Essay Questions

How does the author build the theme of determination in the book 'Great Circle?'

The main theme in the book is the willpower to achieve the set goals, as demonstrated by the characters Mariam and Hadley. As a young girl, Mariam is a passion for flying, and she is ready for anything it takes to achieve her dreams. Later, Mariam drops out of school and gets a man who finances her flying lessons, and at last, she flies from the north to the south. On the other hand, Hadley is a woman in the 21st century who is passionate about becoming a star in Hollywood. Luckily, Hadley is given a role in a movie to play as Mariam, and she does her best to become a star in Hollywood.

What is the symbolic meaning of the biplanes that pass in the skies of Montana?

The biplanes are a significant symbol of motivation and inspiration. Mariam draws her determination and will to pursue her dream from the biplanes that fly in Montana's skies. After seeing the biplanes, Mariam could not rest until she achieved her dream of flying through hard work and grit.

Is parallelism one of the literary elements used by the author?

The text is told from two parallel perspectives that are similar in most aspects. The first story covers Mariam, a woman born in the 20th century with a passion for flying. Mariam, at last, achieves her dream in 1950 when she flies from the north to the south. Similarly, a century later, the author introduces a woman called Hadley who has a passion for shining in Hollywood, and she acts as Mariam in a movie. Hadley realizes that she is similar to Mariam in almost all aspects of her life. Therefore, the author successfully uses parallelism to score her theme of passion and willpower.