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OUTLINE
FOR YOUR ESSAY
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
YOU HAVE SOME GREAT ONES!
OPTION ONE
Watch one of the following films:
First Knight (1995). This is a story of the romance between Lancelot and Guinevere.
Persuasion (1995 or 2007 version). This is a film adaptation of a classic by Jane Austen.
The Green Knight. (2021)You can rent this on You Tube, or see it in the Theaters.
Your choice, your focus
You can focus on forbidden love, platonic love, unrequited love, or familial love. In the film you chose, examine how the theme of love is intertwined with another theme, such as marriage, family, desire, social class, and friendship. Analyze three relationships in the film to show how the two themes are intertwined.
Ues this thesis template:
In the film __________, the theme of love is intertwined with the theme of ____, as demonstrated by the relationships of [first pair], [second pair], and [third pair].
Download and complete the outline form for Option 1.
First knight
First Knight
“The story is yet another retelling of the love triangle of Camelot. It centers on Guinevere, Lady of Leonesse, whose lands are under attack from the evil Malagant. She determines to marry King Arthur, whose Camelot is legend, for two reasons: Because she can love him, and because he can protect Leonesse. But as events are unfolding, she meets the young and footloose Lancelot, who saves her from a savage attack in the woods, and goes right on saving her, while falling in love with her, throughout the movie.” film critic Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/persuasion-1995)
Be very specific in your original thesis—this is the framework for your essay!
Student example for Option One
I am analyzing the film The First Knight that is set in mythical early Medieval times in Camelot. I am analyzing the following characters in detail: 1.Lady Guinevere of Leonesse, 2. Lancelot a brave man who isn’t a knight but a true and loyal fighter at heart, 3. King Arthur of Camelot and 4. The bad Malagant who was a knight at the round table but became jealous and wanted Leonesse for himself.The two major themes I found in the movie were adventure and romance; it is fascinating to look at these two themes because we see a triangle of love unfold between the main characters. Lancelot saves Guinevere and falls in love with her. The love between King Arthur and Guinevere, who loves the King Arthur for his courage, justice, and keeping peace; all these facets of the film maintain the suspense.
Thesis Statement :In the film The first Knight, the theme of love is intertwined with the themes of romance, and adventure, as demonstrated by the relationships of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere, Lady Guinevere and Lancelot, and Malagant and his men.
Let the characters speak for themselves!
Student example of lines from the film to back up her claims
The theme of romance relates to the first set of characters because Lady Guinevere chooses to be wed even though she knows she would no longer be free to be her own person, and King Arthur acknowledges that sacrifice showing how he would love her unconditionally and Guinevere understand that he would keep her people safe regardless of their engagement which makes her love him even more.
Supporting quote/example from the film to support this point:“Arthur: Do you want to marry me?
Guinevere: My Lord..
Arthur:You don’t have to marry me because your father wanted it or because your country needs it, Camelot will protect Leonesse whether you marry me or not.
Guinevere: Thank you, you don’t know what it means to me to hear you say that.
Arthur: So, you want to be released from this engagement?
Guinevere: No, I want to marry you, not your crown, or your army, or your golden city, just you”.
Notice the treatment of dialog: Each character has his/her own line.
First Knight how to cite lines from a film in APA format
“You risked your life for another. There is no greater love.”
“May God grant us the wisdom to discover right, the will to choose it, and the strength to make it endure.”
King Arthur
Citation for lines in-text (that is, within the outline/essay)
Just identify the Speaker in your introduction, then end your dialog like this:
(Producer’s last name, Year).
For the Reference page at the end, do this:
Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication).
Title of motion picture [Film]. Production company.
Persuasion
Persuasion
PERSUASION
“The novels of Jane Austen are filled with conversation - with chatter, gossip, speculation and homily. But in Persuasion, the central character scarcely speaks during some of the most important scenes. Anne Elliot, having arrived at the advanced age of 27 still a spinster, is more or less denied a role in the rigid social hierarchy of her time. She is the most intelligent of women, and the only one in her family with common sense, but in her circle, marriage conveys a license to talk in society, and she has not the license.”
Overview from Roger Ebert https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/persuasion-1995
PERSUASION--PLOT
“We know what we want to happen - what must happen, given the conventions of the time and the inclinations of Jane Austen. We know they must be married and redress the great wrong of eight years before. But everything conspires to prevent that. Anne's silly cousin William also seems to be a suitor for her hand - and to Frederick, not easy in the ways of romance, it seems of course that he must win it. One of the best scenes in the movie takes place in a tea shop in Bath, where Anne and Frederick at last meet, by chance, and it appears he will have his chance to walk her home, before William appears, and Frederick withdraws without a fight.” Overview from Roger Ebert
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/persuasion-1995
Student Example--Introduction
This essay uses characters from the film Persuasion (1995) to discuss the themes of love and class. The characters are Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth who are the major characters,as well as Louisa Musgrove, and Mr. Elliot.
Love and class are themes that are common in many British novels—literary works that try to dig deeper into each character’s motivations and to determine where those actions lead them in their lives.
Student Example--Conclusion
The themes of class and love are illustrated in the film Persuasion (1995) as being interdependent. Anne is obliged to turn Wentworth away due to his status but later takes him back when he comes back wealthy. Louisa tries to get Wentworth to marry her because he is wealthy even when she has not interacted enough with him on any meaningful level.
THE GREEN KNIGHT
A 2021 film version of our text.
Differences abound!
The Green Knight is manifested (by Gawain’s mother) to challenge Gawain to a quest in order to fulfill his ambition to be a Knight.
THE GREEN KNIGHT
These challenges take the form of encounters with a scavenger, an ancient woman who looks for her head, and ultimately how Gawain will withstand the seduction of a woman who looks uncannily like Essel, his peasant girl.
THE GREEN KNIGHT
Towards the end of the movie, he has a vision of his fate as King.
This vision scares him so much, he resolves not to cheat in his encounter with the Green knight, and removes the girdle.
THE GREEN KNIGHT
You must choose the theme of love, but also another theme—perhaps honor, loyalty, courage, as examples.
Closely examine his character both the good and the bad!
THE GREEN KNIGHT
Make sure to include pertinent lines from the film!
Option Two
Using the assigned readings only, write a comparison or contrast essay about two of the corresponding characters in the table below. You will choose three of the points of comparison from the pool below as your points of comparison or contrast.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT?
You will be using a point-by-point style of comparison, and you will have two choices for your thesis statement:
While some differences between __________ and __________ (names of characters in the pairing you chose) are evident, they are similar in the aspects of __________, __________, and __________ (you will determine three points of comparison from the pool, and those will become the topics of your three body paragraphs).
While some similarities between __________ and __________ (names of characters in the pairing you chose) are evident, they are different in the aspects of __________, __________, and __________ (you will determine three points of comparison from the pool, and those will become the topics of your three body paragraphs).
Choose carefully!
| Choose one of the following pairings: | Choose three of the following points of comparison: |
| 1. Lancelot and Arthur | A. chivalry |
| 2. Gawain and Arthur | B. loyalty |
| 3. Jack and Algernon | C. honesty |
| 4. Cecily and Gwendolen | D. resourcefulness |
| E. wit | |
| F. faith in others | |
| G. courage | |
| H. fairness |
The Importance of Being Earnest
This is a really delightful film of Wilde’s play!
Examples of Great Lines
"My ideal has always been to love someone of the name of Ernest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence."
-Gwendolyn.
"I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing pleasure of a single moment’s solitude."
-Gwendolyn.
18. "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That is his."
-Algernon.
More examples of great lines
"Relations are simply a tedious pack of people, who haven’t got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die."
-Algernon
. "I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them."
-Jack.
"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."
-Gwendolyn.
Cecily: When I see a spade I call it a spade.
Gwendolen: I am glad to say that I have never seen a spade. It is obvious that our social spheres have been widely different."
Lady Bracknell sums up the Theme
"Algernon is an extremely, I may almost say an ostentatiously, eligible young man. He has nothing, but he looks everything."
-Lady Bracknell.
Choose your characters carefully…
Once you have chosen your pair of characters, this is what I would do:
1. This is a comparison/contrast essay, therefore, you have to measure each character’s actions and consequences as either similar or different.
2. Bear in mind that there should be a result at the end of your outline/essay!
Make a list!
In one column, similarities
In the other column, differences
Make sure you include details so that you have a basis for comparison.
Student Example Introduction and Thesis
Sir Thomas Mallory paints a great picture of the relationship between the two characters, King Arthur, and Sir Gawain. In Morte Darthur, we are reading about the trials and tribulations between these two men. King Arthur, king of the utopian kingdom, Camelot, and Sir Gawain, one of the many knights of the round table, and the nephew to the king. It is important that we pay close attention to the dynamic relationship between these two people, since they endure many problems along the way. They are both loved by the other, but they both face betrayal in the end.
Thesis Statement.”While some similarities between Arthur and Gawain are evident, they are different in the aspects of fairness, faith in others, and courage.”
Example of Lancelot and Arthur
In our Norton text, (the introduction to Morte Darthur), the following observation is made of Lancelot:
“But Lancelot is compromised by his fatal liaison with Arthur’s Queen, and torn between the incompatible loyalties that bind him as an honorable knight, on the one hand, to his lord Arthur and, on the other to his lady Guinevere.” (pps. 338-339).
King Arthur and Sir Gawain are both very similar but hold manydifferences. They seem to have different morals; the way they showfairness to the Queen are quite evident. Gawain stands by the Queen andwishes she not be burned at the stake; on the other hand, Arthur does nothesitate to send another knight to carry on the act. Gawain seems to alwayssee the good in others, as he finds it hard to think Lancelot a “traitor” forwhat he has done and still remembers a time when he saved the King andthe Queen. Arthur has a hard time trusting an actual traitor, a knight of theround table and his very own son. We later realize that he had every right
reader with asense of closureto be weary. Lastly, the courage in both characters are shown in acts ofrage and determination; Gawain finds the courage to gather an armyalongside Arthur to finally bring down Lancelot. Arthur has thedetermination to defeat his enemy that was jeopardizing his kingdom.These two characters fought hard side by side, even with their difference,were they so very similar; both strong-willed men destined to do and
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