Gesualdi-April 2021: Writing Prompts

​In Girl, Interrupted, it’s clear from the early chapters of the memoir that Susanna Kaysen doesn’t really have control over what happens to her. She is given a diagnosis, sent away, and not given the opportunity to comment on her own mental wellbeing.

Write a 5- to 7-page research paper analyzing the concept of power and control in Girl, Interrupted. You’ll have to make an argument regarding who has control in the book, and why. You can choose to examine the power/control dynamic through several different lenses (gender roles, mental illness, class, psychology, etc.).

Because this is a research paper, you will need to consult at least three additional sources to prove the argument you make in your thesis. You will have to conduct research and find these sources on your own. Please include a Works Cited page that includes all your sources.

NOTES and DUE DATES:

• The prompt is asking a simple question, but you will still need to find an angle/argument for your paper—and create a comprehensive thesis. “Kaysen has no control in the memoir,” is not a thesis. “Kaysen has control taken from her in the memoir, demonstrating the lack of autonomy given to women in the 1960s who displayed signs of mental illness,” is a thesis.
• Please bring a rough draft with at least an intro. and two body paragraphs, as well as your annotated bibliography, to class on April 28.
• The final draft is due on our final day of class on Monday, May 3.
• Don’t forget to include a title and the honor pledge.

Honor Pledge:

On my honor, I have neither received nor given any unauthorized assistance on this assignment.

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