English 12: Macbeth Essay

English 12: Satire Essay

Writing Prompt:After reading Swift’s famous essay “A Modest Proposal,” compose anargumentative essay of your own proposing a satiric solution to one of today’s most prominent social issues. Be sure to follow Swift’s basic format by including these four key components: describe the social issue and its negative impact on society, propose a clear and highly satiric solution, explain the benefits of your solution to society, and hide a realistic solution to the problem within your essay.

Guidelines:

Your essay must be a minimum of two complete pages (but it may be longer).
Your paper must follow general MLA format, including:
Use one and a half or double-spacing. The font size should be 11-12 pt.
Set the margins of your document to one inch on all sides. Indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch (five spaces or press Tab once) from the left margin.
In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date.
Hit Enter or Return once and center the title. Do not underline your title or put it in quotation marks.
Hit Enter or Return once between the title and the first line of the text.
Choose a social issue that currently affects society, and then clearly explain its negative impact and emphasize the need to find a reasonable solution. You may want to include facts, data, and statistics.
The central goal of this assignment is for you to develop and explain a satiric proposal that would “solve” your stated social issue. The proposal should be highly satiric and draw attention to the issue or problem itself, while also capturing your readers’ attention with its absurdity and bringing forth an emotional response. The best proposals will not only be shocking, but will also provoke thought in your audience.
The body of your essay should be composed of a detailed explanation of the benefits society will enjoy if your proposal is adopted. These may also be satiric.
“Hidden” somewhere in the body of your paper should be a realistic solution to the social issue. Use italics to highlight this real solution. You might want to begin the discussion by saying something like, “Only a fool would consider . . .” or “No one would ever think of solving this issue with the ridiculous idea of . . .”
A key component of satire and especially Swift’s essay is the use of a consistently serious, persuasive voice. You must develop a voice that makes it sound as though you are completely serious about the solution you are proposing, even though this solution is ridiculous, absurd, or disgusting. You should never mention that your proposal is “satiric,” nor should you say that your hidden solution is “real.”
Your paper must be grammatically correct; please plan on drafting your work.
Your essay should be your own original work; do not plagiarize. Plagiarized papers will receive a zero.
All essays must be submitted to Turnitin.com on or before the due date, even if you are absent to class. Use the same email and password you used for the Spooky Tale. I will score your essay electronically; you do not need to print a hard copy.

Rubric:

50-45 (A): These exceptional papers are at least two complete pages in length and contain no errors in MLA format. The social issue is clearly identified, described, and developed. The proposal is highly satiric, clear, original, and concise. The benefits may be satiric, but are also appropriate to the proposal and demonstrate depth of thought. The real solution is thoughtful, relevant, and “hidden” within the body of the essay using italics. The paper demonstrates very good control over English grammar and contains few, if any, errors.

44-40 (B): These above-average papers are at least two complete pages in length and contain few, if any, errors in MLA format. The social issue is clearly identified, but the background of the issue might be less developed than one seen in a higher-scoring paper. The proposal is clear and satiric, but may not be as original or effective as one seen in a higher-scoring paper. The benefits may lack development, explanation, or depth. The real solution is “hidden” within the body of the essay using italics. The paper demonstrates control over English grammar, but a few errors may be evident.

39-35 (C): These adequate or satisfactory papers are at least two complete pages in length, but may contain minor errors in MLA format. The social issue is identified, but may be unoriginal, unclear, or undeveloped. The proposal is satiric, but may be at least partially unclear or unoriginal. The benefits may be listed with little development or explanation. The real solution is “hidden” within the body of the essay using italics. The paper demonstrates control over English grammar, but would likely benefit from additional drafting and revision.

34-1 (D-F): These unsatisfactory papers fail to meet the assignment guidelines. They may not be two pages in length and may not demonstrate an understanding of MLA format. The social issue may be unclear or poorly developed. The proposal may be unclear or not satiric. The writer may have used the word “satiric” in the statement of proposal. Benefits may be unclear, poorly developed, or missing. The real solution may be missing or called a “real solution.” The paper may suffer from numerous errors in grammar that make it difficult to read.