final exam
ENGL 102
Professor Cimino
Final Exam 10%
Directions: Choose ONE of the following options and post your response in the Final Exam folder on Blackboard, Turn It In by Wednesday, May 19th.
Option A. Film Adaptation: Write a letter / essay to the producers of a film company.
Option A Assignment: Paramount Pictures is considering offering you an open budget to create a film adaptation of a short story, novel, or play of your choice from ENGL 102. As a condition of their terms, you must choose a story that has relevance for today’s time and choose a location that will best serve the film and the community where it is filmed.
Write a letter/essay to the producers of Paramount Pictures arguing why the short story, novel, or play should be made into a film and persuade the producers where the filming should take place. Why is this short story still relevant? What themes or issues are presented in this work that are important to audiences today?
You must demonstrate an understanding of the characters, themes, setting, plot, climax, etc. You may change the setting of the story for the purpose of the film, but you must state the original setting in your letter.
Be sure to include a basic overview or plot of your chosen story as well as a description of the setting, characters, themes, images, etc. When discussing the characters of the story, be sure to suggest a sample cast. Who would play the lead roles? Why would these celebrities be good choices for the cast?
Additionally, what things or images will be important to include in the filming of your story?
Why are these things important to the work? Consider who your target audience will be for your version. Aim for your “letter” or essay to be about 5 paragraphs.
Letter/Essay Rubric:
(A) Presents a creative and engaging letter with details from the story or play that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the following: Plot, Themes, Characters, Setting, Climax, Imagery, and Motif. Offers an analysis of the story and demonstrates the significance of the literary work.
(B) Presents a letter with details from the story or play that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the following: Plot, Themes, Characters, Setting, Climax, Imagery, and Motif. Offers an analysis of the story and demonstrates the significance of the literary work.
(C) Presents a letter with details from the story or play that demonstrates basic knowledge and understanding of the following: Plot, Themes, Characters, Setting, Climax, Imagery, and Motif. Offers minimal analysis of the story and demonstrates the significance of the literary work.
(D) Missing two or more of the above items.
(F)Discusses the play/ short story in a way that demonstrates gaps and misunderstanding.
Option B: Write an original short stories in the spirit of one of the authors we read in ENGL 102. Your short story should have characters, a plot, a conflict, a setting, and a resolution. Aim for your short story to be between 3-4 double spaced typed pages. Then include a one page typed reflection discussing who you were modeling your story after and what you hoped to achieve in the story.
Option C: Write and revise 3-4 poems in the spirit of one or more of the poets we read in ENGL 102. Each poem should be between 12-20 lines and include sensory details, (imagery), metaphor, simile and the conventions of poetry. Then include a one paged typed reflection discussing who you were modeling your poems after and what you hoped to achieve.
Option D: Write a one act play with a conflict, beginning, middle and end between 2-3 characters. Aim for your one act play to be 5-7 pages of dialog and stage directions. Remember, everything that happens in the play is said or acted out.
Creative Writing Rubric
While it is difficult to “grade” creative writing, there are certain conventions that we have been studying that can be applied to evaluation. Some things to consider: Try to revise with sensory details. Include smells, sights, sounds, tastes, textures. Avoid cliché and push to generate fresh, inventive language. Remember, “show don’t tell” and “no ideas but in things”—allow the objects to represent ideas. Choose simple plots and conflicts. Rather than writing “I felt angry” show “anger,” put the reader in the place where your angry feeling arises with all the smells, sounds, and textures of that place. Play with words through sound and rhythm.
Outstanding (A)— Writing offers a sense of place, situation, story, or voice by appealing to the senses in a vivid way; the moment or object comes alive. Several senses are appealed to. Words are carefully chosen and are fresh, not clichés. Fiction has conflict and plot. Poems offer emotion through sense imagery. Explores the use of metaphor and simile. Line lengths and rhythm reinforce the emotional tone of the poem. Writing reflection offers a thoughtful reflection of the writing process.
Very Good (A-)— Writing offers in some parts, a sense of place, situation, or voice, but falls back on overused words and clichéd sense images. Does appeal to several senses but could do more to develop striking images. Some attempt to use line lengths and rhythm, but not carefully done, perhaps needing more revision. Metaphor and simile used with imagery and sound. Writing reflection offers insight into the writing process.
Good (B)—There is some sense of place, situation, or voice, but only in a few images per poem or story. There are some fresh words, but some cliché. Poems or stories are not very successful at conveying emotion but resorts to “I felt” statements. Not much attention has been given to rhythm, but line length has been considered. Needs a writing reflection.
OK (C)—Has only one or two sense images per poem or story, and together they do not really convey a sense of the uniqueness of the place, situation, or object. Or, writer is absent emotionally, and just describing. Language is “TV language,” not original. Evidence of hast in writing, and not enough or any revision. Needs a writing reflection.
Needs More Work (D-F)— Poems seems hastily done, without significant appeal to the senses through language. Word choice is careless and clichéd. No attempt to go deep into the meaning of the object, situation, or voice; words are carelessly chosen and clichéd. No attention to rhythm as a poetic device. Poems sounds like prose, and most appear to be first drafts. Student does not give evidence that s/he understands poetic devices or purposes of poetry. Little to no revision. Missing an introduction.