English unit2
ENG 130- Literature and Comp
Literary Response for Setting as a Device
Essay ENG 130: Literary Response for Setting
This assignment focuses on your ability to: learn how to interpret the literary device of setting and how it affects all of the elements of the story.
The purpose of completing this assignment is: as a student, in your career, and individual lives, you will often need to look beyond the plot and summary of what you are
reading, and put a different spin on it. An example of this might be interpreting data and the varying components of how that data was created, as well as what to do with the data as you move forward.
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Prompt (What are you writing about?): How does Setting affect/contribute to the plot of your chosen story? Note: Remember that Setting is not only the place in which a story occurs. It is also mood, weather, time, and atmosphere. These things drive other parts of the story.
Instructions (how to get it done):
Read through all of the instructions of this assignment.
Read all of the unit resources.
Select one of the short stories to write about.
Your audience for this essay is people who have read the stories.
Decide in what three ways the setting contributes to the plot of your chosen story.
Formulate a thesis about setting and these three areas.
Your essay prompt is: How does Setting affect/contribute to the plot of your chosen story?
Your essay will have the following components:
o A title page
o An Introduction
o A thesis at the end of the introduction that clearly states how setting affects the story
o Supporting sections that defend your thesis/focus of the essay
o Text support with properly cited in-text citations
o A concluding paragraph
o A reference page
Requirements:
Length and format: 2-3 pages.
The title page and reference page are also required, but they should not be factored into the 2-3 page length of the essay.
It should also be double spaced, written in Times New Roman, in 12 point font and with 1 inch margins. Essay should conform to APA formatting and citation style.
Use the third-person, objective voice, avoiding personal pronouns such as “I,” “you,” “we,” etc.
Please use the short story sources and any outside sources you need to create a properly-
formatted APA reference page.
Use APA format for in-text citations and references when using outside sources and textual
evidence.
Skills to be assessed with this assignment: creating effective thesis statements, incorporating
text, responding to literature.
Please be cautious about plagiarism. Make sure to use in-text citations for direct quotes,
paraphrases, and new information.
Sources: Choose one of the stories that you read in Unit 2/Setting Unit
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London
“The Storm” by Kate Chopin
“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
Students: Be sure to read before you write, and again after you write, the rubric criteria by
which your paper/project will be evaluated,
Mini lesson on thesis statements:
If you were writing about Star Wars, a sample thesis might read: The setting in the Star Wars movies contributes to the desperateness of the Resistance forces, provides a vast space for action and conflicts to occur, and
focuses on how advances will affect society.
Broken down, this thesis would read:
The Setting in the Star Wars movies: a. contributes to the desperateness of the Resistance forces (write
a supporting section with text examples)
b. provides a vast space for action and conflicts to occur, focuses
on how advances will affect society (write a supporting section
with text examples)
c. focuses on how advances will affect society (write a supporting
section with text examples)
Ask yourself, what is the setting of my story and how does it affect the plot
in the story?
For example, it is apparent that in London’s “To Build a Fire,” you would
devote a supporting section to how the weather conditions drive both the
conflict and the character’s actions.
After you have made connections to the three areas that setting affects, then
form your thesis. Here is a template for your thesis:
The Setting in author’s name and title of the story, contributes to first way
in which the setting affects the story, second way in which setting affects
the story, third way in which setting affects the story.
Rubric for Setting Literary Response
Does Not Meet Expectations
0-11
Below Expectations
12-13
Needs Improvement
14-15
Satisfactory
16-17
Meets Expectations
18-20
Introduction Introduction is not present.
Background details are a random collection of information, unclear, or not related to the topic.
Introduction is attempted and explains the background, but may lack detail.
Introduction explains the background, including an overview of the essay’s main points.
Introduction uses interesting anecdotes, questions, or other information to build interest. Many to all main points are logically related and developed.
Thesis Statement
Thesis statement is not present.
Thesis is unclear and loosely related to the paper or not present. Thesis does not appear in the introductory paragraph.
Thesis is attempted with little relation to the overall topic. Argument is somewhat unclear or confusing. Some supporting points are missing. Thesis may not appear in the introductory paragraph.
Thesis is present and relates to the majority of the paper. Argument takes a mostly clear position and is explained in adequate detail. Thesis appears in the introductory paragraph.
Thesis is organized and focused on the paper. Argument takes a clear position and is explained in full detail. Thesis appears in the introductory paragraph.
Organization Many details are not in a logical or expected order. The paper does
not use paragraphs. Topic and/or transition
sentences are not used
Writing may have
little discernible organization, but
some details are not
in a logical or expected order. The
paper uses
paragraphs ineffectively. Topic
and transition
sentences are used inadequately.
Writing has
adequate discernible
organization.
Paragraphs are generally used
effectively. Topic
and Transition sentences are
present in some of
the sections
Writing is
organized and details are placed in a logical order.
Paragraphs are mostly used
effectively. Topic
and Transition sentences are used
effectively.
Writing is effective,
purposeful, and well-organized. Paragraphs are
used effectively. Topic and Transition
sentences add to the understanding
and flow of the
essay.
Persuasiveness Fails to develop arguments.
Some argument(s) are developed, but may be missing one or need further elaboration.
Develops most argument(s).
Satisfactorily develops arguments.
Expertly and fully develops argument(s).
Evidence and Support
Does not include text support and/or text support is not
cited.
Very little evidence is given and used in the essay properly.
Evidence may not relate to the thesis
statement. Evidence is cited but not with the proper
formatting.
Some evidence is used from the story and/or is somewhat
related to the thesis statement.
Evidence may or may not always cited properly.
Evidence from the story is mostly tied to the thesis
statement and used properly and
is cited properly.
Evidence from the story is used effectively and
cited properly.
APA Format
APA format is not followed.
Errors evident throughout all of the areas: 1 inch margins, correctly formatted title
Errors evident in three to four of the areas of: 1 inch margins, correctly formatted title
Errors evident in one to two of the areas of: 1 inch margins, correctly formatted title
Free of errors in: 1 inch margins, correctly formatted title page, correctly formatted
page, correctly formatted reference page, double spacing, Times New Roman,12 font.
page, correctly formatted reference page, double spacing, Times New Roman, 12 font.
page, correctly formatted reference page, double spacing, Times New Roman, 12 font.
reference page, double spacing, Times New Roman, 12 font.
Grammar and Mechanics
Grammar and mechanics’ errors make the essay incomprehensible.
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics errors occur throughout document. Word choices are seldom academic. Sentence structure may be illogical or unclear.
Several errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and mechanics present. Word choice reveals some understanding of academic language requirements. Many sentence structure issues exist.
Some spelling, grammar, punctuation and mechanical errors are evident. Academic language is upheld. The sentence structure is often logical and clear so that relationships among ideas are established.
Free of punctuation, spelling, grammar, and other mechanical errors. Consistent use of academic word choices. Sentence structure is mostly logical and clear.
*A zero can be earned if the above criteria are not met. *Plagiarism will result in a zero.