Essay Assignment One

Essay Assignment One: ENG 102

Peer Review: See Syllabus

Due Date: See Syllabus

Minimum Length for grades A,B,C: three full pages, double-space 12pt Times New Roman font

Assignment Goal

For this essay you will create an argumentative, thesis-driven essay that answers one of the following three questions while using textual evidence and vocabulary words related to our discussions of sympathy, narration and point of view:

1) What are the most important ways that the economic class of the main characters affects the emotional motivations for their actions? In other words, how does the hardships experienced by the common men in the novel create their motivations for their choices? Who or what are some of the main examples of such hardship?

2) What are the most important ways Mac 'uses' people and events to create conditions for the strike? What are some of the most important dramatic manipulations he makes, and what are some of the underlying assumptions he makes as the basis for his strategies?

3) Based on the novel's descriptions and plot, how would you describe the general conditions of working-class people in the early 1930s? What kind of social and political world does the novel present to us? What are the most important choices or conflicts facing working-class men at this time?

4) Given that this novel almost exclusively focuses on men and male relationships, what role does masculinity play in the novel? How do questions of masculinity and manhood define and complicate relationships? How do themes of masculinity affect the characters and the plot at important points in the story?

If you would prefer to write on a different topic, you can – but you must receive permission from me.

Assignment Description

Like essays in ENG 101, this assignment asks you to produce a thesis-driven essay supported by topic-sentence claims and textual evidence. You will answer one of the three questions above in a thesis statement at least two sentences long easily identifiable in your essay introduction.

Given the length of the essay, you will need to find at least four passages of textual evidence to support your thesis and supporting claims. These passages should be spread out evenly from different moments in the novel. You will ‘close-read’ these passages by interpreting the specific words or phrases in your quotes; you are responsible for interpreting all the material you quote. You will be provided with sample models both for your supporting paragraphs, your direct quotations, your citations of your direct quotations, and your close-readings. We will practice these skills in class.

We will be learning some basic vocabulary around the structure of fiction, such as narrative, narration, and point of view (to name just a few). You are strongly encouraged to incorporate as much specific vocabulary as possible that’s relevant to the study of fiction. If you fail to incorporate such ‘disciplinary vocabulary’ (words specific to the study of fiction) you will see corresponding negative effects in your essay grade. If you successfully incorporate such vocabulary you will see positive effects. We will practice modeling this skill in class.

Essays that do not achieve three full pages will not qualify for any grade higher than C. Achieving three full pages qualifies you to receive grades higher than C.