Thematic Portion

The free response question basically leaves you with an open opportunity to discuss whichever book you feel like discussing (of course as long as you can explain it with having the essay question in mind.) It is regarded as the open ended question, now what ever book that you choose will have a central theme(s) that will be important and vital to your essay, you must incorporate how the theme relates to the essay question and reflect the book as a whole.

Lets take a look at some themes that can be found in works of literature and what books can be used for them:

Adherence to conventions (The Awakening, The importance of being Earnest)

Defiance of conventions (The Awakening, The importance of being Earnest, A Doll's House)

representation of ideal women (The Awakening, As you like it, A Doll's House)

oppression and manipulation (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)

manners and conventions (The importance of being Earnest, A doll's house, The Awakening)

the choice between passion and responsibility (A doll's house, The Awakening)

betrayal (Othello, Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, The metamorphosis)

alienation (The metamorphosis)

societal expectations (The metamorphosis, The awakening, A doll's House)

self determination (The Awakening, A doll's house, The metamorphosis)

Of course there are a lot more themes and books that can be used. However there are some very important parts that has to be payed attention to:

- Focus on themes, do not summarize the plot or forget the essay question.

- Relate the themes to the work as a whole

- Think like the author! Always think about the author's purpose, why he/she wrote what they wrote, why are the themes important to the work as a whole.