essay 1

First Essay Assignment –Thematic Analysis 10%

Assignment:

Thus far in the semester, we have read “Editha,” “The White Heron,” “At the ‘’Cadian Ball” & “The Storm,” The Adventure of Huck Finn, and “The Beast in the Jungle.” We will read “The Wife of His Youth,” “A Sweat-Shop Romance,” and “Mrs. Spring Fragrance” next class. We have discussed these works in class at length. This assignment will allow you to further explore a theme in one of these texts. You will identify a theme and trace that theme in the text, supporting it with ample textual evidence (close reading of details, passages, and scenes form the book).

Theme:

A theme is what a book says about an issue. If “money” is an issue in “Editha” “The story argues that connection to others is more important than money” is a theme. Reasonable people can disagree with this theme - in other words, you have to make your case.

For such a short essay, you will need to pay special attention to narrowing your theme. “Family is important” is much too broad and vague a theme. “Family kinship is more important in the novel than individual desire” is a narrower and more specific theme.

Requirements:

The essay needs to be approximately 2-3 pages double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 inch Font. It will need to correctly cite and/or paraphrase passages from the text in correct MLA form. You need to make it to the third page.

Process:

After choosing a topic that interests you, return to the text. Skim the text with this topic in mind, marking down relevant passages. Think of what stance the book takes on this theme, marshal evidence from the text, and sketch out an essay draft (September 21th). I will be available for conferences September 21st through September 27th. Earlier is better! As you revise the essay, think about organization and support, be sure you cite specific details, passages or scenes to support your theme, and be sure you explain how they support your theme. Do not overquote (paraphrase instead!) and be sure to integrate your quotes. Remember that revision is not correction, it is a re-seeing of your argument and involves content and organization. Finally, edit the essay at the sentence level for style and grammar. The final version of the essay is due (September 28).

Draft due at Conference: September 21st-27th

Final version: September 28

Grading Criteria:

A passing essay must:

Content

· have a clear, focused, and arguable thematic statement

· support this theme adequately with passages from the text

· adequately explain the evidence supporting the theme

· integrate supporting quotes and paraphrases smoothly and correctly into the argument (make sure quotes are accurate)

· adequately addresses opposing evidence

· conclude somewhere near the top of page three (or on a subsequent page)

Organization

· have an introduction that adequately introduces the theme

· have a conclusion that draws the paper together

· as a whole, be logically organized into well-developed, well-organized paragraphs

· use transitions between paragraphs to make paper organization clear for readers

· use transitions between sentences to make paragraph organization clear to readers

· avoid unnecessary repetition

Style

· be clean stylistically, using concise and clear sentences, strong verbs, and sentence variety

· be grammatically correct, avoiding “this” as a pronoun, using commas with an introductory phrases, using a comma and a conjunction to connect two independent phrases (phrases that can stand alone as sentences), using only a conjunction with compound verbs

· employ a voice and tone appropriate for academic discourse

· demonstrate conscientious word choice and diction

· be formatted correctly (1inch margins and Times Roman 12inch font)

· include a works cited page, in correct MLA format