Essay 1: Work and Love

 One can live magnificently in this world, if one knows how to work and how 

to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work. —Leo Tolstoy.

Your first essay will be on the topic of work and love.  In your essay, I’d like 

you to integrate passages from the course readings and (as much as 

possible) to imitate the style of (some of) the authors: Ascher, Eighner, 

Singer, Russell, Tokumitsu, Woolf, and de Botton.  Finally, before 

submitting your final draft, I’d like you to add notes in the margins 

explaining why you made some of the choices you did.

Here are the major elements I will be looking for:

DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS: Your essay thoughtfully builds on the points 

you raise in your introduction, adding nuance and structure to your 

argument throughout the body paragraphs and conclusion. 

INTEGRATION OF COURSE MATERIAL: Your essay addresses three or more 

of the course readings in a meaningful way; your response to the 

authors is carefully considered.

STYLE  & ANNOTATION: Your writing has benefitted from a close study of 

the style of the authors.  And, the annotations you provide help guide 

your reader (me) in understanding how your essay is organized and 

why you made the choices you did.  You might think of this part as 

The Making of Essay 1.  You are the director taking your audience 

“behind the scenes” and revealing how the magic works.  As you 

annotate your essay, try to be as explicit and as detailed as possible in 

explaining why you made the choices you did and how these choices 

fit with the overarching plan for your essay.  And, as much as 

possible, draw on your annotation bank for inspiration.

Your final draft should be 5-6 pages in length, double-spaced, 12 point font, 

with one-inch margins and MLA formatted citations.

de Botton, "A Better Word than Happiness: Eudaimonia" http://www.thebookoflife.org/a-better-word-than-happiness-eudaimonia/

Tokumitsu "In the Name of Love"

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/01/in-the-name-of-love/

Virginia Woolf "Professions for Women"

http://s.spachman.tripod.com/Woolf/professions.htm