Answering Essay Questions

Literature tests often contain short-answer and long-answer essay questions about the pieces of literature covered in class. Answers to essay questions should be clearly written and logically organized, and they should demonstrate one's knowledge of the basic elements of literature as they relate to the work. Examples of essays and answers are provided here (M. Mast, CAL).

Short-Answer Essays

Short-answer essays are usually answered in about a paragraph. Move from specific to general information in the answer.

If the question asks about a specific element of literature, the answer should include:

• specific names, places, times
• supporting details
• quotes or key phrases

If the question asks about a quote, the answer should include:

• the name of the speaker
• the person to whom the speaker was speaking
• the work of literature
• the author of the piece
• conditions under which spoken
• significance of quote to overall theme of work

For example, the question may be this quote: "Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed."

The answer might be: This quote is spoken by Iago to Othello in William Shakespeare's Othello . Iago is trying to plant in Othello's mind doubts about Desdemona's faithfulness by implying that he should be concerned about his reputation with regard to Desdemona and Cassio. Iago knows that unraveling Othello's marriage will unravel Othello. Shakespeare is trying to show the reader that we need to be true to ourselves and not be buffeted by the manipulation and treachery of selfish others. If we are steadfast and believe in ourselves, we will know our choices and decisions are sound (e.g. Othello's choice of Desdemona and decision that she is faithful). We will not be worried that others can "filch" our reputation or make fools of us because our belief in our steadfast morality will endure the onslaught of others' immorality (e.g. even if Desdemona is unfaithful, Othello's morality and, therefore, his reputation, are intact).

Long-Answer Essays

Long-answer essays usually ask about several basic elements of a piece of literature (as with the example below), or they ask one to compare and contrast two pieces of literature. Answers to such questions should be three to five paragraphs in length. In the first paragraph, turn the question into part of the thesis. In the next several paragraphs, support the thesis using topic sentences followed by examples, details, and illustrations of the topic sentence. The last paragraph should summarize main points and/or restate the thesis.

Outline the ideas before composing the answer, as follows:

• Introduction
  • Question
  • Thesis
• Body
  • Topic Sentences
  • Support for Topic Sentences
• Conclusion
  • Summarize Main Points
  • Restate Thesis

Here is an example of how to develop an answer to a long-answer essay question.

Question: Trace Othello's downfall through Iago and Othello himself.

Outline:

• Introduction
  • Iago plots revenge by causing Othello's fall from grace and status
  • Iago achieves his revenge by enlisting other characters and their inherent flaws
• Iago's use of other characters' weaknesses
  • Roderigo - loves Desdemona and agrees to help Iago
  • Cassio - unknowingly used by Iago (who gets him drunk) to make Othello jealous
  • Desdemona - generosity leads here to plead Cassio's case to Othello
  • Emilia - persuaded by Iago to plead Cassios's case to Desdemona and to steal her handkerchief
• Iago's own actions contribute to Othello's undoing
  • Alerts Othello to Desdemona and Cassio's alleged indiscretions
  • Reminds Othello of Desdemona's past deceptions and prior relationship with Cassio
• Othello's self-destructive actions and thoughts
  • He is too trusting
  • His status is below Desdemona's, had to be achieved, and relates to his race
  • He is insecure about his race, age, and inabilities as a lover
• Conclusion
  • Iago plotted and enlisted others, but Othello contributed to his own downfall.

Answer:

Iago slyly and carefully plots to seek revenge on Othello by having him fall from status and grace. He achieves this fall by enlisting the help of other characters (sometimes unwittingly) in his plot and the character of Othello himself. All of these characters, including Othello, have inherent flaws/weaknesses that lead to their own and Othello's undoing. [last two sentences are thesis]

Other characters enlisted to hatch Iago's plot against Othello are Roderigo, Cassio, Desdemona (Othello's wife), and Emilia (Iago's wife). Each of these has weaknesses that Iago exploits. [topic sentences] Roderigo loves Desdemona and agrees to help Iago "cuckhold" him. [supporting example] Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, is a gentleman and attends to Desdemona as a polite gentleman would. Iago knows that Othello will misconstrue these attentions because Iago has implied that they are lustful attentions. Cassio's weakness is his alcoholism; Iago encourages him to get drunk and fight, reasons Othello uses to dismiss him. [supporting example] Desdemona's fault is that she is too generous and kind. Iago vows to turn her "virtue to pitch." He proceeds by influencing Cassio to plead his dismissal case to her instead of Othello. Iago knows that, because of her generosity, she will plead his case strongly to Othello. Iago will use this pleading to "pour pestilence" into Othello's ear that Desdemona lusts for Cassio. [supporting example] Finally, Iago draws his own wife into the plot by getting her to plead Cassio's case to Desdemona so that Desdemona will go to Othello. Out of loyalty to Iago, Emilia complies. Later, Iago is able to get Emilia to steal Desdemona's handkerchief for him, a bigger favor, and a final straw for Othello. [supporting example]

All along Iago has been ingratiating himself to Othello, and now draws himself directly into the plot. [topic sentence] Iago uses Desdemona's meeting with Cassio to begin the pestilence pouring, implying that Cassio steals away guiltily from Desdemona when he sees Othello coming. His implication comes just before Desdemona pleads Cassio's case to Othello. When she pleads so relentlessly, trying to pen Othello down to an exact date, playing on his guilt as a friend of Cassio, the implication begins lodging itself into Othello's brain. [supporting example] Iago continues to implant doubts about Desdemona in Othello's mind by reminding him that Cassio knew Desdemona before they married. [supporting example] He also implies that Othello should be concerned about his reputation and should be aware of jealousy, neither of which Othello has thought of until Iago mentions them. [supporting example] He further reminds Othello that Desdemona deceived her father by marrying Othello and appeared to fear Othello when she actually loved him. [supporting example] He also reminds Othello of he and Desdemona's differing social backgrounds. [supporting example] All these things he brings up under the pretense of loving Othello.

The implications, of course, would mean little to a self-assured, stronger person. But Othello, like the other characters in Iago's plot, has character flaws that will ensnare him. [topic sentences] Iago says early in the play that Othello has a "free and open nature" and will be tenderly "led by the nose as asses are" -- he is too trusting. [supporting example] Furthermore, Othello, unlike his wife, has risen in status because of his abilities as a soldier; he was not born into status. Therefore, he is socially beneath Desdemona. [supporting example] His being black may contribute to his lower social status; the fact is mentioned to Brabantio, Othello's father-in-law, and later referred to by Othello himself insecurely. [supporting example] Therefore, soon after these initial implants, Othello indicates he is feeling insecure, speaking of his blackness, his advancing age, and his inabilities as a lover. [supporting example] The final confirmation for Othello, though, comes when Iago plants Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's quarters and Cassio carries it in his possession. Iago knows that, coupled with Othello's insecurities, this will be proof to him of Desdemona's infidelity. [supporting example] Further, he knows that Othello is ruled by his emotions. Othello himself has admitted it. He has said several times he can deny Desdemona nothing because of his love for her. He has shown he has a quick temper (e.g. when Roderigo and Cassio fight and Othello intervenes). [supporting example] Sure enough, Othello's mixed emotions of anger, love and jealousy unravel him completely when he discovers the handkerchief in Cassio's possession. Emotional, he curses Desdemona and, emotionally, plans to kill her. [supporting example] This plan and subsequent deed assure his downfall.

Thus, we can see that while Iago hatched the plot carefully and carried it out using other characters, Othello sealed his own fate by being too trusting, too socially, and too emotionally insecure. [conclusion: restatement of thesis]