Prompt Question:
Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray the protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty of treachery or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Essay:
In his novel, Dream Angus, Alexander McCall Smith depicts the embodiment of betrayal through his mystical protagonist, Angus, the Celtic God of dreams. Through parallel storytelling of the dream-giver Angus and of everyday individuals, Smith highlights the imaginative, evolving nature visions possess, and explores Angus' betrayal to his kin, and natural state. Smith showcases that while one's hopes and aspirations are vivid, their secrets and tribulations run deeper.
In Dream Angus, the character Angus is perceived as a positive, affirming figure. While his mystical characteristics and offering of dreams traces him with such positive qualities, Angus engages in various, deepening acts of betrayal that align him much more closely to the real world--and the many secrets that inhabit it. Through Angus' controversial origins--living without knowledge of his birth father, Dadga--Angus' gradual awareness of his past influences his eventual overthrow of his father's power. Smith exemplifies Angus' betrayal to his birth father, replacing his leading societal role--to illustrate Angus' pivotal shifts to human tendencies and vulnerabilities through a lust for power, and an opposition to authority and family figures.
Throughout Angus' new leadership, he begins to stray from his prior values to his family a self--a God who once intended to only provide love and hope to others, began shifting his focus on to his own desires. Smith depicts Angus' betrayal to his society and core values as he develops an obsessive longing for a mysterious future companion. Angus refuses the care and advice of his people--neglecting to eat or sleep until he is presented with this woman. Smith parallels Angus' stories of defiance with intertwined stories of real-world individuals whose desires--from a man's connection to a pig to a boy's resentment for his brother's departure from home--are obsessive and authentic. Smith indirectly relates Angus to these individuals to suggest that despite Angus' potential and magical abilities, temptation and insecurity still reside prominently within him. Smith exemplifies that faults and acts of betrayal are present within everyone, and will ultimately outlast innocence and hope.
Angus' eventual reunion with the mysterious woman further ignites his passion for her, resulting in his determination to be with her despite consequences or alterations. Angus betrayal himself to be with this woman, transforming his natural self into a swan alongside her--altering and betraying his very form for the sole potential of true love. Smith enhances Angus' separation from his mystical gift to achieve an emotional, human desire to create a distinct connection between Angus and the betrayals existent in the real world for the potential of a positive outcome. Smith mirrors Angus' situation with a real-world story of a wife discovering her husband has been unfaithful. Smith personifies the character of Angus in the real-world story as the wife--prompted by a caring therapist--aims for forgiveness, reconciliation, and even love for her cheating husband. Smith showcases the betrayals exists in the real world-through the darkness of marital difficulties--to align the mythical Angus with the human form. Smith's integration of Angus' desires and vulnerabilities--which results in betrayals to others and himself--display his character in a human-like manner, showing that temptation, negativity, and betrayal are acts done by ev-
Self-score: 5/6
Ms. Wilson's score: 7.5
Reflection:
I was pleasantly surprised to see Ms. Wilson's score as my expectations were very low for this essay. I believed I would receive a lower score because even though I believed I addressed some complexities and that I had ample knowledge about Dream Angus, but I didn't feel like my points connected well enough. I believe that the reason I scored higher than expected is due to my proper connections to the book and that it contains relevant and arguable insight that may still be lacking. I still believe that this essay could be improved, and for my final paper I need to fix several things in order to accomplish and create a better, more thorough and well flowing paper. I need to overall integrate my thesis properly into each of my paragraphs--especially in creating proper topic sentences/"sub theses" in each of the paragraphs that support the major thesis of the entire paper. For the prompt itself, I need to address the nature of the betrayal--what makes something an act of betrayal and not just something bad, etc. In my second paragraph, I need to have a specified focus and not sway away from my essay's topic. I also need to include an introduction and a conclusion as my essay is incomplete without it. If I improve these things and utilize the three sentence thesis more effectively, and also articulate complexity throughout my essay, I believe it can be improved greatly. Ms. Wilson scored my essay as a 7.5 because it was less thorough than an 8, but that it included the betrayals plausible "contribution to meaning" of the text. The reason for the 7.5, however, was the inclusion of various specific examples in the text. Overall, she also mentioned that many of my points were of a good discussion, but strayed the focus away from the initial purpose.
Final Essay:
Betrayal is experienced by everyone, in one way or another. In his novel, Dream Angus, Alexander McCall Smith depicts the embodiment of betrayal through his mystical protagonist, Angus, the celtic God of dreams. Through parallel storytelling of the dream-giver Angus and of everyday individuals, Smith highlights the imaginative, evolving nature visions possess, and explores Angus’ betrayal to his kin and his natural state. Smith showcases that while one’s hopes and aspirations are vivid, their secrets and tribulations run deeper as they occur with an awareness of their negative consequences.
While the character Angus is perceived as a magical, positive, and affirming figure who grants vivid dreams to everyone, Angus’ destruction to those around him through acts of betrayal is stemmed from his childhood and further aligns him with the real-world. Smith showcases Angus’ controversial origins--living without knowledge of his birth father Dadga, being stripped away from his birth mother, and being deceived into thinking his brother was his father-- to suggest that his upbringing was riddled with acts of betrayal--conscious actions taken that resulted in negative outcomes, and ultimately lead to Angus committing similar actions. Angus’ gradual awareness of his past influences his eventual overthrow of his father’s power, undermining the very being who betrayed him initially. Smith exemplifies Angus’ betrayal to his birth father--replacing his leading societal role--to illustrate Angus’ pivotal shifts to human tendencies and vulnerabilities. Smith states that “There is always an Angus within us” (Smith, 1). suggesting that Angus’ lust for power and opposition to authority are representative of real-world individuals, but are embodied through the characteristics of a mystical character who engages in acts of betrayal.
The fixation Angus withholds to gain the potential of love is representative through Smith’s assertion that an individual will engage in an act of betrayal to achieve a particular, however unobtainable, potential--regardless of its impact. Angus willingly self destructs in his determination to find love, refusing to eat or sleep until he is presented with a mysterious woman, and once he is, Angus rejects his natural form for her, transforming into a swan. Smith asserts that one’s willingness to betray others or themselves must be caused by “a yearning to be the beloved, to enter into that other skin” (Smith, 141). Smith suggests that despite Angus’ potential and magical abilities, temptation and desire for acceptance still reside prominently within him, despite consequences or alterations. In Angus’ search for love, Smith states “Sometimes the reality is not quite so appealing as the vision” (Smith, 136). to emphasize that individuals will engage in acts of betrayal for the minor possibility of personal gain, even if the outcome is widely destructive to others or parts of themselves.
Smith utilizes the character of Angus as a figure that is embodied throughout human’s lives, creating a distinct connection to the betrayals existent in the real world. He integrates a story of a wife discovering her husband has been unfaithful and personifies the character of Angus in this real-world chapter, as the wife--prompted by an Angus-resembling therapist--aims for forgiveness, reconciliation, and even love for her cheating husband. Smith states that “beauty can exist alongside the most appalling character defects” (Smith, 142). suggesting that acts of betrayal are deeply intentional, and while they may be forgiven, they will not be disregarded. The mythical character Angus is representative of the great lengths one will extend to due to a desire or vulnerability. Smith asserts “everyone we resent is ultimately just like us” (Smith, 153). to exemplify that these acts of betrayal are consciously done by various individuals, whose motives are ultimately similar, and whose awareness of their destruction’s potentials is vivid.
While acts of betrayal stem far and wide, the core darkness of them shares a common theme. Smith’s novel Dream Angus exemplifies the betrayals individuals enact, as they are embodied through conscious efforts of personal benefit, and ultimately result in predicted destruction.
