complete essay

For the purposes of this first assignments, use only the assigned selections. While you may draw upon your own experience as well, or the experiences of others you have observed, those experiences should not dominate the essay. In addition, please note that this is not a research project in any way. Do not visit some online quotation bank to locate the "perfect" quotation to begin your essay or to support another point within the essay. Use what you already know and use our readings.

This essay challenges you to:

* use the readings to present a general image of Californians

* offer an assessment by identifying at least two but no more than four traits affiliated with the Californian identity (identifying at least one strength and at least one weakness)

* and explain how and why the selected characteristics are indeed weaknesses and/or strengths, citing sources and providing examples and/or narrative evidence to support your evaluation

Your introduction should rely upon at one source (Rodriguez is a good choice) to help you present the general topic and should also establish your own relationship to the topic. Your thesis (the evaluation of your selected characteristics), provided at the end of your introduction, will direct the development of your essay. Your thesis may encompass the general California identity or you may choose to narrow it by age or origin, etc. As you draw upon the readings in your body paragraphs, you will incorporate quotations and cite them correctly, using a minimum of two sources. The conclusion will be crafted through directed in-class writing exercises. Finally, you will attach a Works Cited page that identifies the sources you have used for this essay. While most introductions will be a single paragraph, some will be two. Aim for four body paragraphs, but be satisfied with three.