ENG 102 – LSCC SPRING 2026 DEPARTMENTAL ESSAY EXAM INSTRUCTIONS: CHOOSE ONE OF THE ESSAY TOPICS BELOW (FICTION OR POETRY) AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROMPT YOU HAVE CHOSEN. REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ESSAYS: All essаys аre required tо present а strоng, arguable thesis, integrate textual evidence smоothly, and make meaningful connections to your own lived experiences. In addition, make sure your exam does the following: Use quoted evidence from the text to support your interpretation Include at least 5 LITERARY TERMS Make literary terms clearly visible (ALL CAPS, underline, or highlight) Provide MLA in-text citations Include a Works Cited entry WORKS CITED FORMAT: Citation Pattern: Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Work.” Canvas, uploaded by Instructor’s Name, date assigned, course URL. Example: King, Kelvin. “Sample Title.” Canvas, uploaded by Dr. Monti, 10 Apr. 2026, https://alabama.instructure.com/. TOPIC 1: FLASH FICTION Please read the flash fiction short story below. In a well-developed, five-paragraph essay, respond to the prompt. Prompt: What does the short story “Still Open” suggest about the nature of perseverance and quiet endurance in everyday life? What does it mean to keep going, even when progress is slow or invisible? Develop a clear, arguable thesis that interprets the story’s message about perseverance. Then connect that idea to your own life by reflecting on a personal experience in which you—or someone you know—had to continue despite discouragement, loss, or uncertainty. READING: “Still Open” by Mariah Cole The sign in the shop window had said CLOSED for weeks, maybe months. No one could remember exactly when Mr. Alvarez had stopped unlocking the door each morning. Inside, dust settled where customers used to stand, where laughter once bounced off the narrow walls. The bell above the door hadn’t rung in so long it seemed to have forgotten how. Lena paused on the sidewalk, staring in. She had grown up coming here—after school, after bad days, after good ones. Mr. Alvarez always knew what to say, even if it was nothing at all. Today, the sign was different. STILL OPEN, it read, handwritten and slightly crooked. She pushed the door. The bell rang—sharp, surprised, alive. Mr. Alvarez looked up from behind the counter. He seemed smaller somehow, but when he smiled, it was the same. “Took me a while,” he said. “But I’m still here.” Lena nodded, stepping inside. Nothing had really changed. And everything had. TOPIC 2: POETRY Please read the poem below. In a well-developed, five-paragraph essay, respond to the prompt: Prompt: What does “The Weight I Carry” suggest about the burdens people live with and the ways they continue forward despite them? What does it reveal about strength that is not always visible or dramatic? Develop a clear, arguable thesis that interprets the poem’s message about endurance and unseen struggles. Then connect that idea to your own experiences by reflecting on a time when you carried a personal, emotional, or mental burden while still managing daily life. READING: “The Weight I Carry” by Devin Harper I do not set it down when the day ends— this invisible thing slung over my shoulder. It hums in quiet moments, a low reminder of everything unfinished, everything I almost became. Still, I walk. I laugh when I can, rest when I must, and sometimes— only sometimes— I forget it’s there. But not for long. Morning comes, and I lift it again without asking why.