Paper 2

The comparative approach

Exam questions Literature is often about crossing boundaries, both physically and mentally. In what ways, and
to what extent, does the crossing of boundaries contribute to two of the works you have
studied.

Works studied Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck; Alice Walker’s The color purple
Introductory sentence that grabs your attention: a famous The physical and mental crossing of boundaries contributes greatly to the
Introduction

quote, a question, a bold statement, an anecdote or individual’s interpretation of any work.

joke.

A sentence that connects to the ‘attention grabber’ and
explains its relevance to the 2 (or 3) works that you
have read. This sentence states the names of the works,
years of publication and authors’ names in passing.
The thesis statement, where you answer the question in a
nutshell and branch out into 3 main ideas.
The works The Thing Around Your Neck by Adichie (2009) and The
color purple by Alice walker (1982) both deal with the topic of
crossing mental or physical boundaries. In this paper, I will be
evaluating to what extent and in what ways the crossing of
boundaries contributes to these two works by looking at 3 main
topics.
The development of the main Characters in The Color Purple and The Thing
Around Your Neck is based on the idea that they are crossing boundaries.

Firstly, the character development of Celie in The Color Purple and Nkem in
Imitation is heavily reliant on their sudden choice to cross age-old mental
boundaries.

Secondly, both in The Color Purple and Imitation, the development of the
main characters (Nettie and Obiora) happens in relation to the crossing of
physical boundaries.

The Third idea is that

Topic sentence 1: the first of the 3 main ideas that answer The development of the Characters Nkem from Imitation and Celie form The
Body paragraph

the question / thesis statement. Color Purple (TCP) takes place in sync with them crossing mental
boundaries.

Illustrations from both works. How does the writer use “You a lowdown dog is what’s wrong, I say. It’s time to leave you and enter
language, style and structure? into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need. Say
1

what? He ast. Shock.” – TCP page 99.

Explanation: how do these examples illustrate the authors’
message?
“In the shower, as she soaps his back, she says “We have to find a school for
Adamna and Okey in Lagos.” She had not planned to say it, but it seems
right, it is what she has always wanted to say.” – Imitation page 41.
In the first quote from TCP, Celie, after playing the perpetuating role of Mr.’s
slave, she finally crosses the mental boundary she never before had dared
to, she spoke back to him, spoke back to him honestly, and angrily. This
signifies the beginning of Celie crossing many more boundaries, and
ultimately turning her life around.

In the second quote from Imitation, Nkem finally speaks up about her
concerns to Obiora, and crosses a mental boundary. The conversation she
starts in doing so ends in her needs being considered, and met for the first
time, giving meaning to the short story.
Topic sentence 2: the first of the 3 main ideas that answer The development of the main characters (Nettie and Obiora) happens in
Bodyparagraph 2

the question / thesis statement. relation to the crossing of physical boundaries.

Illustrations from both works. How does the writer use “Anyway, when I don’t write to you I feel as bad as I do when I don't pray,
language, style and structure? locked up in myself and choking on my own heart. I am so lonely, Celie.” –
TCP Page 74

Explanation: how do these examples illustrate the authors’
message?
“He lived in Nigeria and America; they had two homes.” Imitation page 24
The first quote from the color purple has been picked to show how
crossing the boundary from the United States to Africa has effected
Nettie, leaving her lonely and bored, in a society that she cannot fit in
to.

The second quote from Imitation has been picked to symbolize the
dual life that Obiora is living. When he crosses the borders between
the United States and Nigeria, his life completely changes. In the USA,
he is a father of two, and loyal husband; In Nigeria, he is a single
businessman, with mistresses and without children to worry about.

The two stories use the symbolism of crossing physical borders

 Topic sentence 3: the first of the 3 main ideas that answer

Body paragraph
the question / thesis statement.

Illustrations from both works. How does the writer use

language, style and structure?
3

Explanation: how do these examples illustrate the authors’

message?

Answer the question again. State the thesis in other words. In conclusion, Alice Walker and Ngozi Adichie both make extensive
Conclusion

use of the crossing of mental and physical boundaries to contribute to

their works The Color Purple and Imitation.

Compare how authors conveyed their message through
language and structure.
Alice walker uses the crossing of mental boundaries in her novel to
symbolize change in place of continuity, and makes it a staple for
character development. She also uses the crossing of physical
boundaries (in this case with Nettie) to symbolize the effect one’s
environment can have on one’s life.

Similarly, Ngozi Adichie uses the crossing of mental borders in

Imitation to symbolize development of the main character Nkem, and
uses the crossing of physical borders to symbolize a shift in Obiora, as
he travels from the United States to Nigeria, completely altering his
life.
A very wise thought. Perhaps, it could be derived that for any story to veer away from a
continuous path, it is necessary that boundaries are crossed.

© Brad Philpot, InThinking

www.englishalanglit-inthinking.co.uk