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Sample Student Research Paper

 

Using MLA Documentation

 

Willard Johnson

Ms. Corwell

Honors English 11

May 4, 2003

The Hero of Individual Conscience: An Analysis of Ryan Wiley

in Michelle Bennett’s Chronicle of a Traitor

Michelle Bennett’s Chronicle of a Traitor examines the response of an individual to the moral code determined by a society. Bennett’s novel focuses on Heratica, a futuristic world which rejects religious belief and honesty, portraying the proponents of those values as criminals. Ryan Wiley, the central character in the novel, gladly accepts that label, following a moral code rooted in individualism and promoting the very values which his society condemns. Tracing the persecution and eventual victory of her protagonist, Bennett condemns the values of Heratica, praises Wiley as a hero, and proclaims the nobility of resistance to oppression.

            From the outset of the novel, Bennett describes Heratica as a horrifying, despotic world, marked by atheism and deception.  From infancy, children in Heratica learn their society’s chilling code of morality.  In their daycare centers, toddlers begin each morning with physical exercises and the chanting of propaganda: “Wake up, children! Sing with me.  What God! No God! We are free!” (5). Churches, synagogues, and temples do not exist in Bennett’s world. Only the oldest of citizens have ever heard of such places, and harsh laws prevent them from sharing their knowledge with others. As critic Micah Anderson points out, “Heratica is ruthlessly efficient in eliminating religion.  Under pain of death, no citizen dares believe in anything but the state” (143). Dishonesty is a cornerstone of societal law in Heratica.  Lying and theft are skills to be mastered, and children practice those skills as soon as they learn to communicate and walk.  Following governmental directives, parents train them to deceive their siblings and friends, rewarding behavior which enables children to dominate others, regardless of the damage they might inflict.  Early in the novel, when Ryan is only two, his mother encourages him to lie, saying, “Be a good boy now, Ryan; tell Mommy a little fib” (43).  Ryan’s confusion at her request and his refusal to obey . . .

 

Notes and Suggestions from Class Discussion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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