The Simple Gift – Essay Prep

1. The Simple Gift – Essay Prep • Steven Herrick’s “The Simple Gift” highlights the importance of spiritual wealth in the formation of identity. Explain.

2. Steven Herrick’s “The Simple Gift” highlights the importance of spiritual wealth in the formation of identity. Explain. Having an abundance of non-material riches associated with the soul. For example relationships, beliefs Condition of being oneself, continuity in personality over time. What is the question Really asking you?

3. How do relationships impact the notion of self in “The Simple Gift”? Now we come up with our contention What is our answer to this question? Here is mine. In “The Simple Gift” meaningful relationships develop characters sense of self through the implication of worth.

4. Stop Thief !!! Don’t steal my contention. Time to have a go and come up with your own. Remember you need to be able to support it with the text. Use what you have learned, Save you it Can.

5. Now we plan the rest of our Essay

6. Planning Body Paragraphs Topic Sentence and Evidence • Questions you need to answer: • What points can you make that support our contention? • What evidence (quotes, examples) can you use from the text?

7. Caitlin finds an identity from her relationship with Billy because her parents do not provide her with a sense of worth. • Pages 88, 107, 190, 36 • “ I can’t wait for University” • “none of this means anything” • Old Bill gradually regains a sense of his former self through his relationship with Billy and the adoption of a paternal role. • Page 72 • Pages 159 – 169 • Billy’s identity and values are clearly emphasised through the heroic roll provided his relationship with Old Bill. • Page 85

8. Creating An Intro What it needs to do: • Introduce the Text • Contention • Introduction of body

9. Steven Herrick’s humbling verse novel “The Simple Gift” is the story of sixteen year old Billy Luckett who willingly embraces homelessness after fleeing his drunken father. His escape leads to the town of Bendarat where he quickly forms meaningful relationships with two individuals from vastly different pockets of society. These emotional connections act to develop a distinct sense of self present in all three principle characters through the creation of a clear feeling of worth. For Billy this involves the fulfilment of his values realised in his relationship with Old Bill where as the more clearly defined purpose that he’s presence gives Caitlin allows both to mature a clear sense of identity as they grow in the coarse of the novel. In contrast Old Bill has lost his identity when he meets Billy at the Bendarat “Hilton” and it is only through the adoption of forgotten paternal instincts in their relationship that he recaptures his sense of self.

10. Intro of text Steven Herrick’s humbling verse novel “The Simple Gift” is the story of sixteen year old Billy Luckett who willingly embraces homelessness after fleeing his drunken father. His escape leads to the town of Bendarat where he quickly forms meaningful relationships with two individuals from vastly different pockets of society. These emotional connections act to develop a distinct sense of self present in all three principle characters through the creation of a clear feeling of worth. For Billy this involves the fulfilment of his values realised in his relationship with Old Bill where as the more clearly defined purpose that he’s presence gives Caitlin allows both to mature a clear sense of identity as they grow in the coarse of the novel. In contrast Old Bill has lost his identity when he meets Billy at the Bendarat “Hilton” and it is only through the adoption of forgotten paternal instincts in their relationship that he recaptures his sense of self. CONTENTION Introduction of Body