English 28
Instructor: Karen Amano-Tompkins
Essay Assignment #2 – Example
In his essay “Darkness at Noon,” Harold Krents uses specific examples from his personal
experience to illustrate how, as a blind person, he is consistently misperceived as unable
to function as an autonomous* human being– unable to hear, unable to speak for himself,
unable to work.
(*Autonomous means independent, self-directed, not subject to
control from outside.)
Using examples from your own personal experience, write an illustration (example) essay
on one of the following topics.
(1) Discuss experiences you have had being misperceived based on your appearance.
(2) Discuss experiences you have had misperceiving others based on appearance.
(3) Discuss experiences you have had with culture clash or cultural misunderstandings.
All of the experiences you discuss can relate to the same misperception (or cultural
misunderstanding). For example, you could discuss three separate experiences in which
others have misperceived you as unreliable because of your numerous tattoos and
piercings.
Guidelines

Your final draft should be at least two full pages long and have at least five
paragraphs.

Begin your essay with a brief summary of “Darkness at Noon.” Include the author’s
name and the title of the article.

Your essay should contain an explicit thesis statement that expresses the point
you are trying to prove in your essay.

Support your thesis statement with evidence in the form of specific, detailed
examples from your personal experience and personal observation.

Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that expresses the main point of
the paragraph.

You may use the first-person voice (but you don’t have to).

Please title your essay!
Due dates
Outline -- due _____________________________
Your outline should include (1) a working thesis statement, (2) topic sentences for each of
three or more examples, (3) supporting specifics & details listed under each example. You
will receive 10 points if you bring your reasonably complete outline to class and participate
in the outline workshop on the due date. No points for late outlines!
Draft (typed or neatly handwritten) – ______________________________
You will receive 10 points if you bring your reasonably complete draft to class and
participate in the draft workshop on the due date. No points for late drafts!
Final draft – worth 100 points – due ______________________________
English 28
Instructor: Karen Amano-Tompkins
Complete this form to create your outline for Essay 2…
Tentative title for your essay: ________________________________
I. Introduction
Thesis statement: ______________________________________________________________
Your thesis statement should be a complete sentence that (1) identifies the specific misperception you
will discuss in your essay and (2) indicates whether you were the one who was misperceived or the one
who did the misperceiving. Note: The thesis statement need not be the first sentence of your essay. A good
place for the thesis is usually the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
II. Supporting point 1: _____________________________________________________
Try to express your point in a complete sentence that can serve as a topic sentence for the paragraph.
List specifics and details that you plan to use to develop your point.
A. _______________________________________________________
B. _______________________________________________________
C. _______________________________________________________
D. _______________________________________________________
E. _______________________________________________________
III. Supporting point 2: _____________________________________________________
A. _______________________________________________________
B. _______________________________________________________
C. _______________________________________________________
D. _______________________________________________________
E. _______________________________________________________
IV. Supporting point 3: _____________________________________________________
A. _______________________________________________________
B. _______________________________________________________
C. _______________________________________________________
D. _______________________________________________________
E. _______________________________________________________
(Add more supporting points if necessary.)