Essay

Essay #3 – Justifying An Filmic Analysis – Prompt and Essential Features

Prompt: Write an essay evaluating a film by examining it through a semiotic close reading, by

assessing the way the filmic text re-presents at least one social category (race, class,

gender, sexuality, ableness) and by supporting your evaluation with examples from

scenes, clear reasoning, apt comparisons and by anticipating counter-readings.

Essential Features:

- a focused presentation of the text…

- using concrete examples to clarify story context/background and genre

- using specific social/aesthetic evaluative criteria (semiotics)

- using terminology to shorthand this criteria

- that considers an intended audience that has seen the film

- an overall judgment…

- that’s clearly arguable

- that’s appropriately qualified (based on specific social criteria)

- that’s established in a thesis statement/question that makes your assessment…

- unambiguous (deductively argued)

- rhetorical (inductively argued)

- a clearly defined structure

- Exposition/Narration (describe filmic text and its context, genre)

- Partition (establish criteria and categories, present thesis and forecast the essay)

- Confirmation (of your assessment

- using 2-3 scenes, the film’s outcome and dénouement

- Refutation of alternative assessments throughout the essay (reestablish criteria)

- Conclusion

- deductive: sums up, recaps argument

- inductive: establishes assessment/answers rhetorical question

- appropriate reasons for that position convincingly supported by…

- examples (scenes, dialogue, sound) explained according to criteria

- comparisons to similar texts based on same genre, social criteria

- avoiding fallacious reasoning, implausibility, thin support

- citing text and criteria according to MLA Internal Citations (Lit 1244-1266)

- a “winning” conclusion that…

- concludes any remaining comparisons

- answers any remaining questions

- marks your reading of the filmic text as Dominant, Resistant or Negotiated

Hints:

- research two areas (filmic text and aesthetic/evaluative criteria; Corrigan, semiotics)

- identify your audience, including those perhaps unknowledgeable about semiotics

- use specific terminology and language to maintain your ethos throughout the essay