willful ignorance
Another major theme that surfaces in Never Let Me Go is the tendency with which people choose to willfully ignore an unpleasant aspect of life in order not to be inconvenienced or be made to feel uncomfortable. Various topics we brainstormed as a class are the following: drinking/drug use, child slaves, unethical business models exploiting cheap labor, sex trafficking, fast food, obesity, disease, disability, global warming, Guantanamo human rights violations/torture/lack of due process, homelessness, drone strikes, concussions, veterans’ mental health, abortion, poverty, effects of porn, sexual irresponsibility, factory farming/meat industry, etc. You may choose one of these topics (or brainstorm an alternative) and write an essay (standard introduction, body paragraph structure, and conclusion–4 or more pages ) in which you thoroughly research this topic and explain the following with well integrated evidence (at least 3 quotes with in text citations): 1. What is the problem? (intro: hook, outline the problem, thesis: what needs to be done?) Body Paragraphs: 2. When, where, and how did this this problem originate? 3. Who is impacted negatively and how? Describe the conditions. 4. Why hasn’t the problem already been resolved? What attempts have been made to reduce the cause/negative impact? What successes have people had in ameliorating the issue? 5. What are 2 or more solutions or alternatives you propose to replace the current trend in society? (conclusion: summarize in 2 sentences the most important points, and spend the rest of your paragraph focusing on specific proposoals: what needs to be done? by whom? What support is needed from government/society? What will happen if nothing changes? Make a prediction, a warning, a call to action)