I have to write an essay about betrayal. Any ideas?

Question

I'm a junior in high school, by the way. For those people who know about the different forms of expository writing, this is a "definition" essay. It's for my AP English Language class. I'm supposed to use some literary references too. But all I'm asking you for is ideas; I'm still in the brainstorming phase.

Any advice would also be helpful. Thank you to anyone who helps.

Answer 1

The scene in The Sound of Music comes to mind where the family is hiding in the cemetery and all the gestapo leave except for Ralph. The family starts to leave and you think he is not going to rat on them and then he does.

Answer 2

Well, there are some famous people who were betrayed and committed acts of betrayal. Julius Caesar was betrayed, and there is play by Shakespeare about him. Benedict Arnold's name is practically synonymous with the word betrayal. The Spartans were betrayed by the other Greeks at that famous battle in the movie 300. History is full of betrayals and coups. These are the ones I can think of right now, though.

Answer 3

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RE:
I have to write an essay about betrayal. Any ideas?
I'm a junior in high school, by the way. For those people who know about the different forms of expository writing, this is a "definition" essay. It's for my AP English Language class. I'm supposed to use some literary references too. But all I'm asking you for is ideas;...

Answer 4

If I were you I would look at three different kinds of betrayal. That would make a pretty good thesis for a 5 paragraph essay.

Intro: Betrayal, as a form of deception or dismissal of prior presumptions, is the breaking or violation of a presumptive social contract (trust, or confidence) that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Often betrayal is the act of supporting a rival group, or it is a complete break from previously decided upon or presumed norms by one party from the others.
(Don't copy just put into your own words)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrayal
Thesis : examples of three kinds of betrayal include.........



Beytral #1: Best friends betray each other
I definitly would include the "Julias Caesar" refeerence where Brutus stabbs Caesar only because of his abbition. Caaesars last words are "Et tu Brutay" which is and you Brutus because they were the best of friends and this betrayal was un expected. You could look at the HBO "ROME" movie section and look for the part where Brutus kills Caesar.

Betrayal #2: Woman betrays king
Lady Macbeth happily jumps on the bandwagon to kill the king and take the throne. She has no qualms about the betrayal because it will lead to power. (book Macbeth) the whole paly deals with betrayal here is a good site.


http://www.bookrags.com/notes/mac/TOP1.htm

Betrayal #3 :Betraying your Father
Use King Lear
Goneril and Regan’s betrayal of Lear raises them to power in Britain, where Edmund, who has betrayed both Edgar and Gloucester, joins them. However, the play suggests that betrayers inevitably turn on one another, showing how Goneril and Regan fall out when they both become attracted to Edmund, and how their jealousies of one another ultimately lead to mutual destruction. Additionally, it is important to remember that the entire play is set in motion by Lear’s blind, foolish betrayal of Cordelia’s love for him, which reinforces that at the heart of every betrayal lies a skewed set of values.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/lear/themes.html


Work on the thesis a little bit, All plays are William Shakespears

It will be a good Papaer for your La class.....

Answer 5

"Often people speak of betrayal and death as two seperate entities. But what if they're the same? They can certainly produce the same outcome; when someone betrays your trust a part of them dies. their reputation, their credibility, or maybe just the absence of them in your life alltogether if the betrayal was severe enough. Betrayal and Death are one in the same in that they both produce an end to relationships." You could use that!

Answer 6

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm

http://essayinfo.com/essays/definition_essay.php

http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/owl/Doing%20the%20definition%20essay.htm

The above refer to sites explaining the "definition essay."


http://changingminds.org/explanations/trust/effects_of_betrayal.htm
discusses the effects of betrayal

http://ancienthistory.about.com/b/2006/01/26/worst-betrayals.htm
this article cites famous betrayal in ancient history
see also this article's link to "worst betrayals"

http://www.nhinet.org/jackson13-2.pdf
article on betrayal in Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility."

http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art875.asp
"Rosemary's Baby" a woman betrayed

Answer 7

okay, firstof all, the frame.
STARTER / INTRO

MAIN BODY 1

MAIN BODY 2

POINT (extract from a text) EVIDENCE (analyse) EXPLAIN (why this is used in the text)

CONCLUSION.

i would trawl through some shakespere plays, these involve lots of different tings (jealosy, revenge and betrayal)

Answer 8

Judas betrayed Jesus.
that big
lol

Answer 9

Hope this helps!