Friends of the Library Essay Contest

The Friends of the Library sponsor an essay contest each year in support of the college book. This year's college book is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Southwestern College students may enter by submitting an essay on this topic:

In the novel Christopher has several coping mechanisms, strategies that he uses to help him deal with disturbing situations. For example, he put his hands over his ears, closed his eyes, and rolled forward until he was hunched up with his forehead on the grass (page 4). Identify a couple more of his coping mechanisms and how he used them. Then write about one or two of your own and how they help you cope.

Essays must be typed, double-spaced, at least one page but no more than three pages, submitted on a floppy disk plus one copy in paper. A separate sheet must contain the student’s name, student ID number, address, telephone number, and an e-mail address if the student has one. This sheet will be separated from the essay itself so that the judges will not be able to identify the author.

Deadline is Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 4 p.m. Essays must be submitted to Diane Gustafson (482-6433) in the Library.

There will be up to five prizes of $100 each.