essay questions for the importance of being earnest

• The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde

• Literature Notes
• Essay Questions
• Play Summary
• About The Importance of Being Earnest
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Part 1
• Act I: Part 2
• Act II: Part 1
• Act II: Part 2
• Character Analysis
• John (Jack) Worthing
• Algernon (Algy) Moncrieff
• Lady Augusta Bracknell
• Gwendolen Fairfax & Cecily Cardew
• Rev. Chasuble & Miss Prism
• Character Map
• Oscar Wilde Biography
• Critical Essays
• Themes in The Importance of Being Earnest
• Full Glossary for The Importance of Being Earnest
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Study Help Essay Questions

1.      Wilde's play has two settings — the city of London and the country. How does he create differences between the two settings?

2.      What attitudes toward marriage do Wilde's characters explore?

3.      How does Wilde create and comment on the differences between the social classes in England as represented by Lady Bracknell and the servants in both settings?

4.      Manuscripts are used by various characters — diaries, sermons, and a three-volume novel. What function does each have in the play?

5.      What attitudes of the aristocracy can be seen in Lady Bracknell's dialogue?

6.      How is conflict developed in the play?

7.      How does Wilde turn around well-known proverbs or epigrams to comment on Victorian attitudes?

Previous Full Glossary for The Importance of Being Earnest

Next Practice Projects

Essay Topics for Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (for English 1112, Lakehead University (Canada)

Philip v. allingham , contributing editor, victorian web.

[ Victorian Web Home —> Authors —> Aesthetes and Decadents —> Oscar Wilde —> Works —> Leading Questions ]

Instructions : Employ one of the critical quotations as the basis for your term paper of 1,500 to 3,000 words.

1. Robert Boyle describes Wilde's last play as a humorous "treatment of decay and death," and of "human suffering," in which Wilde finally abandons the effort to balance "conventional moral norms with the realities of human behavior" (325). Responding to these remarks, develop an essay topic about an underlying, serious theme in The Importance Of Being Earnest . Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

2. According to Karl Beckson , "Central to Wilde's life and art was the idea of the dandy as the embodiment of the heroic ideal as well as of the aesthetic temperament hostile to bourgeois sentiment and morality" (205). Which of the characters in the play embodies this aesthetic principle, and how? From your consideration of these characters' utterances and actions develop an appropriate essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

3. William Keach contends that Lady Bracknell's "cross-examination of Jack lays the groundwork for much of the rest of the plot" (184), and that the underlying tension of the play depends upon "the contrast of city and country so important to the double lives being led" (183). Explain these two points, then develop one of them into a suitable essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

4. Otto Reinert claims that "Wilde's basic formula for satire is [his characters'] assumption of a code of behavior that represents the reality that Victorian convention pretends to ignore" (15). Reinert argues that in this play Wilde is principally concerned with the difference between conventional and actual manners and morality. Discuss these points, then refine this "formula for satire" into an essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

5. Richard Foster believes that the terms "farce" and "comedy of manners" are unsuitable for this Wilde play because it is far more subtle, complicated, and artistic than such labels imply.

Farce . . .depends for its effects upon extremely simplified characters tangling themselves up in incongruous situations, and upon a knowing audience gleefully anticipating their falling victim, in their ignorance, to some enormous but harmless confusion of fact or identity." Furthermore, "A comedy of manners is fundamentally realistic: it requires the audience to accept the world presented on the stage as a real world, a possible world." [19]

Foster contends that the play is in fact an elaborate lampoon.

Apply the terms "farce," "comedy of manners," and "lampoon" to The Importance of Being Earnest , then develop an essay topic that utilizes these terms. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

6. Pointing out that inverted relationships are the norm in this play, Robert J. Jordan , rejects the proposition that The Importance of Being Earnest is a satire or a social criticism; rather, "at the most important level it seems to be a fantasy in which unattainable human ideals are allowed to realize themselves." Elegance, symmetry, taste, indifference to conventional morality, and a total lack of sexual corruption (for which Wilde substitutes "food-lust") are achieved in this make-believe world.

Apply the term "fantasy" to Wilde's play, demonstrating how it achieves some of Foster's ideal elements listed above, then develop a suitable essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

7. Wilde suggests that his Victorian contemporaries should treat trivial matters with greater respect and pay less attention to what society then regarded as serious. Discuss how Wilde expresses this philosophy and comment on the effectiveness with which he has communicated his 'message' with reference to ONE of the following in the play: death, politics, money, property, food, or marriage. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

8. Using three examples drawn from the play, show how Algernon uses Wilde's aesthetic principles to transform his life into a work of art. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

9. How does Wilde portray food as both a weapon and a means of demonstrating one's power? Discuss three examples from the play to demonstrate how Wilde uses food. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

10. Describe how this play mayor may not fit the criteria associated with the genre of the lampoon. Define the term "lampoon" and apply this definition to the play: what is Wilde lampooning? What is his intention in lampooning it? What are his techniques, and do these produce appropriate attitudes in the audience? Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

11. Define the term "fantasy," then demonstrate how Wilde treats ONE of the following fantastically (as opposed to realistically): Victorian society's class structure, food and the Victorian conventions surrounding it, the resolution of the plot. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

12. Using appropriate quotations and paraphrases from at least one major scene in the play, show how Wilde treats humorously serious issues and conflicts that existed within Victorian society. You might wish to demonstrate how the play deals with one of the following matters: marriage and courtship, sexual double standards, the class structure, money and property, and attitudes towards illness and death. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

13. In French, the title of the play is Ernest ou l'Importance d'être Constant . Explain how this title sheds additional light on the key issues of self-awareness, self-knowledge, and being "earnest" versus being "constant." Consider the implications of the French title for all the major characters. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

Beckson , Karl. "Oscar Wilde." Modern British Dramatists, 1900-1945. Part 2: M-Z. Dictionary of Literary Biography . Vol. 10. Pp. 204-218.

Boyle , Robert. "Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)." British Novelists, 1890-1929: Traditionalists. Dictionary of Literary Biography . Vol. 34. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Pp. 315-331.

Foster , Richard. "Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance Of Being Earnest ." College English 18, 1 (Oct., 1956): 18-23.

Jordan , Robert J. "Satire and Fantasy in Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest ." Ariel 1, 3 (July 1970).

Keach , William. Teacher's Manual: Adventures in English Literature . New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1980. Pp. 183-7.

Reinert , Otto. "Satiric Strategy in The Importance Of Being Earnest ." College English 18, 1 (Oct., 1956): 14- 18.

Related Materials

• Writing and Discussion Questions
• Introduction to the play

a. Parenthetical citation rather than foot- or end-notes will be considered acceptable; for a play longer than a single act, please provide act number in roman numerals followed by page number in arabic numerals.

b. Double space all text; if you are doing your essay by hand, you may single space quotations of forty words or longer, but integrate shorter quotations; for example:

Lady Bracknell is unrealistically, almost contemptuously honest when she reveals her ignorance of the German language. Objecting to French songs on the grounds of possible impropriety of subject-matter, she remarks, "But German sounds a thoroughly respectable language, and indeed, I believe is so" (I: 128, emphasis added).

A Note on Essay Topics

Topics may call for comparison between two like things, such as the humour in a modern television sit-com (situational comedy) and The Importance Of Being Earnest .

Contrast , on the other hand, implies that the writer is out to demonstrate differences between things usually thought to be similar. For example, one might contrast the duplicity of Jack and Algernon here with that of Dr. Jekyll in Stevenson's novella.

Other possibilities are explanation and analysis, for example: "Why We Laugh WITH and Not AT Lady Bracknell."

Last modified 13 March 2006

The Importance of Being Earnest

By oscar wilde.

• The Importance of Being Earnest Summary

Algernon Moncrieff prepares for the arrival of his aunt, Lady Bracknell , and her daughter, Gwendolen, in his stylish London flat in 1895. His butler, Lane , brings in "Ernest Worthing" (who is listed as "John Worthing" in the cast list and "Jack" in the body of the play, although both Lane and Algernon believe his name is Ernest), who has just returned from the country. Jack reveals he has come to London to propose to Gwendolen. Algernon ridicules the notion of marriage, and says that before Jack can marry Gwendolen, he has to clear up the issue of Cecily. Algernon orders Lane to bring in Jack's cigarette case and shows the inscription: "'From little Cecily, with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack.'" Jack says his name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country. Algernon says he has always suspected Jack was a "Bunburyist," and now he has proof.

Jack explains that Thomas Cardew, who adopted him, willed Jack to be guardian to his granddaughter, Cecily. Cecily now lives at Jack's place in the country under the guidance of her governess, Miss Prism . Since Jack must maintain a high level of morality to set an example, he needs an excuse to get into town. He has invented a ne'er-do-well younger brother named Ernest who lives in Albany, and whose problems frequently require Jack's attendance. Algernon confesses that he has invented an invalid in the country, Bunbury, for when he needs to get out of town. Jack insists that he is through with "Ernest," but Algernon maintains that he will need him more than ever if he marries.

Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive. Algernon tells Lady Bracknell that he will be unable to attend her dinner tonight, as Bunbury is ill. They go into the music room. Jack confesses his feelings to Gwendolen, and she admits that she likes him, too, especially since she has always wanted to love someone named Ernest. Jack asks if she would still love him if his name were not Ernest. She would not, she maintains. He proposes to her, and she accepts. Lady Bracknell comes in, and Gwendolen informs her of their engagement. Lady Bracknell says that only she or her father can engage Gwendolen, and orders her to wait in the carriage. After she leaves, Lady Bracknell learns from Jack that he was an orphan, found in a handbag on a train. She is aghast and says she will not allow her daughter to marry him. She leaves and Algernon enters.

Jack tells Algernon what happened, and promises to "kill off" his brother Ernest later in the week. Algernon expresses interest in meeting Cecily, but Jack does not want this to happen, as she is young and pretty. Gwendolen returns. She tells Algernon to turn his back. She asks Jack his address in the country, and Algernon slyly writes this down and checks a train timetable. Gwendolen promises to write Jack daily when he returns to the countryside, and Jack escorts her out. Algernon informs Lane that he will be going Bunburying tomorrow.

In the garden at Jack's country house, Miss Prism and Cecily discuss Jack's seemingly serious demeanor; Miss Prism believes it is due to his anxiety over his reckless brother. Dr. Chasuble enters the garden. He and Miss Prism leave for a walk together. Merriman , their butler, announces the arrival of Ernest Worthing. Algernon enters, pretending to be Ernest. He and Cecily briefly discuss his "wicked" reputation. When he learns that Jack will be back Monday afternoon, Algernon announces that he must leave Monday morning. He flirts with Cecily and they exit into the house.

Miss Prism and Chasuble return. She urges him to get married to a mature lady. Jack enters the garden, dressed in black. He tells Miss Prism he has returned earlier than expected, and explains that he is dressed in black for his brother, who died in Paris last night. Jack asks Chasuble if he would christen him this afternoon. He agrees, and Cecily emerges from the house. She tells him that his brother is in the dining room; Jack says he doesn't have a brother. She runs into the house and brings out Algernon. Jack refuses to shake Algernon's hand, but Cecily says that "Ernest" has been telling him about his friend Bunbury, and that someone who takes care of an invalid must have some good in him. Everyone but Jack and Algernon leaves. Jack orders Merriman to get the dogcart, as Ernest has been called back to town (he wants to get rid of Algernon). Jack tells Algernon he must leave, while Algernon expresses an interest in Cecily. Jack exits.

Cecily enters the garden. Merriman tells Algernon that the dogcart is ready, but Cecily says it can wait. Algernon compliments Cecily to her great delight. She then tells Merriman that the dogcart can come back next week. He asks Cecily to marry him, and she points out that they have been engaged for three months. "Ever since [she] heard of Jack's wicked brother Ernest" she has loved him. Cecily shows him the box of letters he "wrote" to her (which she really wrote to herself). She also admits that she loves him because his name is Ernest. Upon promptin, she doubts she would be able to love him were his name Algernon. He says he needs to see Chasuble quickly about "christening...I mean on most important business." Algernon exits.

Merriman announces that Gwendolen has asked to see Mr. Worthing (Jack). Cecily informs him that he has gone off to see Chasuble some time ago, but invites her in. Gwendolen immediately takes to Cecily, but wishes Cecily were not so young and alluring, as "Ernest," despite his moral nature, is still susceptible to temptation. Cecily tells her that she is not Ernest's ward, but his brother Jack's. Rather, she is going to marry Ernest. They compare diary entries. Gwendolen feels she has the prior claim, since Ernest asked to marry her yesterday. The girls argue and insult each other.

Jack enters the garden, and Gwendolen asks if he is engaged to Cecily; he laughs and denies it. Cecily says the man before them is her Uncle Jack. As Gwendolen goes into shock, Algernon enters, and Cecily calls him Ernest. She asks if he is married to Gwendolen; he denies it. Gwendolen says that his name is Algernon. Cecily is shocked, and she and Gwendolen hold each other and make up. Jack confesses he has no brother Ernest, nor any brother at all. The women retire to the house. Jack is angry at Algernon for stirring up trouble with his Bunburying. They have both arranged for Chasuble to christen them "Ernest" later that evening. Jack tells Algernon to go, but he refuses.

Jack and Algernon join Gwendolen and Cecily inside the country house. The women tell the men their "Christian names are still an insuperable barrier." The men reveal that they are to be re-christened this afternoon, and the couples hug. Lady Bracknell arrives, and Gwendolen informs her of her engagement. Lady Bracknell tells Jack that he may not speak any more to her daughter.

Jack introduces Cecily to Lady Bracknell, and Algernon says that he is engaged to her. Only when Lady Bracknell discovers Cecily has a large personal fortune does she give her consent for their marriage. However, Jack claims that, as his ward, Cecily may not marry without his consent until age 35. He declines to give the necessary consent. He says that he suspects Algernon of being untruthful. He recounts this afternoon's events, in which Algernon impersonated Jack's brother. Jack tells Lady Bracknell that if she consents to his marriage with Gwendolen, he will consent to Cecily's with Algernon. Lady Bracknell refuses and tells Gwendolen to get ready for the train.

Chasuble enters and announces that he is prepared for the christenings. Lady Bracknell refuses to allow Algernon to be baptized, and Jack tells Chasuble that the christenings will not be necessary any more. Chasuble says he will leave, and mentions that Miss Prism is waiting for him. Lady Bracknell asks to see Miss Prism. When she enters, she goes pale upon seeing Lady Bracknell, who accuses her of kidnapping a baby boy from her house 28 years ago. Under Jack's questioning, Miss Prism reveals that she accidentally left the baby in a handbag on the Brighton railway line. Jack leaves excitedly.

Jack returns with this very handbag. Jack tells her he was the baby. Lady Bracknell informs Jack that he is the son of her sister, making him Algernon's older brother. Jack asks Lady Bracknell what his original name was. She says he was named after his father; after locating his name under the Army Lists, they learn his full name is Ernest John Moncrieff. All three couples, Chasuble and Miss Prism, Algernon and Cecily, and Jack and Gwendolen, embrace. Jack tells Lady Bracknell that he has realized, for the first time in his life, "the vital Importance of Being Earnest."

The Importance of Being Earnest Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Importance of Being Earnest is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What happened as a result of the following situation?

When Jack tells Lady Bracknell that Cecily will be a rich woman, Lady Bracknell immediately changes her mind about Cecily and decides that she will be a suitable wife for Algernon.

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Algernon's throwaway quip to Lane that "anyone can play [piano] accurately but I play with wonderful expression" is a good thumbnail of Wilde's philosophy of art. Wilde was heavily influenced by Walter Pater and the other aesthetes of the...

What can I say about the NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE ?

The play, The Importance of Being Earnest , does not have a narrator.

Study Guide for The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest study guide contains a biography of Oscar Wilde, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Importance of Being Earnest
• Character List

Essays for The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Importance of Being Earnest.

• Maxims and Masks: The Epigram in "The Importance of Being Earnest"
• Paradox through Pacing in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest"
• Sincere Triviality: The Comedy of Oscar Wilde
• Structural Stereotypes of the Characters in The Importance of Being Earnest
• The Institution of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”

Lesson Plan for The Importance of Being Earnest

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Importance of Being Earnest
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Importance of Being Earnest Bibliography

E-Text of The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest e-text contains the full text of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.

Wikipedia Entries for The Importance of Being Earnest

• Introduction
• Composition
• Productions

The Importance of Being Earnest: Brief Overview and Thorough Analysis

If you're intrigued by the wit and whimsy of 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' then settle in for a delightful journey through this literary gem. In an era when seriousness reigned supreme in literature, Oscar Wilde's eccentric comedy breathed fresh life into British society of the late 1800s.

At first glance, one might dismiss it as mere frivolity, but that would be a mistake. Behind every comedic flourish lies a profound layer of meaning waiting to be unearthed. Let this article be your guide to The Importance of Being Earnest analysis as we delve into the depths of Wilde's wit, offering a unique perspective and perhaps even a touch of inspiration for your own scholarly pursuits and custom research paper .

Shortly about Oscar Wilde

Born on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland, Oscar Wilde was destined for literary greatness from the start. With a razor-sharp wit and a penchant for drama, he dazzled those around him from an early age.

After receiving an education at Trinity College, Dublin, Wilde set sail for England, where he quickly became a literary sensation. His plays, novels, and essays captured the essence of Victorian society with a sharpness and humor unparalleled in his time.

Wilde's magnum opus, 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' stands as a testament to his comedic genius and satirical prowess. With its biting wit and clever wordplay, the play remains a staple of English literature, captivating audiences with its timeless humor.

However, behind Wilde's public persona lay a life rife with scandal and controversy. His relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, known as 'Bosie,' sparked outrage and condemnation in Victorian society, ultimately leading to Wilde's downfall.

In 1895, Wilde faced a series of trials that culminated in his conviction for 'gross indecency' and subsequent imprisonment. Despite the adversity he faced, he maintained his irrepressible spirit, penning one of his most famous works, 'De Profundis,' during his time in prison.

The author's legacy endures not only in his literary works but also in his unapologetic embrace of individualism and defiance of societal norms. His famous aphorisms, such as 'I can resist anything except temptation' and 'We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars,' continue to resonate with readers around the world, reminding us to live life with wit, style, and unyielding authenticity.

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Before we dive into the The Importance of Being Earnest analysis, let's take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the play and briefly review the main characters.

Jack Worthing

A gentleman of wealth and property, Jack leads a double life. In the city, he goes by the name Ernest, while in the countryside, he is Jack. He is responsible, well-meaning, and deeply in love with Gwendolen Fairfax. However, his tangled web of lies threatens to unravel as the play progresses.

Algernon Moncrieff

Jack's close friend and charming bachelor, Algernon, is known for his wit and love of pleasure. He adopts the identity of Ernest to pursue his romantic interests, leading to humorous misunderstandings and complications. Algernon's carefree demeanor contrasts sharply with Jack's more serious nature.

Cecily Cardew

Jack's ward and a charming young woman, Cecily, is sheltered yet spirited, with a penchant for romantic fantasies. She falls deeply in love with the idea of Ernest before even meeting him, setting the stage for a series of comedic misunderstandings with Algernon.

Gwendolen Fairfax

The sophisticated and determined love interest of Jack, Gwendolen, is enamored with the name Ernest and believes it to be a vital prerequisite for a husband. She is headstrong, witty, and unapologetically romantic, determined to marry a man by that name regardless of any obstacles.

Lady Bracknell

Gwendolen's formidable and snobbish mother, Lady Bracknell, is the epitome of Victorian societal expectations. She is determined to secure a suitable match for her daughter and is highly critical of anyone who does not meet her exacting standards, including Jack.

Cecily's governess, Miss Prism, is a well-intentioned but absent-minded character with a mysterious past. She becomes entangled in the romantic entanglements of the other characters, inadvertently revealing secrets that have long been buried.

Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.

The local rector, Canon Chasuble, is a somewhat oblivious clergyman who becomes embroiled in the romantic escapades of the other characters. He provides a source of comic relief with his peculiarities and misunderstandings.

First performed in 1895, the play revolves around mistaken identities, societal conventions, and the absurdities of romance in Victorian England.

The story begins with Algernon Moncrieff, a charming bachelor, and his friend Jack Worthing. Jack leads a double life, presenting himself as Ernest in the city and Jack in the country. Algernon, intrigued by Jack's mysterious past and his beautiful young ward, Cecily Cardew, decides to visit Jack's country estate.

Meanwhile, Jack is in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, Lady Bracknell's sophisticated and determined daughter. Gwendolen shares Jack's passion, particularly for the name 'Ernest, believing it to be the epitome of masculine charm.

As the plot unfolds, mistaken identities abound. Algernon masquerades as Jack's fictitious brother, Ernest, to court Cecily, who quickly falls in love with the idea of being engaged to someone named Ernest.

The arrival of Gwendolen at Jack's country estate further complicates matters when she discovers that Jack's real name is not Ernest, as she had believed. Nevertheless, both Gwendolen and Cecily remain determined to marry a man named Ernest.

Amidst the chaos, Lady Bracknell arrives, determined to ensure that her daughter marries into a suitable family. However, she is appalled by Jack's mysterious parentage and refuses to consent to his marriage to Gwendolen.

In the end, secrets are revealed, misunderstandings are resolved, and true love triumphs. Jack learns of his true parentage and his real name, Ernest. Lady Bracknell relents, giving her blessing to the marriages of both Jack and Algernon to Gwendolen and Cecily, respectively. The play concludes with a humorous twist as Jack reflects on the absurdity of his own story and the importance of being earnest in matters of both love and social etiquette.

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Sample

Here's a glimpse into The Importance of Being Earnest essay sample exploring the role of honesty. If you'd like a custom one, don't forget you can always pay someone to do my essay and receive an expertly crafted paper from us.

The Importance of Being Earnest Analysis

The playwright masterfully dissects the hypocrisies and absurdities of the Victorian upper class through a lens of satire and humor. Let's delve deeper into the analysis of The Importance of Being Earnest and examine the key elements of this timeless play:

• Dual Identities and Deception: Wilde explores the theme of dual identities and deception through the characters of Jack and Algernon, who adopt false personas ('Ernest') to navigate social expectations. This theme highlights the disconnect between appearance and reality, exposing the superficiality of societal norms.
• Social Class and Marriage: The play satirizes the rigid social hierarchies and expectations surrounding marriage in Victorian society. Characters like Lady Bracknell embody the aristocratic disdain for those deemed beneath their station, while the pursuit of marriage becomes a farcical endeavor driven by wealth and status rather than genuine affection.
• Morality and Hypocrisy: Wilde exposes the hypocrisy and moral decay lurking beneath the veneer of respectability. The characters engage in deceitful behaviors and moral relativism, challenging conventional notions of virtue and propriety.

2. Characters:

• Jack Worthing (Ernest): Jack serves as a representative of the upper-middle class grappling with societal expectations and personal desires. His adoption of the persona 'Ernest' reflects his desire to escape the constraints of his social identity while also highlighting the absurdity of societal conventions.
• Algernon Moncrieff: Algernon embodies the dandyish charm and hedonistic tendencies prevalent among the aristocracy. His pursuit of pleasure and romantic conquests masks a deeper sense of ennui and disillusionment with societal norms.
• Gwendolen Fairfax: Gwendolen represents the prototypical Victorian woman constrained by societal expectations of femininity and marriage. Her obsession with the name 'Ernest' symbolizes her desire for romantic fulfillment and escape from her stifling existence.
• Cecily Cardew: Cecily embodies youthful innocence and romantic idealism, eagerly awaiting her own romantic hero in the form of 'Ernest.' Her sheltered upbringing and penchant for melodrama serve as a foil to the cynicism of the adult characters.
• Lady Bracknell: Lady Bracknell personifies the aristocratic disdain for social mobility and the pursuit of personal happiness. Her interrogation of potential suitors highlights the absurdity of marriage as a transactional arrangement driven by wealth and lineage.

3. Satirical Techniques:

• Epigrams and Paradoxes: Wilde's use of epigrams and paradoxes infuses the dialogue with wit and irony, challenging conventional wisdom and exposing the contradictions inherent in Victorian society.
• Exaggeration and Farce: The play employs exaggeration and farce to heighten the absurdity of its characters and situations, eliciting laughter while also provoking reflection on deeper societal issues.

4. Resolution:

• Revelations and Irony: The resolution of the play sees the unraveling of deception and the revelation of the characters' true identities. However, the irony lies in the fact that despite the chaos and absurdity, the characters ultimately conform to societal expectations, underscoring the entrenched nature of Victorian values.

As we continue Importance of Being Earnest analysis, let's examine some of the central themes explored in the play that offer insight into the Victorian upper class while challenging traditional norms.

Earnestness

At the heart of the play lies the theme of earnestness, or the lack thereof, among the characters. Wilde examines the contrast between those who take life seriously and those who adopt a more carefree attitude. Characters like Jack and Algernon grapple with their responsibilities, while others, such as Algernon's butler, Lane, exhibit a nonchalant approach to life's obligations.

Responsibility

Wilde explores the notion of responsibility through the actions of his characters. While some, like Jack, exhibit a strong sense of duty towards their societal obligations, others, like Algernon, shirk their responsibilities in favor of pleasure-seeking. This theme highlights the tension between individual desires and societal expectations.

Religion serves as a backdrop against which Wilde critiques the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper class. The characters' shallow attitude towards religious rituals reflects a broader skepticism towards traditional institutions and moral values. Wilde suggests that religion is often used as a facade to maintain appearances rather than a genuine expression of faith.

Marriage emerges as a central theme in the play, with Wilde satirizing the institution and the societal expectations surrounding it. Despite the characters' aversion to the idea of matrimony, they find themselves entangled in a web of engagements and proposals. Wilde highlights the tension between societal pressure to marry and the desire for personal freedom, particularly among the male protagonists.

Freedom and Individuality

Wilde subtly critiques the constraints placed on individuals by Victorian upper classes, particularly in terms of gender roles and social expectations. Characters like Cecily and Gwendolen assert their independence and agency in pursuing their romantic interests, challenging traditional notions of femininity and passivity.

Social Class

Social class plays a significant role in the play, with characters like Lady Bracknell embodying the aristocratic disdain for those deemed beneath their station. Wilde exposes the absurdity of class distinctions and the superficiality of societal hierarchies, suggesting that one's worth should not be determined by birth or wealth.

If you're eager to delve deeper into the themes, consider the option to buy a essay from our team of expert analysts.

The Importance of Being Earnest Symbols

What are some symbols in The Importance of Being Earnest? They appear throughout the play, bringing additional meaning to the scenes. Let's examine the major figures:

Ernest and Bunbury

Undeniably, both 'brother Ernest' and 'friend Bunbury' are fundamental to the play. 'Ernest' is the fictional alter ego created by Jack and Algernon to escape the constraints of their everyday lives. He represents the desire to break free from societal expectations and indulge in frivolity. Similarly, 'Bunbury' symbolizes the fabricated excuses and deceitful practices employed by the characters to evade responsibility and pursue their desires.

Big city and countryside

The contrast between the bustling city life of London and the tranquil countryside serves as a symbolic reflection of societal attitudes and class distinctions. The characters' discussions about their preferences for city living versus country living highlight their aspirations for social status and cultural refinement. The city represents sophistication and wealth, while the countryside is associated with simplicity and lower social standing. Wilde uses this symbolism to critique the superficiality of societal judgments based on geography and class, challenging the notion that one's worth is determined by one's surroundings.

Food and Dining

Scenes set around the dining table are often accompanied by witty banter and social commentary, highlighting the performative nature of Victorian etiquette. Food becomes a symbol of status and refinement, with characters using elaborate dinner parties and tea ceremonies to assert their social superiority. However, beneath the veneer of civility lies a world of deception and hypocrisy, as characters engage in verbal sparring and manipulation over tea and cucumber sandwiches.

The Importance of Being Earnest Movie

While you can relish Oscar Wilde's play on stage, you can also savor 'The Importance of Being Earnest' movie from the comfort of your home. Unlike the works of George Bernard Shaw, Charles Dickens, or Jane Austen, Wilde's comedic genius creates an atmosphere that is both cozy and humorous, a vibe that shines through in the 2002 film adaptation.

The movie boasts high-quality set decorations and costumes that transport viewers to the England of Queen Victoria. The attention to detail helps recreate the opulence and elegance of the Victorian era, providing a visually stunning backdrop for the witty banter and comedic antics of the characters.

In terms of success, the film achieved impressive financial returns, raking in over seventeen million dollars in revenue worldwide. This widespread success speaks to the enduring appeal of Wilde's timeless humor and the universal themes explored in the play.

Are you working on a war essay assignment, or perhaps you're curious about who is Daisy in The Great Gatsby ? Our blog offers a variety of intriguing articles that may pique your interest.

The Importance of Being Earnest Quotes

Oscar Wilde is renowned for his unforgettable quotes, and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' is brimming with brilliant lines that capture the essence of its characters.

Take, for example, Lady Bracknell's infamous line, 'To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune… to lose both seems like carelessness.' This quip not only showcases Wilde's razor-sharp humor but also characterizes Lady Bracknell as a woman lacking in empathy and understanding.

Similarly, Cecily Cardew's remark, 'I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train,' speaks volumes about her shallow and melodramatic nature. It's a witty observation that perfectly encapsulates Cecily's penchant for romantic fantasy and self-absorption.

Throughout the play, Wilde's dialogue is peppered with clever and incisive lines, each tailored to the character uttering them. Whether it's Algernon's irreverent wit or Jack's earnest sincerity, every character's voice rings true, adding depth and humor to the narrative.

As we conclude The Importance of Being Earnest analysis, the phenomenal comedy by Oscar Wilde shook the conservative empire that got used to Charles Dickens, George Bernard Shaw, and Jane Austen. Comedic elements, exaggerations, and different literary devices entertain the audience while reminding them of an important trait like honesty. This author was truly ahead of his time, as the play still wins people's hearts today.

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What Literary Devices Does Oscar Wilde Use in The Importance of Being Earnest?

What makes the importance of being earnest a comedy of manners, what is the main message of the importance of being earnest, what is the book the importance of being earnest about, what is the significance of the repetition of the word absurd in the importance of being earnest, related articles.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde

Welcome to our The Importance of Being Earnest essay sample! Here, you’ll find the analysis of the story’s main themes and comedy elements. Get ideas for your essay on The Importance of Being Earnest with our essay sample.

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Thesis Statement

The importance of being earnest essay introduction, morality and marriage, why a comedy, the importance of being earnest essay conclusion, works cited.

Oscar Wilde had written during the Victorian time which was an era that laid much emphasis on moral values. It can be contended that The Importance of Being Earnest is in essence a play on morality since the major argument surfacing after its reading relates to honesty as being the best policy.

Although the learning from the play strengthens the values as prevailing during the period, there is quite a lot in the play that is not as per convention. The primary reason for Wilde’s success was that he was able to narrate an appealing story that further strengthened the prevailing social values. This he was able to do by making use of the untraditional relationships and images.

The Importance of Being Earnest was the last play written by Oscar Wilde and it undoubtedly became the most celebrated. George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells considered the play amongst the funniest that were ever written and to this day the play continues to absorb and entertain theatre lovers through out the world.

The play makes fun of the literary world, the aristocratic society and the customs and mannerisms of the British, while at the same time questions the concept of identity. The plans of the different characters in the play are seen to be going topsy-turvy due to the occurrence of unexpected developments. Wilde has skilfully taken up the issues of romantic gamesmanship, social ambitions and class pretensions through wit sharpened dialogues.

A major reason for the play’s success is the large number of spicy epigrams used by Wilde. Although some of the succinct and inconsistent statements relate to contemporary happenings, most of them are general manifestations of beauty, classes, women and men.

Most of the statements are being quoted to this day and keep on delighting the audience with their mix of absurdities and sophistication. Other than revealing the beauty, the play is a masterpiece in depicting Victorian styles as prevalent during the time, especially in relation to morality and marriage.

For long, marriage had been a significant issue and Wilde had depicted its scheming use as a social instrument of progression. Other than Miss Prism, all the ladies in the play are seen as having hidden motives in regard to romance. Wilde has convincingly criticized the superficial ways of politeness as practiced by society and has outlined the nature of the shallow masks that were worn by aristocratic Victorians.

A major source of humour in the play is the confused source of values as displayed by the characters. In this regard, Wilde had commented about the play as being “exquisitely trivial, a delicate bubble of fancy, and it has its philosophy that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality,” (Oscar Wilde, 2005).

Wilde had impressed upon his actors to speak out their words very seriously so that the audience did not think that they were joking. Although in essence the play is a comedy that relates to protocol, it has openly used ridiculous means to minimize its significance. Fortunately the audience is ever willing to ignore the inconsistency and indiscretions in the play.

Within the structure of the play one can feel the allusions of homosexuality implied in the male characters. It is known that while he was writing this play, Wilde was leading a twin life of a married man as also of a homosexual.

The original audiences of the play were utterly shocked at the reference of such a culture in the play and unfortunately for Wilde, the success of the play was not carried too further as his well known trial began after the opening night of the play and his career began to get loose.

There are two major issues forming the critique of The Importance of Being Earnest. Firstly, although the play was very well received by audiences when it opened for the first time, critics during the time openly questioned the moral aspects pertinent in the play.

The play was attacked by George Bernard Shaw for its “real degeneracy” (Bob Nelson, 1993), and described the playwright’s word play as being rather hateful and sinister. The second issue relates to the dramatic framework of the play in exhibiting aspects of parody, comedy of manners and mockery. Critics have been unable to come to a conclusion in regard to what category the play belongs to.

Critics are divided on the issue of morality in The Importance of Being Earnest. According to Edouard Roditi, who wrote the book Oscar Wilde, the playwright’s comedy did not rise higher than “the incomplete or the trivial” (Edouard Roditi, 1947).

Roditi felt that the play did not have ethical perspectives since no character saw through other characters nor criticized their values. Eric Bentley also felt the same way and concluded that “because of its ridiculous action, the play fails to break… into bitter criticism of serious issues” (Eric Bentley, 1987).

Otto Reinert has opined that Wilde’s comedy has had the effect of “an exposure both of hypocrisy and of the unnatural convention that necessitates hypocrisy” (Otto Reinert, 1956). Consequently there was a superficial cover up of the white lies that maintained politeness in the so called polite society, which alone was able to give the plot a moral meaning.

This is exemplified by the instance in the play when Algernon is criticized by Lady Bracknell for having taken care of his make believe friend, Bunberry who was supposed to make a decision whether he was going to die or live. In criticizing him she voices her conservative belief that “illness in others is always faked [and]… consequently sympathy with invalids is faked also” (Oscar Wilde, 2005)

Although Lady Bracknell is portrayed as respecting convention she is believed to have had no illusions about “the reality her professed convention is supposed to conceal” (Otto Reinert, 1956). She presumes that both Bunberry and Algeron are “bubburying” and she behaves in a way that “exposes the polite cynicism that negates all values save personal convenience and salon decorum” (Otto Reinert, 1956).

The lady’s behaviour is in the nature of exposing the polite cynicism in negating all desired values except salon decorum and personal convenience. Lady Bracknell is not protected from her own shortcomings in being extra earnest.

She disapproves of marriages amongst mercenaries and admits that when she had married Lord Bracknell she did not have any fortune, which implied that she was opposed to marrying for money, and that she was not in possession of much wealth at the time she married a wealthy man.

According to Reinert, “this position is neither cynical nor funny. It represents… [a] compromise between practical hardheadedness and conventional morality” (Otto Reinert, 1956).

In all, the play has not endorsed social dishonesty and for some time it makes a mockery of respectability. The use of paradoxical morality by Wilde has served as an evaluation of the “the problem of manners.”

This is so because Algeron, in trying to escape the pretence of conventions, becomes a hypocrite himself when he pretends to be a person that he actually is not. Wilde has conveyed that the so called Victorian morality forced people to lead a life of double standards, one that was frolicsome and another that was respectable, none of them being solemn.

A critical issue in the play relates to the categorization of the play. It has been described as a “farce that represents the reality that Victorian convention pretends to ignore” (Otto Reinert, 1956). The characters have not been ironic enough by way of saying something but meaning something else.

In fact they really mean what ever they state, which is evident from the fact that Algernon does not wish to attend lady Bracknell’s dinner party since she will invariably make him sit near Mary Farquhar who is in the habit of flirting while sitting with her own husband.

Reinert has written in this regard that, “Algernon is indignant with a woman who spoils the fun of extramarital flirtation and who parades her virtue. He is shocked at convention. And his tone implies that he is elevating break of convention into a moral norm,” (Otto Reinert, 1956). This makes things conventional out of unconventional situations.

Wilde’s comedy is seen as working through a caricature in transforming the techniques of comedy, plot situations and the characters.

The play has been defended against the charge that it was just a mockery because mockery “depends for its effects upon extremely simplified characters tangling themselves up in incongruous situations, as in Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors or Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer.

Instead, the comedy of Earnest subsists, for the most part, not in action or situation but in dialogue, which is too witty and intellectual to be described simply as a farce,”(Forster, 1956).

Instead of being a comedy of manners or a mockery, Forster believed that Wilde used characters and familiar plot devices satirizing the Victorian community. The relationship that Jack has with Gwendolen symbolizes the problems faced by lovers in being forced to stay away from getting married due to class differences.

Wilde found a novel solution by establishing Jack’s patrimony in being the child at the railway station. A common feature of romantic literature pertains to falling in love at first sight which too is demonstrated by Wilde in total contrast when Cecily falls in love with Algernon, not at first sight but simply because she is under the impression that his name is Everest.

Although Algernon is depicted as being cynical, but there is evidence in indicating that such cynicism is shallow since after he met Cecily, “Algernon is engaged to be married and reconciled to getting christened,” (Forster, 1956).

In appearing to be innocent and protected, Cecily conveys that it would become a hypocritical situation if Algernon tries to be good while trying to project himself as being fiendish. According to Forster, “The moral of Wilde’s parody: the rake is a fake, girlish innocence is the bait of a monstrous mantrap, the wages of sin in matrimony,” (Forster, 1956).

In essence the dramatic troubles as identified by some critics in the play, are seen as being its strengths. Forster emphasizes that the whole point of the play lies in the machinations of its plot and the convenience outlined behind the numerous coincidences that are neatly placed in its resolutions.

Bob Nelson, The Importance of Being Earnest , A study Guide.

Edouard Roditi, Oscar Wilde, 1947, Norfolk: New Directions

Eric Bentley, The Playwright as Thinker, 1987, Harvest Books Foster, Richard. “Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance Of Being Earnest.” October, 1956, College English

Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 2005, Prestwick House Inc

Reinert, Otto. “Satiric Strategy in The Importance Of Being Earnest.” October, 1956, College English

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar wilde, everything you need for every book you read..

The Art of Deception: Fact v. Fiction

As a leader of the Aesthetic movement, Wilde was especially interested in the relationship between life and art, pondering the eternal question, “Does art imitate life, or life imitate art?” Wilde explores this relationship in The Importance of Being Earnest through the conflict that arises when fact collides with fiction. The conflict between fact and fiction is driven by Algernon and Jack’s lies about their respective identities, specifically the fictional personas they create in order…

The Pursuit of Marriage

The pursuit of marriage is a driving force behind much of the play’s action. Similar to many Victorian novels of the period, the play reads as a marriage plot, documenting the errors in social etiquette and romantic upheavals that come about as Jack and Algernon stumble towards the altar. Jack pursues Gwendolen’s hand, while Algernon pursues Cecily . Because Jack and Algernon are willing to go to such outlandish lengths to appease Gwendolen and Cecily’s…

Cash, Class, and Character

The Victorian society in which Wilde lived was concerned with wealth, family status, and moral character, especially when it came to marriage. Lady Bracknell’s interrogation of Jack’s proposal to marry Gwendolen demonstrates the three “Cs”—cash, class, and character. First she asks him about his finances and then his family relations, a measure of his class. That Jack has none—no family relations, or family name, reflects poorly on his character. Upon finding that Jack has no…

Name and Identity

Through Jack’s search for his origins and family name, Wilde satirizes the Victorian Era’s intense scrutiny of cash, class, and character. Wilde subversively prods this question through the name of “ Ernest ,” a Christian name, or given name, as opposed to a family name. The name of “Ernest” comes to symbolize different things for different people. For Gwendolen and Cecily it “inspires absolute confidence” but also symbolizes the ideal husband/ lover. For Jack, “Ernest”…

Hypocrisy, Folly, and Victorian Morality

A witty wordsmith, Wilde exposes the hypocrisy of the Victorians’ strict social mores through puns, paradoxes, epigrams, and inversions in the characters’ actions and dialogue. For instance the characters often say and do the opposite of what they mean, or intend. Gwendolen flips “style” and “sincerity” when she says, “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” One would expect that “sincerity” should take precedence over “style” in “matters of grave…

Men and Women in Love

In the game of love that Wilde plays throughout The Importance of Being Earnest , Jack and Algernon , who strive for love, are pitted against the fickleness of the women they desire. Even though Wilde assigns stereotypical gender roles to each sex—Jack and Algernon are suave dandies , while Cecily and Gwendolen are vapid beauties—when it comes to marriage and love, he places women in a position of power because they are able to…

The Importance of Being Earnest

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1. At Algernon’s London apartment in the “present day” ( Act 1 )

2. Gwendolen Bracknell ( Act 1 )

3. Lady Bracknell is his aunt, and Gwendolen is his cousin. ( Act 1 )

4. No ( Act 1 )

5. Pretending to have a relative or friend to use as an excuse to escape one’s social responsibilities ( Act 1 )

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1. Lady Bracknell objects to the union of Jack and Gwendolen because of Jack’s uncertain parentage. Lady Bracknell is an aristocrat who values social status and wealth above all else, and she believes that a person’s worth is determined by their birth and family background. ( Act 1 )

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Student Opinion

What Author Would You Most Like to Meet?

Has a book ever touched you so personally that you felt a deep connection to the writer?

By Jeremy Engle

Has a book ever made such a big impression on you that you felt a deep connection with the author? Perhaps you found it to be extremely moving, or you thought it spoke directly to your experiences in life.

Have you ever wished you could meet that writer and talk about that book and its significance to you?

In “ A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered. ,” Elisabeth Egan writes about how a high school English class recently had that wish granted:

Tommy Orange sat at the front of a classroom in the Bronx, listening as a group of high school students discussed his novel “There There.” A boy wearing blue glasses raised his hand. “All the characters have some form of disconnection, even trauma,” Michael Almanzar, 19, said. “That’s the world we live in. That’s all around us. It’s not like it’s in some faraway land. That’s literally your next-door neighbor.” The class broke into a round of finger snaps , as if we were at an old-school poetry slam on the Lower East Side and not in an English class at Millennium Art Academy, on the corner of Lafayette and Pugsley Avenues. Orange took it all in with a mixture of gratitude and humility — the semicircle of earnest, engaged teenagers; the bulletin board decorated with words describing “There There” (“hope,” “struggle,” “mourning,” “discovery”); the shelf of well-thumbed copies wearing dust jackets in various stages of disintegration. His eyebrows shot up when a student wearing a sweatshirt that said “I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams” compared the book to “ The Road ,” by Cormac McCarthy . When three consecutive students spoke about how they related to Orange’s work because of their own mental health struggles, he was on the verge of tears. “That’s what drew me to reading in the first place,” Orange said, “The feeling of not being as alone as you thought you were.” It’s not often that an author walks into a room full of readers, let alone teenagers, who talk about characters born in his imagination as if they’re living, breathing human beings. And it’s equally rare for students to spend time with an author whose fictional world feels like a refuge. Of all the classroom visits he’s made since “There There” came out in 2018, the one at Millennium Art Academy earlier this month was, Orange said later, “the most intense connection I’ve ever experienced.”

The article recounts how the classroom visit came to be. It was thanks to Rick Ouimet, an energetic, pony-tailed English teacher who took a chance and reached out to the author:

Last month, Ouimet learned that Orange, who lives in Oakland, was going to be in New York promoting his second novel, “ Wandering Stars .” An idea started to percolate. Ouimet had never invited an author to his classroom before; such visits can be pricey and, as he pointed out, Shakespeare and Zora Neale Hurston aren’t available. Ouimet composed a message in his head for over a week, he said, and on Monday, March 4, just after midnight, he fired it off to the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau. “The email felt like a raw rough draft, but I didn’t agonize,” he said. “It was my midlife college essay.” The 827-word missive was written in the go-for-broke style Ouimet encourages in his students’ work, full of personality, texture and detail, without the corporate-speak that infiltrates so much Important Professional Correspondence. Ouimet wrote: “In our 12th-grade English classroom, in our diverse corner of the South Bronx, in an under-resourced but vibrant urban neighborhood not unlike the Fruitvale, you’re our rock star. Our more than rock star. You’re our MF Doom, our Eminem, our Earl Sweatshirt, our Tribe Called Red, our Beethoven, our Bobby Big Medicine, our email to Manny, our ethnically ambiguous woman in the next stall, our camera pointing into a tunnel of darkness.” Orange, he added, was a hero to these kids: “You’ve changed lives.” There was Tahqari Koonce, 17, who drew a parallel between the Oakland Coliseum and the Roman Colosseum; and Natalia Melendez, also 17, who noted that a white gun symbolized oppression of Native tribes. And then there was Dalvyn Urena, 18, who “said he’d never read an entire book until ‘There There,’” and was now comparing it to a Shakespearean sonnet. He ended with: “Well, it was worth a shot. Thanks for taking the time to read this — if it ever finds its way to you. In appreciation (and awe), Rick Ouimet.” “I took a chance,” Ouimet said. And why not? “My students take a chance every time they open a new book. There’s groaning, and they open the page. To see what they gave this book? The love was palpable.”

The article concludes:

Eventually the bell sounded. The students pushed back from their desks and lined up to have their books signed by Orange, who took a moment to chat with each one. Over the din, to anyone who was still listening, Ouimet called: “If you love a book, talk about it! If you love a story, let other people know!”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

What author would you most like to meet — and why? What would you say to that person about how his or her writing has moved and affected you? What questions would you ask?

During Tommy Orange’s visit to the Bronx, many students told him that his novel “There There” spoke directly to them. Have you ever read a book that felt as if it was describing your life and the world you live in?

The article says that the author found a way to work a visit to the high school into a packed, 24-city tour for his new book, “Wandering Stars.” Why do you think he made such an effort to visit a high school in the Bronx? What do you think he gained from the experience?

What is your reaction to Rick Ouimet’s passion for teaching and the power of the written word? Have you ever had a teacher who made books and their authors come alive in the classroom? Did anyone ever invite an author to visit your class?

Inspired by the story? It’s your turn to take a chance writing a letter to invite an author to visit your class — in person or via Zoom. (You can reach out to the book publisher for contact information.) Be sure to include your personal connection to that writer’s books and be persuasive as you extend your invitation. Use the Bronx teacher’s passionate letter — “full of personality, texture and detail” — as a model. Good luck!

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle