CLOSED PROMPT 2: PROSE 2

Exam: 2009 Free-Response Questions
Question 2: "The following selection is the opening of Ann Petry’s 1946 novel, The Street. Read the selection carefully and then write an essay analyzing how Petry establishes Lutie Johnson’s relationship to the urban setting through the use of such literary devices as imagery, personification, selection of detail, and figurative language."

     In The Street, the chilling and forbidding atmosphere of Lutie Johnson's world is established.  Through the personification, selection of detail, and the characterization of the protagonist, Anne Petry illustrates Lutie Johnson's determination to prevent the tormenting environment from hindering her ambitions.

    Anne Petry portrays Lutie's struggles that have resulted from an unpleasant environment by personifying the harsh winds. Petry's chooses verbs that are generally used for humans as seen in fragments like "found all the dirt and dust," and "grabbed their hats." By doing this, Petry is able to bring the wind to life as an antagonist. It seems as if the wind has "wrapped newspaper around their feet" or "pried their scarves from around their necks" on purpose. Petry depicts the wind as consciously creating obstacles for the urban dwellers, including Lutie Johnson. By using figurative language to make the wind almost human-like, Petry portrays the setting as even more ferocious than it would've been otherwise. The wind is portrayed as a character whose forces are set on preventing Lutie from finishing a task as basic as reading a sign. Lutie's ability to accomplish this despite the living, tormenting wind highlights Lutie Johnson's determination against the unforgiving setting.

     By choosing to describe certain elements in the passage in rich detail, Petry depicts the Lutie's perseverance in an unwelcoming situation. Petry spends much of her writing elaborating on the litter scattered around. Instead of simply stating its presence, Anne Petry describes the trash as “theater throwaways, announcements of dances," "old envelopes, newspapers," and "chicken bones and pork-chop bones." This exhibits the importance of not the only the trash, but its variety. This emphasizes the many struggles Lutie Johnson faces. There are many tough obstacles rather than one simple obstacle. These various obstacles are present when Lutie struggles to read the sign but she reads the sign despite them. This illustrates Lutie's struggles and even more so her greater persistence against the urban setting.

     Furthermore, Lutie's unwavering strength in an unfavorable conditions is seen when Petry describes the main character in sharp contrast to the setting. The unforgiving setting is depicted by pedestrians trying to limit their "exposed surface to its [the wind's] violent assault." In contrast, Lutie shivers when "the cold fingers of the wind touched the back of her neck" which shows how unprepared Lutie is for the cold atmosphere. Petry continues by her description as the wind intrudes on Lutie's hair that "had been resting softly and warmly against her skin." The adjectives "softy" and "warmly" elicit comforting and pleasant feelings. Combined with the wind, the chilling weather makes the setting even less ideal for Lutie. However, when Lutie thinks that sign offering her a place of shelter is reasonable, it signals to readers that Lutie is determined to stay and not let the hostile environment cripple her goals.

    Anne Petry develops a determined protagonist, Lutie Johnson, who does all in her willpower to prevent the urban setting from impeding on her goals. Petry employs various writing techniques such as personification, selection of detail, and characterization to successfully do so.