TDA Prompt: Writers often use titles to introduce a central idea in a text. Write an essay analyzing why the title is appropriate for the passage. Use evidence from the text to support your response. Student 3

The title of the passage “Drew Brophy: Living Life His Way" is the central idea of the story. Drew Brophy did not listen to people when they told him, "you can't do that."

In the text it says, “When people told me you can't do that, I didn't listen.” Drew is stubborn but determined. This means that the found a way to do what he loves but still pay his bills.

Additionally, Drew held true to his dreams even when he was “broke and starving." He lived through difficult times and never gave up. He has an indomitable spirit.

In conclusion, the central idea of the passage is living life your way like Drew Brophy. Even when people tell you that you can't do something, you should never give up. Hard work helps you achieve your dreams.

TDA Prompt: Writers often use titles to introduce a central idea in a text. Write an essay analyzing why the title is appropriate for the passage. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Student 4

In the passage “Drew Brophy: Living His Way," the reader learns about a man named Drew Brophy who fought the odds and ignored the people who told him to give up when all he wanted to do was follow his two passions in life, painting and surfing. The author uses the title to reveal the central essay of the passage, which is living life your way. This title is appropriate to the passage because the author shows the reader how Drew lives his life and that he does it on his own terms.

One way the author shows the reader that Drew lives his life his own way is when Drew ignored his guidance counselor's warning, you can't just paint and surf your whole life.” This is important because it shows Drew's self-confidence and drive. He was confident enough in himself as a teenager that he followed his own hart despite what the adults in his life were telling him to do. This scene also makes the reader wonder if this incident with the guidance counselor made Drew even more determined to live his life on his own terms.

The author also uses the title to show the reader how Drew's choice to live his life his own way has paid off in the long run. By ignoring the naysayers and following his heart, even through some difficult times," Drew has created a life that allows him to travel, paint, and surf. His different view of life and his willingness to take risks have provided him a life of adventure and passion. But Drew isn't stopping there. He continues to push forward in life and learn new and exciting things about the world and himself.

The author of “Drew Brophy: Living Life His Way” uses the title of the passage to further emphasize Drew's life journey and how his belief in himself created his indomitable spirit.

TDA Prompt: Writers often use titles to introduce a central idea in a text. Write an essay analyzing why the title is appropriate for the passage. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Student Sample 5

Drew Brophy lives an adventurous life as an artist, surfer, and world traveler. He has achieved this quality of life through determination and by blazing his own path. From a young age, Drew had an inner drive to do what he wanted to do despite the adults in his life telling him otherwise. This is reflected in the central idea of the text, and is expressed in the title as “living life his way." The title of the text is appropriate to the author's intent of further capturing Drew's spirit and illustrating Drew's unique view on life.

In paragraph 4, the author provides the image of a "surfer riding a huge wave, perfectly timing the wall of water above his head.” This image also serves as a metaphor for Drew's life, meaning that despite the impending wall of water, or life, Dre continues to elude the dangers and hard times hanging over his head to do what he most enjoys. This is a powerful image because the danger of the wave mirrors the struggles in Drew's life that he has overcome.

Another way that the author conveys the central idea of "living his life his own way," is by sharing the fact that Drew, a successful artists, did not attend or receive formal training in art school. Like so many other areas of his life, Drew developed his own techniques that are primarily based on his life experiences. Just as in life, Drew is constantly reflecting on his past experiences to improve himself, he is also constantly reflecting on his part artistic experiences to evolve in his artistic endeavors.

By structuring the central idea of the text around the title, “Drew Brophy: Living His Way," the author relates the extraordinary life of a man, Drew Brophy, who has lived an adventurous life his way and on his own terms.