Western Sierra Collegiate Academy Semester 2, Spring 2015Teacher: Rachel Moses/Rachel Lewis Assignment Due: Monday, March 9th
Romeo and Juliet / Midsummer Genre Comparison Essay
Description: In this essay students compare the tools Shakespeare used to turn the same situation, fight scene and/or death scene into both comedy and tragedy through the use of specific rhetorical devices (diction, imagery, characters, sound, meter, and situations ). The essay should befive paragraphs. Students will compare similar scenes within the two plays and how specific devices turn the scenes into either a comedy or tragedy.
Standards:
- RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
- W9-10.2(b)/RL.9-10.1 Develop a topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations.Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RL.9-10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
- W9-103(d) Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences.
- L9-10.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, spelling, punctuation
Requirements:
- Introduction, 3 Body Paragraphs, Conclusion
- Each body paragraph must have at least two quotations (concrete details), one from each play.
- Each quotation must have two sentences of commentary. Commentary must analyze how the poetic devices create comedy or tragedy.
- Each paragraph must also have at least one sentence of specific comparison explaining why the details chosen are comic vs. tragic.
Introduction Requirements
- Title and Genre of both plays
- Author and Background (basic plot of each play described in one sentence each)
- Thesis that includes: What situations the paper is focusing on and which poetic devices are being analyzed (diction, imagery, irony, sound).
Format for Body Paragraphs
- Topic sentence
- Sentence of background (if necessary)
- Concrete detail
- Commentary
- Commentary
- Concrete detail
- Commentary
- Commentary
- Concluding Sentence: specific comparison of comic elements vs. tragic elements
Conclusion
- Recapitulation of thesis/discussion in paper. No new details, however, a fresh comment about genre and theme is recommended.
Level / Thesis/
Introduction
RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. / Support/Evidence
W9-10.2(b)/RL.9-10.1 Develop a topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. / Commentary
RL9-10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment. / Style/Mechanics
W9-103(d) Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences. L9.1/L 9.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
5
Advanced / The paper has a strong and clear thesis and introduction. Shows insight into the purpose and use of rhetorical devices to create genre. / The write uses several direct textual references and pieces of concrete evidence that support their thesis and analysis of the subject matter. / Comparison shows depth and insight into the connection between genre and theme. Goes beyond surface evaluation of rhetorical devices. / Mixes sentence structures with ease; advanced vocabulary is used correctly. There are few or no errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling.
4
Proficient / The paper has a clear thesis and introduction. It makes a connection between the rhetorical devices and genre. / The writer uses some direct textual references and pieces of evidence that support their thesis and analysis of the subject matter. / Comparison draws connections between genres and theme. Writer understands and evaluates rhetorical devices. / Uses a variety of phrase and clause types. Tries to use more advanced vocabulary. There some errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling.
3
Basic / The paper has a thesis and introduction that states the rhetorical devices and difference in genre. / The writer uses a few textual references and pieces of evidence that support their thesis and analysis of the subject matter. / Draws limited connections between is genre and theme. Evaluations of rhetorical devices are surface level. / Basic sentence structures and simple word choice. There are some errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling that may obscure the meaning of the text.
I
Incomplete / There is no thesis or clear argument. Introduction is vague. / Little or no support/evidence is given. / Leaves out either genre, theme, or both. Fails to make a comparison / There are many errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling that obscure the meaning of the text.