Sophomore Essay Assignment

Assignment: Write a three to four page, five-paragraph analytical essay on The Catcher in the Rye.

Format: MLA style (heading, title, double-spaced, numbered pages)

Special instructions: Circle your central idea.

Underline your thesis statement in your first paragraph.

Underline your topic sentences in your body paragraphs.

Due date: February ?

What is an analytical essay?

An analytical essay "analyzes" some method, writing technique, or motif of the author that YOU have noticed or that WE have discussed in class. That method might be some motif (like materialism) or theme (like Holden's desire to save childhood innocence). That method might be the use of characters to reveal some theme (like the use of Ackley, Stradlater, and Sally Hayes to show "phony" adolescents). That method might analyze settings, objects, symbols, etc.

Here is a review of the many motifs and themes from Catcher that we have covered from which you might come up with a central idea: religious hypocrisy, corruptive nature of money, phoniness of the adult world, phoniness of the adolescent world, falling imagery, catching imagery, Catcher in the Rye symbols, etc.

The manner in which you present your analysis might be through analyzing characters, their actions, their descriptions, or their dialogue. You might want to analyze by looking at objects, specific scenes, or settings in the book. This is up to you. This decision becomes your thesis statement.

You are pointing out what you've noticed through your analysis. After I read your analytical paper, theoretically, when I re-read the novel, I will do so with an understanding that I did not have before.

You are NOT to use any outside sources at all! Doing so will result in a grade of zero for plagiarism.

Here are examples of a central idea and a thesis statement for your essay. In your essay, I'd like you to circle your central idea and underline your thesis statement. You may NOT write about this central idea and thesis statement!

Central idea (this is a clear statement of the point that you wish to make by

your analysis of the novel)

e.g. Holden's heroes are idealized innocent children, a notion that contributes to

his problem of not wanting to grow up.

Thesis statement (this is a sentence or sentences that include how you wish

to prove the central idea)

e.g. Without an adult role model, Holden looks to three inspirations to remain in his state of arrested development: his deceased brother Allie, his childhood friend Jane Gallagher, and his beloved younger sister Phoebe.

Jumping Through Hoops--Senior Essay Assignment

OK, you've performed this "trick" before, and it's time to prove to me and the world that you haven't lost your touch. Jump through the multi-paragraph hoop one more time for your English teacher, so that we can move on to bigger and better things--like your research papers.

That's it. Good dog . . . er. . . good student.

Assignment: Write a 3-4 page multi-paragraph analytical essay on any one or collection of the stories that we have read this year.

In an analytical essay (as opposed to a critical essay), the writer reveals some interesting method or theme of a story by providing his analysis of different story parts (three would be a good number to provide topics for three body paragraphs).

If I were writing about To Kill a Mockingbird, I might choose this central idea for a body paragraph: The titular symbol of the mockingbird plays an important role in understanding the theme of the novel--it is wrong, maybe even sinful, to bring harm to innocent, harmless creatures.

My thesis statement might be this: The characters of Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Scout and Gem Finch function as symbolic "mockingbirds."

Format: MLA style (heading, title, double-spaced, numbered pages)

Special instructions: Circle your central idea. Underline your thesis statement in your first paragraph. Underline your topic sentences in your body paragraphs.

Due date: February ?

Suggestions: read the sample essays and the hints that precede them in your Big White Book
Use of all outside resources (web, books, etc.) are forbidden. Plagiarism of any type will be penalized severely.

Journals Due January 10

Sophs and Seniors!

Hand in your journals on Monday, January 10.

Hand in your "best work" to get your "best grade."

If your posts "were on the short side," then give each writing prompt some more thought and "WRITE" some more so that your answers are better developed or supported.

Each journal response will be worth 15 points, making the journal worth a total of 60 points.

To gain 3 points extra credit, hand in your journal on Friday, January 7.

Sophs #4 Journal--From a Different Point of View

NO NEED TO POST. HAND IN WITH YOUR JOURNAL ON JANUARY 10.

If you don't trust Holden as a reliable narrator, how about if you tell your version of the story?

YOU, of course, are NOT you.

You will now retell some part of the Holden chronicles from the point of view of any one of the OTHER characters in the book, like Mr. Spencer, Phoebe, Stradlater, Ackley, Jane Gallagher, Sally Hayes, Mr. Antolini, etc. If you don't want to retell any one incident, then just tell me what you think of this Holden character and explain why you feel the way you do.

In completing this assignment, try to imagine how your character would "talk" to the reader. In other words, don't make your character sound like Holden.

This is your last journal assignment of the quarter. Print out all four responses and turn in on Monday, January 10.

Any worthwhile and creative assignment of this type is going to be at least a FULL page long, double-spaced and typed.

Seniors #4 journal---Your Favorite Character

NO NEED TO POST. HAND IN WITH YOUR JOURNAL ON JANUARY 10.

Think about some of your favorite characters from literature, film, theater, or television. Then choose one to complete ONE of the two writing prompts (remember--write a minimum of 25 blog lines or 200 words):

1. Choose one favorite character to write about, expressing how he or she is [one of] your favorite character[s].

In doing so, explain your choice, giving detailed examples of his or her actions, words, and/or thoughts/feelings. Your job is to make me want to read the book or watch the play, film, or show in which your character appears.


2. You've been given permission to "hang out" for a full day with one of your favorite characters. Who is he or she, of course? What would you do during this day? Describe one of your conversations. What questions might you ask him or her?