College Literary Analysis/UW Eng 111
Mrs. Durrett
adurrett@tahomasd.us
Spring 2016
Assignment Sequence #1
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Notes








Bring book, all papers, handouts, and claims journal to class every day.
All papers must follow MLA format.
See handout and OWL at Purdue.
Use internal citations every time you use another person’s words or ideas.
Always include list of works cited; 10% off grade if missing (unless noted otherwise).
All assignments must be typed.
Label all assignments with the assignment number (e.g. English 111, 1.0).
Printing and making copies of papers (when required) must be done before the bell rings.
You should annotate all readings, always.
When writing papers, you can assume that the reader has done the readings.
In the event of school cancellations, you are required to check the class website for assignment
updates. Exception: power outages
Guiding Question
How can literature such as Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath inform our understanding of how current
social, economic, and political problems impact individuals?














Corporate farming’s negative impact on smaller farms, food prices, food availability, food
quality, food commodity prices, animals raised for food, and agricultural employees
(agribusiness can be used as a synonym for corporate farming)
Sustainable farm practices
Losing ownership of land, homes, businesses/foreclosures
Unemployment/joblessness
Homelessness and affordable/available housing
Workers rights
Fair wages
Distribution of wealth
Unions and the restriction of collective bargaining rights
Conditions for migrant workers
Illegal immigrants
Welfare
Family structure
Impact of recession/depression on business owners
Date
Day 1
In Class Activities








My Theme: Ice Breaker
Syllabus
Course registration info
Course Outcomes
Overview of Sequence #1
MLA format/OWL at Purdue
Search strategies for 1.0
Start looking for an article for 1.0
Homework





Day 2


1.0 DUE—share and discuss
In class write: If you had to leave
your home and could only take
one bag (including your clothes for
all seasons), what would you take
with you? What else would you
need to pack for a three week road
trip across the country?


Obtain a three ring binder according to the
Notebook Checklist; you will be expected to
bring this every day to class.
Obtain a composition book; this will be
referred to as your Composition Journal (CJ)
1.0, 2-3 pages
See attached
Consider what you plan to do for 1.3 and start
making arrangements
If necessary, research transfer credit
guidelines for colleges you may attend
Read chapters 1-8
Write down some observations and at least
one discussion question in your CJ (you are
always welcome to include other notes if you
wish)
Make arrangements for 1.3
Day 3



Discuss chapters 1-8
Outcome 3
Introduction to claims & stakes
(thinking about the turtle…)

Read chapters 9-15
Write down some observations and at least
one discussion question in your CJ.
Day 4



Discuss chapters 9-15
Outcomes 2 & 3
Continue work with claims and
stakes
Prep for 1.1

1.1, 2 pages
See attached
Bring 3 copies for peer critiques

Day 5

1.1 DUE (3 COPIES)
Peer critiques

Read chapters 16-19
Review the list of issues listed below the
guiding question on the first page. Pick 1-3
issues and take notes in your CJ regarding how
they have been presented in the novel so far.
Include specific text references and page
numbers.
Day 6


Quiz on reading
Historical fiction, propaganda, or
art?


Read chapters 20-21
1.2, 3-4 pages
See attached
Day 7


1.2 DUE—share
Children of the Dustbowl: The True
Story of the School at the
Weedpatch Camp


Read chapters 22-25
In your CJ, write some observations about the
text and write at least one good discussion
question.





Discuss chapters 22-25
Review prompt for EOS
Review course outcomes
Intertextuality
Work on questions for 1.3


Day 9



Discuss chapters 26-28
Naysayer
Research for EOS


Finish book
1.3, 2-3 pages
See attached
Day 10



1.3 DUE—share & discuss
Review course outcomes
Start working on claims for EOS

Write a claim for your EOS. Bring 2 typed
copies to next class (half sheets okay). Be
prepared to share your claim with the entire
class using the document camera
Day 11


2 copies of claim DUE
Share and critique


Revise claim if needed
Develop a detailed outline for EOS (equivalent
of about 2 typed pages, but does not have to
be typed or by a formal outline).
Day 12


Work time for EOS
Conferences with teacher

Rough draft of EOS, 5 pages
See attached
Bring 3 copies to next class
Day 13

3 copies of rough draft of EOS DUE
Peer critiques


Final draft of EOS, minimum 5 pages
Start getting prompts for college application
essays (you’ll need them this weekend)
Day 14

Final draft of EOS DUE
Day 8

Read chapters 26-28
In your CJ, start writing down ideas and
evidence you can use for your EOS (prompt
attached)
How is your progress on 1.3?
Assignment 1.0
Text about an issue that relates to The Grapes of Wrath
The purpose of this assignment is to give you some background knowledge that will improve your
understanding of the current relevance of The Grapes of Wrath.
Find an article, editorial, news story, etc. that deals with one of the issues listed under the guiding
question on the first page. The text should be somewhat recent (during your lifetime). Try to select a
text that is interesting to you and not something everyone else is going to select. Your text does not
have to be a print text, but it may be easier for you to complete the assignment by using a print text. Be
sure to select a text that is suitable for completing this assignment.
Write a 2 page response paper. Follow the guidelines below.
1. First Paragraph: Briefly summarize the text (stay in present tense). Introduce the author and
title of the article, then write a few of sentences that cover “the gist” of the text. What is this
text about? What question is it trying to answer? Is there a claim(s) or argument(s) to the text?
If so, what is it/what are they? It often helps to think about how the author’s purpose and/or
credentials play a role in the types of questions or arguments addressed. This summary can
serve as your introduction.
2. Body Paragraphs: Narrow your focus to one or two critical points offered by the author that you
find interesting, problematic, compelling, provocative, etc. Explore your response to these
critical points or to the text more generally. Why are they interesting, problematic, compelling,
provocative, etc.? Make sure to move beyond your reaction to put forward a response that is
compelling and persuasive. In other words, present your response as something that is more
than just personal opinion. Give it weight by using well-reasoned logic, critical thinking, and
analysis. Include a close analysis of your text when appropriate.
3. Finally, end your response paper with a strong conclusion. Reflect on the stakes* of the
author’s critical points and how they impact your reception of the text. Drive home your
argument by following your own response to its furthest point and contrasting it with the
author’s conclusion. Or, raise a question that you have encountered after having critically
engaged the author’s text.
* Stakes tell the reader why the author’s argument matters, why the reader should care.
Assignment 1.1
Close reading of an interchapter
The purpose of this assignment is to give you practice writing a claim and doing a close text analysis,
which is central to most papers you will write this semester.
For this paper, you will select one of the interchapters and explain the purpose it serves in developing
Steinbeck’s work. Your focus should be on writing a, unique, arguable claim with stakes, then
supporting it with a close and accurate analysis of the text. Although your paper should focus on the
chapter you select, you may place your analysis within the context of the entire novel (or what you have
read so far). Bring three copies of your paper for peer critiques.
Assignment 1.2
Thought Process Response Paper
The purpose of this paper is to practice close text analysis and demonstrate your thinking about the
reading in regard to the social, economic and political issues during the time period of the novel. You
may use your notes from CJ/Day 5 homework as a reference for your work.
Your response will be somewhat informal, but should follow these guidelines:
1. Choose 1-3 issues suggested in the Guiding Questions on the front of the sequence packet. For
each issue, find passages from the text which address these issues. Analyze those passages in
regard to the issue, keeping in mind the novel as a whole thus far (through Chapter 21).
2. Length of paper: 3-4 pages.
3. Responses must be typed, double-spaced, 12 Font Times New Roman or Calibri, have MLA
heading, page numbers, and must be proofread. The assignment does not need to follow the
traditional essay format and does not need to implement any other MLA guidelines.
4. Avoid unnecessary summary. I know the story. I want to know your analysis/evaluation of the
issues represented within the context of the story.
5. If there is a particular question/issue of greater interest to you than the others , you may want
to focus your entire 1.2 paper around that issue, as you may be able to use your ideas for your
EOS (End of Sequence) paper; however, this is also a wonderful opportunity to explore several
issues in order to guide your focus at a later time.
6. Most importantly, I want to see evidence of your thinking about the reading; I want to see
depth over breadth. Your responses should also demonstrate that you read the entire
assignment (and not just the SparksNotes).
Assignment 1.3
Extending beyond school and the text
The purpose of this assignment is to help you gain knowledge from people who are currently, or have
recently, faced a situation that relates to The Grapes of Wrath. You will be participating in an
experience, writing about it, and sharing the experience with your classmates. Possible experiences
include, but are not limited to:
 Serve a meal to homeless people
 Interview someone who is homeless (or has been recently)
 Interview someone who has been unemployed for at least a year
 Interview the owner of a small farm (which is that person’s primary income)
 Volunteer at a food bank
 Interview a small business owner and ask how the recession has impacted him/her
 Interview a person who has worked as an agricultural worker
 Interview someone who remembers the Great Depression
 Interview a someone in social services who has seen the impact of the recession
These are ideas and not an exhaustive list. Review the list under the guiding question if you want more
ideas. If you have your own idea—great! Just please run it by me before you begin work. I do expect
you to learn something new, so please don’t fall back on a previous experience or knowledge you
already possess. This work will not only allow you to complete this assignment, but you may be able to
incorporate the information you get in your EOS.
It is very important that you respect people’s time and make arrangements ahead of time. Don’t put off
this assignment and expect someone to help you because you procrastinated.
After you have completed your experience, write a 2-3 page paper that briefly describes your
experience, what you learned from it, and how it relates to The Grapes of Wrath. Although your paper
may include some narration and some quotes, it should include a personal reflection about your
experience as well, i.e. it’s not the OHP. In this case, it is appropriate to use first person.
If you refer to any texts, or conduct an interview, you should include a works cited page (see The OWL
for how to cite a personal interview). If you are just writing about an experience, no works cited is
required. When referring to the person you interview, use the full name the first time, then use the last
name only in the rest of the paper.
Since this paper will take more time and effort than a typical paper, it will be worth 20 points.
End-of-Sequence Paper (EOS)
Consider the guiding question, the issues listed, research you have done, extra readings, your work for
1.3, and—of course—the novel. Write a unique, interesting, though-provoking claim and support it in a
paper that is between five and seven pages. The novel should constitute an important and considerable
component of your argument. Your paper should demonstrate careful reading and analysis of the novel.