Student Handout What does the word sacrifice mean to you? What are the situations or occasions in life in which the word might be appropriately used? Sacrifice and Values Events (personal or current/historical) Abstract Ideas (justice, deception, dishonor, truth, etc.) Example: Sarah was ready to go to the university of her dreams in the fall. Her tuition was taken care of by scholarships and grants. In the summer, her mother was diagnosed with a serious but not life threatening illness. Despite her mother s protests, Sarah chose to stay at home and enroll in some classes at the local community college so that she would be able to help her mother through her illness. love devotion selflessness family Personal: Current/Historical:
Novels or Plays Novel or Play (author, historical context) Character (not necessarily protagonist) Sacrifice (for whom? for what?)
Prompt: It has been said that what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a character from a novel or play. Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that highlights that character s values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates the character s values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole. What do you have to know and be able to write about to fully address this prompt? The definition of sacrifice A thorough recall of characters, setting, plot events, and theme of a work
Meaning of the Work as a Whole In Question 3, there are multiple tasks defined by the prompt. At the end of the prompt, you are directed to connect the prompt s unique idea (a character s sacrifice) to the meaning of the work as a whole (theme). Thematic statements reflect how the work comments on or shows the human condition, the nature of society, or human nature in general. Write a thematic statement for each of the longer works you cited on the preceding chart. Novel or Play What are the possible abstract ideas? Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn injustice, loyalty, deception, friendship, innocence, cruelty, adolescence Select one abstract idea and write a complete sentence that includes WHAT the novel or play SAYS ABOUT that abstract idea. Example: Loyalty to a friend could lead one to defy expectations of an oppressive, unjust society in order to adhere to what one knows to be just and honorable.
Introductory Paragraphs Example: Loyalty to a friend could lead one to defy expectations of an oppressive, unjust society in order to adhere to what one knows to be just and honorable. In Mark Twain s 19 th century novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the young boy Huck sacrifices his belief in the rules and laws of Southern society and risks his own safety and freedom because of his friendship and commitment to Jim, a runaway slave. Notice in the example that the first sentence is a general thematic statement about an abstract idea, and that connects to the meaning of the work as a whole. The second sentence specifies one work and one character and one sacrifice. The rest of the essay will bring out evidence from the plot to support this introduction and thesis statement. Introductory Paragraph #1 Introductory Paragraph #2 Supporting Evidence for Body Paragraphs Novel or Play #1: List at least three events. Novel or Play #2: List at least three events.
Body Paragraphs In the body paragraphs of your essay, you must do more than merely write a summary of plot events. A good rule is always to include a reference to the abstract idea and the meaning of the work as a whole after describing or retelling a specific detail of the plot. Example: In the South, the expectation for a proper citizen would be to turn in a runaway slave. It is considered not only illegal but immoral to hide or offer refuge to a slave. Early in their trip down the Mississippi River, Huck struggles with guilt for his role in helping a slave escape, but, as Huck and Jim grow closer through their adventures on the river, Huck matures as a young man and gains respect for Jim as a man. Huck feels genuine remorse at the pain he causes Jim when he tricks Jim into thinking that their entire misadventure in the fog was only a bad dream. Though he had been taught that slaves were less than human, he apologizes to Jim and says that he never regretted doing so. Later, when confronted by armed men searching for runaway slaves, Huck deceives these men by saying that the man on the raft is his father who has smallpox. Again, this lie causes Huck much guilt because his action is totally contrary to what he has been taught is right. Huck sacrifices what he thinks are morals, those defined by a society that condones slavery, for his friendship and loyalty to Jim. Body Paragraphs from Student Samples From Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad After steaming up the Congo River, Marlow and his party come upon Kurtz s station and see horrors they could not imagine. Transformed from a bastion of civilization, the camp is now adorned with severed heads on pikes, showing Kurtz s newfound savagery and sacrifice of civilized values. The party
removes Kurtz, now in a decrepit state and wasting away, from his hut, and are confronted by a tribe of savages, who had attacked them previously on their journey upriver. The tribesmen seem to revere Kurtz not as a leader, but as a god, to the dismay of the rescue party. Kurtz has isolated himself so that he may control the tribe through fear, using them to add to his hoard of ivory. Corrupted by the influence of the jungle and having to sacrifice his societal values, Kurtz uses his tribe to wage war on others and has adopted a new creed dedicated to collecting riches and asserting dominance. From The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene The whiskey priest s commitment to his cause is the most evident reason that his safety is jeopardized. Even though the other priests all fled the congregation and denounced the church, he feels a need to continue to spread the Lord s word, even if doing so is a direct threat to his wellbeing. He travels from town to village performing baptisms, last rights, and reciting prayers, hoping to save as many people as he can. Despite his sacrifice and work, he generally subsists on drink and sleeps hidden away in sheds and barns. At one pint, he must communicate through Morse code to avoid capture. However, despite his constant hunger & tiredness, he persists. His dedication to his cause justifies, in his mind, his forfeit of health and safety. From Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy However, soon after she leaves her husband, Vronsky s passion begins to cool due to the severe social exclusion which occurs for both of them. The radical decision to abandon her children and forfeit her comfortable life leaves Anna with regret, especially when she must question whether her true love has died or whether it was ever love at all. Thus, this sacrifice not only demonstrates how strong-willed and independent Anna is, but also how emotionally unstable she could be. Especially with her pregnancy, she grows despondent and with no help or support from Vronsky, she kills herself in one last attempt at freedom and independence. This ultimately unfortunate ending to a story with themes of liberation and sacrifice reflects the idea that the pressures of society can be destructive to even the strongest people. REVISION ACTIVITY As directed by your instructor, read over the essay you wrote on Question 3 of the mock exam. Choose your best body paragraph. Then highlight your plot summary (evidence) in one color and your analysis or commentary in another. Using the space below, rewrite your paragraph, revising it to include ideas discussed.
What does an upper-half essay look like? Sacrifice is one of the pinnacle forms of exemplifying character. In William Shakespeare s famous play King Lear, King Lear s daughter Cordelia sacrifices her potential wealth and power in the kingdom by answering King Lear s question of how much she loves him with nothing; it is an answer that subtly illuminates Cordelia s yearning for truth in a world of fake flattery, her value of forgiveness, and her value of personal integrity in a society that is blinded by material wealth and status. Cordelia s sacrifice illuminates these strong and steadfast values in her initial conversation with Lear, and in their last conversation in jail. When Lear asks Cordelia how much she loves him, he is taken aback by her answer. She simply states that she cannot heave her heart into her mouth, meaning that she cannot bring herself to impose fake flattery to please Lear s shallow and insecure sense of status. By saying nothing, Cordelia actually displays a sense of true love that has deeper meaning than her two sisters flowery flattery. She loves Lear and respects Lear too much to inflate his ego falsely. Her truth illuminates the value of speak what [one] feels, not what [one] ought to say, which is an essential shortcoming in many of the individuals in Cordelia s society. She is banished from the kingdom by a raging Lear without any wealth or power. However, Cordelia s sacrifice of personal status importantly emphasizes her steadfast need to always be truthful, and helps the reader remember that what is not said in words can be felt most deeply in simple silence. The first conversation with Lear also shows Cordelia s strong sense of self, and her secure value of personal integrity. Cordelia s two sisters, Goneril and Regan, are empty, greedy shells of people that are only concerned with obtaining power. They lack compassion, honesty, and a stable sense of individuality and self-worth. The materialistic society that envelops them blinds them to the importance of being aware of who they are on the inside. Cordelia, on the other hand, displays her security of her person by willingly giving up her place as heir to the kingdom to stick to her integrity. She refuses to flatter her father Lear because, personally she knows that it is morally unjust to inflate one s ego if he proves undeserving. Cordelia s commitment to her own sense of integrity restores hope in the reader. Out of the many morally blind individuals in the society, Cordelia s morals remind the readers that there is always an individual that sacrifices herself to keep those that are wandering blind under a veil of materialism to see what is truly important. In the last conversation between Lear and Cordelia, Lear begs Cordelia to forgive him for being so blind to her unwavering affections. Cordelia, instead of shunning her father for being shallow and heartless, takes him in and whispers no cause, no cause, meaning there is nothing for her to be angry with him about. Cordelia displays Christ-like forgiveness in her mercy towards King Lear.
Cordelia sacrificed her future for her father, and once again is with him in jail when he has been debased and stripped of his importance. Cordelia s value of forgiveness in the jail exemplifies her support and love in King Lear. She looks past his shortcomings and, instead, nurtures him in his dark hours in a society riddled with a lack of understanding and the values in life. Cordelia sacrifices all that she has to help her father understand what is important is knowing oneself on the inside, what is important is staying steadfast to the values on the inside, and what is important is forgiving those who are momentarily blinded by external forces to what is on the inside. Cordelia sacrifices her potential power and wealth to help King Lear realize his self-worth. Her sacrifice not only illuminates important values of honesty, forgiveness and integrity, but remind readers to always stay in tune with the values held on the inside. By being aware of oneself, one can intelligently act and influence others in the outside world.