Question

Read the two passages. First explain how the central theme is similar in both passages. Then discuss how the passages present that theme in different historical or cultural contexts. Passage Passage 1: Isaac and Jed were inseparable growing up in the backwoods of the Kentucky-Tennessee border. They would spend all day chasing squirrels and building forts from fallen trees. As America approached the Civil War, though, it became clear that the boys’ families fell on different sides of the conflict. Isaac’s family supported the South, and Jed’s family supported the North, and soon the boys’ parents forbade them from spending time together. When war finally broke out, both families pushed their sons to enlist. In one critical battle, Isaac and Jed even fought against each other. Though both were fortunate enough to survive the war, Jed moved to Albany and Isaac settled in Atlanta, and the friends never crossed paths again. Passage 2: Carla and Dee met on the first day of college and quickly became closer than sisters. They took all the same classes and even visited each other’s homes during school breaks. They both majored in computer science and specialized in designing computer games. When they graduated, they desperately tried to find jobs together but could not. They went to work for rival video game companies, and each began developing a game they had thought of together: Zombie Soccer. Both rushed to complete the project first, and since the companies were very secretive, the women pretty much stopped speaking. Carla’s game was released first, but Dee’s was more popular. They had dinner together shortly after the games were released, hoping to reconnect, but they found that they had both grown closer to their coworkers than they were to each other.

Answer 1

The central theme in both passages is the effect of external circumstances on friendship. In both stories, the central characters have a strong bond that is broken by external events. In Passage 1, the Civil War separates Isaac and Jed as their families support opposite sides of the conflict, and they end up fighting against each other. In Passage 2, Carla and Dee's friendship is affected by their rivalry in the computer game industry. They both try to finish their game first and stop communicating, and they eventually grow apart.

However, the passages present the theme in different historical or cultural contexts. Passage 1 takes place during the American Civil War, a conflict that divided the country and pitted friends and family members against each other. The war was a traumatic event for the nation, and its effects were long-lasting. The passage shows how the conflict divided communities and how even close friends could become enemies.

On the other hand, Passage 2 takes place in the context of the competitive world of the computer game industry. The passage highlights how rivalry and competition can affect even the closest of friendships. The passage portrays a modern-day scenario where personal ambition and competition can take priority over friendship.

Overall, both passages show that external circumstances can have a profound effect on friendship, regardless of the historical or cultural context