Name: ________________________________
Mods: _____
Directions:
Examine Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Write an analytic synthesis paper qualifying the
argument of your chosen prompt.
Essay Topics:
Consider the author's use of irony in the novel. In an essay, describe the author's intent in using irony to develop the
events of the novel.
Choose a symbol from the text and explain the author's success in using it to reveal or conceal events or ideas.
Consider the contrasting ideas of religion and superstition in the novel. What themes are suggested by these two
contrasting ideas? How do both ideas contribute to a larger message?
The last line of any piece of writing can deliver or reinforce a powerful message. In the first three chapters, the author
uses the last line to name Santiago Nasar and seal his fate as dead or destined to die. What message or purpose does
repeating this idea serve?
Water often represents new life or birth in literature. In what situations does water appear in the novel? Identify the
author's message(s) suggested by water images in the novel, and use examples to support your theory.
Consider the statement that "Honor is love," as the narrator's mother would have us believe. Write an essay in which you
defend, refute, or qualify this statement.
Women in "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" seem to have limited power. Consider the situations in which women exercise
power in the novel, and write an essay in which you identify a possible theme the author communicates through women in
positions of power.
Many dreams are described in detail in the novel. Freud said, "Unless the content of the dream rightly understood is
inspired by alien spirits, it is part of [one's] own being." In an essay, connect Freud's belief to the author's use of dreams in
the novel. Consider how the character's dreams reveal part of each character's being, and what is being revealed.
The narrator states that literature is not allowed the convenient, sometimes unbelievable coincidences of life. In an essay,
defend, refute, or qualify this idea.
Consider the magistrate's note, "Give me a prejudice and I will move the world." Write an essay in which you connect the
statement to the events of the novel, identifying the prejudices that motivate the characters and contribute to the themes of
the novel.
The narrator uses both showing and telling to reveal the details of the story. Write an essay in which evaluate the use of
showing and telling in the novel, determining which of the two is most influential in communicating Garcia Marquez'
ideas.
Select an instance where the tone shifts in the novel and explore what the tone indicates about theme.
Leonard F. Peltier said, "Innocence is the weakest defense. Innocence has a single voice that can only say over and over
again, "I didn't do it." Guilt has a thousand voices, all of them lies." Write an essay in which you defend, refute, or qualify
Peltier's statement in relation to Garcia Marquez' novel.
Name_____________________________________
Mods: ____
AP Lit: Chronical Final Synthesis Paper
Criteria
No
evidence
Needs
Imp.
Adequate
Excellent
Introduction:
 Effective, general opening
 Transitions smoothly from general to specific
 Helpful context, background info, title, author
Thesis Statement
 Focused, clearly stated, IDEA BASED
 What and How are appropriate to the prompt
 Offers original insight into text(s)
Topic Sentences
 Clear, focused, refers directly to IDEAS in thesis
Organization
 Body paragraphs follow order of thesis
 Transitions within and between paragraphs
 Both topic and concluding sentences refer back to WHAT and HOW
of thesis
 Language is coherent
 FOCUS is maintained
Evidence/Support
 Present in EACH body paragraph
 Logically and clearly supports the HOW and the WHAT
 Quotes support thesis, are correctly cited and explained, smoothly
integrated into sentence
 Sufficient examples/details support the HOW and prove the WHAT
(more than one example per paragraph!)
 Textually accurate!
 Thesis is proven
 At least two of the articles are cited as evidence
Conclusion
 Echoes or Restates (not repeats) thesis
 Approx. equal in length to intro
 Main points effectively summarized
 Clincher statement is general and effectively offers a logical
conclusion
Mechanics/Sentence Construction
 Free from spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, contractions,
fragments, run-ons, awkward wordings
 Correct pronoun and usage agreement
 No use of first or second person
 Use of present tense
Style
 Strong vocabulary enhances writer’s voice
Grading Scale:
A/AC+/C/C-
Mostly “Excellent
“Adequate” and Needs Imp”
B+/B/BD+/D/D-
“Excellent” and “Adequate”
Mostly “Needs Imp” or “No evidence”
Your Grade: ___________