Hudson
ENG 4U
Literary Analysis Essay (Course Work/Culminating Task)
Modern Novel Unit
You will be developing an essay based on a topic/theme that you find prevalent in your novel. This assignment will include research, essay plans, peer editing workshop, final draft and a works cited page. You will be participating in various stages of the writing process including
ainstorming, drafting, roughing, editing and finalizing.
You will focus your thoughts/ideas and come up with a thesis statement, supporting ideas and quotes. You will be responsible for creating an outline (template provided), rough draft for peer editing, and final copy. Using the quote cards you developed throughout your reading, na
ow your ideas to make an argument about human nature or identity (our focus for this course).
You will receive a mark for participating in teacher-student conference at the planning level, as well as a mark for editing a peer’s work.
A full citation is necessary for this essay, including proper in text citation practice and works cited page. Your essay should be 5-7 pages long, double spaced in 12 pt Times or Arial type font. You should be including 2 secondary sources in your work.
This essay is dual-purpose! You will receive a course mark for the first submission (due Friday, November 5th), and then your final version (edited during class time on Monday) will be the main portion of your culminating task (20%).
STEP 1: Brainstorm topics that appear in the book. Use the bu
le chart below to
ainstorm various themes/topics/ideas that occur in the book.
STEP 2: Na
ow a Topic. Choose a topic above as your main concept/idea for your essay by highlighting/circling your choice above.
STEP 3: Support your choice. Use the following Spider Map to support your choice with ideas and co
elating quotes from the text. (Remember to use your page numbers)
STEP 4: Na
ow your Thesis/Finalize Outline. Make sure that you thesis argues for a point and outlines what you will be talking about specifically in the body of your essay. (see “How to write a Great Thesis”) Once you have written your thesis, go back to your support in STEP 3 and make sure that everything works cohesively together. You may have to make minor changes or choose a better quote to support your point.
STEP 5: Write a Rough Draft. Now its time to put your ideas into full paragraphs. Write your body paragraphs first and then write your opening and concluding paragraphs. Think about a quote or message you could use as a “hook” for your essay.
STEP 6: Peer Edit. Trade Essay’s with TWO PEERS and edit one another’s work using the attached sheet. Can they find your Thesis Statement and main arguments?
STEP 7: Revise your work!. Make any changes from your peer edit recommendation as well as anything you can improve after reading it through yourself.
STEP 8: Create a Works Cited and Title Page. Using the MLA Reference Guide, create a list of works cited for the end of your essay as well as a title page.
STEP 9: Submit a Final Copy!
STEP 10: This is Ms. Hudson’s step - she will mark it and provide feedback.
STEP 11: Culminating Task: Essay Revisions - Monday, November 8th (Final Day of Class)
Area of Assessment
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Level R
Content- thematic
analysis of literature
Author makes connections between textual support and overall main idea/ theme and thesis. Moves beyond WHAT happens and analyzes the WHY. Author has expressed unique insight, depth of thought, resulting in a convincing and enlightening paper.
Author makes connections
etween textual support and
thesis, though some may be
more stilted. The WHY is
discussed, but in a more
pedestrian manner, leading to
more obvious conclusions or
showing less depth of thought
overall, yet essay is still sound and interesting.
Author waivers in connection
etween textual support and
thesis. Some ideas are
unoriginal or only skim the
surface of the novels’
content. The thematic ideas
may not be incorporated
throughout the essay well,
esulting in a weaker argument overall.
Author has little connection
etween textual support and
thesis, or does not explore
the WHY, simply identifies
elements to outline the plots
of the novels. Essay may be
unoriginal in thought, leading
to a regurgitation of already-
stated facts and observations.
Author has failed to focus the
text itself, relying instead on
esearch to analyze the time
period or author without
using adequate textual
eference for a substantiated
claim. The essay lacks depth
and does not interpret text,
simply revisits and summarizes.
Style- organization,
clarity and fluency of
ideas, focus on main
idea
Overall fluent and focused essay. Paragraphs are framed with connections to claim/thesis and are organized by idea. Transitions aid in fluency and author’s prose incorporates textual support in a sophisticated manner. Intro and conclusion aid in power of the essay.
Paper is mostly focused and
fluent. Paragraphs contain
connections to thesis/claim,
though perhaps not as
explicitly at times. Transitions
are present between
paragraphs and leading into
textual support. Intro and
conclusion frame essay.
Paper focus waivers or
fluency is inte
upted at
times. Paragraphs are
organized but not in the most
logical way. Transitions may
e mundane and paragraphs
may contain more implicit
than explicit connections to
the thesis/claim. Intro and
conclusion may contain more “fluff” than substance.
Paper is organized in an
illogical manner, and the
connections between
paragraphs may be vague.
Implicit connections to the
main idea throughout. Lacks
some transitions and perhaps
quotes are simply “plopped”
into prose. Mundane intro
and conclusion.
Paper lacks any fluency or
organization of ideas. Focus
waivers drastically. The main
idea gets lost along the way.
Lacks transition or explicit
connections between ideas.
Textual support chops up
prose. Intro or conclusion
may be i
elevant or omitted
altogether.
Support- adequate support and textual analysis from primary source novel, balanced with commentary. A minimum of 2 secondary source citations.
Abundant use of textual support from novel adds to the power of the essay. Support is applicable to author’s main ideas and is used to guide the essay. Secondary source support aids in the analysis and provides additional insight that provides depth of thought.
Good use of textual
support from the novel,
which is applicable to the
main idea, but perhaps
less explicitly at times.
Secondary source support
may not be as well
integrated, perhaps.
Textual support is
adequate, although not
very thorough. Student
seems to try to
incorporate text, although
some is not connected to the overall main idea.
Textual support is present,
ut sparse. Student omits
a source, including less
than the required 2.
Support may be i
elevant
to the main idea at times.
Student fails to use textual
support from novel and
secondary sources. Textual
support does not indeed
align with the main idea of
the essay at all.
Conventions
Grammar, spelling,
subject/ve
agreement,
punctuation, usage, tense
Essay uses 3rd person, active voice, present tense, with strong ve
s and a variety of sentence structures. Has clearly been proofread, as e
ors are sparse and language is, in turn, sophisticated and formal.
Essay contains occasional
flaws in grammar and
conventions, perhaps with
more repetitive sentence
structures or more common
language. May have missed
some of the more difficult language e
ors.
Essay contains obvious e
ors
in grammar and conventions
throughout, although they do
not distract from the
meaning. Language usage is
sentence structure is basic
ut still conveys the point.
Essay is peppered with e
ors
in grammar and conventions
and frequently must be re
ead to follow the ideas.
Language and structure begin
to distract from the meaning,
lacking the maturity of strong essay writing.
It appears the essay
was not proofread at all.
Various e
ors in usage,
grammar, and conventions
distract greatly from the ideas
and mar the essay to the
point of incoherence.
Formatting- MLA
including Works Cited
Paper is co
ectly formatted in MLA style including the heading, header, page numbers, titles, citations (punctuated co
ectly), Works Cited (hanging indent, alphabetical order).
Paper contains a noticeable
number of MLA e
ors and
does not consistently follow
formatting rules.
Paper does not include any
elements of MLA style in
formatting, nor is a Works
Cited included
language e
ors.
Comments/Next Steps:
Essay Writing ENG 4U
ESSAY WRITING TOOLS
DIGGING DEEPER
Questions and Strategies
Analyse
Analyse the drawing in the Models section.
Analyse literally means “to take apart.” In order to analyse something, one must examine and discuss it one part at a time, and be able to say how each part contributes to the whole.
Compare
Compare Darwin’s theory of natural selection with Lamarck’s theory of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
When one compares, one should look for qualities and characteristics that resemble each other. The term compare is usually accompanied by with, implying that one is to emphasize similarities. However, one can also mention differences.
Contrast
Contrast the laws pertaining to consumer protection fifty years ago with those in effect today. When one is asked to contrast, one should present differences, although on may also mention similarities. Focus, however, on those things, qualities, events, or problems that one can contrast.
Criticize
Criticize the federal government’s policy on Canadian ownership of Canadian resources.
When one is asked to criticize, one should not merely find fault but give one’s opinions about both the merits and demerits of something. Take a strong stand, but do present all the facts; in other words, for the above question, one should discuss the reasons why the government did what it did.
Discuss
Discuss C.D. Howe’s role in the pipeline debate of the 1950s.
The term discuss appears often in exam questions. One should analyse, examine, and present the pros and cons regarding the problems involved in the question. One will receive a good mark if