of essay topics for this novel (min 300 words)
The Third Life of Grange Copeland is a 1970 novel by Alice Walker, which follows the life of an African American man named Grange Copeland throughout three generations of his family's history Through the story of Grange's fight to surviving, the novel explores themes of freedom, identity, and family.
Essay topic 1: How does the novel explore the theme of freedom?
This essay topic would examine how the struggles and experiences of Grange Copeland throughout the novel illustrate the idea of freedom. Grange is an African American man, born in the early 20th century in the south, and the reader witnesses his transition from a life of servitude and oppression to a life of increasing personal agency and autonomy. Through his experiences of independence, this essay would explore how the novel presents freedom in a physical, economic, and spiritual sense, while also considering how certain ideas of freedom are still restricted for Grange and many other African Americans during this time.
Essay topic 2: What does the novel say about identity and self-understanding?
This essay topic would look at how Grange's journey throughout the novel leads him to an understanding of who he is and how his identity plays a role in his life. While Grange initially runs away and denies his role in his family, by the end of the novel, he is able to integrate his experiences and identity into who he is, and he comes to terms with his relationship with his family and his place in the world. This essay would explore how Grange’s journey to self-understanding reflects broader ideas of identity and how our identity can shape our lives and our relationships with others.
Essay topic 3: How does the novel explore the idea of family?
This essay topic would analyze the role of family in the novel and how it is presented throughout Grange’s life. From his family’s original home in the south, to their eventual separation and dispersion, to their ultimate reunion, the reader follows Grange’s family through their struggles and triumphs. This essay would examine how the novel presents different ideas of family, from traditional family structures to unconventional family constellations, and ultimately how a strong family unit can be a cornerstone of stability and strength, even in the face of adversity.
Essay topic 4: How does the novel portray the idea of the American dream?
This essay topic would explore the idea of the American dream as it is presented in the novel. When Grange first leaves his family in the south and seeks a new life in the northern city, he is searching for the promise of the American dream. Throughout the novel, the reader observes Grange’s struggle to gain economic and personal freedom and to create a life for himself, and this essay would examine how the end of the novel presents his ultimate success in achieving this dream.
Essay topic 5: How does the novel represent issues of race and racism?
This essay topic would examine how the novel presents the issue of race and racism in America. From the beginning of the novel, Grange is defined by his race and encounters racism throughout his life, from the Jim Crow laws of the south, to the “Northern Promised Land” that is ultimately still a place of discrimination and injustice. This essay would explore the ways in which Walker presents racism in the novel, and how her characters navigate these issues with strength and resilience.