
Pentimento
or John Wideman’s
Brothers and Keepers
. Include family history, happiest moments, saddest moments, turning points, major decisions, education, special interests, likes and dislikes, vacations, favorite personalities, future plans or aspirations. Include what you want out of life.
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