Unit 1 Writing Task

You've read a short story and a newspaper opinion piece that deal with the issue of survivor guilt. In "The Seventh Man," the narrator describes the loss of his closest friend. In "The Moral Logic of Survivor Guilt," the author makes an argument about the guilt that surviving soldiers often feel for their fallen comrades.

Using this knowledge, write an extended ending of "The Seventh Man" with the seventh man explaining how he finally forgave himself for his failure to save K. 

You can choose to write this using the third-person narrator or as the seventh man himself (first-person).

OR

Retell the story from K's point of view.

💡Prompt Specific Ideas and Activities

Possible Sentence Starters

• The moment of forgiveness for the seventh man in "The Seventh Man" came when he reflected on…

• Reflecting on the events of the story, the seventh man begins to find solace in the fact that…

• In the moment when the seventh man realized he could no longer carry the weight of his guilt, he thought, "I finally understand that…"

• As he reflected on the day of the tragedy, he remembered K's laughter and said, "K always believed in me, and that makes me realize that…"

• If K were here to speak, he might say, "You don't have to blame yourself, because life is filled with moments we can't control, and what matters is…"

Exemplary Response:

The Seventh Man had carried the weight of his failure to save K for many years. The guilt and regret had become ingrained in his very being, haunting his thoughts and dreams. But one day, something changed within him. As he stood on the edge of the ocean, with the waves crashing against the shore, he felt a sense of calm wash over him.

He looked out at the vastness of the sea and realized that life, like the ocean, was unpredictable and uncontrollable. No amount of blame or guilt could change the events of that fateful day. Slowly, he began to forgive himself.

"I couldn't have known," he said softly to himself. "I did everything I could in that moment, but sometimes life just doesn't go the way we want it to."

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow over the beach, the Seventh Man made a promise to himself and to K. He would live his life to the fullest, never taking a single moment for granted. He would honor K's memory by embracing the joy and beauty that life had to offer.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. The Seventh Man found solace in writing, pouring out his emotions onto the page. He wrote about his friendship with K, the bond they had shared, and the pain of his loss. And with every word he penned, he felt a weight lifting off his shoulders.

Through his writing, the Seventh Man found healing. He shared his story with others who had experienced survivor guilt, offering them hope and understanding. In his vulnerability, he discovered strength.

Years passed, and the Seventh Man grew older. He carried the memory of K within him, but the guilt was no longer a burden. It had transformed into a reminder of his own resilience and capacity for forgiveness.

And as he looked back on his life, he knew that he had made K proud. He had found purpose in his pain and had emerged stronger on the other side. The Seventh Man smiled, knowing that he had finally found peace.

Non-Exemplary Response:

The Seventh Man was sad because he couldn't save his friend K. He felt guilty and bad about it. But then one day, he went to the beach and felt better. He realized that life is unpredictable. He forgave himself and promised to live a good life. He started writing and it made him feel better. He helped others with survivor guilt. The end.