Choose ONE of the following prompts to write your essay on. Your essay must be 3-5 pages, double spaced,
Times New Roman 12 font. You will turn it in on turnitin.com.
Analyze Melba from the psychological/character-motivation perspective, focusing on her warrior
mentality. You may also explore the psychology and motivation of other characters if you choose.
Support your assertions with specific quotes and references from the text, combined with
commentary explaining what each quote shows about her psychology as a warrior.
Analyze the role of gender in the book, discussing both Melba and her female-dominated family
as well as gender roles in the society of the time as they appear in the book.
You may consider Melba’s father’s role in the family dynamic compared to her mother
and grandmother as well as how the genders of some of the other characters (including the ones
who torment Melba) affect how they think and what they do. Support your assertions about the role of
gender with specific quotes and references from the text combined with commentary
clearly explaining the role of gender for each reference.
Analyze the role of social class in the book, including Melba’s realization of and response to her and
her family’s treatment as lower-class citizens because of race. You may want to explore the imbalance
of power (who has it and how do they use it, who doesn’t and how do they respond-could be acceptance of
little power or failed attempts to gain power or successful ones). Support your assertions about
social class in the book with specific quotes and references to the text followed by commentary which
clearly explains the role of social power in each reference.
Analyze the importance of several historical events and people in the book.
How do the events, decisions, or people affect Melba and her family, how do they affect Central High
and the students who go there (both African-American and white), how do they affect the larger
community (both African-American and not), and how do they affect the entire nation? Support your
assertions about the historical significance of people and events and how they affect various people
and groups with specific quotes and references to the text followed by commentary which clearly explains
the significance of each.
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