English III Honors
Grading Criteria: Gatsby Annotation and Close Reading Essay
Student Name
I. Annotations: Your annotations will be assessed according to how thoroughly they address the following elements: figurative language; imagery;
tone; mood; vocabulary; questions, comments and demonstration of understanding.
Annotations
/10 Points
II. Close Reading Essay:
36These essays offer a thorough analysis of the passage; the analysis focuses on specific language Fitzgerald uses to develop larger
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meaning. Introduction concludes with strong thesis that states how devices are used to produce an overall meaning. Topic sentences
consistently align with thesis’ main idea. Analysis contains a convincing reading about how two-three literary devices contribute to
the meaning of the work. They effectively integrate small passages of the passage into perceptive, insightful analysis. These
sophisticated essays demonstrate clear and sustained control of language and argument.
32These essays offer a reasonable analysis of the passage; the analysis focuses on specific language Fitzgerald uses to develop larger
35.5 meaning. Introduction concludes with reasonable thesis that references devices and an overall meaning. Some topic sentences show
connection to main idea in thesis. These essays may utilize some small passages of text but may mostly rely on longer, partially
analyzed quotations. These competent essays demonstrate clear but inconsistent control of language and argument.
28These essays respond to the passage, but may not focus on specific literary devices and how they develop meaning. Introduction
31.5 includes a weak thesis and/or topic sentences that may not align with thesis. The analysis is thin, with superficial attention to literary
devices; the analysis provides an inadequate reading of larger meaning. These essays may include chunks of the passage that are not
fully analyzed. While they demonstrate an adequate control of language and have an argument, they may be marred by surface
errors.
27.5- These essays fail to analyze specific language of the passage and may not include a clear thesis. These essays contain partial,
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unconvincing, or irrelevant analysis and lack logical discussion of literary devices. They contain misreadings of the passage; they
lack a clear argument. These essays may be marred by stylistic and grammatical errors.
0These failing essays do not contain any analysis of the passage or address how details of language, including literary devices,
25.5 develop larger meaning.
Essay ____________/40
Total ____________/50
* Reminder: Submit a marked-up rough draft with your final essay. No rough draft = 2.5 points.