Look at these essay prompts (below)…which stories would you use as examples/evidence? What ideas would you base your paragraphs around?
Island: Collected Stories by Alistair MacLeod
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‘The stories in Island show the value of tradition in people’s lives.’
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‘The men and women in these stories inhabit separate worlds.’ Do you agree?
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‘Macleod’s use of flashback gives the stories much of their power.’ Do you agree?
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‘Hard times and hard choices reveal the resilience of the characters in Island.’
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In what ways does Island: Collected Stories explore the connection between person and place?
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“Island: Collected Stories suggests that individual lives are most meaningful when viewed in relation to the past”. Discuss.
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‘Island explores the futility of attempts to halt change.’
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‘Island explores the young individual’s struggle within harsh circumstances.’ Discuss
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‘The natural environment is a source of both comfort and danger in Island.’
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“And because my father had told me I was ‘free’ I had foolishly felt that it was really so.” (p. 56). MacLeod’s characters in Island can never be free of their past. To what extent do you agree?
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‘The settings of MacLeod’s stories show the power of the landscape in shaping one’s identity.’
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‘All the characters in MacLeod’s stories are greatly influenced by the place they inhabit.’ Discuss.
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‘A strong sense of heritage and tradition underpins MacLeod’s short stories in this ’ Discuss.
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The narrator of ‘To Every Thing There is a Season’ says his tale contains “past and present…imperfectly blended”. How does the past shape the present in ‘Island’? Discuss.
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‘Island demonstrates that it is “very much braver to spend a life doing what you really do not want”. Discuss.
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‘The twisted strands of rope near the end of “Vision” reflect the twisted strands of the story.’ How does MacLeod use symbolism in Island to communicate themes?
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‘While many sons in ‘Island’ have unique experiences, MacLeod shows that they have more in common than separating them.’ Discuss.
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Angus in ‘The Return’ claims “it is not that easy to change what is a part of you”. To what extent do characters in ‘Island’ embrace change?
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‘Nothing in ‘Island’ is more important than family.’ Discuss.
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“It is only when I have left the Island that I can feel free to assume my new identity…” How do settings contribute to meaning in Island?
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‘Island shows that love breeds sadness.’ Discuss.
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‘Tradition should be valued more than individual satisfaction.’ To what extent does ‘Island’ illustrate this?
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‘The stories in ‘Island’ show the hopelessness of life in remote communities.’ Discuss
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‘Island’ suggests that individuals should never give up hope no matter how difficult their lives become. Discuss.
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‘In these stories, MacLeod explores how people are affected by the loss of a way of life.’ Discuss.
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‘Clan and family ties dominate the lives of the characters in these stories.’ Discuss