Keshishyan
English
Essay Prompt
“The Birthmark”
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Birth-Mark, we are introduced to Aylmer, who is obsessed with his wife’s
birthmark. He sees his wife as perfect except for the birthmark on her face, so he attempts to eradicate it.
Prompt: In a carefully constructed essay, compare Aylmer’s attempts to cure his wife’s deformity with
popular culture’s fascination with plastic surgery today. Write a paper that discusses ethics and the
obsession with physical appearance in both Hawthorne’s work and in contemporary society.
Before You Begin
1. Read the text closely several times. Focus on the ideas that are being presented. Think about the characters’ development
and the author’s writing technique. What might be considered interesting, unusual, or important?
2. Brainstorm a list of potential topics. Take notes on important passages in the text. When writing the paper, these notes
should help you remember which aspects of the story caught your attention and guide you toward developing an argument
about the story’s theme. While we will discuss all readings in class, your essay should express your unique perspective and
interpretation.
3. Read Scholarship and Literary Criticism of the work. visit the Library website for research (optional for English 21)
(http://www.lamission.edu/library/.
Requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Must be 2-3 pages (For English 21) and 3-4 pages (for English 28)
Typed, double-spaced, 12-pt font in Times New Roman
1 inch margins all around
MLA format
*For English 28 only: Must have at least 2 outside sources in addition to the primary source (the
short story). So you will have 3 citations on your works cited page
6. Must have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion and demonstrate the ability to
write an effective thesis statement
DUE DATES:
First Draft:
Second Draft:
FINAL DRAFT DUE: