Analysis Essay

REQUIREMENTS:

Rough Draft: 2-4 pages typed, double-spaced and due on Monday of Week 3. Please post your rough draft in the “Peer Workshop for Essay One” forum in the Week Three Module.

Final Draft: 3-4 pages typed, double-spaced and due on Monday of Week 4. Make sure the final draft is at least 3 full pages long. Please submit your final draft in the Essay One assignment dropbox in the Week Four module.

ASSIGNMENT:

Write an essay that analyzes the underlying social messages about what Isaac Asimov's short story “Reason”(p.160-176 ) or Ted Chiang's short story "Exhalation" (p.742-756) in The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction reveals about what it means to be human.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Introduction and Thesis: Your introduction should briefly set up the novel. Your introduction should then lead into your thesis, which should make an arguable claim about the underlying social messages about what it means to be human. Please look at the handout on writing a thesis. Thesis Handout.doc

Body Paragraphs: Your body paragraphs should support your thesis with clear topic sentences, which support your thesis. Remember the PIE format and please look at this handout on Paper Structure. Paper Structure for Cinderella.DOC

Conclusion: Your conclusion should wrap up your points, paraphrase your thesis if necessary, and draw a larger conclusion.

Questions to Consider:

What are the underlying social messages about the role of empathy in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about the role of religion in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about the role of intelligence in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about the role of love and relationships in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about the role of community in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about creativity and invention in being human?

What are the underlying social messages about mortality in being human?

Additional Hints:

There are many directions you can take under the broad topic of “what it means to be human,” and I’d suggest narrowing it down to a more manageable focus. The questions above will help you narrow down your thesis and focus for the essay.

An outline is not required but is strongly recommended. Please look at this handout of a sample outline. Outline for Cinderella.doc

Please look at this sample analysis essay. Sample Essay on Gender in Cinderella 2.doc

Again, the text and the topic of the essay are different, but it will give you an idea of what an analysis of social messages looks like.

Please review the handout on conventions on writing about literature. Conventions for Writing about Literature.doc

Although you will not be directly including the reading “What Is a Human?” in the essay, think of it as a “lens” through which you can examine the social messages of what it is to be human. For example, one (or a combination) of the nine psychological benchmarks would be an excellent way to narrow down your focus on the underlying social message of what it means to be human.

Since you are analyzing just one source for this assignment, you do not need a Works Cited Page, but keep in mind that future essays in the class will require one.