Consider the following quote from the critic Kermode’s discussion of apocalyptic narratives: “Out of a desolate
reality would come renewal.” In your view does Coetzee’s novel’s ending confirm, challenge, or qualify this
quote from Kermode?
Composing Your Essay::
Introduction: in your introduction you should do three things:
Introduce the issue set forth in the prompt, using the language of the prompt in explaining the concern or issue
it raises.
Then briefly introduce the text in light of this issue,
And conclude with a thesis statement, a single generalization that reveals some insight into human nature
based on what you have discovered in the course of writing your essay. Such statements should be thematic in
nature: for example, “While loyalty to x may be valued, it is loyalty to y that is most prized.”
Body Paragraphs: In each of your body paragraphs you should analyze some aspect of the text under study ,
typically in the order of the plot sequence (beginning, middle, end):
Typically, for such a paragraph you should introduce the part of the work/key example(s)/part of the book you
will examine here (Life and Times of Michael K) and then link it to the issue identified in the prompt and your
introduction
Then in the middle of the paragraph you should explain how the text treats the issue for this part of the
book/element of the story/key example(s).
A couple of quotes per body paragraph might be a good rule of thumb for this type of analysis
End the paragraph with a concluding generalization that connects back to your overall argument
Conclusion: identify your overall conclusion/generalization/takeaway about what this text suggests about the
topic/issue. Pay especially close attention to the specific ending and outcome.
Sample Solution