Essay Assignment on Random Family

As we have discussed in class, the people in Random Family -- Jessica and Boy George, Lourdes and Foxy -- may remind you of people you know. What you are responding to in these individuals is not necessarily their circumstances, but the innate humanity of who they are. Basically, in the funny moments, bad choices, silly mistakes, and major disappointments the characters like Jessica and Coco experience, we see ourselves because we have done the same thing – only in our own particular way, with our own particular results.

This comparison and contrast essay will have you select one of the characters in Random Family and compare and contrast your own experiences to their experiences. You should select the character that most reminds you of yourself, in whatever way she/he does. It doesn’t mean that you are exactly like that character; it means that something about, say Miranda, reminds you of yourself.

Once you have selected a character, you will highlight the points that make you similar and dissimilar. To do this, you may start by looking at actions and choices the character has made and actions and choices you have made. Or you may look at behaviors that the character has that are like/unlike behaviors you have. You may also talk about the dissimilarities between you and the character. For example, you may talk about how Miranda chose to break up with Boy George, while you would not have done so.

The key to this being a successful essay is to be reflective about who you are and who the people in the book are. None of the characters are just stupid or silly or promiscuous. Look for their underlying motivations, and look for your underlying motivations. That’s the place where you will see the similarities most clearly.

The essay is due on Oct. 18, 2007. The rough draft is due on Oct. 16.
Refer to the textbook chapter on Comparison and Contrast for how to organize your essay.