English 11, Spring 2015 The Things They Carried In-class Essay For the in-class essay, TWO of the following four prompts will be selected at random. You will have the class period (90 minutes) to compose a 4-5 paragraph literary analysis essay. The essay must follow standard essay expectations, including (but not limited to):  Funnel intro paragraph with the book title, author, basic background, and thesis statement  Appropriate topic sentences for each body paragraph  Quotes that are introduced, integrated, and properly cited  Thorough analysis of each quote that explains the content of the quote and how it supports the thesis  Concluding statements for each body paragraph  Conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and ends with a connection/”so what” PROMPTS 1. Explore the theme of change in The Things They Carried. Choose two characters to analyze and discuss how/why one changes for the better and one changes for the worse. 2. Tim O’Brien has stated that the novel is a “love story” rather than a war story. How does the novel demonstrate this? What forms of love are depicted in the novel? 3. What is the role of guilt/shame in the novel? Does it propel the soldiers to heroism or stupidity? 4. Explore the theme of ambiguity in The Things They Carried. Discuss examples of ambiguity in the stories and analyze how it impacts the narrative.