english literature assignment 3

Writing Assignment Guidelines: Love & Death The prompt for the final writing assignment is:

As noted in the lecture, “Death in Prose,” James Joyce’s “The Dead” has been read as offering

both an optimistic and pessimistic perspective on Gabriel’s epiphany at the end of the story.

For some, Gabriel seems to be genuinely moving away from the self-centered egotism that

hindered his interactions with others; for others, the weight of the other stories (including

the circularity suggested by “The Sisters”) suggests that the paralysis that pervades

Dubliners will extend to Gabriel too. Which reading of the end of “The Dead” do you find

most compelling in the context of the both the story itself and the Dubliners collection more

generally?

Please note: as before, there is not a correct answer to this question. Rather, you are being asked

to think about two possible readings of the ending of the story and then to decide, on the basis of

textual evidence, which one you find more convincing. Do remember to base your answer on an

analysis of the text and to craft your answer in such a way that it makes a clear and compelling

case to the reader.

Your answers should be submitted via Turnitin by 11.55 pm on Wednesday 4 May 2016. It should

be 250 words. 10% either side is permissible, but pieces that are longer than 275 words, or

shorter than 225, are liable to lose one letter grade. This limit applies to the text of your response;

it does not include the title or works cited information. (Remember: the point is not simply to

write down everything you can think of. Rather, give the topic some thought and decide what your

argument is and what the best evidence is you have to support that argument. At that point you

should start crafting your response, working out the best way to make and support your

argument.)

As always, the assignment will be assessed on the basis of the following rubric (see next page):

A (4.8) The writing assignment is strong in all three areas. It provides a clear

argument, the evidence provided is strong and supports that particular argument, and the work as a whole is well presented, with no writing errors.

B (4.3) The writing assignment is strong in two areas, but falls down significantly in one area. The writing assignment contains a relatively strong argument and some textual evidence, but there is a slight lack of focus in the argument and evidence. There might be one or two writing slips.

C (3.8) The writing assignment is strong in one area, but falls down in two areas. (For example, it might be well written and presented, but the argument and evidence are below the expected standard). The argument lacks clarity and/ or the evidence is not connected to the argument as well as it might be. There might also be some minor writing or formatting errors.

D (3.3) The writing assignment has significant weaknesses. The argument may not be clear, there might be little or no textual evidence, or the evidence may not relate to the argument. There are also likely to be errors in the writing and formatting.

F (2.5) The writing assignment does not meet the minimum expectations in terms of making an argument, supporting that argument with evidence, and presenting the argument in a clear fashion.

Please note: if you do not submit an assignment, you will score “0” for the assignment. This will have a significant impact on your overall grade.