Analyze 
Use the basic features.

Autobiographical Significance: Coming Full Circle

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Sometimes stories about remembered events echo something in the ending that was introduced in the beginning. Brandt’s story, for example, begins and ends in a car. In the beginning, there is singing, chatter, and good cheer. She is full of anticipation (“I knew it was going to be a fabulous day”). In the end, she is in another car, “anticipating the scolding” that will be followed by years of silence. This is repetition with a difference that sheds new light on the event’s significance.

ANALYZE & WRITE

Write a paragraph or two analyzing how Ruprecht’s story comes full circle in “In Too Deep”:

  1. Skim paragraph 1, highlighting Ruprecht’s references to his desire to “look cool,” his admiration for the “rugged and handsome” guide, and his feeling that he is being condescended to—treated “as if we actually were kindergartners.”
  2. Reread paragraphs 8–10, noting the repetition of these themes. Consider whether this is repetition with a difference or repetition that reinforces the same themes Ruprecht introduced in the opening paragraph.

    Question

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