Question
Question 1 (100 points)
Listen
You are going to write your own response to a prompt about "The Wretched and the Beautiful". Be sure you use the sample response in this lesson as a guide, and feel free to look back to previous lessons to help you as you write. This will be a timed writing quiz. However, you have all the information you need to write it before you start the quiz (I have even included a thesis for you).
Prompt: In paragraphs 60-64 of Lily Yu's "The Wretched and the Beautiful," how does the resolution of the story reveal a critique of humanity?
Text:
"We must ask the aliens themselves what they want," the woman said, but now her colleagues were standing too, and shouting, and phone lines were ringing as we called in support of the beautiful ones, and her voice was drowned out.
"We have an understanding, then," the beautiful ones said, to clamorous agreement and wild applause.
The cameras stopped there, at that glorious scene, and all of us, warm and satisfied with our participation in history, turned off our televisions and went to work, or to pick up our children from soccer, or to bed, or to the liquor store to gaze at top-shelf whiskey.
A few of us, the unfortunate few who lived beside the aliens, saw the long silver needles descend point-first onto our neighbors' lawns and the silver shapes emerge with chains and glowing rods. We twitched the kitchen curtains closed and dialed up our music. Three hours later there was no sign of any of the aliens, the wretched or the beautiful, except for a few blackened patches of grass and wisps of smoke that curled and died.
All was well.
Thesis: In the resolution of "The Wretched and the Beautiful," the humans' behavior reveals Yu's critique that people have a tendency to look away from the suffering of others in order to maintain normalcy.
Listen
You are going to write your own response to a prompt about "The Wretched and the Beautiful". Be sure you use the sample response in this lesson as a guide, and feel free to look back to previous lessons to help you as you write. This will be a timed writing quiz. However, you have all the information you need to write it before you start the quiz (I have even included a thesis for you).
Prompt: In paragraphs 60-64 of Lily Yu's "The Wretched and the Beautiful," how does the resolution of the story reveal a critique of humanity?
Text:
"We must ask the aliens themselves what they want," the woman said, but now her colleagues were standing too, and shouting, and phone lines were ringing as we called in support of the beautiful ones, and her voice was drowned out.
"We have an understanding, then," the beautiful ones said, to clamorous agreement and wild applause.
The cameras stopped there, at that glorious scene, and all of us, warm and satisfied with our participation in history, turned off our televisions and went to work, or to pick up our children from soccer, or to bed, or to the liquor store to gaze at top-shelf whiskey.
A few of us, the unfortunate few who lived beside the aliens, saw the long silver needles descend point-first onto our neighbors' lawns and the silver shapes emerge with chains and glowing rods. We twitched the kitchen curtains closed and dialed up our music. Three hours later there was no sign of any of the aliens, the wretched or the beautiful, except for a few blackened patches of grass and wisps of smoke that curled and died.
All was well.
Thesis: In the resolution of "The Wretched and the Beautiful," the humans' behavior reveals Yu's critique that people have a tendency to look away from the suffering of others in order to maintain normalcy.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
In Lily Yu's "The Wretched and the Beautiful," the resolution of the story poignantly illustrates a critique of humanity’s inclination to ignore the suffering of others in pursuit of comfort and normalcy. As the narrative unfolds in paragraphs 60-64, we witness a stark contrast between the reactions of the "beautiful ones" and those who live in proximity to the aliens—the "wretched." The overwhelming applause and satisfaction of the crowd indicate a collective desire for an idealized reality, one in which they can celebrate progress while conveniently disregarding the consequences that befall their neighbors.
The phrase "the cameras stopped there, at that glorious scene" underscores a critical moment in the text, reflecting how society often chooses to highlight the beautiful while conveniently omitting the grim realities that lie beneath the surface. The surrounding characters, engulfed in their moment of historical participation, are more interested in the spectacle of applause than in the deeper implications of the aliens’ actions on their unfortunate neighbors. This behavior serves as a biting commentary on humanity’s tendency to prioritize personal comfort over compassion, a theme Yu masterfully explores through the characters’ contrasting experiences.
As we observe the “unfortunate few” who actually witness the arrival of the aliens, their fear and isolation starkly contrast with the celebratory mood of the broader society. The act of closing the curtains and turning up the music symbolizes a deliberate choice to shield themselves from discomforting realities, reflecting a societal norm where awareness of suffering is eschewed in favor of maintaining the status quo. The description of "blackened patches of grass and wisps of smoke" serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences ignored by the majority, illustrating the ways in which individuals can become complicit in the suffering of others simply by averting their gaze.
In conclusion, Yu’s resolution not only emphasizes the complacency that often defines human behavior but also invites readers to reflect on their own responses to the suffering they may witness. By portraying the dichotomy between the joyful celebration of the “beautiful ones” and the quiet desolation faced by the “wretched,” Yu critiques a fundamental aspect of humanity: the tendency to prioritize comfort and normalcy over empathy and engagement with the hardships of others. This reflection ultimately challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about their own lives and the societal structures they inhabit.
The phrase "the cameras stopped there, at that glorious scene" underscores a critical moment in the text, reflecting how society often chooses to highlight the beautiful while conveniently omitting the grim realities that lie beneath the surface. The surrounding characters, engulfed in their moment of historical participation, are more interested in the spectacle of applause than in the deeper implications of the aliens’ actions on their unfortunate neighbors. This behavior serves as a biting commentary on humanity’s tendency to prioritize personal comfort over compassion, a theme Yu masterfully explores through the characters’ contrasting experiences.
As we observe the “unfortunate few” who actually witness the arrival of the aliens, their fear and isolation starkly contrast with the celebratory mood of the broader society. The act of closing the curtains and turning up the music symbolizes a deliberate choice to shield themselves from discomforting realities, reflecting a societal norm where awareness of suffering is eschewed in favor of maintaining the status quo. The description of "blackened patches of grass and wisps of smoke" serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences ignored by the majority, illustrating the ways in which individuals can become complicit in the suffering of others simply by averting their gaze.
In conclusion, Yu’s resolution not only emphasizes the complacency that often defines human behavior but also invites readers to reflect on their own responses to the suffering they may witness. By portraying the dichotomy between the joyful celebration of the “beautiful ones” and the quiet desolation faced by the “wretched,” Yu critiques a fundamental aspect of humanity: the tendency to prioritize comfort and normalcy over empathy and engagement with the hardships of others. This reflection ultimately challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about their own lives and the societal structures they inhabit.
There are no human answers yet. A form for humans to post answers is coming very soon!