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INTRO
good intro sentence **

1. ”People who read imagine the lives of others. Literature makes other people more real to us. It invites us to notice differences but, even more so, points towards commonality…”

2. In spite of differences in appearances, environments, and cultures, humans seek to understand the significance of life, and in doing so, question the presence of a creator and realize the necessity for strong, sustainable relationships.

3. Literature provides an opportunity to explore relationships with minimal biases and consider the role they play in either providing individuals with support and purpose or diminishing the quality of one’s life.

4. Often in literature, relationships are hindered by human faults and destructive tendencies, sparking the reader’s questioning of a common paradox that humans both need strong connections and can be the largest hindrance to the formation and sustainment of these connections.

5. Thesis: Examining the pursuit for meaning that Frankenstein’s monster endeavored upon and the broken relationships of Tess and Angel in Tess of the D’urbervilles and Larry and  Ginny in A Thousand Acres reveals the extensive role that prejudices rooted in human sensibilities play in corrupting relationships. Further analysis of these characters’ experiences reveals the common human necessity to form meaningful relationships, as a lack thereof prevents the true attainment of meaning, leading to destructive (personal and others) actions.

body 1: monster/frankenstein

1.  Topic sentence: Victor’s monster in Frankenstein understands the human condition directly as a result of his unbiased exposure to literature and demonstrates how human prejudice and superficial judgements create barriers that prevent the formation of strong relationships necessary for happiness.

1. Quote 1: reading page 91-93 & realization he is alone

2. begins imagining lives of others & they become real to him —> completely absorbs information because he had no prior predisposition or knowledge in general about human condition —> notices his differences: doesn't look like them, doesn't live like them, doesn't have a relationship with god like they do, doesn’t speak like them —> EVEN MORE SO = commonality —> he shares one essential thing w/humans: the desire for relationships and the fundamental necessity for meaning found in the relationships

1. quote 2: desire for a relationship pg. 94 -> shows his commonality and the goodness of his heart; prejudice pg.95

2. he shares one essential thing w/humans: the desire for relationships and the fundamental necessity for meaning found in the relationships —> he cant have relationships bc of prejudice —> bc he has no prejudice or predisposition (no family, no society) he clarifies the essential human need for strong connections with others and realizes that he shares this

IV. Blind man 96 -> demonstrates the capacity for kindness towards the monster without the disruption of human senses & prejudice

V.  Pg. 104// quote on human senses and judgements

a. he vows to hate mankind -> shows how prejudice leads to distrust of fellow man and the destruction of relationships (des. actions)

b. Reveals the goodness of the monster

c. no relationship w/his creator; he is completely alone; creates the environment for him to observe the essential human need to have relationships

body 2: how prejudice ruined relationship

Topic: The abusive relationship between Ginny and her father Larry Cook, maintained by societal discriminatory standards, leads to the ultimate lack of fulfillment for not only Larry, but also for Ginny, who lacks the ability form strong relationships as a result Larry’s initial neglect and abuse. Thus, the lack of relationships and subsequent harms experienced by Larry and Ginny suggest the importance of strong, respectful relationships in the development of self-efficacy.

1. no intimate relationship between ginny and Larry // 19 and 20

2. shows the desire to understand another & form relationships

3. alcoholism

1. societal prejudices favor the destruction of relationships - relationship between parent and child; denounces Ginny and Rose as “whores,” and he “curses” them for their ingratitude (Smiley 183); in midst of this prejudice, he rapes his daughters & ruins any relationship between them as they become submissive

2. Larry loses his wife -> abuses his daughters based on societal “permission” 188-> societal prejudices encourage abusive relationships like that of Larry and ginny/rose 302-> ginny struggles to form relationships and find fulfillment with a husband (262)

III. Mutually, Larry is destroyed by his lack of relationships

gives his farm -> forced to confront reality that he lacks any meaningful, loving relationships making his life essentially devoid of meaning because he now lost the superficial validation of land and money he held a replacement for loving relationships-> spirals out of control as a result of this realization (spending excess money, DUI -142, confronts his daughters and destroys their relationships further w anger) ->  ginny has no relationship w her father

IV. ginny lacks the ability to find fulfillment w ty or jess as a result of her father (278)

A. 143, 262 ginny’s relationship w ty leaves her completely isolated —> in this feeling of loneliness, she begins an affair with jess (destructive actions)

B. Eventually divorces ty

body 3: Tess’ search of fulfillment thru relationship w angel & how society corrupted that

Topic: As Tess searches to establish a relationship with God, societal judgements push her away from Christianity and leave her searching for fulfillment in human relationships. However, the relationship between Tess and Angel, though pure and seemingly perfect in nature, faces turmoil in midst of societal judgement towards “immorality” of women that distorts the perception of meaning found in the lives of Tess and Angel.

1. Tess is pushed away from the church; quotes = 63, 67

A. shows the need for a relationship as she has little familial connection; turns to a higher power, feels isolated -> searches to replace this hole left by broken relationships

II. love (in nature) creates an intimate relationship that brings security to Tess and angel; only ok in nature though

A. Quote of their love in nature: 119

** note: harmful results = 116

B. 117 -> relationship would be okay in nature // society creates boundaries -> results in “killing joy” (prejudice and relationships)

C. Same idea! Good good quote 153

D. pg. 188 -> angel discovers tess’ secret after confessing his love (120) prejudice destroys relationships — Pg. 287 -> Tess is undeserving of judgement

Conclusion:

literature: various relationships and allows us to examine various consequences of broken relationships

same conclusion = humans can only thrive when their relational needs are met -> love leads to ultimate fulfillment -> lack of love creates destruction

human senses & prejudices distort the understanding of other humans and create barriers to the ability to form deep relationships // paradox

Intrinsic human nature - still relevant today - literature creates connection to each and every one of us & allows us to grow closer to different characters and realize our need for meaningful relationships!

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How does this desire to understand the significance of life cause them to act/do? How does our search for identity destroy others?

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How does this desire to understand the significance of life cause them to act/do? How does our search for identity destroy others?

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- internal struggle-> characters find ways to cope

Tess: relationship w/angel

Larry: alcohol + control

Bernard: experiences w/soma

destroying others
Larry: rape, alcoholism
tess: hurts angel; kills Alec
Bernard:

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Examining the pursuit for meaning that Frankenstein’s monster endeavored upon and the broken relationships of Tess and Angel in Tess of the D’urbervilles and Larry and  Ginny in A Thousand Acres reveals the extensive role that prejudices rooted in human sensibilities play in corrupting relationships. Further analysis of these characters’ experiences reveals the common human necessity to form meaningful relationships, as a lack thereof prevents the true attainment of meaning, leading to destructive (personal and others) actions.

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1. a thousand acres
2. Tess
3. frank