Prompt

       It has often been said that what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a character from a novel or play. Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that highlights that character's  values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates the characters values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole. 

                                                                FRQ #3

          Everybody has to sacrifice something in their life. Whether it is big or small, at some point sacrifices have to be made. In the book It Ends with Us Colleen Hoover shows Lily's inner thoughts and relationships in order to convey the sacrifices Lily has to make for her and her daughter, ultimately illustrating that cycles of abuse can be broken.

To begin, Lily is always sharing her thoughts and emotions. After Ryle abused Lily, Lily found out she was pregnant. Lily knew she would have to sacrifice something, either a family or safety and happiness. The readers are able to see all of Lily's thoughts while deciding which option to go with. She struggled a lot with what to do, and what would be the best option for her and her daughter. She was constantly going back and forth in her mind, trying to do the right thing. Eventually, after her daughter was born she knew she could not stay with Ryle. She sacrificed a family in order to maintain the safety of her child. This showed how much Lily values happiness and safety. She didn’t know if her and her daughter would be safe staying with Ryle, so she decided to remove herself and her daughter from the potentially abusive atmosphere. Lily would rather live happily with just her daughter, then pretend to have the perfect family. Being able to see what Lily was thinking throughout all of this truly showed Lily’s values. She thought deeply about everything in order to make the smartest choice. She was not impulsive throughout any of it. Her mom was also abused, and she grew up watching her dad abuse her mom constantly. Lily did not want her own daughter to go through what she had to, so she made sacrifices in order to break the cycle of abuse in her family. She used journal entries from her childhood to show her thoughts while her mom was being abused. This helps readers understand why Lily thought the way she did and understand her reasoning for sacrificing Ryle. 

              Furthermore, Lily’s relationships were shown in this book to show how her sacrifices represent her values. Atlas was her first love, but they had to break up due to Atlas enlisting in the Army and moving away. Throughout her relationship with Atlas, she had to sacrifice a lot. Atlas was homeless and was living in an abandoned house. She did all she could to help him, but did not want her parents to find out about him. She sacrificed a lot of time in order to make sure Atlas had everything he needed and was safe. She did this because she valued safety and happiness for not only herself, but the people she cared about. She made sure he had clothes, food, water, and even let him come over while her parents were gone. She rarely hung out with her friends anymore in case Atlas needed something. This relationship showed how much Lily valued safety. She wanted Atlas to be safe and comfortable. During her relationship with Ryle, she also had sacrifices to make. She sacrificed the entire relationship. She was being abused throughout the majority of the relationship and did not want to keep sacrificing her own safety, so instead she sacrificed the relationship. She did this because she knew she now had a daughter to keep safe. She wanted to end the pattern of abuse that has happened in her family and make sure her daughter never has to go through what she did growing up. This once again shows her values of protection and comfort. She wanted to live a peaceful life, and could not do that while in a relationship with Ryle. 

          Ultimately, Lily sacrificing the family she always wanted for peace, safety, and happiness, is shown through her inner thoughts and relationships. One of Lily’s biggest values is safety for herself and the ones she loves, which she knew she would have to make sacrifices in order to obtain. Lily broke the cycle of abuse in her family to ensure that her daughter never has to be scared.