THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
TDA IN CLASS WRITING ASSESSMENT – 20 POINTS
ES: EXPLICITLY ASSESS INFORMATION AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS
WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE VILLAIN?
PUT YOUR ONE WORD ANSWER ON THE FRONT BOARD
TODAY WE WROTE: INTELLIGENT, CREATIVE, IMMORAL, VENGEFUL,
EVIL, CUNNING, UNFORGIVING, ELABORATE PLANNER, DISSATISFIED,
UNSTABLE, SELF-CENTERED,
UNSTABLE….GREAT
WORDS TO USE!!!
WRITING PROMPTS
A
VILLAIN IS DESCRIBED AS A CHARACTER WHOSE EVIL ACTIONS OR MOTIVES ARE
IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NARRATOR MAKE HIM AN
EFFECTIVE VILLAIN. USE EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM.
OR
SETTING CONTRIBUTES TO THE STORY’S SUSPENSE AND TENSION – A FRIVOLOUS TIME OF THE
CARNIVAL SEASON JUXTAPOSED WITH THE SERIOUSNESS AND GRAVITY OF THE CATACOMBS.
HOW DOES THE AUTHOR’S DESCRIPTION OF THE SETTING CONTRIBUTE TO THE MOOD? USE
EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM.
INTRODUCTION – SHOULD BE BRIEF AND FOCUSED
• IN CLASS WRITING - DON’T FOCUS ON THE “HOOK” LIKE YOU WOULD WITH
AN EXTENSIVE PAPER. START IMMEDIATELY WITH THE AUTHOR AND TITLE OF THE
TEXT
• GIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE STORY
• CRAFT A GUIDING STATEMENT THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
MONTRESOR IS AN EFFECTIVE VILLAIN BECAUSE HE IS ______________,
_______________, AND ____________________.
1.
CREATEOF
A TOPIC
SENTENCE
BODY
PAPER
FOR EACH CHARACTERISTIC
MONTRESOR IS ___UNSTABLE_____
WHEN HE/BECAUSE HE
_______________________
2. GATHER SPECIFIC EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT – FIND 3-4 QUOTES TO SUPPORT YOUR
CLAIM WITH PAGE #S. DON’T ALWAYS USE FULL SENTENCES – USE PHRASES TOO!!!
EXAMPLE: MONTRESOR IS UNSTABLE BECAUSE HE CAN NOT IDENTIFY WHY HE WANTS TO KILL
FORTUNATO. HE CALLS THE CRIME “THOUSAND INJURIES” AND FURTHER SAYS THAT HE “VENTURED
UPON INSULT” (58). MONTRESOR LURES FORTUNATO TO “VAULTS” BY PROMISING HIM A COVETED
“PIPE OF WHAT PASSES FOR AMONTILLADO” BUT REALLY TAKES HIM TO THE CATACOMBS FILLED
WITH “NITER” AND “WALLS OF PILED BONES” (60) TOWARDS THE END OF THE STORY WHEN
FORTUNATO HAS STOPPED RESPONDING TO HIS TAUNTS, MONTRESOR CALLS, “FORTUNATO!
FORTUNATO!” HOPING TO HEAR HIM BEG FOR FORGIVENESS, AND IS ANGRY WHEN ALL HE HEARS IS
A, “ JINGLING OF THE BELLS” (63).
CONCLUSION - DON’T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON…
• RESTATE MAIN IDEA – THESIS!
• SUMMARIZE THE RESOLUTION OF THE STORY
• CLOSING STATEMENT – GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT POE/VILLAIN…
GRADING AN IN-CLASS ESSAY (20 POINTS)
• ORGANIZATION AND FOCUS - DOES THE WRITER EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE TASK (QUESTION)
DEMONSTRATING AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF THE STORY? IS THE ESSAY STRUCTURED PROPERLY, WITH AN
INTRODUCTION, DEVELOPMENT, AND CONCLUSION? DOES THE STRUCTURE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE IDEAS AND RETAIN
FOCUS?
• *CONTENT - HAS THE WRITER USED EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT (SPECIFIC EXAMPLES) TO SUPPORT THEIR IDEAS? IS THERE
ACCURATE AND DIRECT REFERENCE TO THE TEXT USING RELEVANT AND SUBSTANTIAL KEY DETAILS, EXAMPLES, QUOTES,
FACTS, AND/OR DEFINITIONS? IS THERE SUBSTANTIAL REFERENCE TO THE MAIN IDEAS AND DETAILS OF THE TEXT(S) TO
SUPPORT POE’S PURPOSE?
• STYLE - ARE TRANSITIONS USED TO LINK IDEAS? HAS THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATED USE OF PRECISE LANGUAGE AND
DOMAIN-SPECIFIC VOCABULARY DRAWN FROM THE TEXT(S) TO EXPLAIN THE TOPIC AND/OR TO CONVEY
EXPERIENCES/EVENTS?
• CONVENTIONS – ARE SENTENCE FORMATIONS, GRAMMAR, USAGE, SPELLING, CAPITALIZATION, AND PUNCTUATION FREE
OF ERRORS?