Aguilar 1

Priscilla Aguilar

Period 1

Mr. Smith

29 Jan. 2021

A Notable Reputation Is More Valuable than Money

In his acclaimed play, A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen utilizes the recurring motif of money

to illustrate that during the Victorian era, society deeply values reputation in order to confine to

pristine social standards. It is evident that Nora and Torvald Helmer live a pleasant life in their

house that is “furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagant[ly]” (Ibsen 4). Although

they are middle class, The Helmers explicitly desire to be viewed as impeccable throughout the

play. When Nora first discovers that Torvald will be acquiring a promotion, she reveals to Mrs.

Linde, a woman categorized as lower class, that "it will be splendid to have heaps of money and

not need to have any anxiety" (Ibsen 9). In the play, money is a symbol that permits numerous

individuals a method to be considered as upper class; financial status is able to categorize one

into an appropriate social class. With the heaps of money Torvald would be obtaining, their

family would be perceived as the perfect, high class family which would ultimately earn them

more respect within society. Once Torvald procures his job, he deliberately explains to Nora that

he has “authority from the retiring manager to undertake necessary changes in the staff and in the

rearrangement of the work” (Ibsen 26). When Nora begs Torvald to let Krogstad continue

working, he brings up how a “guilty man like [Krogstad] has to lie and play the hypocrite with

everyone…” (Ibsen 27). Torvald cannot manage to lose his new prosperous job or his respect; in

order to be successful, he must sacrifice Krogstad because of the crime he had committed.

Krogstad’s forgery consequently damaged his reputation, job, and conclusively is respected less
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because of the deceitful crime. Krogstad is not prepared to lose his job, so he explains to Nora

that he is willing to “fight for [his] small post[iton] in the Bank as if [he] were fighting for [his]

life (Ibsen 22). During the Victorian era, men were expected to be the primary income providers

for the family and in order for this, they had to have a successful job, while also maintaining a

respectful reputation. Krogstad’s desperation reveals that he must obtain his job in order to be

socially accepted because a lower social class results in public shame and misfortune.

Furthermore, Henrik Ibsen depicts that a distinguished reputation is far more crucial than

anything else in order to be esteemed by society.

Meets Standard Approaching Standard Below Standard

(5 points) (3 points) (1 point)

Thesis Statement Thesis is clear, concise, Thesis attempts to Thesis is vague,

and argumentative; it answer the prompt, but is underdeveloped, and/or
effectively and accurately not specific or concise inaccurate; it does not
answers all aspects of the enough to provide clarity answer the prompt or
prompt for the argument focus on an element of
craft

Textual Evidence Paragraph includes at Paragraph includes at Paragraph lacks the

least 3-5 pieces of strong least 2-3 pieces of textual necessary amount of
textual evidence, with evidence, though some textual evidence to
context for the reader’s context is missing for the effectively support the
understanding; all quotes reader’s understanding; thesis; context is missing
are woven and cited some quotes are woven and quotes are woven and
correctly and cited incorrectly cited incorrectly

Analysis Commentary Paragraph provides Paragraph includes Paragraph is limited in

ample commentary after commentary for each the essential amount of
each piece of evidence example, though the commentary needed to
that effectively explains analysis is limited in express a thorough
each example and nature and does not understanding of the play;
provides the necessary thoroughly explain each analysis is simplistic and
analysis to support the piece of textual evidence does not effectively prove
thesis the thesis
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Syntax & Grammar Sentences are varied in Sentences are varied in Sentences are simplistic
syntax, proving a syntax, commonly using and repetitive regarding
complexity of writing compound-complex syntax; there are common
with compound-complex sentences, though there errors in grammar and
sentences and purposeful are a few errors in punctuation, such as
simple and compound grammar and punctuation fragments, run-ons,
sentences; there are no missing commas, etc.; the
noticeable grammar or author also commonly
punctuation errors switches between tenses

Academic Vocabulary Academic vocabulary is Academic vocabulary is Paragraph’s diction is

used throughout the attempted throughout the common, slang,
paragraph, bringing a paragraph, though there sophomoric, and/or
level of sophistication is some slang or un-academic
and complexity to the sophomoric diction
paragraph

Effective Conclusion Conclusion sentence(s) is Conclusion sentence is Conclusion is missing

enlightening and repetitive of the topic altogether or it simply
inspiring, leaving the sentence, with an attempt repeats the topic sentence
reader with an interesting at summarizing the main
idea to consider issue of the paragraph