Write a coherent and compelling essay on any
topic of your choice on either Purple Hibiscus, Born A Crime, or A Small Place. You can
write on two of these books if you are able to provide a rationale for bringing these
books together. The essay will be 4-5 pages, and will be worth 15% of your grade. The
essay should address a specific question, present a clear, well-defined thesis, and use
evidence from the text to support the claims made in the thesis. The thesis should
preferably be one or two sentences and should be in the first paragraph of your paper.
These short essays may not contain more than 1 block quote. Also, make sure that the
essay is logical, cogent, and the paragraphs follow each other in a plausible pattern. The
essay should be submitted under “Assignment Submission” on Blackboard.
Possible Topics [These are only ideas, and you don’t have to actually choose any of
these topics. In fact, you will get extra credit for coming up with an interesting topic
yourself]

1. Kambili’s development as a character in Purple Hibiscus
2. Significance of the title of the novel Purple Hibiscus
3. Role of religion in Purple Hibiscus
4. Significance of the title of Born A Crime
5. Trevor Noah’s portrayal of his mother/mother-son relationship
6. Noah’s coming of age in apartheid South Africa/ how does racism affect his life
7. The British colonial legacy in A Small Place
8. Jamaica Kincaid’s relationship with her homeland in A Small Place
9. Race and the tourism industry in A Small Place
   Format: All essays should be double spaced, in a 12 point font with 1-inch margins and
   in MLA format. Please use a standard font like Times New Roman or Garamond. If you
   cite only one assigned text in the paper, you do not need a separate Works Cited, but if
   you use other materials to substantiate your argument (reference books and websites),
   do make sure that you list them in a Works Cited, or else the paper might be suspect of
   being plagiarized. Please type only your name and the course number on the upper
   corner of the first page only. Make sure your paper is edited and proofread.
   Evaluation: I will grade all papers on the following criterion:
   2
   Clear sense of purpose/well defined thesis (In other words, your essay must make one
   specific claim and it must be stated in the introductory paragraph).
   Complexity of the argument (Is the essay going beyond plot summary? Is the essay
   analytical? Does it explore ideas in some detail? Does it attempt to close read specific
   parts of the text?).
   Power and originality of thesis (persuasive ability and clear reasoning, explanatory
   force).
   Overall success of your written expression (clarity, style, attention to detail).
   Organization (Is the essay coherent, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion and
   do the paragraphs follow each other in a logical pattern? Does the essay appropriately
   use quotes and do they help in supporting the argument?)