Essay Planning Guide for Brit Lit Semester Test

Essay Planning Guide for Brit Lit Semester Test

My name:

Read all 4 prompts. Choose ONE that you would like to prepare for.

This is what will be on the test:

Choose ONE of the following essay questions. Write an essay in response to the question. Use your knowledge of 1984 by George Orwell to answer your chosen prompt completely, using evidence from 1984. Show you know 1984! Make sure to answer all parts of your prompt.

100 pts.

Indicate by number which essay you are answering. (Failure to indicate which essay you have chosen will result in a deduction of 5% on your essay score.)

1. Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views. Avoid mere plot summary.

2. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid mere plot summary.

3. In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "that outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary.

4. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

1.  In your small group – discuss and take notes – you may wish to use stickies to mark pages in your book.

1.  Answer these questions:

a.  What does this prompt want me to do?

b.  What parts of the novel will help me to do it?

2.  Now, get to the meaning of the work as a whole. Discuss this question: So what? How can you connect your evidence to the meaning of the work as a whole?

a. What is the insight you gain from this text?

b. What truths can you reveal about this novel to your reader?

3.  Complete the guide below as it pertains to your prompt. You may use this planning guide during your semester test, so make it count! You will turn it in with your essay.

Introduction

A good introduction invites reading. It will TAG the work – title, author, and genre – and lead the reader into a clear, concise, arguable thesis statement that will accurately reflect the given prompt.

Write down the title, author and genre here:

Create a working Thesis:

Body (develop 2 or 3 supporting paragraphs that remain focused on your thesis)

Paragraph #_____

Topic Sentence (your claim in support of your thesis – like a mini-thesis):

Support: (from the text) with explanatory sentence(s): (your “how” and/or “why” it supports your claim)

Paragraph #_____

Topic Sentence (your claim in support of your thesis):

Support: (from the text) with explanatory sentence(s): (your “how” and/or “why” it supports your claim)

Paragraph #_____

Topic Sentence (your claim in support of your thesis):

Support: (from the text) with explanatory sentence(s): (your “how” and/or “why” it supports your claim)

Conclusion

The purpose of the conclusion is to bring the essay to a satisfactory ending. In a timed-writing situation, you will do well to add a brief, pithy conclusion. Even just one sentence will do it. Avoid cliché, grandiose, vague, unrelated, Pollyanna, or preachy conclusions (do not “SHOULD” on your reader). For our purposes, DO NOT repeat your main points. These pithy conclusions tend to nail theme again in some eloquent fashion.

Practice a couple of different pithy, wise, and brief conclusions here:

Study guide for multiple choice section

• Elements of hero's journey
• Characteristics of epics
• Definition of myth
• Beowulf
• The Canterbury Tales
• Arthurian legends
• English Renaissance
• Twelfth Night

TURN THIS HANDOUT IN

WITH YOUR ESSAY!!Grading Rubric for Literary Analysis Essays

A

Responses in this range are persuasive and convincing and reveal an insightful understanding of the topic and the literary work. They contain a focused main idea that conveys meaning and unifies response, logical organization, extensive development of ideas, and compelling supporting evidence from the literary text as well as precise use of literary terminology. These responses are grammatically clear and well-written and include precise quotations and/or specific references to the text.

B

Responses in this range of are competent and reasonable and reveal a clear understanding of the topic and the literary work. They contain a main idea, clear organization, thorough development of ideas, and plausible supporting evidence from the literary text as well as use of literary terminology. These responses may have a few grammatical errors but are generally clearly written. They include quotations or references to the text.

C

These essays are superficial. They respond to the assignment without important errors in composition, but they may miss the complexity of the author's purpose or an incomplete understanding of the topic and the literary work. Often, the analysis is vague, mechanical, or overly generalized. While the writing is adequate to convey the writer's thoughts, these essays are typically pedestrian, not as well conceived, organized, or developed as upper-half papers. Usually, they reveal simplistic thinking and/or immature writing.

D

Responses in this range are inadequate and reveal an incomplete understanding of the topic and the literary work. They do not answer all parts of the prompt. They do not contain a main idea, organization is confusing or disconnected, development of ideas is thin, textual evidence is either non-existent or does not support their points, and literary terminology is vague if present. These responses are grammatically flawed and lack clarity. These essays typically contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or misreadings and a lack of persuasive evidence from the text.

F

Responses in this range are seriously flawed and reveal little understanding of the topic and the literary work. They do not address the topic directly, organization is lacking, development of ideas is too brief, there is little or no textual evidence for support, and knowledge of literary terminology is not evident from the writing. These responses may contain serious grammatical flaws that make the writing difficult to understand.