Beginnings CS Fall 2007
Essay #1 Assignment: Textual Analysis - DRAFT
Essentials
Write a 3-5 page essay that analyzes a central theme in one of the texts we’ve read so far (Rose,
Freire, hooks). Your task is to show your understanding of what the author says about that
theme, and to identify why that theme is important to the author. In addition, you might explore
how that theme might be important for us in Beginnings – how it relates to our core questions.
Start by identifying some important themes of the text, and asking questions about them. For
example:
Theme: According to Mike Rose, the schools make it difficult for some students to learn and
succeed.
Questions: Which kids are affected? How do schools make it difficult for them? Why does
Rose see this as a problem? What does he want to do about it? Why is this an important
issue for us?
Theme: Bell hooks cares about self-actualization for teachers as well as about how teachers
work with and care about their students.
Questions: What does she mean by “self-actualization”? Why is this important for teachers,
according to hooks? How does it affect how teachers work with their students? How does
this connect with other ideas in hooks? Why is this an important issue for us?
Theme: Freire sees “humanization” as a major problem for all humanity.
Question: What does he mean by “humanization”? Why does he see this as a central
problem? How does this relate to his ideas about education? Why is this an important issue
for us?
Due Dates
CHOOSE which text you’re going to write about: Friday, Oct. 6
Rough draft: Wednesday, Oct. 10 (bring FOUR copies to class)
Revised draft: Monday, Oct. 15
FINAL: Monday, Oct. 22
Format: Follow the usual formatting guidelines in the syllabus. A copy of each draft is required
with the final essay.
Narrow the Focus
This essay will be most successful if you focus on just one specific element of the text. Aim to
fully understand just one key idea or concept, and relate this particular idea to the author’s larger
purpose. You may choose to write about just one chapter or section of the text.
It’s better to fully understand a small aspect of the text than to make broad statements about the
text as a whole. Use this assignment to practice close reading and examination of details:
specific words, verb choices, repetitions, key passages. Writing a general overview or summary
of the text will not fulfill this assignment.
Thesis
This essay requires a thesis statement. The thesis should appear in the introduction of your essay,
most likely toward the end of the paragraph. It should be a statement about a theme in the text
you’re writing about – not about the world or yourself. Show your understanding of your key
theme and how it fits into the text as a whole in one clear sentence.
A thesis statement is:
 An ASSERTION; not merely a topic or idea, but a statement of a specific point of view.
 ARGUABLE; something you can show evidence to support. Evidence comes mainly
from the text itself, not from life, the world, or your general knowledge.
 DEBATABLE; it’s an idea that not everyone will agree with. It’s not just a statement of
fact; it reflects a point of view, your own analysis of the text.
 CLEAR; the sentence is not ambiguous or fuzzy, it’s direct and specific.
 CONCISE; direct and to the point.
 FOCUSED: it narrows the topic to just one key aspect of the text.
 INTERESTING: your unique reading of the work.
Develop a working thesis before or during the writing of your rough draft. The working thesis is
a thesis-in-progress. As you refine and revise your essay, your thesis will also evolve. Expect to
continue to refine your thesis throughout the writing process.
Content and Structure
 This assignment requires a close textual analysis. Look closely at word choice,
individual sentences, significant passages.

We’ll talk in class about what needs to go in the introduction. See handout on Citing
Sources.

Use the PIE structure to organize the body paragraphs. We’ll talk about this in class; see
handout on Paragraph Organization.

In your conclusion (one or two paragraphs), you might extend the argument to discuss
how this concept or idea matters in our course, or in society or real life.

Give your essay a unique title that highlights your central idea or insight.
Textual Citation and Works Cited
Cite all textual references in the body of your argument, using MLA style. Include a “works
cited” note on the last page of your essay for the text you are writing about. Follow MLA style:
Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider. Freedom, California: the Crossing Press, 1984.
Evaluation
This essay will be graded and is worth 15% of your final grade. The evaluation will be based on
the following criteria:
 Does the essay meet the requirements of the assignment as described above?
 Does the introduction include all the essential elements to orient the reader?
 Is the thesis statement arguable, debatable, clear, succinct, focused and interesting?
 Does the essay show good understanding and critical thinking about the text?
 Does the essay show textual evidence for the thesis?
 Does the essay use ample logical argument and discussion of the evidence?
 Does the paper use effective paragraph structures (PIE)?
 Does the conclusion wrap up the paper clearly?
 Has the essay been carefully edited for grammar, spelling, and punctuation?