MAKE UP 3

A few weeks ago, Mrs. Clinch noted in class, quite regrettably later, that some kids decide to make up books for their AP exams to fake their way through the open question. Well, not only is that widely hysterical, its also very tempting to do. So, here’s my attempt at completely answering an AP Lit prompt – fake. 2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of the minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil to a main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work.
In the novel Vikings at Midnight, the main character Sven of the Swedes was largely put on a pedestal by his adoring fans. Yet, the antagonist of the novel Horton acts as a Christ figure ironically, and thematically serves as a wake up call for Sven. The book opens with the chapter “The Nordic Nightingale”, and it describes the harrowing adventures of Sven as he crosses the Pacific Ocean. However, Horton reminds his Viking kind that Sven is a traitor, and not to be trusted. This illustrates the complexity of the culture at hand, and that Sven should perhaps not be easily trusted by his people. This also highlights the metaphorical weaknesses of the main character, Sven. Sven, obviously, has no physical limitations – yet his soul aches for the company of another, and this soft spot allows for him to get involved in treacherous adventures and his intentions are not revealed until the end of the novel. The FOIL here is significant, because the secondary character actually takes the spotlight from the beginning of the book, and at the Battle of Dragon both characters fight for glory and freedom. This also adds back to the entirety of the work, because both characters are fighting bravely for a sacrifice for their people. In another scene, where Sven was saving a Norsewoman in Need, Horton also appears to taunt him about his long blonde hair and his need for approval. This is an allusion to the archetypal story of Rapunzel, and this acts as a foil because Horton illustrates how Sven has feminine features despite him being a Viking prince. This also illustrates Sven’s weaknesses, and that he is not as strong on the inside as he conveys on the outside. Yet, at the conclusion of the novel, Horton sacrifices himself for Sven and his people and dies tragically. However, in a motion that only Joseph Campbell could predict, Horton travels to the underworld and back to reveal to his people that Sven is actually a Viking God and a decedent of Thor. Thus, Sven’s weaknesses that have been accumulating up until this point in the novel reveal his human side, whereas his strong personal persona illustrates his God like side.

And that is when the AP Lit reader gave this essay a negative 9.