在SAT写作中，Literature往往会是很好的例子，因为它们往往涉及很多人生经历和社会问题。但那么多的书我们要怎么选择呢？我的建议是，最好选择美国人比较熟悉的小说，但故事情节和人物关系相对不太复杂 – 浅谈Literature在SAT写作中的运用
如果你选了一本中国小说，比如说红楼梦，改卷子的美国人很可能根本没读过甚至没听过，那么你难免要花一些力气来交代背景，这样就会浪费宝贵的时间。而美国人熟悉的文学作品，主人公的名字一出来，评卷人至少已经有一些印象，多多少少能帮助他理解你的意思和逻辑。
另一方面如果选择像红楼梦这样情节错综复杂的小说，在表述过程中，很有可能自己都会被绕进去。所以不如选择一个情节简单，好记好写的短篇小说。而人物关系不太复杂的小说往往只有一个或几个明确的主要角色，这样你不仅可以用书中的情节作为例子，也可以把角色的人生轨迹作为人物例子用到文章中。
当然，你不一定要把一本书读完才能把它归入例子库，但你需要结合话题整理出关键情节和细节，并且其中人物名称和相关术语一定要记住。
以下是我推荐的两个文学例子以及它们适用的一些话题：
Frankenstein
This classic novel by Mary Shelley, first published anonymously in 1818, tells the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who alienates his family by following his obsession with animating a man made of corpses, creating artificial life for the first time. But he is horrified by his creation, and the monster, lonely and miserable, wanders the earth, rejected by everyone. He develops anger toward his creator and kills Victor’s brother, and then Victor’s wife, on their wedding day. Victor then chases the monster all over the world, trying to kill him, and dies in the process.
Frankenstein可以运用在很多话题中，例如：
(Self-knowledge and Growth) Is self-knowledge the result of adversity?
Yes; Dr. Frankenstein can only understand the horror of artificially creating life (or “playing God”) after multiple people are killed.
(Success vs. Failure) Can success to be disastrous?
Yes; in the first part of the book, Dr. Frankenstein sacrifices everything to achieve his goal of bringing his monster to life. But as soon as he does, his life becomes more and more miserable until he finally dies in the Arctic.
(Individual vs. Society/Authority) Is it better to decide one’s own ideas of right and wrong or follow the crowd?
Follow the crowd; Dr. Frankenstein ignores everyone’s warnings that his obsession is dangerous. His creation of the monster is a direct result of his deciding for himself what is right and wrong, because his obsession clouds his judgment.
Animal Farm
This short novel written by George Orwell in 1945 is a parable (a short story used to illustrate a lesson) about the Russian Revolution. It describes a farm’s animals banding together to overthrow the farmer Mr. Jones who exploits their work and products (milk, eggs, etc.) so they can take control of the farm themselves. However, the pigs (under the leadership of Snowball and Napoleon) immediately begin scheming to control the farm themselves, and ultimately take advantage of the other animals in the same way the farmer did.
Animal Farm也可以运用在很多话题中，例如：
(Individual vs. Society/Authority) Should people pay more attention to the opinions of people who are older and more experienced?
Yes; in Animal Farm, the only animal who suspects the pigs’ deception is Benjamin –a donkey, one of the oldest, wisest animal on the farm. When Napoleon sends for a van to take Boxer, the loyal, hard working and respectable workhorse, to a surgeon, only Benjamin notices pigs’ real intention: selling the horse for money to buy whisky for the pigs.
(Morality) Is it best to always suspect that others may have ulterior motives?
Yes; the animals in Animal Farm would have been better off if they had suspected that the pigs were planning to exploit them.
(Success vs. Failure) Are important discoveries the result of focusing on one subject?
No; in Animal Farm, the success of the animals in running the farm depends on their ability to teach themselves how to read, do math, build structures, and harness electricity, among other skills.
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