In a 2015 commencement address at Middlebury College, poet Julia Alvarez advised graduates: “In order to be what we long to be, we have to belong. So, community is vital. You belong in a community where you can be what you long to be, a place that keeps reminding you that you have a soul.”



Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Alvarez’s claim about community is valid.



In your response you should do the following:



Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.

Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.

Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.