Meaning of Life Assignment Paper

Meaning of Life

The essay for this lesson is required to be 1,000-1,500-words and clearly demonstrate your understanding of the prompt. Essays should be 5 or more paragraphs with a clear introduction, thesis statement and conclusion, written in APA format (APAstyle.org).

You may select from one of the following prompts:

According to David Cooper, the meaning of life is a mystery. Nothing within life, not even life itself, can confer meaning on life; the meaning of life must come from a source beyond life itself. At the same time, we have no conception of what this external source of meaning might be. Show how art, through non-verbal means, can point us in the direction of this mysterious external source of meaning. Choose either a work of fine art (painting, sculpture, poetry, etc.) or a piece of literature (such as a novel) and explain how it helps us to conceive/access the meaning of life.

What is the meaning of life? Explore this question by referencing a work of art (painting, sculpture, etc. like those presented in Janson’s History of Art.

What is the meaning of life? Explore this question by referencing a work of literature, such as a novel, short story, play or film such as those we have either read in this class or are discussed in the secondary literature we have read (Cooper, Janson, Dinello).

What is the meaning of life? Explore this question by referencing a poem, song, or piece of music, such as a symphony or opera, which may include those that are discussed in the secondary sources we have read in this lesson.