Fate and Free Will
Lit Analysis
Introduction
• Thesis: Lit elements plus theme
– In “The Youngest Doll” Ferre uses symbolism, motif
and doppelgangers to portray that each character’s
life is governed by fate.
• See sample from previous lit analysis for more
detail
– Be sure to include
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Attention getter
Plot summary
Lit elements
Theme
Thesis
Sample BODY paragraph
Topic
Sentence
Intro
Example #1
Integrate
Quote
So What?
Clincher
Ferre’s use of the doppelganger in “The Youngest Doll” illustrates that the
character’s lives are pre-determined. The aunt and the youngest daughter
can be considered doubles because they both end up sitting motionless in
rocking chairs. Additionally, both characters are placed into their inert
states as a result of the treatment of the parasites preying on them. The
youngest daughter is forced to sit in her rocking chair in order to show
“passersby…that [the young doctor] has married into high society” (485).
Since the youngest daughter is the doppelganger of her aunt, she was
destined to end up with a similar fate; thus, nothing she would have done
could have changed the way her husband treated her. Her fate dictated
that she be objectified by the rising middle class.
REPEAT FOR ADDITONAL SUPPORTING DETAILS
The pairs of characters- the youngest daughter and the aunt, and the
young doctor and his father- illustrate how each character in “The
Youngest Doll” has a destiny that he or she will not be able to escape, as
fate governs each of their lives.
Conclusion
• See previous sample for more detail
– Be sure to include
• Restatement of thesis
• Summarization of body paragraphs
• Hook back to attention-getter