BIG QUESTION ANSWER
SCORE POINT 3
This paper presents a clear answer to the Big Question and refers to multiple artifacts to support
it. Direct quotations from several artifacts lend further credence to the argument. The
introductory paragraph, while stylistically immature, adequately predicts what is to come. The
predominance of simple sentence structures throughout the essay distinguishes this from a paper
with a score of 4. The writer avoids the predictable 5-paragraph form, lending sophistication to
its organizational structure.
What Enables Humans to Survive Horrific Conditions or Events?
Everyday humans go through horrific events and experience traumatic conditions. Hope is
what enables humans to survive these tragic events. People cling to hope to help get them
through tough times. Hope is a belief that there is something better right around the corner.
Hope can be seen in many ways, including companionship and faith. People put their hope in
other people, which is why companionship goes right along with hope in enabling people to
survive horrific events. People also put their hope in higher beings which explains why faith
also helps humans survive traumatic situations. William Golding used hope in Lord of the Flies
and hope can also be seen in the epic poem Beowulf. Hope is the one thing that binds faith and
companionship together and helps people survive.
Hope enables people to survive horrific conditions because it is extremely powerful. Emily
Dickinson was an important poet who lived her entire life in isolation and wrote many poems
about hope and love. In one of her poems, she compared hope to a bird that “sings the tune—
without the words, and never stops at all” (Dickinson). By writing this Dickinson is portraying
that hope is constant and unchanging. Dickinson compares hope to a bird’s song which makes
hope seem cheerful and optimistic. Even in the darkest situations that look like there’s no way
out, hope is always there. Every single day, thousands and thousands of things go wrong and
create even more awful situations. Looking at it that way, it seems pretty depressing. With
hope, things start to look up because of the intrinsic, optimistic belief that things will get better.
Companionship is a powerful installment of hope. When people put their hope into others,
they really are leaning on them for support. People really make a difference in other people’s
lives. Recently, the Boston Marathon Bombing showed how people come together and support
each other in times of trouble. After thousands were stranded because of the bombings, the
people of Boston came together to make sure others had places to stay. Ali Hatfield said that “a
swet woman opened her home to us and gave us feed, shelter and beer” (Mungin). Sandeep
Karnik also generously said “if there is somebody in need, I can take them in” (Mungin). All of
these offers to the bombing victims show how humans can put hope in each other and rely on
that support to carry them through terrible times. When terror strikes, humanity generally rushes
to the aid of those in need and this demonstrates how companionship is a reliable way to endure
horrible events.
Comment [WU1]: Ineffective repetition of
“hope” in this paragraph distinguishes it from a
paper with a score of 4.
Comment [WU2]: Quotation from a specific
literary source supports the writer’s argument.
Another way hope is seen is when people put hope into a higher being or faith. People often
feel comforted by the belief that something bigger than them is supporting them. Hope and faith
go together well. The Bible says “now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of
what we do not see” (NIV True Images, 1596). The song Hope Now by Addison Road also
incorporates faith and hope. The song’s chorus says “everything rides on hope now/everything
rides on faith somehow” (Addison Road). The meaning of the song is that even when things get
hard, one can give all their fears and worries up because of the hope they have for the future and
the faith they have along with that hope.
Another example of hope at work can be seen from the terrible terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001. Walter Masterson gave his report and talked about how it changed his life and how
people’s responses have him hope. He remembered that “everybody h elped” and that “rudeness
vanished” (Jost). This example ties into companionship as well as the power hope can give
people. He spoke of how because of that day and the hope seen through people’s actions, he
realized that “every day is an opportunity, and every day could be the end” (Jost).
Comment [WU3]: Citation of an artifact found
outside of school supports the writer’s credibility.
Comment [WU4]: Occasional typos and
misspellings do not significantly distract from the
writer’s meaning.
The literature we’ve read this school year also demonstrates hope’s ability to help humans
through horrific conditions. In Lord of the Flies, Ralph puts his hope in the fire because he
desperately believes that it will get them rescued. In the beginning of the novel he says “we
must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire” (Golding, 30). He and many of
the boys put their hope into that fire and their belief that rescue will come. That fire is what
enables Ralph to keep his sanity for so long. Many of the other boys who don’t care about the
fire lose their sanity long before Ralph does. Hope keeps Ralph anchored. Similarly, in
Beowulf, Hrothgar’s men put their hope in Beowulf to kill Grendel. Grendel has tormented them
and killed their friends for so long that they feel like Beowulf is all the hope they have left.
Hrothgar says to Beowulf, “let us toast your victories, and talk of the future” (Applebee, 39)
This shows how Hrothgar wants to honor Beowulf and treat him well because he is what he
trusts in and has put his hope in.
There is another argument that hope is not what enables people to survive awful events.
Some could say that too much hope is not good. In the Hunger Games film, where teens are
forced to fight to the death in a futuristic world, the other side of the argument is presented.
President Snow says that hope “is the only thing stronger than fear” and that “a lot of hope is
dangerous” (Ross). In regard to the futuristic world, too much hope may cause the government
to worry about a revolution. In realistic terms, some may think that hope causes unrealistic
thinking and for people to get too expectant, only to be let down in the end. While there are may
be some validity in that theory, in desperate times, hope is more powerful than many people
think. It moves people to do incredible things.
In conclusion, hope is what allows people to endure horrific and terrible events and
conditions. Hope has been demonstrated in many works of literature as well. Hope can refer to
optimism for the future, putting hope in people for companionship, or putting hope into a greater
Comment [WU5]: Writer effectively addresses
the counterclaim.
being for faith. All versions of hope are equally powerful and crucial in aiding humans through
awful situations.
Works Cited
Addison Road. “Hope Now.” K Love. Educational Media Foundation, 18 Mar 2008. Web. 22
April 2013. http://www.klove.com/music/artists/addison-road/songs/how-now-lyrics.aspx.
Applebee, Arthur, Andrea Bermúdez, Sheridan Blau, Rebekah Caplan, Peter Elbow, Susan
Hynds, Judith Langer, and James Marshall. “Beowulf.” The Language of Literature. 1.
Boston, MA: McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print. 32-60.
Dickinson, Emily. “Hope.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Founddation, n.d. Web. 16 April 2013.
,http://www.poetryfoundation.org/peom/171619>.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Penguin Books. Print.
Jost, K. (2011, September 2). Remembering 9/11. CQ Researcher, 21, 701-732. Retrieved
From http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
Mungin, Lateef, and Christina Zdanowicz. “Bostonians and others rush to support of stranded
Visitors.” CNN. 16 Apr 2013: n. page. Web. 8 May. 2013.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/16/us/boston-marathon-support.
NIV True Images: The Bible for Teen Girls. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007. 1596. Print.
Ross, Gary, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray. IMDb. IMDb.com, 23 Mar 2012. Web. 22 April
2013. http://m.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/quotes?qt=qt1666897.