Essay Prompt WHAT is a major theme developed in your novel, and HOW is that theme developed throughout the piece of writing? (in discussing the HOW, you.

Essay Prompt

WHAT is a major theme developed in your novel, and HOW is that theme developed throughout the piece of writing? (in discussing the HOW, you may wish to focus on characterization, conflict, language use or a combination of these things).

* You need to use at least 2-3 Sontag words correctly in your essay.

Discussion

• Discuss your reaction to the ending.

•What don’t you understand? Clarify.

•What are the central themes of your book?

•What ideas do you have for analyzing the text?

•What literary terms and elements will support your analysis?

W1a. I can use logical organization enhanced by specific techniques in order to convey my message

effectively.Excelling: 4 Achieving: 3 Developing: 2 Emerging: 1

I produced clear, coherent, and engaging writing in which the development, organization, and style are best suited to task, purpose, and audience.

I produced clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

I produced writing that was sometimes clear and coherent and the development, organization, or style was somewhat appropriate to task, purpose, or audience

I struggled to produce writing that was clear or coherent or where the development, organization, or style was appropriate to task, purpose, or audience.

Hints

• Different paragraphs have different purposes.

• Watch transitions both within and between paragraphs.

W2a. Claim: I can write a claim that is clear, strong and supported by the text.

Excelling: 4 Achieving: 3 Developing: 2 Emerging: 1

I very effectively introduced and established the significance of precise, knowledgeable claim.

I introduced and established the significance of precise, knowledgeable claim.

I introduced a claim that was fairly accurate but slightly vague or unclear.

I introduced a claim but it lacked clarity or accuracy.

Hints

• Make sure your claim truly responds to the prompt.

• WHAT is a theme and HOW is it revealed through the writing.

O’Brien’s use of metaphor, plot and imagery shows that the central and most important theme of the book is the things that happen to us cause us to carry emotional baggage.

W2a Evidence: I can choose the best evidence from a literary text to support my claims and to analyze the meaning of the

evidence and its relevance to the claim.

Excelling: 4 Achieving: 3 Developing: 2 Emerging: 1

My organization showed very clear connections between claim, reasons, and evidence.

I provided organization that showed clear connections between claim, reasons, and evidence.

I provided reasons and evidence that were organized logically and were supportive of the claim.

I provided reasons and evidence that were somewhat clear and supportive of the claim.

Hints

• Be accurate.

• Be interesting.

• Be clear.

• Preview essay.

• Revise claim after writing if necessary.

R1b. I can analyze how an author’s stylistic and structural choices influence meaning.

Excelling: 4 Achieving: 3 Developing: 2 Emerging: 1

My analysis of how stylistic and structural choices influence meaning is accurate and sophisticated.

My analysis of how stylistic and structural choices influence meaning is accurate and thoughtful.

My analysis of how stylistic and structural choices influence meaning is mostly accurate.

My analysis of how stylistic and structural choices influence meaning is surface level or inaccurate.

Hints

• Be interesting.

• Be accurate.

• Don’t just summarize. Have a point for using your evidence.

• Have good evidence. You can use direct and/or indirect evidence.

• Explain evidence.

Example Essay

• Here is an essay that is doing a lot of things really well and a few things we are going to avoid.

• Read and analyze the great things this writer is doing.

• What are some things this writer should avoid next time around?

Example Claims

Tim O’Brien uses the ideas of metaphor and imagery in conjunction with the specific structure of the plot to create the central theme of the story—The things that happen to us cause us to carry emotional baggage.

While some might argue that the theme of The Things They Carried is soldiers lives are very hard, an analysis of O’Brien’s use of metaphor, plot and imagery shows that the central and most important theme of the book is the things that happen to us cause us to carry emotional baggage.

Style Reminders• Include the correctly formatted (this is a novel) title and

correctly spelled author’s name in your introduction paragraph.

• Avoid “I” and “You” statements when doing literary analysis.

• Make sure you differentiate between the author and the narrator. The author and/or text isn’t saying things, the narrator is. Name this person if they have a name.

• The text states. Claudia reflects upon…

• The author says. Balram remembers…

Analysis Reminders

• Be bloody interesting.

• Say something accurate and worth writing about.

• Talk about the writing. Analyze the theme. Analyze the story stats.

Body Paragraph Reminders

• Clear topic sentences.

• Enough properly quoted, cited and signal phrased evidence.

• Explain your evidence in detail.

• One idea per paragraph.

Conclusion Reminders

• Conclusions are hard to do well.

• Don’t write a lame conclusion. (Most people do.)

• Mechanically, three parts—restate claim, remind reader of key points from body paragraphs, and strong and powerful final thought.

• Pay attention to the transitions.

Tips

• Don’t write, “In conclusion.” This is lame.

• Remind me to care.

• Finish strong. Finish with your best stuff.

• The reader should put your piece down and think brilliant.

• No quotes.

Signal Phrases, Quotes and Citations

• All quotes need signal phrases.

• There are many different ways to do signal phrases.

• Know how to do a variety.

• Doing things the same every time is boring.

Quote = Signal phrase, “Quote” (citation).

In Compton Gentry and the Fremont Troll, Bach writes, “….” (34).

Tips

• Don’t contaminate the evidence.

• Choose good evidence.

• Explain your evidence.

• Milk it.

General Reminders

• 3rd Person only; No 1st or 2nd person.• Change my to the

• Cross out I think

• Change you to a person

• Underline or italicize book titles.

• Title should be interesting and not something like “Analysis Essay.”

• Demonstrate value to the reader.

Be Clever. Be Interesting

• Go back trough and pay attention to your structure.

• Go back through and pay attention to your sentences and word choices. • Long, short, etc.

• Play with the language.

• Is what your saying interesting?

• Is how you are saying it interesting or entertaining?

• Is what you are saying accurate?

I can write a claim statement and gather evidence in preparation of writing my analysis essay in class Thursday.

Finish your book. Study vocabulary. Be ready to write essay on Thursday.