"L'enfer c'est les autres"--JP Sartre
This year, students will explore the theme of otherness. What defines the mainstream and how does this mainstream dictate to others? What does it mean to be marginalized? How has the mainstream impacted the world of ideas across the centuries?
Dear oib class,
sharpen your wits, take out your notes and books from last year and get ready for our first DST! You'll be writing on Monday, September 13th. Reread your compo from last year to refresh.
You are going to be faced with a broad question which you will apply to the study of two works of literature. The question will be something like: Explore the role of women in two works of literature you have studied Or Explore the use of symbolism in two works you have studied Or it might be more complicated in its formulation and say something like: “It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Do you agree with these words by Somerset Maugham? Discuss, using two works of literature.
Generally speaking, the writing exercise will ask you to write about any of the following things: character, theme, setting, tone, mood, symbolism . . .the focus of your literary studies!
What you need to do to write a successful essay.
1. The introduction: should address the issue in the topic in a broad, somewhat universal way. Should then rephrase the question. Should finally drive and apply the question with your particular thesis statement and application, that is to say your approach to the topic within the concrete examples you will use. The reader should move from broad to narrow in your introduction and should end up knowing very concretely where this essay is going—should know, for example, that women in literature are often confronted with frustration and boundaries which they break by writing, in the case of Virginia Woolf, and by tragic and destructive means in the case of Medea. Remember that it is not an essay about two works—find a thesis that brings these works together within the scope of your topic and in an interesting way. 2. The body—once you have your thesis, you will have a road map for the rest of your essay. The thesis lets the reader know what you are arguing, so you need to take up its terms and use each part as a topic sentence within your body parts. Take my women thesis above, for example. Logically, I now want to know first what the frustrations and boundaries are (and this discussion will start with CONTEXT); this discussion will be followed by how these boundaries are broken, in each case. How to build? Is it better to take one work and then another or do a point by point analysis—up to you. You will not be faulted either way. Many students find it easier to do first one work and then the other—fewer chances of losing your way! What’s important is that you sustain the argument proposed in your thesis and that you guide the reader along with able topic sentences and transitions from one idea to another. Note: a transition is not a separate paragraph of a sentence or two that hangs between two other paragraphs. It is a signal word or sentence at the beginning of a new paragraph. 3.Evidence!!!! The depth of the evidence provided, the ability to produce and then analyze concrete evidence for your ideas marks the difference between a superficial and an effective essay. This is where proper notes and good study come into play !!!!!! 4.Conclusion—your argument has moved to a logical end, not a rehashing of the introduction! You have some final point to make as synthesis for what you’ve built and/or an opening out of this question to a larger context—it is easier for V. Woolf to transcend the barriers set by her society than it was for Medea, but the study of these texts show the hardships nonetheless endured throughout the centuries (ok, that’s not really very imaginative, but you catch the drift of what I am saying here).
You are going to be faced with a broad question which you will apply to the study of two works of literature. The question will be something like: Explore the role of women in two works of literature you have studied Or Explore the use of symbolism in two works you have studied Or it might be more complicated in its formulation and say something like: “It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Do you agree with these words by Somerset Maugham? Discuss, using two works of literature.
Generally speaking, the writing exercise will ask you to write about any of the following things: character, theme, setting, tone, mood, symbolism . . .the focus of your literary studies!
What you need to do to write a successful essay.
1. The introduction: should address the issue in the topic in a broad, somewhat universal way. Should then rephrase the question. Should finally drive and apply the question with your particular thesis statement and application, that is to say your approach to the topic within the concrete examples you will use. The reader should move from broad to narrow in your introduction and should end up knowing very concretely where this essay is going—should know, for example, that women in literature are often confronted with frustration and boundaries which they break by writing, in the case of Virginia Woolf, and by tragic and destructive means in the case of Medea. Remember that it is not an essay about two works—find a thesis that brings these works together within the scope of your topic and in an interesting way. 2. The body—once you have your thesis, you will have a road map for the rest of your essay. The thesis lets the reader know what you are arguing, so you need to take up its terms and use each part as a topic sentence within your body parts. Take my women thesis above, for example. Logically, I now want to know first what the frustrations and boundaries are (and this discussion will start with CONTEXT); this discussion will be followed by how these boundaries are broken, in each case. How to build? Is it better to take one work and then another or do a point by point analysis—up to you. You will not be faulted either way. Many students find it easier to do first one work and then the other—fewer chances of losing your way! What’s important is that you sustain the argument proposed in your thesis and that you guide the reader along with able topic sentences and transitions from one idea to another. Note: a transition is not a separate paragraph of a sentence or two that hangs between two other paragraphs. It is a signal word or sentence at the beginning of a new paragraph. 3.Evidence!!!! The depth of the evidence provided, the ability to produce and then analyze concrete evidence for your ideas marks the difference between a superficial and an effective essay. This is where proper notes and good study come into play !!!!!! 4.Conclusion—your argument has moved to a logical end, not a rehashing of the introduction! You have some final point to make as synthesis for what you’ve built and/or an opening out of this question to a larger context—it is easier for V. Woolf to transcend the barriers set by her society than it was for Medea, but the study of these texts show the hardships nonetheless endured throughout the centuries (ok, that’s not really very imaginative, but you catch the drift of what I am saying here).
errata..the test will be on Wednesday, the 15th. Thanks, Pontiac!
ReplyDeleteThe General Question
ReplyDeleteEssay Writing
You are going to be faced with a broad question which you will apply to the study of two works of literature. The question will be something like:
Explore the role of women in two works of literature you have studied
Or
Explore the use of symbolism in two works you have studied
Or it might be more complicated in its formulation and say something like:
“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Do you agree with these words by Somerset Maugham? Discuss, using two works of literature.
Generally speaking, the writing exercise will ask you to write about any of the following things: character, theme, setting, tone, mood, symbolism . . .the focus of your literary studies!
What you need to do to write a successful essay.
1. The introduction: should address the issue in the topic in a broad, somewhat universal way. Should then rephrase the question. Should finally drive and apply the question with your particular thesis statement and application, that is to say your approach to the topic within the concrete examples you will use. The reader should move from broad to narrow in your introduction and should end up knowing very concretely where this essay is going—should know, for example, that women in literature are often confronted with frustration and boundaries which they break by writing, in the case of Virginia Woolf, and by tragic and destructive means in the case of Medea.
Remember that it is not an essay about two works—find a thesis that brings these works together within the scope of your topic and in an interesting way.
2. The body—once you have your thesis, you will have a road map for the rest of your essay. The thesis lets the reader know what you are arguing, so you need to take up its terms and use each part as a topic sentence within your body parts.
Take my women thesis above, for example. Logically, I now want to know first what the frustrations and boundaries are (and this discussion will start with CONTEXT); this discussion will be followed by how these boundaries are broken, in each case.
How to build? Is it better to take one work and then another or do a point by point analysis—up to you. You will not be faulted either way. Many students find it easier to do first one work and then the other—fewer chances of losing your way!
What’s important is that you sustain the argument proposed in your thesis and that you guide the reader along with able topic sentences and transitions from one idea to another.
Note: a transition is not a separate paragraph of a sentence or two that hangs between two other paragraphs. It is a signal word or sentence at the beginning of a new paragraph.
3.Evidence!!!! The depth of the evidence provided, the ability to produce and then analyze concrete evidence for your ideas marks the difference between a superficial and an effective essay. This is where proper notes and good study come into play !!!!!!
4.Conclusion—your argument has moved to a logical end, not a rehashing of the introduction! You have some final point to make as synthesis for what you’ve built and/or an opening out of this question to a larger context—it is easier for V. Woolf to transcend the barriers set by her society than it was for Medea, but the study of these texts show the hardships nonetheless endured throughout the centuries (ok, that’s not really very imaginative, but you catch the drift of what I am saying here).
The General Question
ReplyDeleteEssay Writing
You are going to be faced with a broad question which you will apply to the study of two works of literature. The question will be something like:
Explore the role of women in two works of literature you have studied
Or
Explore the use of symbolism in two works you have studied
Or it might be more complicated in its formulation and say something like:
“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Do you agree with these words by Somerset Maugham? Discuss, using two works of literature.
Generally speaking, the writing exercise will ask you to write about any of the following things: character, theme, setting, tone, mood, symbolism . . .the focus of your literary studies!
What you need to do to write a successful essay.
1. The introduction: should address the issue in the topic in a broad, somewhat universal way. Should then rephrase the question. Should finally drive and apply the question with your particular thesis statement and application, that is to say your approach to the topic within the concrete examples you will use. The reader should move from broad to narrow in your introduction and should end up knowing very concretely where this essay is going—should know, for example, that women in literature are often confronted with frustration and boundaries which they break by writing, in the case of Virginia Woolf, and by tragic and destructive means in the case of Medea.
Remember that it is not an essay about two works—find a thesis that brings these works together within the scope of your topic and in an interesting way.
2. The body—once you have your thesis, you will have a road map for the rest of your essay. The thesis lets the reader know what you are arguing, so you need to take up its terms and use each part as a topic sentence within your body parts.
Take my women thesis above, for example. Logically, I now want to know first what the frustrations and boundaries are (and this discussion will start with CONTEXT); this discussion will be followed by how these boundaries are broken, in each case.
How to build? Is it better to take one work and then another or do a point by point analysis—up to you. You will not be faulted either way. Many students find it easier to do first one work and then the other—fewer chances of losing your way!
What’s important is that you sustain the argument proposed in your thesis and that you guide the reader along with able topic sentences and transitions from one idea to another.
Note: a transition is not a separate paragraph of a sentence or two that hangs between two other paragraphs. It is a signal word or sentence at the beginning of a new paragraph.
3.Evidence!!!! The depth of the evidence provided, the ability to produce and then analyze concrete evidence for your ideas marks the difference between a superficial and an effective essay. This is where proper notes and good study come into play !!!!!!
4.Conclusion—your argument has moved to a logical end, not a rehashing of the introduction! You have some final point to make as synthesis for what you’ve built and/or an opening out of this question to a larger context—it is easier for V. Woolf to transcend the barriers set by her society than it was for Medea, but the study of these texts show the hardships nonetheless endured throughout the centuries (ok, that’s not really very imaginative, but you catch the drift of what I am saying here).