The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Final Essay

Mr. Matthiessen – American Literature

Assignment:Essay of at least 4 pages, double spaced in 12-point Times font with one-inch margins.

Deadline: Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. Late papers will lose 10 points per day. No papers will be accepted after Thursday, Jan. 17 without a note from home.

Prompt:While reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we have discussed a variety of the author’s preoccupations, which appear as patterns in the book. We have referred to these patterns as motifs. Give examples of at least three different motifs in the book. Describe, compare and contrast how the author uses them. Address how Mark Twain’s “notice” at the beginning of the book relates to these motifs. Do they help identify the book’s motive, moral, and plot, or confirm that the book has none of these, as the author claims?

You can use motifs that we have discussed in class, or use motifs you have noticed on your own. Be sure you adequately explain and give examples of motifs you identify on your own.

Grading Rubric

You will be graded on:

Organization (45 points)

This is a complex assignment, and organizing your thoughts as you present them is essential. Your paper should have the following structure:

Introduction:

  • has strong, clear thesis statement.
  • summarizes major points that are detailed in supporting paragraphs.

Supporting paragraphs:

  • have topic sentences that reflect essay’s main points and summarize paragraph’s main point.
  • stay on that topic.

Conclusion:

  • reiterates thesis statement and main points.
  • does not introduce new ideas.

Specific references and examples (45 points)

Use of specific examples from Huck Finndemonstrates your understanding of the book.

Be sure:

  • to use quotes and specific references from the book. Identify each with a page number.
  • to explain how those quotes and examples support what you are saying.
  • not to devote significant time and space to summarizing events in the book.

Clarity, grammar, spelling, etc. (10 points).

Proofread carefully; if your paper is not completely clear to you, it won’t be clear to anyone else.

Pay particular attention to the “20 Common Surface Errors in Writing” sheet.

You will lose points for every spelling error and/or error from the “20 Common Surface Errors in Writing” sheet to a maximum of 10 points.