Books ‐ life or art? University of Paisley Library/John Smith & Son Bookshops Ltd: Scottish Schools Essay Competition

Presents the three winning entries from the 1998 Scottish Schools Essay Competition, organized by the University of Paisley Library and sponsored by John Smith & Son Bookshops Ltd. Victoria Catterson’s first prize winning entry discusses Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit which explores the major themes of the novel: self‐identity, love and betrayal. Angela Robb discusses the theme of avariciousness, and the misfortunes that befall a family as a result of it, from John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Catriona Semple discusses Jostein Gaarder’s The Solitaire Mystery where a Magic Island, Rainbow Fizz, the indigenous dwarfs and a pack of cards are found to be more akin to life on earth than you might at first expect.