Past Grade 10 Long Composition Prompts



Past Grade 10 Long Composition Prompts

❑ [after the opening paragraph from a Flannery O’Connor short story] In many literary works, the opening paragraphs provide clues for what is yet to come. Read the above paragraph for such clues. Based on these clues, write an essay that explains what comes next in the story. In developing your essay, you might want to consider the purpose of the first sentence, imagery, word choice, point of view, mood, setting, and characters. { Grade 10, 1998}

❑ In literature, as in life, things are not always as they appear to be. Identify a work of literature that you have read in or out of class in which this is true. Select one event, scene, or episode from this work of literature and explain in an essay what the situation appears to be and what the situation really is. {Grade 10, 1999}

❑ Often in works of literature, there are characters—other than the main character—whose presence in the work is essential. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character, other than the main character, who plays a key role. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain why this character is important. { Grade 10 2000 Main Prompt, April}

❑ Characters in literature make decisions that have consequences for themselves and others. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school select one character who made a decision. In a well-developed essay, explain the decision that character made and explain the consequences of that decision.

❑ A frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school select a character who struggles with society. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain why this character’s conflict with society is important. {Grade 10 2001 Main Prompt, April}

❑ Often in literature, one moment or event stands out. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school select an important moment or event. In a well-developed composition, identify the moment or event and explain why it is important. {Grade 10 2001 Make-Up Prompt, May}

❑ In literature as in life, courage is important. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who is courageous. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain how that character’s courage is important to the work of literature. {Grade 10 2001 Retest Prompt, December}

❑ In literature as in life, people struggle with principles or beliefs they hold. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who struggles with his or her own principles or beliefs. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain how that character’s inner struggle is important to the work of literature. { Grade 10 2002 Main Prompt, April}

❑ In literature, as in life, friendship is important. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a friendship between two or more characters. In a well-developed composition, identify the friendship between two or more characters and explain why it is important to the work of literature. {Grade 10 2002 Make-Up Prompt, May}

❑ In literature, as in life, conflict can be resolved in unexpected ways. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a conflict that was resolved in an unexpected way. In a well-developed composition, identify the conflict and explain why its unexpected resolution was important to the work of literature. {Grade 10 2002 Retest, Prompt, December}

❑ The protagonist is the main character in a work of literature who often changes in some important way by the end of the work. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a protagonist who changes in some important way by the end of the work. In a well-developed composition, identify the protagonist and explain why the protagonist changes by the end of the work. {Grade 10, Spring 2003}

❑ In literature as in life, people can make choices and must live with the consequences of these choices. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select one character who makes a choice. In a well-developed composition, identify the character’s choice and explain what happens as a result of this choice. {Grade 10, 2003 Make-Up Prompt}

❑ Often in a work of literature, a character is misunderstood by other characters. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who is misunderstood. In a well-developed composition, explain why the character is misunderstood and why this misunderstanding is important to the work of literature. {July 2003 Retest}

❑ Many works of literature deal with close relationships. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select one close relationship. In a well-developed composition, identify the characters involved in the relationship and explain how the relationship affects each of the characters. {November 2003 Retest}

❑ Often in literature, a character struggles against powerful forces or obstacles and these struggles have a significant effect on the character. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school,select a character who has to struggles against powerful forces or obstacles. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain how these struggles have a significant effect on the character. {March 2004 Retest}

❑ Heroism can mean different things to different people. Literature is full of characters that can be considered heroic. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character that, in your opinion, is heroic. In a well-developed composition, identify that character and explain why he or she is heroic. {Grade 10, Spring 2004}

❑ The difference between what one expects and what actually happens, or irony, is often an important part of literature. Select a work of literature you have read in or out of school in which there is a difference between what is expected and what actually happens. In a well-developed composition, explain the situation and tell why it is important to the work you have chosen. {Grade 10 Make-Up Prompt: 2004}

❑ Often in works of literature, characters have goals that motivate them. From a work of literature that you have read in or out of school, select a character who has a goal that motivates him or her. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, tell how the character’s goal motivates his or her actions, and show how the character’s attempts to reach the goal are important to the work of literature. { Grade 10, November Retest, 2004}

❑ In literature, characters often learn something important about honesty. From a work of literature that you have read in or out of school, select a character who has learned something important about honesty. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, tell what the character learns about honesty, and explain why that learning is important to the work of literature.

❑ Often in works of literature, characters experience conflicts with other characters, society, nature, or themselves. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who experiences a conflict. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe the conflict, and explain how the conflict is important to the work of literature.(March Retest, 2006)

❑ In literature, characters often demonstrate responsibility or a lack of responsibility. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who demonstrates responsibility or a lack of responsibility. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, show how the character demonstrates responsibility or a lack of responsibility, and explain how the character’s behavior affects the work of literature. (November Retest, 2005)

❑ Often in works of literature, a character takes an unpopular stand on an issue. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character that takes an unpopular stand on an issue. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe the unpopular stand the character takes, and explain why the character’s stand on the issue is important to the work of literature. (August Retest, 2006)

❑ Works of literature often feature characters with the ability to inspire or lead others. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character with the ability to inspire or lead others. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character inspires or leads others, and explain why this character’s ability is significant to the meaning of the work of literature. (Spring, 2006)

❑ Works of literature often feature characters that question the values of the societies in which they live. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who questions the values of the society in which he or she lives. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe what the character questions about society, and explain why the character’s questioning is important to the meaning of the work of literature. (Spring, 2006 Make-Up Prompt)

❑ Often in works of literature, a character faces a crisis that may be physical or moral. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who faces a physical or moral crisis. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and the crisis, describe how the character faces the crisis, and explain how the crisis relates to the work as a whole. (November Retest, 2006)

❑ Often in literature, characters face difficult problems and attempt to solve them. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who faces a difficult problem and attempts to solve it. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character attempts to solve the problem, and explain what the attempt to solve the problem reveals about the character. (August Retest, 2006)

❑ Works of literature often feature a character who learns or teaches something important. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, identify a character who learns or teaches something important. In a well-developed composition, describe what the character learns or teaches, and explain how that learning or teaching is important to the work of literature. (March Retest, 2007 )

❑ Works of literature often feature a character who overcomes hardship or misfortune. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who overcomes hardship or misfortune. In a well-developed composition, explain how the character overcomes adversity and why this success is important to the work of literature. (Spring, 2007)

❑ Often in works of literature, characters have a mixture of positive and negative traits. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who blends positive and negative traits. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character demonstrates both positive and negative traits, and explain how the character’s traits are important to the work of literature. (Make-Up Prompt, Spring 2007)

❑ Often in literature, a character has the power to influence others in good or bad ways. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, identify the character who influences others in good or bad ways, describe how the character influences others and explain how the character’s behavior is important to the work of literature. (November Retest, 2007)

❑ Works of literature often feature young characters who are in conflict with the adult world. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a young character who is in

Conflict with the adult world, describe that conflict, and in a well-developed composition, and explain how that conflict is important to the work of literature. (March Retest, 2008)

❑ In many works of literature, a character must adjust to life in a new environment. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who must adjust to a life in a new environment. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character adjusts to life in a new environment, and explain how the character’s adjustment relates to the work as a whole. (Spring, 2008)

❑ In many works of literature, a character goes on a journey that changes his or her life. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who goes on a journey that changes his or her life. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the journey changes the character’s life, and explain how the journey relates to the work as a whole. (Spring, 2008 Make up prompt)

❑ In many works of literature, a character rebels against a role that others expect him or her to play. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who rebels against a role others expect him or her to play. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character rebels against others’ expectations, and explain how the character’s rebellion relates to the work as a whole. (November, 2008 Retest prompt)

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