Response to Literature Essay-Senior Composition
Why is studying literature important? I’m assigning the Response to Literature Essay
with the summary and various connections to make sure that you fully understand an assigned
source, but also to ask you to think outside the box and really question why reading and viewing
literature is important. The text you are studying is Death of a Salesman. Use the following
outline and rubric to help you explore this new genre. Each section below should be at least one
paragraph. Your rough draft needs to be at least two pages, but might be much longer. All of the
sections below are required. Pay attention to the format because this is not a traditional analysis.
Notes:
Outline:
Part 1
Writing the Summary
Part 1/– The introduction (usually one paragraph)--
1. Contains a one-sentence thesis statement that sums up the main point of the source.
This thesis statement is not your main point; it is the main point of your source.
Usually, though, you have to write this statement rather than quote it from the source
text. It is a one-sentence summary of the entire text that your essay summarizes.
2. Also introduces the text to be summarized:
(i) Gives the title of the source
(ii) Provides the name of the author of the source;
(ii) Sometimes also provides pertinent background information about the author of
the source or about the text to be summarized.
The introduction should not offer your own opinions or evaluation of the text you are
summarizing.
b. The body of a summary essay (one or more paragraphs):
This paraphrases and condenses the original piece. In your summary, be sure that you-1. Include important information, but omit minor points;
2. Include one or more of the author’s examples or illustrations (these will bring your
summary to life);
3. Do not include your own ideas, illustrations, metaphors, or interpretations. Look
upon yourself as a summarizing machine; you are simply repeating what the source
text says, in fewer words and in your own words. But the fact that you are using
your own words does not mean that you are including your own ideas.
(Make sure that your summary section is not more than one page.)
Part 2:
Writing the Response
Part 2/– Judgment about character or event, supported with relevant facts from story
A judgment is a statement about a character or event in the book; there is no right or wrong
judgment as long as the judgment can be supported by the text and makes sense. Take a
character or scene and explain why you find the actions interesting or troubling in some way.
Part 3/– Prediction related to judgment, supported with relevant story evidence
Predict what might happen if events in the story were different or predict what
REALISTICALLY might happen in the future if the story continued. This is where you can
extrapolate about what might have happened if characters made different decisions.
Part 4/– Supporting the judgment with a connection and relevant story evidence
There are three types of connections that you must include:
(i.)
text to self – comparing something in the book with something in your life
(ii.)
text to world – comparing events in the book to world events
(iii.) text to text – comparing events in the book to another book you have read
In your writing, do not announce to your reader that you are making a connection and do not
name the connection type. Your connection should flow smoothly and be an organic part of the
piece. Use transition words to help connect the ideas.
Part 5/– Conclusion with interpretation (what was the author’s point/what is the universal
theme or message)
(i.)
make a concluding statement about the book/wrap it up
(ii.)
include a hint about your interpretation and then fully develop the interpretation
and support it with evidence from the text
Interpretations could include any of these:
(iii.) identifying the author’s message
(iv.) identifying the book’s theme/or life skill message
(v.)
understanding what the author is trying to teach us
End with your opinion of the ultimate significance. What lessons do we take from this story?
Make sure you convince your readers that you have figured out something key to understanding
this text better.
Due Dates:
Developed from several Internet sources including the following:
http://users.drew.edu/~sjamieso/summary.html