Note that student work varies significantly from one assignment to the next, even within the
same mark range. The intent of providing samples such as this one is to guide students in
recognizing key criteria of assignments and in assessing their own work.
SAMPLE ARGUMENT – EXCELLENT
Essay question: Examine the causes and effects of prejudicial attitudes and beliefs in the
novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Strengths:
• The explanations include thorough treatment of the cause/effect issue of the main
question (thinking).
• You provide a smooth transition to the second example (communication).
Tips for improvement:
• Avoid first person in formal writing unless instructed otherwise. Rework the secondlast sentence (communication).
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The prejudicial attitudes and beliefs about women learned during the formative
childhood years are difficult to overcome during adulthood; therefore, it is imperative that
significant adults teach children strong moral values concerning equality. Gender prejudice
occurs when people judge others based solely on their sex. The sexist attitudes that Jem
exhibits at times seem to have been learned from others, and in particular, his father.
Although only 11 years old, Jem Finch has already adopted society's attitudes and beliefs
about the opposite sex. While arguing with Scout, he exclaims, "1 declare to the Lord you're
getting more like a girl every day!" (52) During this era women are stereotyped as innocent,
frail social butterflies that never take any risks. Jem uses the word, “girl”, to insult Scout
because she does not want to peek into the Radley house. Although Jem's comment is unfair,
it is not atypical because sexism is pervasive in his society. Since he is still young, he has not
yet realized that his comment is prejudicial. In fact, he is simply repeating the kind of
comment that he has been hearing for years, even from people he respects. Surprisingly,
Atticus blurts out a sexist remark while explaining to Jem and Scout that women are not
allowed on juries. He states, ''I doubt we'd ever get a complete case tried – the ladies'd be
interrupting to ask questions" (221). Atticus has revealed his opinion that ladies are
chatterboxes. Atticus, one of the wisest characters in the novel because of his tolerant beliefs,
attitudes and behaviors, has not fully developed the awareness to see that women are being
mistreated much too often. It is absurd for Atticus to say that one could not ''get a complete
case tried" if women were part of the jury. Obviously, Atticus has yet to overcome the
prejudice that been engrained in him in his youth to the point that he is transferring some of
those attitudes to his children. Atticus, unaware and insensitive of his gender bias, proves
how difficult it is to change our prejudices and consequently proves that we should be
teaching our children strong values about equality. Therefore, when gender prejudice is so
diffused in society, children will not only adopt these beliefs but will also continue to
embrace these prejudices for the rest of their lives.
Work Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York City: Warner Books Inc., 1982. Print.