Passing (the essay)
Here are some possible topics:
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A comparison (and contrast) of how African-American characters dealt with white people in
The Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass and Passing.
o http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Douglass/Narrative/Douglass_Narrative.pdf
A comparison (and contrast) of a main woman character from Passing with a main woman
character from The Awakening.
o http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/ChoAwak.html
A comparison (and contrast) of the use of figurative language in The Awakening and Passing.
A comparison (and contrast) of social class in Passing and in The Awakening.
A comparison (and contrast) of the passing narratives collected by Wendy Gaudin with
incidents from Passing.
o Passing narratives are on my teacher page.
A study of the importance of setting and historical context in Passing, which researches and
uses artifacts (pictures, newspaper articles, songs, works of art) to further develop the
meaning of specific sections of the novel.
For any of the topics chosen, you need to create the following:
A Catchy and relevant Title for the essay
Introduction:
a) A catchy and relevant opening
b) A transition from the catchy and relevant opening into the important background information
(title of work or works; date of publication, genre, author).
c) Some important background information – including spin definitions – on the topic.
d) A concession/assertion thesis with ideas in it that you will need to persuade the reader of…
Concession Paragraph: (at least one)
a)
b)
c)
d)
A topic sentence that makes it clear what part of the thesis this paragraph is supporting.
Quote set ups (giving the reader of your essay a sense of who/what/when/where).
Quotes, properly cited in MLA style.
Quote explanations – here is where you develop the literary elements of the chosen quotes
(setting, character, tone, point of view, figurative language and how these aspects of the literature
relate to the meaning).
e) Quote links – here is where you show how the quote is useful evidence – how does it help prove
the big idea of the paragraph?
f) Transitions between quotes and between ideas and between paragraphs and between sections of
the essay – should be thematic and help the reader know where the argument is in its process.
Assertion Paragraphs: (in a two to one ratio to the concession)
a) A topic sentence that makes it clear what part of the thesis this paragraph is supporting.
b) Quote set ups (giving the reader of your essay a sense of who/what/when/where).
c) Quotes, properly cited in MLA style.
d) Quote explanations – here is where you develop the literary elements of the chosen quotes
(setting, character, tone, point of view, figurative language and how these aspects of the literature
relate to the meaning).
e) Quote links – here is where you show how the quote is useful evidence – how does it help prove
the big idea of the paragraph?
f) Transitions between quotes and between ideas and between paragraphs and between sections of
the essay – should be thematic and help the reader know where the argument is in its process.
Conclusion:
a) A brief summary of the main points of the essay.
b) A developed comparison and contrast with another work we have studied this year (painting,
song, story, novel, document, poem) and how an idea from this essay relates to an idea from that
work (similarities and differences).
Due: 2/10 – 10pm – turnitin.com
Rubric:
97…95…93…91…89…87…85…83…81…79…77…75…73…71…69…67…65…63…61…
How well does the catchy and relevant title lead the reader toward one of the main topics in the essay?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the catchy and relevant opening lead the reader toward the thesis?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the background information ground the introduction in author, title, genre and “dop”?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well developed is the thesis?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the concession support the concession part of the thesis?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the concession use specific quote set ups?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the concession use specific quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well cited are the concession’s quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well explained are the concession’s quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the concession use transitions?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the assertion support the concession part of the thesis?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the assertion use specific quote set ups?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the assertion use specific quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well cited are the assertion quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well explained are the assertion quotes?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the assertion use transitions?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the conclusion provide a brief summary of the main ideas in the essay?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does the conclusion develop a link with another work we have studied?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does this essay use word choice?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does this essay use sentence structure?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does this essay use paragraph structure?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
How well does this essay follow Standard Written English?
Well
somewhat well
needs more attention
97…95…93…91…89…87…85…83…81…79…77…75…73…71…69…67…65…63…61…