Holocaust Unit: Argumentative Essay

The BIG idea for this essay is: JUSTICE REQUIRES ACTION

The Essential Questions for this essay are:

  1. What moral responsibility do we have to educate ourselves about what is happening around us? Do I have a responsibility to take action to present injustice?
  2. Why do some people stand by during times of injustice while others try to stop or prevent injustice?
  3. What accounts for hatred and bigotry? What can we do – as individuals and groups – to overcome prejudice?
  4. Are human beings good or not good at heart?
  5. How do I write a convincing argument? What elements do I need to persuade others of my ideas?

You will write a Technicolor argument essay focusing on the novel Night. The purpose of this argument is to take a position and convince the reader, using textual evidence, that your side of the argument is more sound or valid. The audience of this writing will be your peers and me.

Your prompt is Are human beings good or not good at heart? Your job is to choose one side – either, “Human beings are good at heart” or “Human beings are not good at heart”. You will gather textual evidence from the novel that supports/proves your position/claim.

Rules for textual evidence:

  • When you quote, use the exact spelling from the source and place quotation marks around the BORROWED words
  • When you choose a quotation, you may take it from anywhere in the piece. You can take short phrases or an entire sentence
  • You do not need to quote from the beginning of a sentence – choose only the phrase(s) that support your ideas
  • Never begin or end a paragraph with a quote
  • Quotations must support the topic and MUST BE INTRODUCED and explained using different words than appear in the quotation – you may not, however, use any of the following phraseology as you explain your quote: this quote proves, shows, means, could mean, might mean
  • Always identify the source of the quotation – who says it, to whom, et al

TECHNICOLOR FORMATTING/ORGANIZATION

The pattern for this particular essay is as follows:

YELLOW: Intro with thesis – creative hook opener

ORANGE: Body paragraphs – reason that proves your thesis (direct quotes)

PINK: Counter-claim (argument) & rebuttal (takes the opposing argument/usually introduced with a transitional phrase such as:

  • Others may assert/believe/argue …. because of …. (state opposite argument)
  • However, ….because …. (state why the counter argument is invalid or unworthy of acceptance by providing adequate evidence)
  • Therefore …. (reassert your position/argument)

GREEN: Personal connection/comment/analysis

BLUE: Concluding statement (a conclusion that wraps up your argument in a fresh way and makes an insightful statement relating to the world/society in general)

FORMAT:

  • APA
  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12
  • Margins: 1” on all sides
  • Double-spaced