For this assignment, you will need to write a short essay of 250 words or more in length. There is a single writing prompt. Please carefully consider the writing prompt and provide a thorough and detailed argument based in your own ideas and a clear and logical analysis of the work of literature. Your essay should have multiple short quotations for support and you should provide analysis and discussion of that quoted material in an effort to validate your argument. Your essay should have a clear thesis statement, though it is not required to have a formal introduction, body, or conclusion. If you write a single large paragraph, that’s fine, but it should be clearly and logically organized with clear and logical transitions while all material in the essay goes towards supporting and advancing your thesis statement.
You are not required to provide a works cited page, but you are required to provide parenthetical/in-text citations for all source material usage, quotations, paraphrase, and summary.
The purpose of this assignment is to provide me with the opportunity to give you writing feedback and instruction on a personal level on a low-stakes assignment before your paper is due. As such, more time and genuine effort put into this assignment will allow me to better assist you with becoming a better writer and thinker where literature is concerned. This assignment will use a similar rubric to the one that will be used for your final paper, though not the exact same, to give you a chance to address any writing issues you may have and for me to provide any assistance I may need to.
Source Usage
You are allowed to use the assigned work of literature for this short essay. You should not need additional material to validate your argument; however, if you need to read up on contextual information for the time period and place the work of literature is set in, that’s ok. If you feel you need to use additional material outside of the short story, you will need to provide a works cited entry for that outside source as well as full parenthetical/in-text citations for your use of that source in your essay.
Rubric
Essay Section Points
Introduction/Thesis 10
Body 40
Conclusion 10
MLA/Formatting 10
Correctness 30
If you have any questions about the assignment or the writing prompt, please email me as soon as possible.
Writing Prompt
For this essay, you will be using your choice of either Trifles or Fences. Choose one play only. Do not write on both. You will need to craft an argument about the play you chose focusing on the context, the role of gender, the role of race, or what the author is trying to convey about the social situation. This means you’ll be using Historical, Gender, Cultural, or Psychological criticism to analyze the play. Your argument should seek to validate some idea you have about the work of literature for the purpose of expanding our understanding of it.
Example bad argument: In “The Smile,” there has been a nuclear war.
This is a bad thesis statement and argument because it is a simple matter of fact that you can discern by reading the story. It is important to our understanding of the story, but you don’t need to prove that there was a nuclear war because there actually was one and it’s clear from reading the story.
Example good argument: In “The Smile,” Bradbury demonstrates how government can distract its citizens from societal failures by fostering hatred and anger towards a perceived yet false enemy.
First of all, we’re making a claim about Bradbury’s purpose in writing the story, not just what happens. Then, we’re trying to demonstrate our claim through an analysis of the work of literature. We’re also going to discuss what this fake enemy is and how that’s being used to guide and shape people’s anger. We’ll show that through an analysis of Grigsby and characters other than Tom.
Your essay will need to establish and discuss an idea that is your own, and that is very important. Don’t look up plot analysis of either play to get ideas on things to talk about. Additionally, make sure your argument is actually focused on the work of literature. You do not need to and should not discuss modern concepts, personal relationships or connections, or provide examples from your own life.
