Teil A: Text production

Teil A: Text

Celeste Ng: Shaker Heights

She had spent her whole life in Shaker Heights, and it had infused her to the core. Her

memories of childhood were a broad expanse of green - wide lawns, tall trees, the plush

greenness that comes with affluence - and resembled the marketing brochures the city had

published for decades to woo the right sort of residents. This made a certain amount of

sense: Mrs. Richardson's grandparents had been in Shaker Heights almost from the begin-

ning. They had arrived in 1927, back when it was still technically a village - though it was

already being called the finest residential district in the world. Her grandfather had grown

up in downtown Cleveland on what they called Millionaires' Row, his family's crenellated

wedding cake of a house tucked beside the Rockefellers and the telegraph magnate and

President McKinley's secretary of state. However, by the time Mrs. Richardson's grand-

father - by then a successful lawyer - was preparing to bring his bride home, downtown

had grown noisy and congested. Soot clogged the air and dirtied the ladies' dresses. A

move to the country, he decided, would be just the thing. It was madness to move so far

from the city, friends insisted, but he was an outdoorsman and his bride-to-be an avid

equestrienne, and Shaker Heights offered three bridle paths, streams for fishing, plenty of

fresh air. Besides, a new train line whisked businessmen straight from Shaker to the heart

of the city: nothing could be more modern. The couple bought a house on Sedgewick Road,

hired a maid, joined the country club; [...].

By the time Mrs. Richardson's mother, Caroline, was born in 1931, things were less rural

but no less idyllic. Shaker Heights was officially a city; there were nine elementary schools

and a new redbrick senior high had just been completed. New and regal houses were

springing up all over town, each following strict style regulations and a color code, and

bound by a ninety-nine-year covenant forbidding resale to anyone not approved by the

neighborhood. Rules and regulation and order were necessary, the residents assured each

other, in order to keep their community both unified and beautiful. [...].

It was, as far as she could imagine, a perfect life in a perfect place. Everyone in Shaker

Heights felt this. So when it became obvious that the outside world was less perfect - as

Brown v. Board caused an uproar and riders in Montgomery boycotted buses and the

Little Rock Nine made their way into school through a storm of slurs and spit - Shaker residents,

including Caroline, took it upon themselves to be better than that. After all, were they not

smarter, wiser, more thoughtful and forethoughtful, the wealthiest, the most enlightened?

Was it not their duty to enlighten others? Didn't the elite have a responsibility to share

their well-being with those less fortunate? Caroline's own mother had always raised her to

think of those in need: she had organized Christmastime toy drives, had been a member of

the local Children's Guild, had even overseen the compilation of a Guild cookbook, with

all proceeds benefiting charities, and contributed her own personal recipe for molasses

cookies. When the troubles of the outside world made their presence felt in Shaker Heights

- a bomb at the home of a black lawyer - the community felt obliged to show that this was

not the Shaker way. A neighborhood association sprang up to encourage integration in a

particularly Shaker Heights manner: loans to encourage white families to move into black

neighborhoods, loans to encourage black families to move into white neighborhoods, regu-

lations forbidding FOR SALE signs in order to prevent white flight - a law that would

remain in effect for decades. Caroline, by then a homeowner herself with a one-year-old -

a young Mrs. Richardson - joined the integration association immediately. Some years

later, she would drive five and a half hours, daughter in tow, to the great March on Wash-

ington, and Mrs. Richardson would forever remember that day, the sun forcing her eyes

into a squint, the scrum of people pressed thigh to thigh, the hot fug of sweat rising from

the crowd, the Washington Monument rising far off in the distance, like a spike stretching

to pierce the clouds. She clamped her mother's hands in hers, terrified that her mother

might be swept away. "Isn't this incredible," her mother said, without looking down at her.

"Remember this moment, Elena." And Elena would remember that look on her mother's

face, that longing to bring the world closer to perfection - like turning the peg of a violin

and bringing the string into tune. Her conviction that it was possible if you only tried hard

enough, that no work could be too messy.

But three generations of Shaker reverence for order and rules and decorum would stay with

Elena, too, and she would never quite be able to bring those two ideas into balance. In

1968, at fifteen, she turned on the television and watched chaos flaring up across the coun-

try like brush fires. Martin Luther King, Jr., then Bobby Kennedy. Students in revolt at

Columbia. Riots in Chicago, Memphis, Baltimore, D.C. - everywhere, everywhere, things

were falling apart. Deep inside her a spark kindled, a spark that would flare in Izzy years

later. Of course she understood why this was happening: they were fighting to right injus-

tices. But part of her shuddered at the scenes on the television screen. Grainy scenes, but

no less terrifying: grocery stores ablaze, smoke billowing from their rooftops, walls gnawed

to studs by flame. The jagged edges of smashed windows like fangs in the night. Soldiers

marching with rifles past drugstores and Laundromats. Jeeps blocking intersections under

dead traffic lights. Did you have to burn down the old to make way for the new? The carpet

at her feet was soft. The sofa beneath her was patterned with roses. Outside, a mourning

dove cooed from the bird feeder and a Cadillac glided to a dignified stop at the corner. She

wondered which was the real world.

(995 words)

Ng, Celeste (2017). Little Fires Everywhere. London: Abacus, pp. 179 - 183.

Working with the text

Sum up the information on Elena Richardson and her family.

Analyze how the author conveys the narrator's attitude towards Shaker Heights and its residents.

25 BE

Composition
Choose one of the following tasks.

25 BE

2.1

"Did you habe to burn down the old to make way for the new?" (l. 66)

Discuss this question with regard to the excerpt and US American past and present.

2.2

For the blog called Live Bold and Bloom, write an entry assessing the benefits of leaving one's comfort zone and gaining experience in challenging surroundings.

2.3

You are taking part in an international summer course on public speaking. One exercise is to give a speech revolving around the following quotation:

"No fiction is worth reading except for entertainement."

Edgar Rice Burroughs (American author, 1875 - 1950)

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/247181-no-fiction-is-worth-reading-except-for-entertainment-if-it

Write the script of your speech in which you comment on this attitude towards literature. Include your personal reading experiences.

Erreichbare BE-Anzahl (Summe A1 und A2)

A1 Working with the text

Inhaltliche Reichhaltigkeit und Textstruktur: 10 BE
Sprachgebrauch/Sprachliche Korrektheit: 10 BE
Ausdrucksvermögen und Textfluss: 5 BE

A2 Composition

Inhaltliche Reichhaltigkeit und Textstruktur: 10 BE
Sprachgebrauch/Sprachliche Korrektheit: 10 BE
Ausdrucksvermögen und Textfluss: 5 BE

Gesamt 50 BE

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A1: Working with the text

Note:
Our solutions are listed in key points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text.

the reader is being introduced to the Richardson family and the residents of Shaker Heights
the as affluent considered Richardson family who is used of living their life in order, get confronted with the Civil Rights Movement

Introduction

have lived in the idyllic suburb of Shaker Heights for generations (Elena Richardson's grandparents had moved to Shaker Heights already in 1927 (l. 6))
affluent family (with Elena's grandfather being a well-to-do laywer with an affluent background (l. 11))
Caroline was taught a sense of charitable aspiration and generosity from an early age and was thus compelled to do both charity work and fight for civil rights (l. 33)
she felt constrained to support the idealistic approach towards the Civil Rights Movement and is thus depicted as an idealistic proponent (l. 44 ff.)
Elena, Caroline's daughter, as well as Izzy, her own daughter, also inherited that aspiration of idealism
Elena is characterized as an upper-class citizen with visionary ambitions
however, Elena is torn between the idealism she was taught by her mother as well as the fear and worries of losing her comfort and privileges which are faced due to chaos and riots (l. 56 ff.)

Summary of information on Elena Richardson and her family

the narrator describes Shaker Heights with a sarcastic, critical tone and narrates the scene from the distance by using a third person language
the narrator also depicts the Richardsons and other residents as both out of touch with reality and hypercritical
the Shaker Heights representatives are depicted as ambiguous due to their idealism on the one hand and fear of losing their privileges which could be caused by a political change, on the other hand

the illustration of Shaker Heights itself seems unworldly and is pictured in an elitist style
the whole scene of Shaker Heights is depicted in an exaggerated way to highlight its alleged exclusivity (l. 19 ff.)
Elena's childhood memories are set in comparison to marketing images (l. 26 ff.)
the fact of Elena spending her whole life in Shaker Heights leads to the assumption of her never being confronted with the "real world"
the narrator also hints at the Richardson's superficiality by describing the cause of them moving to the country lies within not "dirty[ing] the ladies’ dresses" (l. 12) as well as the Richardson's housing choice (l. 8 / 9)

Analysis of the narrator's attitude towards Shaker Heights and its inhabitants

the narrator also highlights the deep irony of the Richardson's attitude by them being surprised that the outside world is other than their own "perfect life" (l. 26) "... less perfect" (l. 27)
this contrasts the self-righteous attitude of the Shaker Heights' residents (based on the assumption "to be better than that..." l. 30) and their tendency of fighting for racial equality
the double standard that integration should be done in the "Shaker Heights' manner" again underlines the split between civil law and integration and the city's "perfect facade" (l. 40)
comparisons like "... turning the peg of a violin ... (l. 52)" illustrate the ignorance of political wrongs and underlines once more the ambiguity of the Shaker Heights' residents
the juxtaposition of Elena's comfortable life and the chaos of the struggle for racial equality is once again drawing the contrast between the façade of Shaker Heights and the realities of equality. (l. 56 ff.)
by using strong alliteration (l. 63 ff.) as well as incomplete sentences the narrator illustrates the "dirtiness" of the fight for racial equality once more and thus highlights how Elena's peaceful world is being ripped apart

Shaker Heights' supposed "perfection" vs. the brutal fight for racial equality

although the Richardsons and the residents of Shaker Heights mean well, their views and efforts are to be noted as aloof from the real world
this protective bubble surrounding the Shaker Heights society is both a protection as well as a shield from reality

Conclusion

A2: Composition

2.1

for millennia, there has been a controversial debate about whether or not something must be destroyed in order to be recreated
the question of whether the same changes can also be achieved through peaceful, continuous processes is also in focus
concerning the past of the USA, one could argue with regard to both points of view
in the following text, both pro and con arguments for non-violence changes are elaborated based on American history

Introduction

the War of Independence in 1775 can be used as the first contra example of a non-violence change
union of the American settlers to fight against the British Empire
Consequence: End of the imperial order of the "old world" as well as the founding of a new nation "United States" on the ashes of the English fort
Since then: Celebration of the violent war of independence as heroic resistance in search of independence and democracy

Main part:
first contra argument for non-violence

the American Civil War around 80 years later is also seen as inevitable today
the unwillingness of the southern states to compromise and the danger that they would leave the Union
Result: the bloody war that claimed thousands of lives, however, did lead to the end of slavery and cohesion of the United States
concerning some events in American history, such as the Civil War, one could argue that the end justifies the means, despite the many victims
particularly when a diplomatic solution seems hopeless and a peaceful transition impossible

Second contra example and argument for non-violence

Despite many violent upheavals in the history of the United States, the end of the Civil War, for example, failed to end the oppression and unequal treatment of African Americans.
this systematic discrimination throughout the 20th century is also underlined, among other things, in the excerpt from Little Fires Everywhere

Further examples from America's history

the civil rights movement can be considered as one of the biggest non-violent events in the history of the United States
although an increasing number of Americans of all ethnicities have become sensitised and sympathetic regarding the "emancipation" of African-Americans, the question is whether the "soft" path of a peaceful solution, which is particularly sought by white advocates of racial equality, is a viable solution
Martin Luther King not only answered this question about the possibility of a peaceful solution but to this day represents one of the most famous leaders of a civil rights movement for racial equality
the result of the non-violent actions were new laws banning discrimination based on skin colour
accordingly, Martin Luther King's non-violent path against discrimination could well serve as a perfect example of an effective tool for change
nevertheless, given the ongoing police violence against people of colour in recent years, it must be noted that Martin Luther King's peaceful protest brought about a historical change but did not represent an all-encompassing solution to the conflict
accordingly, it seems to take violent protests to date to draw attention to the ongoing suffering of African-American citizens

Non-violent example

in my opinion, in order to break the continuing vicious circle of violence, a social rethink towards more peaceful solutions and non-violent coexistence is needed
however, this way of thinking shows weaknesses due to its rather short-lived character, which, as the past also shows, can be changed by a violent upheaval
the need for violent action is regrettable but indispensable from the lessons of the past

Personal opinion and conclusion

2.2

dear readers...
being caught in the comfort zone is often a normal state when you are stuck in everyday life
“Live bold and bloom” is a motto that would be good for everyone in order to get inspired to leave the comfortable ground
there are many examples spread by the film industry about leaving the comfort zone
e.g. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings ...
furthermore, can quotations like "comfort and growth do not coexist" by Ginni Rometty, enterpreneur taken as inspiration for personal development

Address readership and introduction in the topic

in today's world, it has never been easier to think "outside the box", especially with the access to benefits we have, especially in Europe
the benefit of our 21st-century world of "boldly going new places" should not be underestimated as well as taken for granted
it's important to explore new places in order to gain new experiences and in order to grow
it enables people to evolve on a personal level, e.g. through a more open attitude or maturity
also, growth in regard to capabilities e.g. learning a new sport (skiing, surfing...)
quit thinking of being "too old" or not being "skilled" enough

Main part: benefits of growing in our 21st centuary world

failure in trying new things, especially in a challenging environment, while frustrating at first, is necessary in order to learn
but stepping out of one's comfort zone cannot only be described as learning new skills, but rather means persevering and going beyond oneself
struggling is sometimes a necessity to learn which is not only regarding a professional but also a personal level
in order to grow on a personal level and e.g. step out of the communicative comfort zone one ought to overcome prejudice and apprehension
one cannot predict another person's actions and should thus not align his own behaviour with that of others
even though one has to deal with setbacks
it is mandatory to work on your personal stability as well as what psychologists refer to as frustration tolerance

Failure as the basis for growth

In conclusion..., to conclude..., all in all..., in the end...
leaving one's comfort zone should not only be seen as scary or challenging but should rather be seen as adventurous and exciting because of the foreign places and new contacts it leads to, people it will lead
in the end, the only risk is not to take risks and to remain who you have always been

Conclusion

2.3

Dear fellow students, dear listeners...
the quotation “No fiction is worth reading except for entertainment” by the American author Edgar Rice Burroughs ascribes only one purpose to fiction, and that is to entertain people

Addressing the audience, introduction, referring to the quotation

that the literature can be attributed an entertaining character can indeed not be denied
in fact, literature should distract, take people to a distant world, entertain and give them a reason to laugh
speaking for myself, I can only agree with the entertaining function of literature
in my experience, a good book transports one into another world that makes one forget his own for a few hours.
it gives you the opportunity to escape reality and experience what cannot be experienced in reality

Main part: literature as tool for entertainment

however, attributing a solely entertaining character to fictional literature has absolutist features and neglects further functions
beyond entertaining function literature also has an educational function
for example, Mother to Mother written by Sindiwe Magona addresses many of the problems that exist in South Africa, such as social injustice, violence, oppression and also the consequences of violence and children living in violent environments.
Mother to Mother, for example, addresses many a murderers mother speaking to the victim's mother
The author's particular narrative style allows an insight into the emotional life from two different perspectives, especially a perspective which is often not described in dramaturgy. And thus, highlights the tragedy from two perspectives, the murderer's mother and the mother of the victim.
literary works such as Mother to Mother or Orwells show that the statement of Edgar Burroughs is wrong because fictional literature is so much more than pure entertainment
some stories address critical political or even social issues such as racism, oppression, persecution or even violence and often retell history
sometimes you even feel awful after reading some stories
sometimes the reader even gets a redemptive ending denied like in Orwells

The significance of literature beyond its entertaining character

in the end, it can even be stated that certain literature is more of a subordinate source of entertainment, but rather aim to convey a lesson
at its best, fiction makes us think about our thinking about our own lives and views, confronts us with questions and problems questions and problems of all kinds and often encourages us to find alternatives and to self-improvement
they should encourage people to think about social problems and possibly even be part of the solution
nevertheless, fiction can serve to entertain, but to ascribe to it a solely entertaining character is wrong.
thank you for your attention

Conclusion and addressing the audience

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