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Essay on November

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There is at times a small fire In the brain, partita for violin, Brier, black stem, All burning in the quarter notes. And the hedgerow Beyond the barn Calls its starlings in. Then frost, sere leaves, A swollen half-moon Like a drowsy fingertip Above the apple trees.

More by this poet

From “dark joys”.

Old baseball glove, toy of the blind kid. Who sniffed its oiled leather, who could not use it. Sometimes he’d cry into it.

Do you understand that dark joy?

Raven, Helsinki Harbor

The raven stood in a baby carriage and croaked to passersby. Her voice was a purple softness, really not much.

Something about a dingy bird is a question—where shall we work and live—or how did it come to this, a thing called “in public” standing near the ocean among balloons and pies?

Where did the baby vanish to?

A breeze rides in with its assignment. A woman laughs because she thinks she’s partly immortal.

Only Bread, Only Light

At times the blind see light, And that moment is the Sistine ceiling,

Grace among buildings—no one asks For it, no one asks.

After all, this is solitude, Daylight’s finger,

Blake’s angel Parting willow leaves.

I should know better. Get with the business

Of walking the lovely, satisfied, Indifferent weather—

Bread baking On Arthur Avenue

This first warm day of June. I stand on the corner

For priceless seconds. Now everything to me falls shadow.

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Martyn Crucefix

Blogging on poetry, teaching and translation – over 36,000 views in 2023 – 'one of the top 10 poetry blogs' (rogue strands), the month of the drowned dog: ted hughes’ ‘november’.

Though November has just transformed itself into December here, still Ted Hughes’ sodden, rain-soaked poem from Lupercal (1960) comes to mind as I watch the TV footage of floods in the North-West of England. I’ve never thought enough attention has been given to the role of the narrator in this poem. It’s one of the selected poems studied on the Cambridge International Examinations’ A-level. Students are asked to discuss one specific poem in detail or two poems from a more thematic perspective. What follows is a loose version of the first type of question (apologies for some loss of formatting in the poem itself). NB. For another close discussion of an early Ted Hughes poem – ‘Meeting’ – click here.

The month of the drowned dog. After long rain the land Was sodden as the bed of an ancient lake, Treed with iron and bird less. In the sunk lane The ditch – a seep silent all summer –

Made brown foam with a big voice: that, and my boots On the lane’s scrubbed stones, in the gulleyed leaves Against the hill’s hanging silence;

Hughes opens the poem with a bewildering mix of images of motion and stasis. Flooding must account for the “drowned dog” (more literal than figurative or colloquial here) and the absence of a verb emphasizes the stillness of death, the burden of the month, the real entrance way to winter. The land is so sodden as to have suffered inversion to become “the bed of an ancient lake”. It’s an alien landscape – trees (as so often in Hughes) are now composed of industrial “iron” and inevitably “birdless”. Yet in contrast to such stillness, the ditch water (which in summer is a soothing sibilant “seep silent”) is now possessed of a “big voice” composed of brown foam and beside it, the narrator’s boots scrape along the lane. These two sounds are all that can be arrayed against “the hill’s hanging silence” and the contrasts of movement and stillness, noise and silence compose the greater world of this poem.

Mist silvering the droplets on the bare thorns

Slower than the change of daylight. In a let of the ditch a tramp was bundled asleep; Face tucked down into beard, drawn in Under his hair like a hedgehog’s. I took him for dead,

But his stillness separated from the death From the rotting grass and the ground. The wind chilled, And a fresh comfort tightened through him, Each hand stuffed deeper into the other sleeve.

His ankles, bound with sacking and hairy band, Rubbed each other, resettling.

It’s this greater world that the narrator fears and the tramp entrusts himself to. To the narrator, the tramp sleeping in a let of the ditch, is comparable to an animal, a “hedgehog”. In the narrator’s world view, this is no compliment and indeed in the next phrase (line 12), he considers the tramp “dead”. To give the narrator credit he perceives his mistake and next sees the tramp’s vitality, though (in a reversal of our preconceptions) it is his “stillness” rather than animation that “separate[s him] from the death” all around. The animation of the “wind” evokes a corresponding movement in the tramp: “a fresh comfort tightened through him, / Each hand stuffed deeper into the other sleeve”. There is paradox here too in that the tramp’s movements are intended both to shield him from the elements yet also settle him more comfortably among them.

The wind hardened; A puff shook a glittering from the thorns, And again the rains’ dragging grey columns

Smudged the farms. In a moment The fields were jumping and smoking; the thorns Quivered, riddled with the glassy verticals.

Lines 18 – 23 seem to represent a moment in which the narrator looks away from the tramp. What he sees is a world he might once have been familiar with dissolving before his very eyes. This is partly a result of optical effects brought on by atmospheric conditions, but Hughes’s language systematically destabilizes the solid and still (the farms, the fields, the thorns) and solidifies the diffuse and shapeless (the wind, the rains). Such a renovation of perception is comparable to the stunned narrator at the end of Hughes’ story ‘The Rain Horse’ (from Wodwo, 1967) who, after the terrifying encounter with the horse, sits “staring at the ground, as if some important part had been cut out of his brain”. The poem’s narrator reports in line 24 that he “stayed on under the welding cold” and the colloquialism of the first two words here implies that any sane person might have retired to shelter; whatever transformative process Hughes is representing in the encounter between narrator and tramp is already under way. The narrator seems to surprise himself by staying as if he were watching the actions of another.

I stayed on under the welding cold

Watching the tramp’s face glisten and the drops on his coat Flash and darken. I thought what strong trust Slept in him- as the trickling furrows slept, And the thorn-roots in their grip on darkness;

And the buried stones taking the weight of winter; The hill where the hare crouched with clenched teeth.

In fact he stays to continue to watch the tramp becoming part of the landscape: “I thought what strong trust / Slept in him”. All the critics you’ll read agree this is the key idea; but as Keith Sagar asks: in what exactly does “the tramp trust?” The image of sleep links this trust also to the fields’ “furrows”, to “thorn-roots”, to “buried stones” and to the hill itself where the hare is “crouched with clenched teeth”. Is this merely a trust in a viable future? A sort of wishful thinking? A consolation? Perhaps it is if the furrows imply next year’s crop, the roots suggest the new year’s growth, the stones will be unearthed to build new walls, the hare will survive to unclench in the Spring. There is something Romantically attractive about this reading and we might remember Wordsworth’s encounter with the Leech Gatherer who also seems part of the landscape (“as a huge stone”). Wordsworth is equally uncertain of the man’s status: “not all alive nor dead, / Nor all asleep”. As their conversation continues, the Leech Gatherer’s voice becomes indistinguishable from “a stream” and in some low level psychic derangement Wordsworth imagines the Gatherer as “Like one whom I had met with in a dream; / Or like a man from some far region sent, / To give me human strength, by apt admonishment”.

Rain plastered the land till it was shining Like hammered lead, and I ran, and in the rushing wood

Shuttered by a black oak leaned. The keeper’s gibbet had owls and hawks By the neck, weasels, a gang of cats, crows: Some stiff, weightless, twirled like dry bark bits

In the drilling rain. Some still had their shape, Had their pride with it; hung, chins on chests, Patient to outwait these worst days that beat Their crowns bare and dripped from their feet.

But Hughes’ tramp is far less consoling, far more frightening. In the concluding stanzas, the narrator runs away – on the face of it to shelter from the rain though earlier this had not troubled him. He runs into a wood in something of a panic as the breathless, long-delayed verb here suggests: “in the rushing wood // Shuttered by a black oak leaned”. It’s what the narrator encounters in the wood that provides the final piece of the jigsaw for this poem. He confronts death in the shape of a gamekeeper’s gibbet and it is really death in which the tramp trusts, as much as he trusts himself to life. This is the point of the poem’s many transformational oppositions, of stasis and movement, solid and diffuse, sleep and waking, dead and alive. As the “flash and darken” of raindrops on his coat suggest, the tramp’s instinct is to entrust himself to both life and death without making any clear, rational distinction between the two.

I think the narrator has preserved this distinction and perhaps does so even at the end. Of the bodies on the gibbet, some are fresh, others are like “dry bark bits” being twirled in the rainfall. The narrator seems inclined to focus on those retaining their living “shape”, those who he says retain “their pride”, those who seem (like Wordsworth’s Gatherer) to teach patience, and endurance against “these worst days”. But the incontrovertible fact is they are all dead and death is lesson 101 in Hughes’ work as can be seen in Crow’s ‘Examination at the Womb-Door’ ( Crow, 1970). It is the denial of death’s reality that leads to delusion and a false consciousness of our own position in the world. The narrator of ‘November’ still hankers after the human scale of virtues such as patience and Wordsworthian endurance. It is the tramp – ironically rather forgotten by the end of the poem, lying foetal in the let of the ditch, still huddled against the month’s elements – who entrusts himself to the risks of exposure and death, but in doing so may hear (what the sheltered narrator will never hear) the reply that Crow gives to the final question he faces:

But who is stronger than death?

Me, evidently.

Pass, Crow.

Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of Robert Frost’s November

Analysis of Robert Frost’s November

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on February 22, 2021 • ( 0 )

November (1942)

We saw leaves go to glory, Then almost migratory Go part way down the lane, And then to end the story Get beaten down and pasted In one wild day of rain. We heard ” ‘Tis Over” roaring. A year of leaves was wasted….. By denying and ignoring The waste of nations warring.

“November” was first published in The Old Farmer’s Almanac 1939 as “October” and was later published as “November” in A Witness Tree, after it was realized that A Boy’s Will included a poem titled “October.” The manuscript title was “In Praise of Waste,” but it also held several other titles, including “For the Fall of Nineteen Thirty Eight” and “Lines Written Last Autumn” (Cramer, 139).

Autumn is a season Frost wrote about frequently. October and November are transitional months, and since Frost was very much concerned with the transition from fall to winter, the two months tend to figure prominently in several of his poems about nature.

Robert Frost/ Dmitri Kessel

The poem has a subtext of war. The leaves become a metaphor for the soldiers who, too, initially leave on what seems to be the way “to glory” but often make it only partway down the lane to war, before being brought down in a rain of bullets. “’Tis over” can refer to a season, but it is also what is said when a war or battle has ended. We save and keep leaves in books, as we save and keep mementos of loved ones. We boast of what we can save and keep safe, but we neglect to pay due attention to what we waste and what is lost through our wasting. We lose pleasure in weeping. We also, on a far more cataclysmic level, waste human life and nations entire, by “denying and ignoring” their warring.

Frost moves from something as ordinary and easily accepted as the leaves falling from the trees in autumn to what we have come to treat as inevitable—war. But war is something brought about by people, not by seasons, and it is a waste that we could avoid. We cannot keep the seasons from destroying the leaves. Pleasure weeping is an oxymoron that ruefully describes humankind’s inclination to war.

Mark Richardson finds that “November” and “The Lost Follower” illustrate Frost’s point in the introduction to King Jasper that poetry should confine itself to “melancholy” (159). He also interprets the last seven lines of the poem to suggest that “nothing we ‘keep’ is ever really preserved, no matter what our efforts, from the inexorable tendency toward decay symbolized by the season of fall” (159). Tyler Hoffman writes that the “accretion of syntactic parallels symbolizes the fact that every new day will bring with it mounting destruction” (81).

November symbolizes not only the end of a season but a “denying and ignoring” of what is to come, even when its coming is within the sphere of human control.

FURTHER READING Cramer, Jeffrey S. Robert Frost among His Poems: A Literary Companion to the Poet’s Own Biographical Contexts and Associations. Jefferson, N.C.: MacFarland, 1996. Hoffman, Tyler. Robert Frost and the Politics of Poetry. Hanover, N.H.: Middlebury College Press, 2001. Monteiro, George. “A Pre-publication Version of Robert Frost’s ‘November,’ ” Robert Frost Review (Fall 1991): 5–6. Richardson, Mark. The Ordeal of Robert Frost: The Poet and His Poetics. Chicago, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1997, 159–160.

30 November Writing Prompts to Keep You Creative

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on September 8, 2022

Categories Creativity , Inspiration , Writing

November is an inspiring time to write. The leaves are turning colors, the air is crisp, and you can feel the weather changing.

November is also known as National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), making it the perfect time to start writing a journal, blog post, or short story!

30 Daily Writing Prompts for November Writing

What’s the best thing that happened to you today?
What’re your favorite fall activities?
What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
What’re your favorite things to wear this time of year?
Write down what you wish for this November
Write down what you hope won’t happen in November
How does the change in weather from fall to winter affect your lifestyle?
How might you help someone less fortunate on Thanksgiving or any other time of the year?
What do you plan to buy on Black Friday?
How do you feel about Black Friday shopping?
What colors do you associate with this time of year and why?
What other celebrations are happening around the world in November?
Write about how you feel when it’s cold outside, and you’d prefer to stay inside, but then remember that there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes. You put on your coat and go outside anyway because there are still so many leaves on the trees that haven’t fallen yet, and you don’t want to miss them changing color!
What activities should you do this winter to improve your mental health?
Write poetry about November
Write a letter to someone you love telling them what you’re thankful for
Write down a memory from November that still makes you smile today or something that happened this autumn month that moved you
Describe your favorite winter dish
Write about a Thanksgiving memory you’ve had.
What’re you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
If you could invite three people to Thanksgiving dinner, who’d they be? Write a paragraph about each person!
If you could change one tradition on Thanksgiving, which would it be and why?
Where would you rather be in November and why?
What do you like best about November?
Write a short story about a haunted house in November.
What’s something that makes you nostalgic?
Write a short story about how you hope this winter will be different than last year’s winter (if it was hard for you).
Write about how you feel when it’s time to put away the Halloween decorations and start decorating for the Christmas holiday.
Write short stories about how autumn would look different if you were born in 1850.
What would it be if you could give yourself one piece of advice on how to enjoy this season better?

How to Select a Good November Writing Prompt

The best way to find the right creative writing prompt is to consider what interests you and what you want to learn more about. This could be a hobby or something that’s happening in your life right now. Thinking back to the last few weeks, you may have encountered an experience that interested or intrigued you.

You can also write about something that’s been bothering you – maybe it’s a problem at work or school or something in the news that’s getting under your skin. It can help put things in perspective if you write down how it makes you feel and why it bothers you.

If you can’t think of anything right off the bat, take some time for yourself – go for a walk in nature (if possible) or just sit quietly with pen and paper (or computer) in hand. Let your mind wander through different topics until something catches your attention. You may even hear one idea lead to another!

Simple Writing Activities

Writing activities are a great way to stimulate your creativity. They’re also a great way to get started writing if you don’t have any ideas or if you’ve ideas but need some help putting them into words.

But sometimes, it can be hard to find a suitable template. Not all writing prompts are the same – some are easy, while others are more difficult. Here are some tips to help you find the most effortless November writing prompts:

Look for prompts that don’t require too many resources or outside knowledge – if you’ve to spend a lot of time researching or learning about something before you can write about it, you might have a hard time even getting started!
Use collections of your daily writing prompts that have already been used in your journal writing activities – sometimes, the answers are in front of your eyes.
Use different writing tools to stimulate your creativity – even simple worksheets help you stay organized and have the essential features to find your resources faster.

What’s a Creative Prompt?

November is the perfect month for writing prompts because it’s dark and cold outside, so you’ve time to think about what you want your story to be about!

A creative writing prompt is just an idea that inspires you to write. You can use these monthly writing prompts to get started when you’re stuck or just to motivate you to keep writing. There are many different types of monthly writing prompts you can find online, but start first with the November journal prompts above and see how you get on. The challenge is not the resources but your motivation.

How to Stay Positive When It’s Dark Outside

We’ve all been there. And I can tell you: it sucks.

But here’s the thing: When it’s dark, we must remember what makes life worth living. We must look back at the happy times and remember how much better everything is now than it was.

When it comes to staying positive, it’s essential to focus on the good things. And one of the best things about memories is that they can help us do that.

We all have memories of happy times, whether they’re from our youth or yesterday. They remind us to be grateful for the good things in life and give us something to look forward to when times get tough.

So the next time you’re feeling down, think back to a memory that makes you smile or laugh loud (or even giggle inside). This will help you lift your spirits and focus on what matters most: every day counts!

For example, you almost choked when you were eating cookies in kindergarten because the other kids were making funny faces.

Memories are great because they give us a sense of comfort and remind us of good times, whether at kindergarten or much older in life. They can also inspire us to keep going when we’re feeling down and help us see the light at the end of the tunnel.

How to Inspire More Creativity in Your Daily Life

The world is full of opportunities to be creative , but sometimes it seems hard to find them. You can do a few things to make sure you make the most of those opportunities.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Try something new! Even if it’s just something small, like a new restaurant or a new hobby. Try learning a new skill – maybe even something that’s nothing to do with your work. The more you learn about other things and learn about other perspectives, the more creative ideas will come to mind.

Learn From Others

Go to events that inspire you, listen to podcasts or audiobooks that open your mind even more … anything where you can learn from people who’ve already done what you want to do and been successful! You’ll be amazed at how much information is out there just waiting!

Take Time for Yourself

Sometimes all we need to do is put a date in our calendar every once in a while to spend some time with ourselves – whether it’s reading a book, taking a bath, or whatever makes us happy!

Healing Journal Prompts: 54 Creative Writing Ideas to Help You Heal

170 Self-Care Journal Prompts to Help You Reflect, Relax, and Recharge

130 Self Discovery Journal Prompts to Help You Find Yourself

30 November Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

Start Your Story TODAY! We’re teaching a new LIVE workshop this week to help you start your next book. Learn more and sign up here.

November is here! It's a perfect time to dust off your writing journal (the one you got for the holidays last year?) and start exploring some creative writing ideas before the end of the year. Today we have 30 November writing prompts to get you started. Let's go!

30 November Writing Prompts title against light blue background with two maple leaves in red and orange

We're deep into fall in the United States, and here, November is usually marked by American holidays such as Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. If you're a football fan, the college competition is usually heating up heading into the finals, while the NFL is deep into their regular season.

Everyone's gearing up for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade at my house, along with a day of meals and games with family. But November is also a great time to hone your writing skills. Today we have a series of daily writing prompts to spark ideas for your next creative writing project whether you're in 3rd grade or deep into the second half of life.

November Creative Writing Prompts

1. What do you look forward to most in November? Why?

2. Create an acrostic poem using the letters of NOVEMBER or a holiday this month. Challenge: make sure the word you use for each letter is something in nature (or related to Thanksgiving, or describes turkeys or football or autumn).

3. Write about your favorite holiday traditions during November. If you don't have any traditions, create your own, serious or silly. Describe what activities, food, and people you'd have at your celebrations.

4. November is a perfect time to begin making room for the new year. If you could clear out one area of your home or life, what would it be and why?

5. What is your favorite memory of school or learning during the month of November? A class feast? A trip to a local park?

6. Write a celebratory poem to the month of November, listing everything you love about it.

7. If you could fill a backpack with things to get you through the month of November, what would you add? Describe the contents and why you'd need each item.

8. Write about a person in your life who you are thankful to know.

9. Create a scene with a character stumbling into your favorite November event for the first time (whether Thanksgiving dinner or a football game or a parade or some other event).

10. You discover a magical pen that brings your drawings to life for one day only. What do you draw, and what adventures unfold as your creations come to life in November?

11. Write a dinner scene that exaggerates the character traits of each person at the table.

12. Create a setting that captures a perfect November day (or alternately a less than perfect November setting).

13. Convince someone who hates your favorite dessert to try it.

14. Write a short adventure story about a turkey visiting your hometown.

15. Create a new type of sandwich and describe everything that goes on it.

“The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July.” —Henry David Thoreau

16. November marks the time when a group of friends gathers in a circle time to share stories around a bonfire. What tales are told, and do they hold any hidden truths?

17. November brings the annual Migration Festival, where birds from different lands gather. Explore the unique stories of these migratory creatures and the impact they have on your town.

18. Imagine that a scarecrow comes to life once all the crops have been harvested. What adventure will he go on?

19. November often brings a sense of reflection. Write about a lesson you've learned recently and how it contributes to your personal growth.

20. Imagine that one of the elders at your holiday feast drops a secret they've been keeping for years. What is it and how does everyone react?

21. Explore the concept of slowing down in November. What activities or habits can you adopt to savor the present moment?

22. Write about the the changes in nature around you during November.

23. Create a character who discovers a hidden path that can only be seen once the leaves begin to fall each year. Where does it lead?

24. Describe the sensory experiences of November – the scents, sounds, and sights that make this month unique. How do these elements contribute to your overall mood?

25. Write about a character who made an ambitious list of resolutions in January, and is committed to doing all of them in November.

26. Your pet turkey has a secret talent. What is it, and how does it surprise everyone during the Thanksgiving celebration?

27. Imagine you could take a Time Machine back to your favorite November. What year would it be and why? Write about it.

28. Create a place named “The November Cafe.” Describe it and what it offers inside.

29. As the first snowfall blankets a town, the residents discover mysterious footprints leading to an ancient tree. What happens next?

30. Write a letter to your future self, outlining your aspirations and intentions for the upcoming year. What steps can you take in November to set the stage for success?

Psst… if one of those ambitions is writing a book, consider joining the thousands of writers who have finally finished their book during our 100 Day Book Program . Our next session is starting soon!

November Writing Fun Ahead

We hope one of these creative writing prompts gets you in the mood to write this November. Choose one and share your practice below!

Choose one of the prompts above. Set your timer for 15 minutes and write without stopping. Share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop , and leave feedback for a few other writers.

Not a member? Join us .

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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The dark feels different in november, novemberance.

The art and life of Mark di Suvero

This is the second installment of Nina MacLaughlin’s Novemberance column, which will run every Wednesday this month.

Godfried Schalcken, Young Girl with a Candle (detail) , 1670–1675.

“I’m in the November of my life,” said Francesca, a fifty-eight-year-old curator with good shoulders and dark lively eyes and dark wavy hair and a laugh that came from deep in her gut. Two years ago, she was told she had two-and-a-half years to live. “This was my relationship with death before,” she said, holding her arms apart at full wingspan. “Knew it would happen. Never thought about it.” Then she brought her index fingers together so they touched in front of her chest. “This was the diagnosis.” Death was on top of her. The stamp of an expiration date on her forehead annihilated all other thought. In time, and with titanic mental effort, the initial all-consuming horror gave way. “In November, you’re winding down,” she said. “It means incorporating less sharp edges, more smoke.”

Which is maybe to say more mystery, more potential. The sharp edges of fact give way to the blur of the question mark, the uncertainty, the quiet. “The space of nothingness is where one finds his or her own self and life’s richness,” writes the Japanese architect Tadao Ando. “This is a wonderful time of my life,” Francesca said.

Francesca talked of her career as a curator, and the importance of “the space of nothingness,” how the gap between the works of art was as important to her as the works themselves. “Every inch mattered,” she said. She spoke of the sweet spot, a placement wherein two objects are in tension, in conversation, put at a distance that allows one to see the most of both at once. “There’s a perfect distance where empty space allows both to be alive in a different way,” she said. “Do you know the Japanese concept of ma ?”

Ma loosely translates to negative space, to emptiness, vacancy, blankness. It is a pause, in time, space, music, conversation. “ Ma makes nothingness palpable and tangible,” writes Ando. It’s a space ripe with an atmosphere of uncertainty, suspension, and possibility. The Japanese character consists of the graphic for door and for moon, suggesting “a door through the crevice of which the moonshine peeps in,” as the Swedish linguist Bernhard Karlgren defines it in his Analytic Dictionary of Chinese and Sino-Japanese . Ma is the crack that lets the light in.

In his slim book In Praise of Shadows , Jun’ichirō Tanizaki writes of seeing light in darkness. He writes of a large room lit by candles and tries to describe the color of that particular sort of darkness. He calls it “a pregnancy of tiny particles like fine ashes, each particle luminous as a rainbow.” The particles collect in a way that’s all potential, into a

“visible darkness,” where always something seemed to be flickering and shimmering, a darkness that on occasion held greater terrors than darkness out of doors. This was the darkness in which ghosts and monsters were active.

That quality doesn’t exist in small rooms lit by bulbs turned on with a flick of a switch. Tanizaki laments the extinction of a darkness that helps the mind see ghosts, that edges one up against the vast, the frightening, the nonunderstandable. The candlelight makes one better know the dark, the shadows, the spaces unseen. And the dark—the hollows and corners behind the curtains, above the rafters, the places where dimness pools—helps one better know the light.

Likewise, ma makes one aware of the presence of absence. It’s the gap where the moonlight sifts through; it’s the space between two slate stones that guide your steps along a path; it’s the hollow where ghosts gather; it’s the pause in conversation, the ripe silence of the unspoken.

Jeanette Winterson writes of the relationship between light and conversation:

I have noticed that when all the lights are on, people tend to talk about what they are doing—their outer lives. Sitting round in candlelight or firelight, people start to talk about how they are feeling—their inner lives. They speak subjectively, they argue less. There are longer pauses.

Certain kinds of dark allow us to be more at home with silence. An upped intimacy results. Night grows in November. It gets dark in November. We can quiet down in November. In the long evenings, embrace the pause, the fertile quiet. From the first of the month to the thirtieth, in a small city in the northeast, night extends by fifty-nine minutes. It’s not the month that loses the most light though. September and October get darker by far, each losing about eighty-three minutes of light. Even August, when the fireflies throb by the bushes at the edge of the yard and you still don’t need sleeves or shoes, loses more light than November by more than fifteen minutes. But the dark feels different in November.

That’s in large part due to daylight saving time. On Sunday, unless you live in Arizona, you bumped back the clocks, which means an hour of light that belonged to the evening now belongs to the morning. For many, that hour-earlier sunset is an abrupt reminder that winter is on top of us, that time is only ever running out. For those who prefer the lengthened twilights of summer, the afternoon dark carries with it a sense of gloom, a lethargy, a melancholy, a despair. At two in the morning on a Sunday in November, the slow creep of shifting minutes of light across the year accelerates all at once.

There’s a power to it: it’s the one day a year you can pick an hour to relive. Turning the clock back an hour sounds like a shoe dropped on a rug, a thud, abrupt, echoless, and then back to silence. It sounds like a candle being blown out, that quick canvas thwap of flame extinguished off a wick. The smoke rises in silence, the flame’s ghost on its way elsewhere, and suddenly, sooner than you think, it gets dark.

November holds the in-between. Between warmth and cold, between light and dark, between living and dying. The eleventh month, getting darker, getting colder, echoes our own eventual winding down and gives chance to live in the richest, deepest way. “The space of nothingness is where one struggles to reach a deeper layer of self,” writes Ando. November opens a path to those deeper layers unavailable to us during the rest of the year. It’s an approximation of the expiration date stamped on our foreheads.

“When death is right here,” said Francesca, her index fingers held up together, side by side and touching, “it eliminates everything else.” She kept her fingers pressed together. “When you are thinking too much about death, you are not experiencing the ma .”

She spread her arms wide again. “And when it’s right here,” she said, fingers apart again at full wingspan, “when you’re not thinking at all about death, you are also not experiencing the ma , and you take everything for granted.”

She moved her fingers back together, keeping them four and a half inches apart. “Here, though. Here,” she said, and paused, and quiet filled the room.

Nina MacLaughlin is a writer and carpenter in Cambridge, Massachusetts .

Read earlier installments of Novemberance here.

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November writing prompts.

The month of November brings much inspiration to writers of all ages and backgrounds. Use these creative writing prompts, designed specifically for the month of November, to generate original responses about the last month of fall and the beginning of many

stomach-stuffing holiday gatherings. Responses to these prompts can vary in genre. Writers are encouraged to use rich detail and language, as well as all steps of the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising, and polishing), as best suited for their goals as a writer. Keep in mind that some prompts may demand contextualization depending on the learner’s age and needs.

Category 1: Thanksgiving

It’s time to gobble until you wobble! The American tradition of Thanksgiving often begins the season of holiday family gatherings. This set of creative writing prompts offers writers an opportunity to write imaginative stories, posters, letters, essays, and reports.

Grades K-2:

Write a story about a family’s Thanksgiving celebration, including details about what they eat and do.
Draw a picture of your favorite Thanksgiving food and write about why you like it.
Write about something you’re thankful for. Explain why you are grateful.
Write a personal essay about how your sense of gratitude has transformed over time or how you expect it will change over time.
Write a narrative about a character’s Thanksgiving adventure, exploring themes of family, friendship, and appreciation.
Create a recipe that uses Thanksgiving meal leftovers and include a note about the importance and benefit of limiting food waste.

Category 2: Autumn Nature

Fall leaves float to the ground and the air cools to a sharper crisp. This set of creative writing prompts offers writers an opportunity to write imaginative stories, poems, letters, essays, and reports.

Write a short poem about the beauty of autumn leaves.
Write a short story about a bird who enjoys watching families visit a nearby apple orchard each day.
Collect and create a small collage of 5 leaves. Write a short explanation about why you chose each leaf.
Write a descriptive essay about a scenic mountain autumn landscape, using vivid language and sensory details to convey the sights, smells, and feelings of the season.
Write a narrative about a character’s outdoor adventure hiking a trail during the autumn.
Write and illustrate a children’s story about a pet indoor rabbit who goes outside for an adventure in crunchy fall leaves and meets an outdoor, wild rabbit. What do they teach each other?

Category 3: Veterans Day

November brings an important opportunity to honor veterans for their service. Gratitude is often expressed with large parades, gatherings, and ceremonies. This set of creative writing prompts offers writers an opportunity to express appreciation, as well as write imaginative stories, posters, letters, essays, and reports.

Write a thank you letter to a veteran.
Draw a picture of a veteran and write a sentence describing why you admire them.
Create a poster about Veterans Day and write about how people can honor veterans when they see them.
Write a personal essay about the importance of honoring and supporting veterans, reflecting on their contributions to our country in the past and present.
Choose a female military veteran and write a short newspaper article about their experience and contributions.
Write a persuasive piece advocating for ways that communities can support veterans. For example, consider employment and healthcare support options.

Category 4: Family Traditions

Family gatherings are a way to share traditions, support cultural diversity, and honor individuality. This set of creative writing prompts offers writers an opportunity to craft imaginative stories, reflect on personal traditions, and participate in the exploration of other cultures’ traditions.

Write a story about a family’s unique and special tradition during the Thanksgiving season.
Draw a picture of your favorite family tradition and write a sentence describing why it is special to you.
Write a short poem that expresses gratitude to someone outside of your family.
Write a reflective essay about the importance of family traditions, reflecting on how they bring families together, foster bonds, and create lasting memories.
Write a short article about the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
Design a new balloon for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Explain your design and what you feel it contributes to the parade.

Category 5: Gratitude:

Write a thank you note to someone you are grateful for.
Draw a picture of an object you are grateful for. Write about why you are grateful.
Create a paper-based or digital collage that showcases things you are grateful for. Write short captions underneath each picture.
Write an essay about the benefits of practicing gratitude.
Imagine you are a character in a book or movie who learns the value of gratitude. Write a diary entry describing your transformation from being ungrateful to developing a grateful attitude.
Research and write a persuasive speech that explains the relationship between gratitude and mental health. Provide evidence and statistics to support your argument.

Category 6: Fun with Turkeys

It’s Turkey Time! Use these clever writing prompts to imagine turkeys on wild adventures or to simply explore more about how turkeys live. This set of creative November writing prompts offers writers an opportunity to craft imaginative stories, comic strips, and more.

Write a story about a turkey that goes on a wacky adventure during Thanksgiving.
Draw a picture of a turkey and describe its features (parts) using specific language and detail.
Create a comic strip that tells a funny story about a group of wild turkeys who are nervous about crossing a busy street.
Write a narrative poem about a wild turkey in its natural habitat. Use vivid imagery and sensory language to bring the turkey and its surroundings to life.
Imagine you are a turkey on Thanksgiving Day and you have a secret plan to escape from the farm prior to being prepared for sale. Write a journal entry detailing how you’ll escape.
Create a flyer or sign for a local farm that sells turkeys. Be sure to include sizes, costs, and any other important information.

We hope you’ve enjoyed using our November writing prompts!

Unpacking the 2024 November TOK Titles: A Comprehensive IB Solved Guide

Two human heads with a question mark between them

The November 2024 IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Essay Titles are out!

Let's be honest – tackling the TOK essay can be a daunting task. With so many ideas, concepts and topics at our disposal and a myriad of ideas swirling around, it's easy to feel overwhelmed at the outset.

That's where we come in.

In this article, we'll delve into each title and offer some strategic advice on how to approach them.

General Tips to Unpacking a Title

When we first encounter a prompt, we want to think in terms of perspectives and counter-perspectives (formerly known as claims and counterclaims). This framework allows for a structured essay, exploring the title through the lens of two chosen Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) and weaving in different arguments. While the ultimate conclusion you draw may often reside somewhere between these extremes or on a conditional basis (e.g. perspective 1 is correct in certain circumstances, while perspective 2 is a better approach in other), starting with opposing arguments can facilitate the development of a more nuanced exploration and argument.

So let's get to it – here is everything you need to know about the November 2024 TOK Essay titles:

Title 1: Does our responsibility to acquire knowledge vary according to the area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: History (Mandatory) and Natural Sciences/The Arts/Human Sciences

This title prompts an assessment of whether we have different levels of responsibility to acquire knowledge across different AOKs. While you are open to argue against the title directly, suggesting that the responsibility is the same across AOKs, this would be unwise. It would be better to reflect on each AOK and perhaps present one perspective in support of the responsibility and one perspective against it, drawing a conclusion on which argument is stronger in each AOK.

Also consider the difference between the acquisition and production of knowledge – perhaps we have a broader responsibility to produce new knowledge in some areas of knowledge but not necessarily to acquire it as individual knowers.

Some perspectives you may consider:

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire knowledge to ensure that we construct an accurate record of the past. It is our responsibility to know our History and learn from the past.

Counter-Perspective: Historical knowledge is limited by subjectivity and collective memory, hence it is not essential to acquire knowledge of our past to build a successful future.

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire artistic knowledge to understand cultures and societies.

Counter-Perspective: The acquisition of knowledge in the Arts is for aesthetic purposes and enjoyment, not the fulfilment of a responsibility.

Natural Sciences/Human Sciences

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire new scientific knowledge for the continual development of mankind.

Counter-Perspective: Understanding how the world/humans work is not necessary knowledge for knowers to acquire.

Title 2: In the production of knowledge, is ingenuity always needed but never enough? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Mathematics (Mandatory) and Natural Sciences/The Arts/Human Sciences

This is a super interesting title – ensure you define 'ingenuity' from the outset. The essay almost structures itself – your first paragraph in each AOK can consider how/whether ingenuity is 'always needed', exploring how this plays out in each AOK, while the second paragraph can explore whether or not it is 'never enough'.

Some ideas you may consider:

Paradigm Shifts – To revolutionise an AOK, often ingenuity is needed to enact a paradigm shift (a new way of thinking which changes the entire knowledge structure of an AOK) and to ensure progress.

Creativity – Creative thinking is important not only for AOKs such as the Arts, but even in Mathematics and the Sciences. Discovering innovative ways of devising experiments or utilising clever analogies to explain incredibly complex concepts is integral to these AOKs.

Structure – Ingenuity is only valuable within a framework for knowledge production, whether this be an artistic process or the scientific method.

Title 3: How might it benefit an area of knowledge to sever ties with its past? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: History, Natural Sciences, The Arts and Human Sciences

The 'How' of this title restricts the scope to discussing different 'benefits' rather than a standard 'perspective-counter' analysis. It will also be important to define exactly what 'severing ties' involves – does this mean completely ignoring all past knowledge or simply becoming less attached to existing ways of thinking?

Some ideas for this title:

Fresh Ideas and Paradigm Shifts – By severing ties, you open up the possibility of acquiring knowledge which can overhaul an entire AOK, drastically accelerating progress.

Bias – By severing past ties, knowers can free themselves of the biases of their predecessors.

Innovation – Since existing frameworks of thinking often lead to similar conclusions, you can expand the possibilities of new knowledge by severing past ties.

However, you may interestingly conclude that these benefits are only reaped when ties to the past are severed to an extent, as it may be detrimental to an AOK to entirely negate past knowledge.

Title 4: To what extent do you agree that there is no significant difference between hypothesis and speculation? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Human Sciences and History/Natural Sciences

This prompt is very focused on your definitions. I would suggest defining these terms distinctly and precisely from the outset. The primary question which this title is asking is whether hypotheses are mere "speculation" or "guesses", or if there is a significant difference.

Also, if selecting the Human and Natural Sciences, please ensure that your perspectives aren't repetitious and highlight the differences between these AOKs.

Development – Speculation and hypothesis differ in the fact that the development of a hypothesis generally requires significant prior research and an understanding of existing knowledge

Experimentation – Hypotheses are developed purposefully and then empirical experimentation are conducted to provide evidence either in support or against them

Emotion – Speculation tends to come from 'feelings' or 'impressions', whereas the development of a hypothesis is far more methodical

Title 5: In the production of knowledge, are we too quick to dismiss anomalies? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Human Sciences/History/Natural Sciences

This title allows you to reflect on whether or not we dismiss 'anomalies' (a key term to be defined) too quickly when producing knowledge.

Paradigm Shift – Anomalies are often the prompt for a paradigm shift in the sciences, causing us to challenge existing beliefs and ideas

Exceptions – Often rather than investigating anomalies further and considering an overhaul of existing knowledge, anomalies are dismissed as 'exceptions' to the rule, rather than a justification to question the rule itself

Generalisation – There is often a focus on generating 'general' rules and theories which can lead anomalies to be dismissed (think of the Human Sciences – how often do we produce a rule about human behaviour but ignore those who behave contrary to the rule)

Title 6: In the pursuit of knowledge, what is gained by the artist adopting the lens of the scientist and the scientist adopting the lens of the artist? Discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences.

Recommended AOKs: The Arts and the Natural Sciences

This title requires you to define the 'lens' of each of these AOKs from the outset. It will be better to define them quite opposingly – the scientist is more methodical, experimental and structured, whilst the artist is more free-flowing and creative. You will then be able to take these attributes and argue which elements would be better across the two disciplines.

Creativity – Scientists can benefit from the creativity of artists when developing innovative ways of experimenting, presenting results and constructing abstract theories

Structure – Artists can often benefit from a methodical approach to constructing art, particularly when aiming to convey a specific message or purpose through their art

Flexibility – Artists are often quite flexible when constructing an artwork, always willing to change and adapt to their free-flowing thoughts, an attribute which is highly beneficial for scientists who at times may become rigid in their thinking and fixed to pre-existing scientific beliefs.

And that's it - our comprehensive guide to the 2024 November TOK Titles! If you're still racking your brain as to how to begin the writing process for your TOK essay, why not check out our post on The Complete IB TOK Essay Guide . Or check out one of our Grade A Exemplar TOK Essays ! Or better yet, if you are looking for some more personal assistance with your IB TOK Essay, click below to reach out to us and we can work with you through the entire writing process, from title selection to the best structure for success!

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The Best Student Writing Contests for 2023-2024

Help your students take their writing to the next level.

When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are a challenging and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience— a real panel of judges —and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of the best student writing contests, and there’s something for everyone. Prepare highly motivated kids in need of an authentic writing mentor, and watch the words flow.

1. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

With a wide range of categories—from critical essays to science fiction and fantasy—The Scholastic Awards are a mainstay of student contests. Each category has its own rules and word counts, so be sure to check out the options before you decide which one is best for your students.

How To Enter

Students in grades 7-12, ages 13 and up, may begin submitting work in September by uploading to an online account at Scholastic and connecting to their local region. There are entry fees, but those can be waived for students in need.

2. YoungArts National Arts Competition

This ends soon, but if you have students who are ready to submit, it’s worth it. YoungArts offers a national competition in the categories of creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, and spoken word. Student winners may receive awards of up to $10,000 as well as the chance to participate in artistic development with leaders in their fields.

YoungArts accepts submissions in each category through October 13. Students submit their work online and pay a $35 fee (there is a fee waiver option).

3. National Youth Foundation Programs

Each year, awards are given for Student Book Scholars, Amazing Women, and the “I Matter” Poetry & Art competition. This is a great chance for kids to express themselves with joy and strength.

The rules, prizes, and deadlines vary, so check out the website for more info.

4. American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive a voyage with the Semester at Sea program and a trip to Washington, DC.

Students fill out a registration form online, and a teacher or sponsor is required. The deadline to enter is the first week of April.

5. John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

This annual contest invites students to write about a political official’s act of political courage that occurred after Kennedy’s birth in 1917. The winner receives $10,000, and 16 runners-up also receive a variety of cash prizes. ADVERTISEMENT

Students may submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay through January 12. The essay must feature more than five sources and a full bibliography.

6. Bennington Young Writers Awards

Bennington College offers competitions in three categories: poetry (a group of three poems), fiction (a short story or one-act play), and nonfiction (a personal or academic essay). First-place winners receive $500. Grab a poster for your classroom here .

The contest runs from September 1 to November 1. The website links to a student registration form.

7. The Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? This exclusive competition, which is open only to high school juniors, is judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University. Students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. ( Note: Only open to 11th graders. )

Students submit one 10-page play script online or by mail. The deadline is the end of March. Contest details will be published in early 2024.

8. Princeton University Poetry Contest for High School Students

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in 11th grade. Prizes range from $100 to $500.

Students in 11th grade can submit their poetry. Contest details will be published this fall.

9. The New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest

This contest is also a wonderful writing challenge, and the New York Times includes lots of resources and models for students to be able to do their best work. They’ve even made a classroom poster !

Submissions need to be made electronically by November 1.

10. Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

The deadline for this contest is the end of October. Sponsored by Hollins University, the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest awards prizes for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Prizes include cash and scholarships. Winners are chosen by students and faculty members in the creative writing program at Hollins.

Students may submit either one or two poems using the online form.

11. The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is open to high school sophomores and juniors, and the winner receives a full scholarship to a Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop .

Submissions for the prize are accepted electronically from November 1 through November 30.

12. Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 and publication by entering an essay on a topic specified by the Jane Austen Society related to a Jane Austen novel.

Details for the 2024 contest will be announced in November. Essay length is from six to eight pages, not including works cited.

13. Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Open to students from 15 to 18 years old who are interested in publication and exposure over monetary awards.

Teachers may choose five students for whom to submit up to four poems each on their behalf. The deadline is November 15.

14. The Black River Chapbook Competition

This is a chance for new and emerging writers to gain publication in their own professionally published chapbook, as well as $500 and free copies of the book.

There is an $18 entry fee, and submissions are made online.

15. YouthPlays New Voices

For students under 18, the YouthPlays one-act competition is designed for young writers to create new works for the stage. Winners receive cash awards and publication.

Scroll all the way down their web page for information on the contest, which accepts non-musical plays between 10 and 40 minutes long, submitted electronically. Entries open each year in January.

16. The Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, Tell Your Climate Story , encourages students to write their own unique climate story. They are asking for creative expressions of students’ personal experiences, insights, or perceptions about climate change. Students are eligible for a wide range of monetary prizes up to $1,000.

Students from 11 to 18 years old may submit work in the categories of art, creative writing, poetry and spoken word, film, interactive media and multimedia, or music and dance, accompanied by a reflection. The deadline is June 13.

17. EngineerGirl Annual Essay Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world, and students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. The new contest asks for pieces describing the life cycle of an everyday object. Check out these tips for integrating the content into your classroom .

Students submit their work electronically by February 1. Check out the full list of rules and requirements here .

18. NCTE Student Writing Awards

The National Council of Teachers of English offers several student writing awards, including Achievement Awards in Writing (for 10th- and 11th-grade students), Promising Young Writers (for 8th-grade students), and an award to recognize Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines.

Deadlines range from October 28 to February 15. Check out NCTE.org for more details.

19. See Us, Support Us Art Contest

Children of incarcerated parents can submit artwork, poetry, photos, videos, and more. Submissions are free and the website has a great collection of past winners.

Students can submit their entries via social media or email by October 25.

20. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose

The Adroit Journal, an education-minded nonprofit publication, awards annual prizes for poetry and prose to exceptional high school and college students. Adroit charges an entry fee but also provides a form for financial assistance.

21. National PTA Reflections Awards

The National PTA offers a variety of awards, including one for literature, in their annual Reflections Contest. Students of all ages can submit entries on the specified topic to their local PTA Reflections program. From there, winners move to the local area, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

This program requires submitting to PTAs who participate in the program. Check your school’s PTA for their deadlines.

22. World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international contest open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, as well as those in home-study programs. The $500 prize is based on an essay that addresses one of this year’s two prompts.

Students can submit entries via email or regular mail before May 1.

23. NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship

The National Society of High School Scholars awards three $2,000 scholarships for both poetry and fiction. They accept poetry, short stories, and graphic novel writing.

Apply online by October 31.

Whether you let your students blog, start a podcast or video channel, or enter student writing contests, giving them an authentic audience for their work is always a powerful classroom choice.

If you like this list of student writing contests and want more articles like it, subscribe to our newsletters to find out when they’re posted!

Plus, check out our favorite anchor charts for teaching writing..

Are you looking for student writing contests to share in your classroom? This list will give students plenty of opportunities.

Best Student Contests and Competitions for 2023

Best 2024 Competitions for Students in Grades K-12

Competitions in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more! Continue Reading

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The Month of November 2023: Holidays, Fun Facts, Folklore

Everything You Need to Know About November!

What’s happening in November? Here at the Almanac, we think of November as the month of food, when the best of cooks can shine, and the best of eaters will surely get their fill ahead of winter. Here’s what November brings—from weather forecasts to folklore!

And the dead leaves lie huddled and still, No longer blown hither and thither; The last lone aster is gone; The flowers of the witch-hazel wither … –Robert Frost (1874-1963)

The Month of November

November, the 11th month of the year, has 30 days and marks the beginning of the winter holiday season for most folks, even if the winter solstice doesn’t occur until late December.

November Calendar

November 1 is All Saints’ Day .
November 4 is Will Rogers Day … it is also Sadie Hawkins Day .
November 5 at 2 A.M. is the end of Daylight Saving Time . Set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night at bedtime! See more about DST .
November 7 is Election Day ( U.S. ). Don’t forget to vote in state and federal elections! Every vote counts. Make an Election Day Cake to celebrate.
November 11 is Veterans Day ( U.S. ) and Remembrance Day (Canada).
If you’re fortunate, you may experience an “ Indian Summer ” in November, but according to the traditional definition, it can only occur between November 11 and 20! What is an Indian Summer?
November 19 is Discovery of Puerto Rico Day .
November 23 is Thanksgiving Day ( U.S. ). Understand the history and origins of Thanksgiving .

“Just for Fun” Dates in November

November is Banana Pudding Lovers Month—who knew? Here are some more wacky celebrations to look forward to:

Nov. 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day
Nov. 6: Zero-Tasking Day
Nov. 9: National Scrapple Day
Nov. 16: National Button Day
Nov. 21: World Hello Day
Nov. 23: Fibonacci Day

autumn leaves falling at the base of a tree

November Moon & Astronomy

The Full Beaver Moon

November’s full Moon is traditionally called the Beaver Moon . Why this name? In the Colonial Era, this was the month to set one’s beaver traps before the swamps froze and beavers retired to their lodges, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.

In 2023, November’s full Moon occurs on Monday, November 27. Read our November Moon page for more information!

November Weather

According to weather folklore, a heavy November snow will last until April.

See our predictions for November and check out our 2024 Winter Forecast !

November Weather Folklore

If there’s ice in November that will bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck .
November take flail; let ships no more sail.
If trees show buds in November, the winter will last until May.
There is no better month in the year to cut wood than November.
Ice in November brings mud in December.

weather folklore, a heavy november snow will last until april

Recipes for the Season

It’s time to start thinking about holiday preparations—for Thanksgiving and beyond!

traditional thanksgiving feast with turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing

Consult our collection of Thanksgiving recipes —from the big bird to stuffing to deserving side dishes to desserts!

You may also enjoy these make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes ; they can be prepared ahead of the big feast day to save you some valuable last-minute cooking time.

If you’re serving turkey, here are tips on how to roast the bird .

Got leftovers? Try this Day-After-Turkey-Dinner Hash !

Learn more about Thanksgiving’s foods with these fun facts pages:

The Great Yam Scam: Are Sweet Potatoes Really “Yams?”
Cranberry Trivia
Turkey Trivia

November Gardening

Use small stakes or markers where you’ve planted bulbs or late-starting plants in the perennial garden to avoid disturbing them when you begin spring soil preparation.

Check trees around your house for weak branches that should be removed by you now, rather than by snow and ice later.

If you’re in the midst of raking leaves, see our advice on how to use them in the garden .

See more gardening jobs for the month of November.

Did You Know: Autumn is the best time to prepare your yard properly for a healthy spring growth. It’s much easier to handle these tasks now! See our “ 10 Fall Cleanup Tips for a Better Spring Garden .”

wheelbarrow and shovel in an autumn garden

November Birthstone

November’s traditional birthstone is the topaz , usually a yellow to amber color. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz could make a wearer invisible. A symbol of honor and strength, topaz was also believed to bring longevity and wisdom. Learn more about topaz—and November birthstones .

Birth Flowers

November’s birth flower is the chrysanthemum . Generally, chrysanthemums represent cheerfulness. A red one conveys “I love you.” White symbolizes truth or pure love. A yellow one indicates slighted love. Learn more about the birth flower of November .

Everyday Advice

The holiday season is now upon us! Check out our Holiday Cooking and Cleaning Checklist

It’s also the start of cold and flu season. Here are natural cold remedies for your body and mind.

Stay warm with a cozy fire. See the best types of firewood for burning .

November Zodiac

November’s Zodiac Signs are:

Scorpio: October 23 to November 21
Sagittarius: November 22 to December 20

What do you love about the month of November? Tell us in the comments below!

Catherine Boeckmann

a group of friends gathered around a thanksgiving table with a turkey and wine

The Month of September 2024: Holidays, Fun Facts, Folklore

February Calendar 2024: Holidays, Fun Facts, and Folklore

The Month of June 2024: Holidays, Fun Facts, Folklore

Wow amazing

I look forward to this site each day; love the information.

I love this site. I love the free newsletter too! Thank you! You are awesome!

what does the color of caterpillars have to do with the winter weather? any comments on salt? effects on salt during cold weather? moisture? wives tails? ;}

As to the color of caterpillars, you might be interested in the folklore of the woolly worm, whose brown and black bands are said to predict the coming winter’s severity: http://www.almanac.com/content/woolly-bear-caterpillars-and-weather-prediction

As to salt, weather lore says that it increases in weight before a shower. There is also a similar excerpt in an old weather lore book that says: “A farmer’s wife says when her cheese salt is soft, it will rain; when getting dry, fair weather may be expected.”

Hope this helps!

Which days in November, December or January are best for shoulder surgery?

What is the best day where moving to our new house this coming December? Please help me, thank you and more power!

Moving house during a waning moon is said to be good luck.

If I weaned my foal on November 16th how long should I wait to turn her out into the pasture freely with her mom.. Assuming that I do not want her to feed off her mom.. I was planning on waiting 30 days but was seeing if there was a magic date and time! Thank you in advance!

What are the best days in November to paint so that it will stay?

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37 November Quotes To Welcome The Amazing Month

Crisp air, cool weather, colorful leaves, November has it all. With these inspiring November quotes, you will fall in love with it even more.

November is the month that is both exciting and cozy. And who doesn’t love November?

Halloween just passed at the end of October , and now we are at the doorstep of the holiday season . Thanksgiving is the end of the month, and we have Christmas and the New Year around the corner.

At the same time, November is the month to recharge yourself. The crisp air, cuddling weather, and the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls soothe all your tightened nerves.

And if you want to spend a day in nature leaf-watching or hiking, this is the time for it. Whether you are an indoor or outdoor person, you will find something joyful to do in November.

As the transition from fall to winter, November is for change and preparation. That means it’s time to give your room, wardrobe, body, and mind a declutter. Get rid of the things you don’t need, be it clothes or beliefs holding you back. When you have less, you have space and energy for the truly important things and people.

To celebrate this amazing month, here is a list of inspiring November quotes and sayings. If you love November as much as I do, these quotes will make you fall in love with the month even more. But first, let’s look at the holidays and special occasions in November, so you don’t miss anything.

Holidays, special occasions, and fun facts of November

November is National Adoption Awareness Month, Peanut Butter Lovers, and World Vegans Month.

November 1: All Saint’s Day (Christian), World Vegan Day
November 9: World Freedom Day
November 11: Veterans Day
November 13: World Kindness Day (Take action with these random acts of kindness ideas )
November 17: World Peace Day
November 24: Thanksgiving
November 25: Black Friday
November 28: Cyber Monday
The birth flower of November: Chrysanthemum
November birthstone: Topaz and citrine
Astrology signs born in November: Scorpio and Sagittarius

November quotes to welcome the month

Inspiring november quotes and sayings.

There’s so much to look forward to in November. Of course, it’s a new month for new adventures. But it’s also a good time to adjust your mindset, recharge, and replenish for the last bit of the year. So here is a list of inspiring November quotes to make the month even better.

Hello November - November quotes and sayings

Hello November N ot everyone gets you, but it’s O kay, because when you V alue your time, attention and E nergy, you attract M ore people who see your B eauty and worth. Own your E noughness, and the R ight ones will find you.

Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the color of moonrise. – Gladys Taber

November motivation and self-love reminders - November quotes and sayings

November reminders Two months later, you’d wish you had started now. One day everything you go through will make sense No one can force you to grow. Only you can do it You are your home. Take care of it Be with people who are good for your mental health

Small things to be thankful for - November quotes and sayings

Small things to love about November Home-baked cinnamon rolls Oversized hoodies Nostalgia fall playlist Wrapping gifts for loved ones Time with family Sparkling sidewalks

November at its best – with a sort of delightful menace in the air. – Anne Bosworth Greene

Things to keep doing in November Keep speaking your mind Keep doing good for others Keep loving whole-heartedly Keep doing what’s best for you Keep chasing your dreams Keep being your authentic self

Happiness is coffee on a fall day. – Unknown

Things to stop doing this November Stop entertaining people who don’t deserve you Stop comparing yourself to Internet strangers Stop fitting yourself in a box Stop running on an empty tank Stop treating yourself like you don’t matter Stop being available to everyone

How to love yourself more in November - self-love reminders for November

How to love yourself *November Edition* Spend time alone each day Give yourself a gentle massage Allow yourself to take breaks Prioritize your needs Learn to ask for help Appreciate what you have

It was November–the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. – Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Cozy to-do list for November - nice things to do in November

A Cozy To-do List for November Chase fall foliage and take amazing photos Get yourself a new winter look Declutter and organize your space Putting together a Xmas playlist Say thank you to a loved one Treat yourself to a wholesome dinner

What are your personal goals for November? Leave a comment down below to share!

The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July. – Henry David Thoreau

November always seemed to me the Norway of the year- November quotes and sayings

November always seemed to me the Norway of the year. – Emily Dickinson

It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon. – Sarah Addison Allen

People born in November have a wild heart and a warm soul.

Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils. – Cyril Connolly

You are never too old to play in the leaves. - November quotes and sayings

You are never too old to play in the leaves. – Unknown

If you want me to stop listening to Christmas music in November, all you have to do is ask, so I can say no.

If you want me to stop listening to Christmas music in November, all you have to do is ask, so I can say no. – Unknown

Beautiful end-of-fall quotes for November

November marks the end of fall. And the transition towards winter gives November its meaning. The following deep quotes shed light on the change of seasons and the passing of time. Read on, and you may have a different understanding of the month.

November comes And November goes, With the last red berries And the first white snows. – Elizabeth Coatsworth

November's sky is chill and drear, November's leaf is red and sear.

November’s sky is chill and drear, November’s leaf is red and sear. – Walter Scott

Long cold nights mark November’s return, grey rains fall, wind walks in the bronze oak leaves. – Gladys Taber

In November, you begin to know how long the winter will be. – Martha Gellhorn

“No”vember – a time to say “no” to people, places, and things that drain your energy. – Unknown

In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones. Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers. They know it is time to be still. – Cynthia Rylant

In our height of hope, ever to be sober, and in our depth of desolation, never to despair

We mourn the blossoms of May because they are to whither; but we know that May is one day to have its revenge upon November, by the revolution of that solemn circle which never stops – which teaches us in our height of hope, ever to be sober, and in our depth of desolation, never to despair. – William Peter Blatty

November is chill, frosted mornings with a silver sun rising behind the trees, red cardinals at the feeders, and squirrels running scallops along the tops of the gray stone walls. – Jean Hersey

It's finally November. Mariah Carey and Micheal Bublé are defrosting as we speak.

It’s finally November. Mariah Carey and Micheal Bublé are defrosting as we speak. – Unknown

Beyond the pearled horizons lie winter and night: awaiting these We garner this poor hour of ease, Until love turn from us and die Beneath the drear November trees. – Ernest Dowson

Gratitude quotes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving lands at the end of November. Besides turkey and cinnamon rolls, Thanksgiving is the time to appreciate the things and people in our lives, stop taking them for granted and to express gratitude. So scroll on and embrace the holiday spirit with these gratitude quotes .

T hanks for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather. H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday. A for autumn’s frosty art, and abundance in the heart. N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember. K for kitchen, kettles’ croon, kith and kin expected soon. S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that about. That spells THANKS for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving. – Aileen Fisher

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more.

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. – Oprah Winfrey

Sometimes we focus so much on what we don’t have that we fail to see, appreciate, and use what we do have! – Jeff Dixon

We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction. – Harry A. Ironside

I may not be where I want to be but I’m thankful for not being where I used to be. – Habeeb Akande

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. – Marcel Proust

Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful. – Roy T. Bennett

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses. – Alphonse Karr

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving. – W.T. Purkiser

Which of these November quotes resonates with you?

Tell me about it in the comment or tag @_OurMindfulLife on Instagram to share.

Thursday 17th of November 2022

People born in November have a wild heart and a warm soul.- Its very true I am a November born

Ana Chavarria

Monday 31st of October 2022

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Día de los muertos : two days in november, manuel f. medrano october 2015.

Beginning November 1, thousands of people throughout the Americas will participate in Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebrations. Manuel F. Medrano, professor of history at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Humanities Texas board member, explores the many marvelous and macabre ways in which the living honor the dead at this special time of year. A multimedia presentation of this essay is made available online by the Los del Valle Oral History Project .

Through the morning mist, they come to my grave—my friends, my family, those who remember me, those who respect me. They build an altar and fill it with gifts, food, and memories. They decorate my resting place with beautiful cempasúchitl (marigolds). They celebrate me like I celebrated my family before. It is our tradition; it is what we believe connects those who are here with those who are gone.

I live where the dusk meets the dawn and the heavens meet the underworld. Crossbones and skulls surround me as life and afterlife become one. I am the ghost of the departed, and I come to visit those who will die. My roots are in two worlds and in two cultures. Pagans have praised me, popes have proclaimed me, and shamans have exalted me; few have forgotten me. I am incomparable; I am inevitable; I am inescapable; I am the Day of the Dead.

There are those who believe that the fall reunites the living and the dead. It has always been that way. Many years ago in the Old World, as October ended, the Celtic Festival of Samhain marked the beginning of the barren time, a time of gloom. As the nights outlived the days, the ghosts of the dead were said to haunt the living. In Europe, I was Christianized as All Souls Day to remember the faithful. 1

Octavio Paz, the great Mexican writer, once wrote that the Mexican knows death and does not fear it. Paz writes that the Mexican "jokes about it, caresses it; it is one of [their] favorite toys and most steadfast love." 2

In the New World, my Maya, Toltec, Purépecha, and Aztec traditions have survived nearly three millennia. In their pantheons and rituals, death held a significant place. At times, the skulls of their dead ancestors were publicly displayed, symbolizing the duality of death and rebirth "as life and death were believed to exist in dynamic and complementary opposition." 3

One Aztec muerto tradition included a month-long August celebration presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. It included the practice of making bread in the shape of a person, possibly the origin of today's pan de muerto . The Aztecs also considered it a blessing to die in battle, by human sacrifice, or when giving birth because these assured the victims a desirable destination in the afterlife.

In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is observed by a variety of regional customs fused together by timeless commonalities. These include visits to family cemeteries, preparation of favorite foods for the dead, offerings on commemorative altars, and, at times, fireworks. Mixquic, once a farming island in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, has retained a rural village ambiance and its indigenous roots. The area takes on a busy and festive air in the final days of October as merchants set up street stands to sell their wares for me. In the cemetery, family burial plots are carefully cleaned and decorated with my favorite earthly delights. Relatives gather at family tombs to mourn the loss of loved ones with la Llorada (the weeping). Later, when darkness arrives, the glow of thousands of candles ( la Alumbrada ) illuminates the way. At midnight, my soul returns to my other world with the mournful tolling of bells and is remembered with a recitation of the Rosary. 4

The souls of my children are believed to return on November 1, with my adult spirits following on November 2. Plans for the festival are made throughout the year, including gathering items to be offered to the dead. Wealthier families build altars in their homes, but most simply visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with ofrendas or offerings. These include wreaths of orange marigolds referred to as Flor de Muerto in Spanish and zempoalxochitl in Nahuatl. They are thought to attract the souls of the dead toward their offerings. Toys are brought for dead children ( los angelitos or little angels) and bottles of tequila, mescal, pulque, or atole (corn gruel) for adults.

On my grave, families place trinkets and my favorite candies such as dulce de calabaza (pumpkin candy) and leche quemada (scorched milk). Sometimes mariachis are brought to perform my favorite songs. Ofrendas are also put in homes, usually with foods such as sugar skulls and platters of rice, beans, or chicken in mole sauce. The ofrendas are left in the homes as a welcoming gesture for me. Because some people believe that my spirit devours the spirit of the food, the hosts eat the food from the ofrendas , thinking it lacks nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so that I can rest after a long journey.

Altars usually have the Christian cross, statues or images of the Blessed Virgin, or photographs of me. My family spends time around the altar telling stories of those that are gone. In Mizquic and Pátzcuaro, families spend all night beside the graves of their relatives. 5

From mid-October through the first week of November, markets and shops all over Mexico are filled with special items for me. These include a variety of skeletons and other macabre toys, intricate tissue paper cutouts called papel picado , and elaborate wreaths and crosses decorated with paper or silk flowers. Among the edible delicacies offered are skulls called calacas (colloquial term for skeleton). Coffins are made from sugar, chocolate, or amaranth seeds. Sugary sweet rolls called pan de muerto come in various sizes, topped with bits of dough shaped like bones; in some regions, unadorned dark breads are molded into human figures called ánimas (souls).

Burning copal (incense) and the light of numerous candles are intended to help my spirit find its way home and provide it with an enticing respite and adequate sustenance for the journey. Frequently, they leave a washbasin and clean hand towel for me to freshen up before the feast. The offering includes my favorite meal and also a pack of cigarettes for my after-dinner enjoyment.

At the local cemetery, relatives prepare each gravesite. They cut weeds, give tombs a fresh coat of paint, and make needed repairs. The graves are then decorated according to local custom. The tomb may be simply adorned with a cross of marigold petals or elaborately covered with colorful coronas (wreaths) and fresh or artificial floral arrangements. In many regions, children's graves are adorned with brightly colored paper streamers or other festive adornments. Booming fireworks announce the commencement of an open-air memorial mass, the occasion's most solemn moment.

Calaveras , mischievous epitaphs of friends in poetic form, are written about me. In the late seventeenth century, a newspaper published a poem narrating a dream at a cemetery in the future where all people were dead and tombstones were read. Newspapers still dedicate Calaveras cartoons to public figures.

In Patzcuaro, Michoacán, godparents, in the first year following a child's death, set a table with sweets, fruits, pan de muerto , a cross, a Rosary, and candles in the home of the parents. This is done to celebrate the child's life and in respect and appreciation for the parents. In the town plaza or garden, there is dancing with colorful costumes, which include skull-shaped masks or devil masks. At midnight on November 2, people light candles and ride boats called Mariposas over to the island of Cuiseo—in the middle of the lake, where there is a cemetery—to honor and celebrate the dead there. 6

One of my most unforgettable characters is la Catrina , also known as la Flaca, la Huesuda, la Pelona —elegant, thin, bony, and bald. She is not a model of fashion; she is not a trendy woman, yet she exists throughout Mexican society. La Catrina appears in figurines, paintings, and paper cutouts. She is the grand lady of death and makes no bones about it.

The Mexican American borderlands culture has continued its medieval homage to death and combined it with pre-Columbian motifs. From it has emerged an awareness of the brevity of life and an emphasis on a respect for the dead. In the American Southwest, as well as other places in the country, I am celebrated in public schools and on college campuses, at mercados , and at cultural and art museums. Both Latino and non-Latino students organize festivals for me every year at such universities as the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, and the University of California. In San Antonio, the Market Square is adorned with various altars and many muertos figurines. In the Rio Grande Valley, observances are made at local cemeteries, cultural centers, museums, and colleges. My tradition has traveled north and enriched those it has touched.

I have been paganized, Christianized, eulogized, syncretized, politicized, and commercialized, yet seldom minimized because I am what you will become, and you respect that reality. After all this time, the autumn moon still tells my story and beckons you to tell yours. Wait for me; welcome me; remember me; laugh with me; celebrate me; believe in me.

So, every year for two days in November, the living meet the dead to celebrate their love, their lives, and their legacy. It is a reunion that transcends our time on earth and beyond. You remember the dead, knowing that one day, you, too, will be remembered. Those who believe in the duality that bridges the flesh and the spirit know that they are part of a continuous cycle of life and death, separated by a single heartbeat.

1 Mile Kearney and Manuel Medrano. Medieval Culture and the Mexican American Borderlands (College Station: Texas A&M Press, 2001), 107.

2 Octavio Paz. The Labyrinth of Solitude (New York: Grove Press, 1961), 57.

3 Mary Miller and Karl Taufe. T he Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and The Maya (London: Thames and Hudson, 1997), 74.

4 Miller and Taufe, 74

5 Mary J. Andrade. Day of the Dead: A Passion for Life (San Jose, CA: La Oferta Publishing Company, 2007), 66.

6 Andrade, 66.

El Día de los Muertos: Dos Días de Noviembre

A través de la neblina, caminan éllos hacia mi tumba; mis amigos, mis familiares, aquéllos que me recuerdan, aquéllos que me respetan. Me construyen un altar, y lo llenan de regalos, de comida y de recuerdos, y decoran mi última morada con la bella cempasúchil. Me celebran como yo también celebré a mi familia años atrás. Es nuestra tradición; es lo que creemos que conecta a quienes están aquí con quienes se han ido.

Vivo donde el anochecer se encuentra con el amanecer, donde los cielos se encuentran con el inframundo. Me rodean las calaveras y los huesos cruzados mientras que la vida y el más allá se convierten en uno. Soy el fantasma de los difuntos, y vengo a visitar a aquéllos que morirán. Mis raíces se encuentran en dos mundos y en dos culturas. Los paganos me han alabado, y los papas me han aclamado; los chamanes me han exaltado, pero pocos me han olvidado. Soy incomparable; soy inevitable; soy inescapable; soy el Día de los Muertos.

Hay quienes creen que el otoño reúne a los vivos con los muertos. Siempre ha sido así. Hace muchos años en el Viejo Mundo hacia el final de octubre, el Festival céltico de Samhain indicaba el inicio de una temporada estéril, una temporada de melancolía. Mientras las noches sobrevivían los días, se contaba que los fantasmas de los difuntos vagaban entre los vivos. En Europa, me bautizaron el Día de las Santas Ánimas para recordar a los creyentes.

El célebre escritor mexicano, Octavio Paz, dijo en una ocasión que el mexicano conoce la muerte y no la teme. De hecho, "se burla de ella, la acaricia; es uno de sus juguetes preferidos y su amor más estable".

En el Nuevo Mundo, mis tradiciones maya, tolteca, purépecha y azteca han sobrevivido casi tres milenios. En sus panteones y sus rituales, la muerte ocupaba un lugar significativo. A veces se exhibían las calaveras de sus ancestros, simbolizando la dualidad de la muerte y el renacimiento "ya que se creía que la vida y la muerte existían en una dinámica y complementaria oposición".

Una tradición azteca de la muerte incluía una celebración durante todo el mes de agosto presidida por la diosa Mictecacihuatl, la Dama de la Muerte. Se caracterizaba por la práctica de hacer un pan en la forma de la persona difunta, lo cual posiblemente podría ser el origen del actual pan de muerto. Los aztecas también consideraban el fallecer en el momento del parto, en una batalla o como víctima del sacrificio humano una bendición, ya que estos actos le aseguraban a la víctima un destino deseable en el más allá.

En México se celebra el Día de los Muertos a través de una variedad de costumbres regionales fusionadas por semejanzas infinitas. Éstas incluyen cementerios familiares, la preparación del alimento preferido del difunto, ofrendas en altares conmemorativos y, a veces, fuegos artificiales. Mixquic, anteriormente una isla agrícola en la capital azteca de Tenochtitlán, ha mantenido su ambiente rural y sus raíces indígenas. El área asume un ambiente ajetreado y festivo a fines de octubre cuando los comerciantes arreglan sus puestos en las calles para vender sus mercancías en honor a mí. En el camposanto, cuidadosamente se limpian y se decoran las parcelas familiares con mis delicias favoritas terrenales. A las dos de la tarde del día primero de noviembre, se juntan los parientes alrededor de cada tumba para lamentar la pérdida de su ser querido con un llanto. Luego, al anochecer, el brillo de miles de velas (la Alumbrada) ilumina el camino. A medianoche, mi alma retorna al otro mundo con el doblar de las campanas, y es recordado con la recitación del rosario.

Se cree que las almas de mis hijos vuelven el día primero de noviembre, y que mis espíritus adultos siguen el día dos. Los preparativos para el festival se llevan a cabo a través del año con la colección de artículos para las ofrendas a los difuntos. Las familias más adineradas construyen altares en sus propias casas, pero la mayoría visita los panteones donde yacen sus seres queridos y decora sus sepulcros con ofrendas. Éstas incluyen coronas hechas con las cempasúchil anaranjadas, conocidas como la Flor de Muerto en español, y zempoalxochitl en náhuatl. Supuestamente éstas atraen a las almas de los difuntos hacia sus ofrendas. A los niños difuntos, los angelitos, se les traen juguetes, mientras a los adultos les brindan botellas de tequila, mescal, pulque o atole.

En mi propio sepulcro, mis familiares colocarán chucherías y algunos de mis dulces favoritos, como el de calabaza y el de leche quemada. A veces me traen mariachis quienes tocan mis canciones preferidas. También se colocan en casa muchas de las ofrendas que incluyen el dulce de calabaza, el pan de muerto, las calaveras de azúcar, además de platones de arroz, frijoles y pollo en mole. Se dejan estas ofrendas a la entrada del hogar con motivo de darme la bienvenida. Ya que muchos creen que mi espíritu se come el espíritu de la comida, los anfitriones comparten las ofrendas que supuestamente carecen de valor nutritivo. Cerca del altar se colocan almohadas y cobijas para que yo pueda descansar después de un largo viaje.

En los altares también vemos la cruz cristiana, estatuas o imágenes de la Santísima Virgen o fotos mías. Mi familia se reúne alrededor del altar y comparte cuentos sobre los difuntos. En Mizquic y Pátzcuaro, las familias permanecen toda la noche vigilando el sepulcro de sus parientes.

Desde mediados de octubre hasta la primera semana de noviembre, las tiendas y los mercados de México se encuentran repletos de artículos especiales dedicados a mí. Éstos incluyen una variedad de esqueletos y otros juguetes macabros, papel picado y un surtido de coronas y cruces decoradas con flores de seda o de papel. Entre las delicias comestibles se encuentran calaveras, llamadas calacas, y ataúdes hechos de azúcar, chocolate o de semillas de amaranto. Además, hay pan de muerto de diferentes tamaños adornados con pedacitos de masa en forma de huesos; en algunas regiones, hay pan moreno, sin adorno y moldeado en figuras humanas, llamadas ánimas.

El copal ardiente, o incienso, y la luz de miles de velas ayudan a mi alma a encontrar su hogar, y le proveen de un descanso tentador además del alimento adecuado para el viaje. A menudo me dejan una cuenca y una toalla para lavarme y refrescarme antes del banquete. La ofrenda incluye mi platillo favorito y una cajetilla para disfrutar un cigarrillo después de la cena.

En el panteón local, los parientes preparan cada sepulcro. Cortan el césped y arrancan las hierbas, le dan una mano de pintura al sepulcro y le hacen las reparaciones necesarias. Luego se adornan los sepulcros según la costumbre local. Las decoraciones varían entre una sencilla cruz adornada con los pétalos del cempasúchil y adornos elaborados con floridas coronas o arreglos de flores naturales o artificiales. En muchas regiones se decoran los sepulcros de los niños con listones pintorescos u otros adornos festivos. Retumbantes fuegos artificiales dan inicio al momento más solemne, la celebración de la Santa Misa al aire libre.

En nombre mío se escriben "calaveras", versitos burladores que simulan epitafios de amigos. A fines del siglo diecisiete se publicó en el periódico un poema que narraba un sueño en un panteón del futuro en el cual se leían las lápidas de todos los difuntos. Aún ahorra los periódicos les dedican las calaveras a varias figuras públicas.

En Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, en el primer aniversario de la muerte de un niño, sus padrinos ponen la mesa en casa de los padres del difunto, y la adornan con dulces, frutas, pan de muerto, una cruz, un rosario y velas. De esta manera se celebra la vida del niño y se les muestra respeto y aprecio a sus padres. Además, hay bailes de disfraz en la plaza o el zócalo del pueblo donde se ven máscaras que representan calaveras o diablos. A medianoche del día dos de noviembre, con velas encendidas, el pueblo sale en botes llamados Mariposas a la isla de Cuiseo, hacia un panteón en el centro del lago donde alaban y honran a los difuntos.

Uno de mis personajes más inolvidables es La Catrina, conocida también como la Flaca, la Huesuda, la Pelona Elegante. Flaca, huesuda y calva, La Catrina no es figura de la moda. Sin embargo, existe a lo largo de la sociedad Méxicana. Hay estatuillas, pinturas y muñecas de papel de esta mujer. Es la gran dama de la muerte, y se vanagloria de ello.

La cultura fronteriza mexicoamericana perpetúa el homenaje medieval a la muerte y lo combina con temas precolombinos. De allí han surgido la conciencia de la brevedad de la vida y el énfasis en el respeto a la muerte. En el suroeste de Estados Unidos, al igual que en otros lugares del país, me celebran en las escuelas públicas, en los recintos universitarios, en los mercados y en los museos de arte y cultura. Cada año, tanto los estudiantes latinos como los no latinos organizan festivales en honor mío en universidades tales como las de Pennsylvania, Yale y California. La plaza del mercado de San Antonio se adorna con varios altares y una multitud de estatuillas de muertos. En el Valle del Río Grande se organizan celebraciones en los panteones, los centros culturales, los museos y las universidades. Mi tradición ha viajado hacia el norte y ha enriquecido la vida de aquéllos a quienes ha llegado.

Me han paganizado, cristianizado, elogiado, sincretizado, politizado y comercializado, pero rara vez minimizado porque soy quien usted será, y usted respeta esa realidad. Después de tantos años, la luna de otoño aún cuenta mi historia y lo invita a usted a contar la suya. Espéreme, déme la bienvenida, acuérdese de mí, ríase conmigo, celébreme, crea en mí.

Entonces, cada año durante dos días de noviembre los vivos se encuentran con los muertos para celebrar su amor, su vida y su legado. Es una reunión que sobrepasa nuestra estancia en la tierra y aun más allá. Uno recuerda al muerto sabiendo que algún día él también será recordado. Aquéllos que creen en la dualidad que enlaza la carne y el alma saben que forman parte del ciclo continuo de la vida y la muerte separado por un solo latido del corazón.

Translation by Dr. Lucy G. Willis, retired professor of modern languages at The University of Texas at Brownsville.

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College essay
College Essay Examples | What Works and What Doesn’t

College Essay Examples | What Works and What Doesn't

Published on November 8, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on August 14, 2023.

One effective method for improving your college essay is to read example essays . Here are three sample essays, each with a bad and good version to help you improve your own essay.

Essay 1: sharing an identity or background through a montage, essay 2: overcoming a challenge, a sports injury narrative, essay 3: showing the influence of an important person or thing, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

This essay uses a montage structure to show snapshots of a student’s identity and background. The writer builds her essay around the theme of the five senses, sharing memories she associates with sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

In the weak rough draft, there is little connection between the individual anecdotes, and they do not robustly demonstrate the student’s qualities.

In the final version, the student uses an extended metaphor of a museum to create a strong connection among her stories, each showcasing a different part of her identity. She draws a specific personal insight from each memory and uses the stories to demonstrate her qualities and values.

How My Five Senses Record My Life

Throughout my life, I have kept a record of my life’s journey with my five senses. This collection of memories matters a great deal because I experience life every day through the lens of my identity.

“Chinese! Japanese!”

My classmate pulls one eye up and the other down.

“Look what my parents did to me!”

No matter how many times he repeats it, the other kids keep laughing. I focus my almond-shaped eyes on the ground, careful not to attract attention to my discomfort, anger, and shame. How could he say such a mean thing about me? What did I do to him? Joseph’s words would engrave themselves into my memory, making me question my appearance every time I saw my eyes in the mirror.

Soaking in overflowing bubble baths with Andrew Lloyd Webber belting from the boombox.

Listening to “Cell Block Tango” with my grandparents while eating filet mignon at a dine-in show in Ashland.

Singing “The Worst Pies in London” at a Korean karaoke club while laughing hysterically with my brother, who can do an eerily spot-on rendition of Sweeney Todd.

Taking car rides with Mom in the Toyota Sequoia as we compete to hit the high note in “Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera . Neither of us stands a chance!

The sweet scent of vegetables, Chinese noodles, and sushi wafts through the room as we sit around the table. My grandma presents a good-smelling mixture of international cuisine for our Thanksgiving feast. My favorite is the Chinese food that she cooks. Only the family prayer stands between me and the chance to indulge in these delicious morsels, comforting me with their familiar savory scents.

I rinse a faded plastic plate decorated by my younger sister at the Waterworks Art Center. I wear yellow rubber gloves to protect my hands at Mom’s insistence, but I can still feel the warm water that offers a bit of comfort as I finish the task at hand. The crusted casserole dish with stubborn remnants from my dad’s five-layer lasagna requires extra effort, so I fill it with Dawn and scalding water, setting it aside to soak. I actually don’t mind this daily chore.

I taste sweat on my upper lip as I fight to continue pedaling on a stationary bike. Ava’s next to me and tells me to go up a level. We’re biking buddies, dieting buddies, and Saturday morning carbo-load buddies. After the bike display hits 30 minutes, we do a five-minute cool down, drink Gatorade, and put our legs up to rest.

My five senses are always gathering new memories of my identity. I’m excited to expand my collection.

Word count: 455

College essay checklist

Topic and structure

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me.
My essay reveals something different from the rest of my application.
I have a clear and well-structured narrative.
I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

Writing style and tone

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.
I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of tells.
I’ve used appropriate style and tone for a college essay.
I’ve used specific, vivid personal stories that would be hard to replicate.
I’ve demonstrated my positive traits and values in my essay.
My essay is focused on me, not another person or thing.
I’ve included self-reflection and insight in my essay.
I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Making Sense of My Identity

Welcome to The Rose Arimoto Museum. You are about to enter the “Making Sense of My Identity” collection. Allow me to guide you through select exhibits, carefully curated memories from Rose’s sensory experiences.

First, the Sight Exhibit.

“Chinese! Japanese!”

“Look what my parents did to me!”

No matter how many times he repeats it, the other kids keep laughing. I focus my almond-shaped eyes on the ground, careful not to attract attention as my lip trembles and palms sweat. Joseph couldn’t have known how his words would engrave themselves into my memory, making me question my appearance every time I saw my eyes in the mirror.

Ten years later, these same eyes now fixate on an InDesign layout sheet, searching for grammar errors while my friend Selena proofreads our feature piece on racial discrimination in our hometown. As we’re the school newspaper editors, our journalism teacher Ms. Riley allows us to stay until midnight to meet tomorrow’s deadline. She commends our work ethic, which for me is fueled by writing一my new weapon of choice.

Next, you’ll encounter the Sound Exhibit.

Still, the world is my Broadway as I find my voice on stage.

Just below, enter the Smell Exhibit.

While I help my Pau Pau prepare dinner, she divulges her recipe for cha siu bau, with its soft, pillowy white exterior hiding the fragrant filling of braised barbecue pork inside. The sweet scent of candied yams, fun see , and Spam musubi wafts through the room as we gather around our Thankgsiving feast. After our family prayer, we indulge in these delicious morsels until our bellies say stop. These savory scents of my family’s cultural heritage linger long after I’ve finished the last bite.

Next up, the Touch Exhibit.

I rinse a handmade mug that I had painstakingly molded and painted in ceramics class. I wear yellow rubber gloves to protect my hands at Mom’s insistence, but I can still feel the warm water that offers a bit of comfort as I finish the task at hand. The crusted casserole dish with stubborn remnants from my dad’s five-layer lasagna requires extra effort, so I fill it with Dawn and scalding water, setting it aside to soak. For a few fleeting moments, as I continue my nightly chore, the pressure of my weekend job, tomorrow’s calculus exam, and next week’s track meet are washed away.

Finally, we end with the Taste Exhibit.

My legs fight to keep pace with the stationary bike as the salty taste of sweat seeps into corners of my mouth. Ava challenges me to take it up a level. We always train together一even keeping each other accountable on our strict protein diet of chicken breasts, broccoli, and Muscle Milk. We occasionally splurge on Saturday mornings after interval training, relishing the decadence of everything bagels smeared with raspberry walnut cream cheese. But this is Wednesday, so I push myself. I know that once the digital display hits 30:00, we’ll allow our legs to relax into a five-minute cool down, followed by the fiery tang of Fruit Punch Gatorade to rehydrate.

Thank you for your attention. This completes our tour. I invite you to rejoin us for next fall’s College Experience collection, which will exhibit Rose’s continual search for identity and learning.

Word count: 649

I’ve crafted an essay introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

This essay uses a narrative structure to recount how a student overcame a challenge, specifically a sports injury. Since this topic is often overused, the essay requires vivid description, a memorable introduction and conclusion , and interesting insight.

The weak rough draft contains an interesting narrative, insight, and vivid imagery, but it has an overly formal tone that distracts the reader from the story. The student’s use of elaborate vocabulary in every sentence makes the essay sound inauthentic and stilted.

The final essay uses a more natural, conversational tone and chooses words that are vivid and specific without being pretentious. This allows the reader to focus on the narrative and appreciate the student’s unique insight.

One fateful evening some months ago, a defensive linebacker mauled me, his 212 pounds indisputably alighting upon my ankle. Ergo, an abhorrent cracking of calcified tissue. At first light the next day, I awoke cognizant of a new paradigm—one sans football—promulgated by a stabbing sensation that would continue to haunt me every morning of this semester.

It’s been an exceedingly taxing semester not being able to engage in football, but I am nonetheless excelling in school. That twist of fate never would have come to pass if I hadn’t broken my ankle. I still limp down the halls at school, but I’m feeling less maudlin these days. My friends don’t steer clear anymore, and I have a lot more of them. My teachers, emboldened by my newfound interest in learning, continually invite me to learn more and do my best. Football is still on hold, but I feel like I’m finally playing a game that matters.

Five months ago, right after my ill-fated injury, my friends’ demeanor became icy and remote, although I couldn’t fathom why. My teachers, in contrast, beckoned me close and invited me on a new learning journey. But despite their indubitably kind advances, even they recoiled when I drew near.

A few weeks later, I started to change my attitude vis-à-vis my newfound situation and determined to put my energy toward productive ends (i.e., homework). I wasn’t enamored with school. I never had been. Nevertheless, I didn’t abhor it either. I just preferred football.

My true turn of fate came when I started studying more and participating in class. I started to enjoy history class, and I grew interested in reading more. I discovered a volume of poems written by a fellow adventurer on the road of life, and I loved it. I ravenously devoured everything in the writer’s oeuvre .

As the weeks flitted past, I found myself spending my time with a group of people who were quite different from me. They participated in theater and played instruments in marching band. They raised their hands in class when the teacher posed a question. Because of their auspicious influence, I started raising my hand too. I am no longer vapid, and I now have something to say.

I am certain that your school would benefit from my miraculous academic transformation, and I entreat you to consider my application to your fine institution. Accepting me to your university would be an unequivocally righteous decision.

Word count: 408

I’ve chosen a college essay topic that’s meaningful to me.
I’ve respected the essay word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

As I step out of bed, the pain shoots through my foot and up my leg like it has every morning since “the game.” That night, a defensive linebacker tackled me, his 212 pounds landing decidedly on my ankle. I heard the sound before I felt it. The next morning, I awoke to a new reality—one without football—announced by a stabbing sensation that would continue to haunt me every morning of this semester.

My broken ankle broke my spirit.

My friends steered clear of me as I hobbled down the halls at school. My teachers tried to find the delicate balance between giving me space and offering me help. I was as unsure how to deal with myself as they were.

In time, I figured out how to redirect some of my frustration, anger, and pent-up energy toward my studies. I had never not liked school, but I had never really liked it either. In my mind, football practice was my real-life classroom, where I could learn all I ever needed to know.

Then there was that day in Mrs. Brady’s history class. We sang a ridiculous-sounding mnemonic song to memorize all the Chinese dynasties from Shang to Qing. I mumbled the words at first, but I got caught up in the middle of the laughter and began singing along. Starting that day, I began browsing YouTube videos about history, curious to learn more. I had started learning something new, and, to my surprise, I liked it.

With my afternoons free from burpees and scrimmages, I dared to crack open a few more of my books to see what was in them. That’s when my English poetry book, Paint Me Like I Am , caught my attention. It was full of poems written by students my age from WritersCorps. I couldn’t get enough.

I wasn’t the only one who was taken with the poems. Previously, I’d only been vaguely aware of Christina as one of the weird kids I avoided. Crammed in the margins of her high-top Chuck Taylors were scribbled lines of her own poetry and infinite doodles. Beyond her punk rock persona was a sensitive artist, puppy-lover, and environmental activist that a wide receiver like me would have never noticed before.

With Christina, I started making friends with people who once would have been invisible to me: drama geeks, teachers’ pets, band nerds. Most were college bound but not to play a sport. They were smart and talented, and they cared about people and politics and all sorts of issues that I hadn’t considered before. Strangely, they also seemed to care about me.

I still limp down the halls at school, but I don’t seem to mind as much these days. My friends don’t steer clear anymore, and I have a lot more of them. My teachers, excited by my newfound interest in learning, continually invite me to learn more and do my best. Football is still on hold, but I feel like I’m finally playing a game that matters.

My broken ankle broke my spirit. Then, it broke my ignorance.

Word count: 512

This essay uses a narrative structure to show how a pet positively influenced the student’s values and character.

In the weak draft, the student doesn’t focus on himself, instead delving into too much detail about his dog’s positive traits and his grandma’s illness. The essay’s structure is meandering, with tangents and details that don’t communicate any specific insight.

In the improved version, the student keeps the focus on himself, not his pet. He chooses the most relevant stories to demonstrate specific qualities, and the structure more clearly builds up to an insightful conclusion.

Man’s Best Friend

I desperately wanted a cat. I begged my parents for one, but once again, my sisters overruled me, so we drove up the Thompson Valley Canyon from Loveland to Estes Park to meet our newest family member. My sisters had already hatched their master plan, complete with a Finding Nemo blanket to entice the pups. The blanket was a hit with all of them, except for one—the one who walked over and sat in my lap. That was the day that Francisco became a Villanova.

Maybe I should say he was mine because I got stuck with all the chores. As expected, my dog-loving sisters were nowhere to be found! My mom was “extra” with all the doggy gear. Cisco even had to wear these silly little puppy shoes outside so that when he came back in, he wouldn’t get the carpets dirty. If it was raining, my mother insisted I dress Cisco in a ridiculous yellow raincoat, but, in my opinion, it was an unnecessary source of humiliation for poor Cisco. It didn’t take long for Cisco to decide that his outerwear could be used as toys in a game of Keep Away. As soon as I took off one of his shoes, he would run away with it, hiding under the bed where I couldn’t reach him. But, he seemed to appreciate his ensemble more when we had to walk through snowdrifts to get his job done.

When my abuela was dying from cancer, we went in the middle of the night to see her before she passed. I was sad and scared. But, my dad let me take Cisco in the car, so Cisco cuddled with me and made me feel much better. It’s like he could read my mind. Once we arrived at the hospital, the fluorescent lighting made the entire scene seem unreal, as if I was watching the scene unfold through someone else’s eyes. My grandma lay calmly on her bed, smiling at us even through her last moments of pain. I disliked seeing the tubes and machines hooked up to her. It was unnatural to see her like this一it was so unlike the way I usually saw her beautiful in her flowery dress, whistling a Billie Holiday tune and baking snickerdoodle cookies in the kitchen. The hospital didn’t usually allow dogs, but they made a special exception to respect my grandma’s last wishes that the whole family be together. Cisco remained at the foot of the bed, intently watching abuela with a silence that seemed more effective at communicating comfort and compassion than the rest of us who attempted to offer up words of comfort that just seemed hollow and insincere. It was then that I truly appreciated Cisco’s empathy for others.

As I accompanied my dad to pick up our dry cleaner’s from Ms. Chapman, a family friend asked, “How’s Cisco?” before even asking about my sisters or me. Cisco is the Villanova family mascot, a Goldendoodle better recognized by strangers throughout Loveland than the individual members of my family.

On our summer trip to Boyd Lake State Park, we stayed at the Cottonwood campground for a breathtaking view of the lake. Cisco was allowed to come, but we had to keep him on a leash at all times. After a satisfying meal of fish, our entire family walked along the beach. Cisco and I led the way while my mom and sisters shuffled behind. Cisco always stopped and refused to move, looking back to make sure the others were still following. Once satisfied that everyone was together, he would turn back around and continue prancing with his golden boy curly locks waving in the chilly wind.

On the beach, Cisco “accidentally” got let off his leash and went running maniacally around the sand, unfettered and free. His pure joy as he raced through the sand made me forget about my AP Chem exam or my student council responsibilities. He brings a smile not only to my family members but everyone around him.

Cisco won’t live forever, but without words, he has impressed upon me life lessons of responsibility, compassion, loyalty, and joy. I can’t imagine life without him.

Word count: 701

I quickly figured out that as “the chosen one,” I had been enlisted by Cisco to oversee all aspects of his “business.” I learned to put on Cisco’s doggie shoes to keep the carpet clean before taking him out一no matter the weather. Soon after, Cisco decided that his shoes could be used as toys in a game of Keep Away. As soon as I removed one of his shoes, he would run away with it, hiding under the bed where I couldn’t reach him. But, he seemed to appreciate his footwear more after I’d gear him up and we’d tread through the snow for his daily walks.

One morning, it was 7:15 a.m., and Alejandro was late again to pick me up. “Cisco, you don’t think he overslept again, do you?” Cisco barked, as if saying, “Of course he did!” A text message would never do, so I called his dad, even if it was going to get him in trouble. There was no use in both of us getting another tardy during our first-period class, especially since I was ready on time after taking Cisco for his morning outing. Alejandro was mad at me but not too much. He knew I had helped him out, even if he had to endure his dad’s lecture on punctuality.

Another early morning, I heard my sister yell, “Mom! Where are my good ballet flats? I can’t find them anywhere!” I hesitated and then confessed, “I moved them.” She shrieked at me in disbelief, but I continued, “I put them in your closet, so Cisco wouldn’t chew them up.” More disbelief. However, this time, there was silence instead of shrieking.

Last spring, Cisco and I were fast asleep when the phone rang at midnight. Abuela would not make it through the night after a long year of chemo, but she was in Pueblo, almost three hours away. Sitting next to me for that long car ride on I-25 in pitch-black darkness, Cisco knew exactly what I needed and snuggled right next to me as I petted his coat in a rhythm while tears streamed down my face. The hospital didn’t usually allow dogs, but they made a special exception to respect my grandma’s last wishes that the whole family be together. Cisco remained sitting at the foot of the hospital bed, intently watching abuela with a silence that communicated more comfort than our hollow words. Since then, whenever I sense someone is upset, I sit in silence with them or listen to their words, just like Cisco did.

The other day, one of my friends told me, “You’re a strange one, Josue. You’re not like everybody else but in a good way.” I didn’t know what he meant at first. “You know, you’re super responsible and grown-up. You look out for us instead of yourself. Nobody else does that.” I was a bit surprised because I wasn’t trying to do anything different. I was just being me. But then I realized who had taught me: a fluffy little puppy who I had wished was a cat! I didn’t choose Cisco, but he certainly chose me and, unexpectedly, became my teacher, mentor, and friend.

Word count: 617

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

Writing process
Transition words
Passive voice
Paraphrasing

Communication

How to end an email
Ms, mrs, miss
How to start an email
I hope this email finds you well
Hope you are doing well

Parts of speech

Personal pronouns
Conjunctions

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

A unique, personally meaningful topic
A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

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“If she’s not careful, I might just fall in love with her. Tonight.”

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist…

“You can’t leave yet. I’m not finished falling in love with you.”

“She’s the only one I want with me today, and here she is. Just for me. Because she missed me. If she’s not careful, I just might beg her to stay. For good.”

“This is real life, and in the real world you have to bust your ass for the happy ever after… When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go.”

“I think about you every second of every day and I don’t know how to get over you,” she says. “Don’t,” I beg her. “Please don’t get over me.”

“Why would a girl care to find herself when she’ll never be able to make herself feel as good as a guy can?”

I shove the dress back at him. “I don’t want to wear that, I want to wear this.” “No,” he says. “I’m paying for dinner, so I get to choose what to stare at while we eat.”

“Baby,” he says, his lips forming a smile. “You have already made this the best I’ve ever had, and I’m not even inside you yet.”

“Fallon,” he whispers, dragging his lips slowly across mine. “Thank you for this beautiful gift.”

" It doesn’t matter that Fallon left such a big hole in my heart, I couldn’t help it if someone else found their way in. It doesn’t matter that Jordyn and I were both destroyed after the death of Kyle. It doesn’t matter that things didn’t progress between us until well after Oliver was born. It doesn’t matter that I’ll never feel the same connection with Jordyn that I had with Fallon, but Oliver makes up for anything our relationship lacks. The only thing that matters to Fallon is the unexpected twist in our story. One neither of us saw coming. One neither of us even wanted. And one she’s partly responsible for..."

"She has no idea that Jordyn was there for me when she wasn’t. I was there for Jordyn when Kyle wasn’t. And after losing two people we both loved, only later to be united with Oliver . . . it wasn’t something we planned. I’m not even sure I wanted it. But it happened, and now I’m the only father Oliver knows."

Suspension of disbelief or willing suspension of disbelief is a term coined in 1817 by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who suggested that if a writer could infuse a "human interest and a semblance of truth" into a fantastic tale, the reader would suspend judgement concerning the implausibility of the narrative. Suspension of disbelief often applies to fictional works of the action, comedy, fantasy, and horror genres. Cognitive estrangement in fiction involves using a person's ignorance or lack of knowledge to promote suspension of disbelief.

"Baby," he says, his lips forming a smile. "You already made this the best sex I've had , and I'm not even inside you yet."

"Fallon," he whispers, dragging his lips slowly across mine. "Thank you for this beautiful gift."

It felt as if the second we joined together, a tiny piece of our souls got confused and a piece of his fell into me and a piece of mine fell into him.

I just know that there is no way I can tell him goodbye after this. It'll tear me apart, way worse than last year. I can't go another day without him being a part of my everyday life. Not after this.

"You know how much I dislike insta-love." "Oh, it was still insta-love," I tell her. "But ours is legit."

"It's a little bit like Sleepless In Seattle'" Tate says. I immediately shake my head. "It's nothing like that. They only agreed to meet once." "True. I's like One Day, then. That movie with Anne Hathaway?" Again, I dismiss her comparison. "That just focuses on one particular day every year, but the two people still interact throughout the year like normal. Fallon and I have no contact." I don't know why I'm being so defensive. I think writers just naturally become defensive when their ideas are compared to other ideas, even if it's done innocently. But mine and Fallon's story is one-of-a-kind, and I feel somewhat protective of it.

"And no matter who is at fault for that, whether it's mine for walking away last year or yours for not knowing I did it for your own good, none of it changes things."

I know this will be difficult for you to deal with, so I've tried to make it as easy as possible. Someone will need to clean up after they take my body, so I've left a card on the kitchen counter for who you should call. There's plenty of cash in my purse. I've left it in the kitchen, on the counter.'

“my eyes fall to the dress first. i have to give myself props for picking that one out. there’s just enough showing at her neckline to keep me good and happy.”

“But if we’re just going to sit here and stare at each other, it’d be nice if she were showing a little cleavage, instead of wearing this long-sleeved shirt that leaves everything to the imagination. It’s pushing eighty degrees outside. She should be in something a lot less . . . convent-inspired.”

“And of course, this thought leads me to her breasts again. Are they scarred, too? How much of her body is actually affected? I begin to mentally undress her, and not in a sexual way. I’m just curious. Really curious, because I can’t stop staring at her, and that’s not like me.”

“I’m trying. Ask me again.”

“What’s your favorite food?” “Pad Thai,” he says. “Yours?” “Sushi. They’re almost the same thing.” “Not even close,” he says. “They’re both Asian food. What’s your favorite movie?”

“I’ve never wanted to use physical force on a girl before, but I want to push her to the ground and hold her there until the cab drives away.” ━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━

➥ Ben (H) is actually disgusting. I cannot believe people like him 😭😭. He is a man with a saviour complex, he's objectifying, he's just the epitome of the reason why I'm afraid of and usually dislike men. ➥ Fallon (h) was just kind of bland from what I read, and so fucking insecure, oh my god, enough.

He’s already staring at me again. The same smile he shot at me earlier is still affixed to his face, but this time I don’t look away from him. In fact, my eyes don’t leave his as he makes his way to our booth. Before I can react, he’s sliding into the seat with me. Holy shit. What is he doing? “Sorry I’m late, babe,” he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. He just called me babe. This random dude just put his arm around me and called me babe. What the hell is going on? I glance at my father, thinking he’s in on this somehow, but he’s looking at the stranger next to me with even more confusion than I probably am. I stiffen beneath the guy’s arm when I feel his lips press against the side of my head. “Damn L.A. traffic,” he mutters. Random Dude just put his lips in my hair. What. Is going. On. The guy reaches across the table for my father’s hand. “I’m Ben,” he says. “Benton James Kessler. Your daughter’s boyfriend.” Your daughter’s . . . what?

I wish I could say I’m mentally preparing a brilliant apology, but I’m not. I seem to have a one-track mind, and that track leads straight to the two things I shouldn’t even be thinking about right now. Her boobs. Both of them. I know. I’m pathetic. But if we’re just going to sit here and stare at each other, it’d be nice if she were showing a little cleavage, instead of wearing this long-sleeved shirt that leaves everything to the imagination. It’s pushing eighty degrees outside. She should be in something a lot less . . . conventinspired.

A couple seated a few tables over stands up and begins to walk past us, toward the exit. I notice Fallon tilts her head away from them and lets her hair fall in front of her face like a protective shield. I don’t even think she realizes she’s doing it. It seems like such a natural reaction for her to try and cover up what she sees as flaws. That’s probably why she’s wearing the long-sleeved shirt. It shields everyone from seeing what’s beneath it. And of course, this thought leads me to her breasts again. Are they scarred, too? How much of her body is actually affected? I begin to mentally undress her, and not in a sexual way. I’m just curious. Really curious, because I can’t stop staring at her, and that’s not like me. My mother raised me with more tact than this, but what my mother failed to teach me is that there would be girls like this one who would test those manners merely by existing.

"I've never had a fake boyfriend before," she says. “I’ve never had a real boyfriend before,” I reply. Her eyes shift to my hair. “Believe me, that’s obvious. No gay man I know would have left the house looking like you do right now.”

I wasn’t expecting this today of all days. To be sitting across from this girl, watching her lick ice cream off her lips and having to swallow air just to make sure I’m still breathing.

She sighs. Again. I don’t think I’ve ever made a girl sigh this much in such a short amount of time. And they aren’t the kind of sighs that make a guy feel good about his skills. They’re the kind of sighs that make him wonder what the hell he’s doing wrong.

I lean forward to toss my container into the trash can behind her. It’s the closest I’ve come to her since we were sitting in the booth together. Her entire body stiffens with my proximity. Rather than pull back right away, I look her directly in the eye before focusing on her mouth. “That’s what boyfriends are for,” I say as I slowly back away from her.

Now I’m the one releasing a heavy sigh. “You want to know what I thought when I saw you for the first time?” She tilts her head. “When you saw me for the first time? You mean as in one whole hour ago?” I ignore her cynicism and continue. “The first time you walked past me— before I interrupted your lunch date with your father—I stared at your ass the whole time you were stomping away. And I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of panties you had on. That’s all I thought about the entire time you were in the restroom. Were you a thong girl? Were you going commando? Because I didn’t see an outline in your jeans that hinted you were wearing normal panties. “Before you returned from the bathroom, I started to get this panicked feeling in my stomach, because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see your face. I had been listening in on your conversation and already knew I was drawn to your personality. But what about your face? People say not to judge a book by its cover, but what if you somehow read the inside of the book without seeing the cover first? And what if you really liked what was inside that book? Of course when you go to close the book and are about to see the cover for the first time, you hope it’s something you’ll find attractive. Because who wants an incredibly written book sitting on their bookshelf if they have to stare at a shitty cover?”

“You were almost to my booth at this point and that’s when my eyes fell to your cheek. To your neck. I saw the scars for the first time, and just as I noticed them, you darted your eyes to the floor and let your hair cover most of your face. And you know what I thought in that moment, Fallon?” Her eyes flick up to meet mine and I can tell she doesn’t really want me to say it. She thinks she knows exactly what I thought in that moment, but she has no idea. “I was so relieved,” I tell her. “Because I could tell with that one simple movement that you were really insecure. And I realized—since you obviously had no idea how fucking beautiful you were—that I just might actually have a chance with you. And so I smiled. Because I was hoping if I played my cards right—I might get to find out exactly what kind of panties you were wearing under those jeans. ”

“We’ll be in my room,” I say casually. Ben gives them a quick wave and then removes his arm from around my shoulders, sliding his fingers through mine. “Nice to meet you both.” He points down the hall. “I’m gonna follow Fallon to her room now so I can see what kind of panties she has on.”

“You’re a reader?” he asks. I look over my shoulder and he’s fingering the books on my shelves. “I love to read. You should hurry up and write a book, because it’s already on my TBR pile.” “Your TBR pile?” “To be read pile,” I clarify.

He smiles at me from his position on the bed, and the sight of him sitting there makes my cheeks feel all hot and bothered. I suddenly want to beg him to roll around on my sheets so I can smell him when I fall asleep tonight. But then I remember I won’t be sleeping on them tonight because I’ll be on a flight to New York. I turn around and face my closet again so he doesn’t see the flushed look on my face. He laughs quietly. “You were just thinking dirty thoughts.” “Was not,” I quip. “Fallon, we’ve been dating for two hours now. I can read you like a book, and right now I do believe that book is full of erotica.”

He grins and then peeks over my shoulder at the drawer I’m rifling through. “Is that your panty drawer?” He reaches around and grabs a pair. I pull them out of his hand and toss them toward my suitcase. “Hands off,” I tell him. He walks around me and leans his elbow against the dresser. “If you’re packing underwear, that means you don’t go commando. So by process of elimination, I’ve figured out that you’re currently wearing a thong. Now I just have to find out what color it is.” I toss the contents of my drawer toward my suitcase. “It takes a lot more than smooth talk to get me down to my panties, Ben the Writer.” He grins. “Oh yeah? Like what? A fancy dinner?” He pushes off the dresser and stands up straight, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Because it just so happens I have reservations at the Chateau Marmont tonight at seven.”

I shake my head and grab the dress from him, hanging it back in its spot. I grab one of the few long-sleeved dresses I own and I pull it off the hanger. “I like this one.” His eyes fall to the dress he initially picked out and he pulls it off the hanger and shoves it at me. “But I want you to wear this one.” I shove the dress back at him. “I don’t want to wear that, I want to wear this.” “No,” he says. “I’m paying for dinner, so I get to choose what to stare at while we eat.”

"Please don’t ask me again to wear that dress, because I’m much more relaxed in clothes that don’t show too much skin. I don’t like making people uncomfortable, and if I wore something like that, they would feel weird looking at me.” Ben’s jaw tenses and he looks away from me, down at the dress in his hands. “Okay,” he says simply, dropping the dress to the floor. Finally. “But it’s your own fault people feel uncomfortable looking at you.” I don’t even hide my gasp. It’s the first thing he’s said to me all day that’s made me feel like I was being spoken to by my father. I’m not gonna lie. It hurts. My throat feels like it’s swelling shut, so I clear it. “That wasn’t very nice,” I say quietly. Ben takes a step closer to me. My closet is small enough as it is. I certainly don’t need him standing even closer. Especially after saying something as hurtful as he just did. “It’s the truth,” he says.

“And your lips. Men stare at them because they want to know what they taste like, and women stare at them out of jealousy because if they had lips the color of yours, they’d never have to buy lipstick again.”

This is going too far. Too far, too far, too far, but all I can do is suck in a wild breath and let his fingers pop open the button on my jeans, because as much as I wish he would stop, I get the feeling he’s not undressing me for pleasure. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but I’m too immobile to ask.

“Fucking beautiful,” he says with a slow grin. “And red.” Red? I look down at the dress, but it’s definitely black. “Your panties,” he says as clarification. “They’re red.”

“That’s a record,” Ben says, pulling me away from his chest so he can look down at me. “Made my girlfriend cry less than three hours into our relationship.”

He shuts the door, but I can still hear what he says to Amber and Glenn as soon as he walks into the living room. “They’re red! Her panties are red!”

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━

And somehow, with the way he’s looking down at me, I even believe I’m beautiful.

I laugh again, and then I press my face to his chest and hug him back, because why couldn’t he have been there the second I woke up in the hospital two years ago? Why did I have to go two whole years before finally being given the tiniest bit of confidence?

“You wear your hair like you do because you don’t want people to see too much of you. You wear long sleeves and collared shirts because you think it helps. But it doesn’t.”

“ I don’t want to be your first, Fallon. I want to be your last. ”

“ Baby, ” he says, his lips forming a smile. “ You have already made this the best sex I’ve ever had, and I’m not even inside you yet. ”

“ Does she know, Ben? Does she have any idea that you’re the one who started that fire? That you’re the reason she almost died? ”

I make a new pile with the pages I’ve already read. I stare down at the manuscript in disbelief. I know I should be angry that he’s lied to me for so long, but being in his head is somehow justifying his behavior to me. And not only that, but it’s also justifying my father ’s behavior.

We were drawn to each other. We made each other happy. And I know without a doubt there were several times during the past few years that we were madly in love with each other at the same time. Not everyone experiences that Fallon, and I’d be lying if I said I regretted it.

I should have given you the chance to explain it then. If I had just listened to you, then we could have avoided an entire year of heartache. So for that.... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. And I hope you can forgive me.”

“When I woke up this morning, I thought today was going to be one of the toughest days I’ve had in two years. Who knew the anniversary of the worst day of my life might possibly end on a good note.”

"November 9th or nothing.”

“When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go. You can’t just walk away from it and expect it to linger until you’re ready for it.”

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Tsotsi Contextual Questions and Answers Grade 11

Tsotsi Contextual Questions and Answers Grade 11 :

Tsotsi Grade 11 Essay Questions and Answers (Memo)

List of Common Tsotsi Grade 11 Essay Questions and Answers

Question 1: identify the positive and negative occurrences that shape tsotsi’s life.

In the novel, Tsotsi by Athol Fugard, the main character can be seen as a dangerous criminal who manages to change for the better. The novel illustrates the idea that people are affected by the society in which they live whether it be positive or negative. The brutality of apartheid and Tsotsi’s desperate need for survival shaped his life. However, positive occurrences such as the baby and Boston gives the reader hope that, even in the darkest times, there are forces and people at work who can make changes better for them.

The brutality of apartheid filled Tsotsi with fear from a young age. The system not only left him being brought up by a single mother but later left him without a mother. This fear has a rippling effect resulting in Tsotsi running away, forcing himself to forget his past and live a life of crime. David Madondo is brought up by a single mother because his father is in prison. For a black man in apartheid in South Africa, being in prison did not necessarily imply that he had committed a crime. The fear of the police as well as the fear of his enraged father forms the foundation of Tsotsi’s life as a hardened criminal. Police arrest David’s mother during a midnight raid for people living without passes. David, scared of his father he never knew, and frightened when he sees his father’s violent abuse as he kicks the pregnant dog to death, runs away. These manifests itself the resulting in Tsotsi “giving into the darkness”. The apartheid regime not only left fear in the heart of a young boy but took away the one thing that once formed a positive and safe foundation in his life-his mother.

The only way David can deal with his trauma is to forget his past. He has to pretend that he has never known anything else so that he can survive and turns to a life of crime. A series of events leads Tsotsi out of the darkness of the life he has chosen for himself to a concept of love, light, god and forgiveness. Tsotsi commits to the darkest of crimes when he beats his associate, Boston, nearly to death. In the chaotic aftermath of the deed he runs away and tries to forget Boston’s warning that he may one day, feel. Running away from Boston catalyses the chain of events that will change Tsotsi further. Proof of his effect on Tsotsi is the fact Tsotsi consults Boston for advice once he realises, he wants to change. Tsotsi seeks redemption when he assists Boston with his wounds by taking him back to his shack and taking care of him and the changes in Tsotsi are revealed by the advice that he seeks from Boston.

On the fateful night that Tsotsi beats Boston up, he attempts to attack a young woman, but she hands him a box containing a baby instead. We see major change in Tsotsi’s thuggish exterior through this incident because Tsotsi chooses to take care of the child as best as he can. His careful care for the baby shows that he has the capacity for humanity. The decision changes him and he starts feeling for his next victim. He decides not to kill Morris Tshabalala because Morris expresses the desire to live. Tsotsi’s interaction with Miriam Ngidi introduces the idea that relationships and human interactions can be good. And Tsotsi remembers his past. He is made whole again.

The novel illustrates the idea that people are affected by society in which they live. It also gives the reader hope that even in the darkest times, there are forces and people at work who can make changes for the better.

It does not matter that Tsotsi dies at the end; he has found his goodness, and that is all that matters. He dies at peace with himself.

Question 2: Discuss the theme of redemption as seen in the novel, Tsotsi

The novel Tsotsi, by Athol Fugard, is a story of redemption and reconciliation, facing the past, and confronting the core elements of human nature. The character going through this journey, who the novel is named after, is a young man who is part of the lowest level of society, living in a shanty town in South Africa. Tsotsi is a thug, someone who kills for money and suffers no remorse. But he starts changing when circumstance finds him in possession of a baby, which acts as a catalyst in his life.

After beating up Boston he eventually takes Boston in and through caring for him, Tsotsi asks him a question pertaining to life in general. This nurturing and discussion allows Tsotsi to redeem himself not only to Boston but himself. Boston now knows Tsotsi is trying to fix himself and become a better person, therefore gaining respect for him. Next since Boston told Tsotsi he is looking for god, Tsotsi goes to the church and finds Isaiah, through their interaction Tsotsi learns more of god and what he and Christianity can do for you. Tsotsi agreed to return to the church later for a session. This shows us Tsotsi moving away from his state of sin and again moving closer to becoming David.

Once the baby came into Tsotsi’s life everything begins to change for Tsotsi. He starts learning to care or another human being and takes responsibility and not to pass the responsibility onto Miriam. Tsotsi cares for the baby- getting it milk and keeping it among the ruins so it can be safe. Tsotsi is unaware of the change taking place in him at his stage, but him hiding the baby shows the awareness that it goes against his sense of identity and doesn’t want anybody to know about it. His careful care for the baby shows that he has the capacity for humanity.

The final act of attains redemption is when Tsotsi attempts to save the bay at the end of the book. At the beginning of the novel Tsotsi was a life taker and by the end he moves to a life saver showing us his full circle of redemption. The author wants us to learn that although you may commit acts that are uncivil or incorrect you can always redeem yourself if you choose to do so. Tsotsi’s death while saving the baby shows his selflessness and is thus redeemable.

Tsotsi beings as a thug, showing no remorse. By the changes and his last deed is committing a great act of love, sacrificing himself for a baby. He regains memories of his childhood and discovers why he is the way he is. The novel sets the perimeters of being “human” as feeling empathy, having a mother, having morals, having an identity, having a spirituality and feeling love. Tsotsi learns these and is redeemed. It is a very moving story about the beauty of human nature and hope for redemption no matter what.

Question 3: Discuss the different gang members in the novel, including Tsotsi

In the novel Tsotsi, by Athol Fugard, all the gang members are victims of apartheid and turned to crime as mean of survival. Throughout the novel we see an evolution of Tsotsi’s’ character he starts off as a thug, killing for money and showing no remorse. But he starts changing when circumstance finds him in possession of a baby, which acts as a catalyst in his life.

Butcher is viewed as the most important member of the gang when it comes to killing and robbing people, he is very precise. Die Aap is an obedient follower, he is quiet and rather slow of mind, resulting in him not having very much to say and just does what he is told. Boston is the most civilized of the gang. He isalso the only gang member who is opposed to violence and his main problem is his curiosity he tends to ask too many questions which led to his demise with Tsotsi.

As a boy Tsotsi was innocent and content, living as a victim of apartheid. When his mother was taken from home, he was left to witness his father come home and upon realizing the house was empty, he lashed out on the dog, paralyzing its back legs and killing the litter. This scarred Tsotsi and pushed him to flee home and eventually get taken into Petah’s gang. This gang changed his identity; he became Tsotsi after several days with the gang participating in crime. Tsotsi becomes the leader of a gang who commit crimes in order to survive. Tsotsi has no morality, no memory and no history. He does not spend time trying to remember his past, he lives in the present moment. Our first impression of Tsotsi is that he is a violent man who is well respected within his gang. He beats Bostonbecause he attempts tobreak one of his rules- don’t ask questions- which is the only way he knows how to handle threats. After fleeing, Tsotsi is given a baby by a woman he intended to rape. This baby is the catalyst for his journey of self-discovery.

Tsotsi stalks his next victim, Morris who he plans to kill and rob, however; as Tsotsi stalks him he is given time to reflect and beings to build sympathy for Morris because the baby has changes his life values, and has learned to care and feel compassion. Morris also reminds him of the dog who was powerless in a similar situation. The sympathy he attains is translated to when he and Morris interact, and he decides to let him live. Not only has Tsotsi’s outlook changed but Morris now values his own life as well which he explains to Tsotsi. Their exchange leaves Tsotsi with the belief that he must value the little things in life in order to become redeemed. These events collectively influence Tsotsi to become David again,a human with a soul. No long is a murderous Tsotsi but a compassionate and loving young man. These new values are what drive him to attempt to save the baby at the end. His instinct of killing has evidently shifted to an instinct of saving lives without hesitation. When their bodies are discovered he has a smile on his face showing that he has no regrets and is pleased with who he has become. This is the ultimate sacrifice in life and the final step for Tsotsi to attain full redemption from past sins, becoming David- a new, admirable man.

Butcher, like all black males living in south Africa at the time, is a victim of apartheid. He was known as the killer; he never misses a strike and is the go-to man when the job needs to get done. Violence is the way he learned to survive because it is the only way he can. To Tsotsi Butcher isn’t much but a accurate, skilful and ruthless killer. This is evident whenBucher uses a bicycle poker to kill Gumboot Dhlamini. He skilfully pushed the spoke into his heart killing him. Bucher does not undergo any changes in the novel. When Tsotsi disappears Butcher joins another gang, continuing on with a life of crime.

Die Aap, like all the other characters were introduced to as a symbol of apartheid in South Africa. Die Aap is a very local character, he wants the gangto stay together when Tsotsi speaks of them to split, they are his brotherhood and he would sacrifice for them. Die Aap is very strong and has long arms, reflected in his name. The gang benefits from his strength. Die

Aap doesn’t play a huge role in the novel. For Die Aap, the gang was his sense of security. When Tsotsi tells him that the gang is over he is confused and lost.

Boston is the “brains’ of the group. He went to university but didn’t complete it because he was accused of raping a fellow student. This sent him down a path of resorting to crime for survival as he had no other way of making ends meet. Tsotsi’s gang benefits from Boston’s intelligence as he can evaluate their plan of action and whether or not it will work. He is a very knowledgeable character and always tells stories to the group when they aren’t out stalking prey. He is constantly asking Tsotsi questions- which go against Tsotsi’s two rules- and these questions began to make Tsotsi hate Boston.

In the outset of the novel Tsotsi beats Boston because of these questions and he accuses Tsotsi of having no decency. This influences Tsotsi’s decisions throughout the book. At the end of the novel Tsotsi seeks Boston out and cares for him in order to try and discover answers to similar questions Boston was asking earlier. Boston acts as a catalyst for Tsotsi’s search for god. He explains to Tsotsi that he must seek out god to get more answers and tells Tsotsi that everyone is“sick from life”.

Not only does he help Tsotsi understand what he must do to seek further redemption but the exchange they have also makes Boston realize he must go back home toseek redemption from his mother.

Tsotsi becomes a worthy man and finds redemption. Butcher eventually joins another gang and goes on with a life of crime. Die Aap loses his brotherhood and is confused and lost. Butcher has a realization and seeks redemption from his mother.

Essay Question 4: Tsotsi is influenced to undergo a process of personal development by his encounters with certain characters. Discuss the impact of Boston, the baby and Morris Tshabalala on Tsotsi’s growth so far in the novel.

Tsotsi starts the novel as a cold, hardened criminal. He has rules by which he lives his life by, and they involve staying in control. Despite being influenced by characters mentioned, his harsh lifestyle and the external conditions created by the politics of the day bring him to a tragic end.

Boston is the character who likes to question things and seemingly has some send of ‘decency’ or conscience in the gang. Proof of his conscience is seen when he gets sick after they kill Gumboot Dlamini. With Boston constantly questioning Tsotsi, he eventually gets provoked to beat him up and then runs away. Tsotsi can’t get the questions out of his head and he starts to reflect and is rattled by his encounter. Running away from Boston catalyses the chain of events that will change Tsotsi further. Proof of his effect on Tsotsi is the fact Tsotsi consults Boston for advice once he realises, he wants to change. Tsotsi seeks redemption when he assists Boston with his wounds by taking him back to his shack and taking care of him and the changes in Tsotsi are revealed by the advice that he seeks from Boston.

On the fateful night that Tsotsi beats Boston up, he attempts to attack a young woman, but she hands him a box containing a baby instead. We see major change in Tsotsi’s thuggish exterior through this incident because instead of doing away with the baby he decides to keep it and doesn’t know why. He cares for the baby- getting it milk and keeping it among the ruins so it can be safe.

Tsotsi is unaware of the change taking place in him at his stage, but him hiding the baby shows the awareness that it goes against his sense of identity and doesn’t want anybody to know about it. His careful care for the baby shows that he has the capacity for humanity. Tsotsi’s need for family is revealed when he refuses to give the baby to Miriam to take care of it because he feels a connection to the child. Tsotsi names the baby “David” after himself which reveals his need for family and the fact that he is embracing his lighter side once his memories open up.

Tsotsi dies trying to protect the baby at the ruins which shows that he has learnt to care for someone other than himself and something other than the “present moment”. With Morris Tshabalala there is an incredibly striking encounter in terms of witnessing a change in Tsotsi. It is a moment in the novel his inner darkness and cruel instincts are overcome. Morris is a paraplegic and his disability reminds Tsotsi of the yellow dog- he is triggered by his memories being present on Morris’ appearance and this moves him to action. Tsotsi feels sorry for him and when the moment comes to attack Morris, a conversation takes place between the two and there is a distinct change in Tsotsi. Morris asks Tsotsi if he wants to live and this question makes him consider what living is. Tsotsi also decides to spare the man. A very tangible change in Tsotsi’s choices are evident in his discussion with Morris which enable Boston and the Baby to influence him even further. After this encounter, the reader witnesses a turning point in Tsotsi’s life where he starts to seek redemption.

Essay Question 5: Discuss how Tsotsi, Morris Tshabalala and the baby all embody the struggle to survive:

The struggle for survival is embodied in the characters of the novel, Tsotsi. While Tsotsi’s struggle relates to his painful and emotional journey of self-discovery, Morris Tshabalala has to deal with both physical and emotional hardships on a daily basis. The baby, who is abandoned by his mother, shows resilience and a fighting spirit in spite of the difficulties he faces.

Tsotsi’s struggle for survival relates to the emotional journey he undertakes to rediscover his identity. It is not an easy journey as Tsotsi has blocked out the memories of his past because of his traumatic separation from his mother when he was ten years old, as well as the events immediately afterwards when the yellow dog died in agony after being kicked by Tsotsi’s father.

As a result of this separation and witnessing violence, Tsotsi suppresses all his memories and takes on a new identity. He turns to crime and gangsterism and is feared by others. His violent and powerful nature makes it seem as if he is strong and therefore not struggling to survive, but the world in which he operates in is actually fragile. This is shown in the way he needs to live by “three rules”. Significantly “if he failed to observe them the trouble started.”

Tsotsi’s struggle for survival is also shown when he sometimes remembers things from the past, which would “stir and start associations charged with pain and misery inside him”. Tsotsi’s journey towards self-discovery exploration of his memories are ultimately necessary for him to survive.

However, it is not easy to confront the past and Tsotsi’s new struggle for survival means turning his back on the gang as he allows himself to remember the past. While he finds redemption and purpose in his life, he ultimately loses the struggle for survival when he dies.

Morris Tshabalala’s struggle for survival is seen in his daily suffering as a disabled man. He has a “bent and broken body” because of a mining accident after which he lost his legs. He crawls along the pavements like “a dog” on a leash begging for money.

He is restless and bitter and sees those around him as walking on “stolen legs”. When Morris is pursued by Tsotsi, his struggle becomes one of life and death. However, when his like is spared, he is grateful for his existence and finds meaning in the small things in life. The reader is left with the feeling that even though he will be faced with difficulties and challenges throughout his life, survival is what he will fight for.

The baby’s struggle for survival begins when he is abandoned by his mother and shoved into the hands of someone who is the antithesis of a caring person. In the few days that follow he is subjected to difficult physical circumstances: being left in the ruins on his own; having to lie in soiled and dirty clothes; being fed with condensed milk and ants attacking him. Nevertheless, the baby survives and is thrown a lifeline when Miriam comes into his life.

Tsotsi, Morris and the baby all demonstrate resilience and toughness in their respective struggles for survival. During their respective journeys, Tsotsi finds his real identity, Morris discovers a new meaning in life and the baby shows a strong will to live.

Essay Question 6: Discuss the themes of human decency and morality with the characters Tsotsi, Miriam, Boston and Morris

All of these characters to some extent demonstrate the quality of human decency. Morris is resentful of his circumstances but finds it within himself to be kind. Boston, by questioning Tsotsi about decency tries to come to terms with the conflict inside of him after robbing and killing Gumboot.

Miriam is the embodiment of generosity and kindness. Tsotsi starts feeling empathy in his encounter with the baby and Morris Tshabalala.

Tsotsi shows compassion by caring for the baby and deciding not to kill Morris. Boston challenges Tsotsi after the murder of Gumboot. This is the first time he mentions decency “I had a little bit of it so I was sick.” It is clear that Boston not only has conflict about the gang’s actions, but also his role in it. He seems to have lost his sense of decency taking part in the gang’s crimes.

However, by challenging Tsotsi, Boston sets him on a path of finding decency within himself. In spite of his own sense of failure, he shows human decency by trying to answer Tsotsi’s questions even after Tsotsi had beaten him severely.

Morris feels he should give back something after Tsotsi spares his life. Even after enduring hours of being pursued, he feels he must “give this strange and terrible night something back”. He tells Tsotsi that mothers love their children. Although he is bitter about his disabled body, he still finds it in him to be decent and kind to his tormentor.

Miriam has a generous spirit and shows this by caring for and feeding the baby. She also shows that she cares for Tsotsi and helps him to see the value of life. Finally, even Tsotsi shows human decency and kindness. By allowing himself to remember his past, he starts to feel emotions too. This is evident in his caring for the baby, when he decides to spare Morris’ life and when he takes care of Boston. He shows the ultimate “decency” when he sacrifices his life to save the baby from the bulldozers.

Athol Fugard has shown that most people are capable of decency. Even Tsotsi, a murderer, gangster and criminal, eventually shows decency. Someone like Morris with huge physical constraints, also proves that decency can be found in the most unlikely places. Boston has a constant need to do the right thing. He is honest with himself and shows decency to others. Miriam is the epitome of human decency.

Contributor: Caylin Riley

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November 9 Summary and Key Themes

Unfolding with Colleen Hoover’s signature writing style, November 9 introduces us to Fallon and Ben, two characters whose lives and stories become irrevocably intertwined in the most unexpected, yet compelling ways.

A one-day encounter develops into an annual ritual that has us questioning the foundations of love and the price they are willing to pay to make it a reality.

November 9 Summary

Two years after a life-changing incident, Fallon meets her estranged father where she shares her dream of pursuing a Broadway acting career , but he discourages her due to the scars that the incident left.

A young man, Ben, intervenes, claiming to be her boyfriend.

They bond, agreeing to meet yearly for five years without exchanging contacts. Their connection deepens, but circumstances keep them apart.

A year later, Ben faces tragedy, and Fallon rushes to support him. They become intimate, but complications arise.

After some time, Fallon discovers a manuscript Ben wrote , revealing a shocking twist about the fire incident.

Hurt and confused, she distances herself.

However, a year later, another revelation prompts her to understand the truth and confront her feelings .

Ultimately, the question is whether they would declare their love for each other or they would end up being apart forever?

November 9 Review

Having just finished November 9 by Colleen Hoover, I find myself both emotionally drained and satisfyingly fulfilled.

Hoover has a distinctive ability to present the complexities of life and relationships in a raw yet engaging manner . It is a masterfully written book that pulls at your heartstrings and makes you invest in the characters deeply.

The protagonists of the story, Fallon and Ben , are extremely well-developed characters. Their chance meeting and consequent arrangement to meet once every year, on November 9, on face value is a romantic premise.

However, t he evolution of their relationship over time is laden with layers of intrigue, hurt, love, and revelation .

The pain of their experiences and their struggles are tangible and vivid, making it difficult not to empathize with them.

Hoover’s talent for the romance genre shines through as she maintains the balance of romantic tension and anticipation throughout the novel.

Each November 9 meeting was filled with yearning and an undercurrent of their unresolved emotions , making me eagerly anticipate the subsequent encounter.

The plot twist towards the end was jarring and left me in shock.

To find out that Ben, who Fallon had come to love and trust, was indirectly responsible for the fire that scarred her was a brutal blow.

But I commend Hoover’s storytelling here as she doesn’t shy away from confronting the harsh truths and realities and dealing with the fallout.

Reading Ben’s manuscript provided a raw insight into his guilt and the pain he had been living with.

Hoover’s handling of this sensitive topic was nothing short of brilliant. It allowed for a greater understanding of Ben’s character and his motivations.

The revelation of Ben’s mother’s suicide , his resulting hatred for Donovan O’Neil, and his regretful actions helped me see him in a new light.

Fallon’s struggle to accept this truth was heart-wrenching .

Her emotional turmoil was palpable as she grappled with the newfound information, trying to reconcile her love for Ben and the knowledge of his actions. I appreciated the strength of her character during this challenging time.

The conclusion, where Fallon and Ben finally confront their past and decide to build a future together, felt satisfying. It showcased that love can indeed be resilient and that people have the capacity for forgiveness, even in the most testing circumstances.

In terms of the narrative style, Hoover’s ability to navigate through different timelines is commendable .

Her seamless transitions from the past to the present made the narrative flow easily and kept me engrossed throughout.

However, I feel that the communication between Fallon and Ben could have been improved . Their decision to completely cut off communication outside their November 9 meetings made for great drama , but it also felt somewhat unrealistic and led to unnecessary misunderstandings.

On the whole, “November 9” is a moving and emotional journey that explores the concepts of love, guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. It is a novel that leaves a profound impact, making you contemplate the complexities of human relationships and the power of love.

1. The Importance of Understanding and Forgiveness

After Fallon discovers that Ben is responsible for the fire that caused her scars, she initially reacts with shock and anger.

However, upon understanding Ben’s emotional turmoil and the circumstances surrounding his actions, she is able to forgive him.

This incident is a reminder that we need to listen to others’ stories, understand their perspective, and forgive past mistakes in order to move forward.

However, it’s also important to note that understanding and forgiveness should never be forced or rushed , as they are personal processes that require time and patience.

Also Read: Lord of the Flies Summary and Key Lessons

2. The Value of Honesty and Communication

Throughout the novel, we see the effects of a lack of transparency and open communication, especially in the relationship between Fallon and Ben.

For instance, their yearly meet-ups and the rules they set up —like not exchanging phone numbers or connecting on social media—ultimately create barriers to genuine communication.

It’s not until Fallon reads Ben’s manuscript, which reveals his deepest secrets, that she fully understands his actions and motivations. This serves as a reminder of the essential role of honesty and open dialogue in any relationship.

3. The Power of Self-Love and Acceptance

Despite her physical scars, Fallon learns to see herself as beautiful, largely thanks to Ben’s affirmation . Ben tells Fallon that her scars don’t define her and that she is beautiful, an affirmation that helps Fallon develop self-confidence.

This serves as a valuable lesson to us about the power of self-love and acceptance, reinforcing that our worth should not be measured by physical attributes or external opinions.

Final Thoughts

Despite its heart-wrenching moments, it provides a fulfilling resolution that makes the journey worth it. I would highly recommend this book to all lovers of romantic drama.

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Missions as Church Planting

by Kevin Bauder | Aug 23, 2024 | In the Nick of Time

[ This essay was originally published on November 2, 2007. ]

Historic Baptists agree that the work of missions is the work of planting churches. They derive this conviction from the uniform pattern of the New Testament. When the churches of the New Testament commissioned and sent out a member, it was invariably either to plant churches or to assist someone who was planting churches.

If the New Testament pattern holds, then a missionary’s work is not primarily to educate the ignorant, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to seek justice for the oppressed, or to engage in other works of mercy. These works are incidental to missions. While such works may be useful in facilitating church planting, and while they may be performed as fruits of the individual missionary’s Christian compassion, they are not properly the work of missions, and they should never be allowed to displace the work of missions.

Who, then, is a missionary? Properly speaking, a missionary is a church planter. The missionary’s responsibility is to preach the gospel, baptize those who profess the gospel, train believers in the faith, and organize them into New Testament churches. If Timothy and Titus may be used as examples (there are some differences), the missionary’s responsibility is not complete until the churches are fully ordered and self‐perpetuating.

The work of the missionary involves a much broader range of responsibility than the work of the local pastor. As church planters, missionaries must master the same biblical and theological content that a pastor has to know, but they also must excel as witnesses for Jesus Christ. They must be able, with minimal resources, to organize a functional church. In the case of foreign missionaries, they must normally be able to communicate well across cultural and linguistic barriers. The work of missions has an exponentially higher level of difficulty than the work of a pastor at home—though this in no way demeans the work of the pastor!

If a man cannot pastor a church at home, is he really qualified to be sent as a church planter? And how does anyone know whether he can pastor a church at home unless he has actually done it? Clearly, Barnabas and Saul had significant experience in local church leadership before they were sent out on their first missionary journey. Why should the modern missionary be less qualified?

American churches have typically taken the attitude that men who cannot function in ministry at home can be sent to the mission field. The formula has been simple. On the one hand, the most qualified men are called to the most prestigious churches at home. On the other hand, the least qualified men are sent into places where their commissioning churches only have to see them every four years.

Within the Lord’s vineyard, no work is more challenging than the work of missions. If it is as important as everyone says, then shouldn’t the best and brightest be encouraged toward the mission field? More specifically, shouldn’t the bulk of missionaries be drawn from men who have proven themselves in the work of the pastorate?

This suggestion raises a question about current missionary practices. Is it compatible with the “missionary call” about which so many make so much?

The answer to this question is that the New Testament does not seem to teach such a thing as a distinctive and lifelong call to missions per se . One can make an argument (though this is not the place to make it) that the New Testament does imply a calling to what is sometimes referred to as “vocational ministry.” In order to justify the notion of a lifelong call to a specific area of service, however, a biblical interpreter must engage in considerably more theological gymnastics. In fact, the New Testament undermines such a notion, for it shows men moving not only from one specific ministry to another but also from one kind of ministry to another.

When modern Christians refer to “vocational Christian service,” they include several different areas of ministry. They include New Testament ministries such as pastors, missionaries (church planters), and itinerant preacher‐teachers. They also include certain responsibilities that support these New Testament ministries, such as theological teachers and coordinators of infrastructural organizations. These supporting ministries grow out of particular functions of New Testament pastors or missionaries, and are generally regarded as “vocational ministry” even though they are not biblical offices. For example, a theological professor or a coordinator of a mission agency is usually said to be “in the ministry.”

Individuals are often led from one responsibility to another during the pursuit of their ministries. The same person may be a pastor at one time, a missionary at another, and a seminary professor at still another. A missionary may move between fields, and a pastor may move from one church to another. Nothing in the New Testament indicates that a person who moves between areas of service is somehow betraying the call of God upon his life. If anything, the New Testament pattern favors such moves.

Theologically, no reason exists for not insisting that men be tried and proven before they are sent to the mission field. Practically, many factors should motivate churches and mission agencies to ask candidates to prove themselves in ministry before going to the field. Among these are the years of travel that candidates will spend in deputation, the high price of establishing a new missionary on the field, and the heavy toll that first‐term ministry takes on new missionaries and their families.

The work of missions is one of the most vital aspects of New Testament Christianity. Churches that do not plant churches are failures as churches. Missions is too important to do in a shoddy or slipshod way. It is a work for the best and brightest of those who are called to minister.

This essay is by Kevin T. Bauder, Research Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary. Not every one of the professors, students, or alumni of Central Seminary necessarily agrees with every opinion that it expresses.

Happy the Church, Thou Sacred Place

Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Happy the church, thou sacred place; The seat of thy Creator’s grace; Thy holy courts are His abode, Thou earthly palace of our God.

Thy walls are strength, and at thy gates A guard of heavenly warriors waits; Nor shall thy deep foundations move, Fixed on His counsels and His love.

Thy foes in vain designs engage; Against His throne in vain they rage; Like rising waves with angry roar, That dash and die upon the shore.

Then let our souls in Zion dwell, Nor fear the wrath of men or hell; His arms embrace this happy ground, Like brazen bulwarks built around.

God is our Shield, and God our Sun; Swift as the fleeting moments run; On us He sheds new beams of grace, And we reflect His brightest praise.