This is a paper of the Boys of the Boat novel. It is for PNW History. The essay is opinionative, it must be 5-6 pages, double-spaced, and in CMOS format. It does not need a bibliography or source cited page, just must have footnotes.
The Boys in the Boat is set during the financial depression of the 1930s, when millions of Americans lost their homes and jobs. Yet, in the midst of this despair, sports provided an avenue of success for athletes and a major distraction for the public at large. Why do you think sports, and the story of the 1936 University of Washington crew in particular, provided a sense of hope and escape for their fellow Washingtonians and, perhaps, their fellow Americans?
Since I am asking as LOT of questions about YOUR opinions, go ahead and use I statements when appropriate.
There’s an interesting dichotomy between the rowers of the East Coast who came from well-to-do families and were at elite Eastern schools and those members of the University of Washington crew who became the 1936 gold medalists. How did the background of the West Coast boys helped them become the champions they were? What was life like in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest in the late 1920s and 1930s? Do you have any ideas as to why this particular team stands out as one of—if not the—best of all time?
While The Boys in the Boat focuses on the experiences of Joe Rantz and his teammates, it also tells the much larger story of a whole generation of young men and women during one of the darkest times in American history. What aspects of life in the 1930s struck you most deeply?
Were you surprised at all by the level of involvement by the sports writers, especially that of Royal Brougham?
The role of family plays an important, and often horrible, role in the lives of the people in the book. Which struck you as the most tragic? Which was the best? Were these behaviors the result of the time or were some of the involved just plain nasty people? What role did non-family members play in Joe’s life?
What aspect of The Boys in the Boat did you find most interesting?
Since you are giving me your opinion, judicious use of I and ME or even MY are perfectly fine with this paper.
