AMERICAN STUDIES
A FAREWELL TO ARMS ESSAY
A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a
personal cause, a love, a desire for revenge, or some other emotion may conflict with moral duty. In A
Farewell to Arms, how do the demands of a private passion conflict with a character’s responsibilities?
In a well-organized essay, explain how this conflict contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Avoid plot summary.
Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from
that society. In A Farewell to Arms, show how a character's alienation causes him/her to challenge the
surrounding society's expectations or moral values and what this reveals about the work as a whole.
Avoid plot summary.
In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake. Choose a scene or scenes of violence in
A Farewell to Arms. In a well-organized essay, explain how the scene or scenes relate to the larger
themes of the novel. Avoid plot summary.
Choose one of the above essay topics, then use the following to plan:
Introduction:
 Brief grabber
 Bridge to main topic that identifies author, title, and context of novel
 Roadmap with brief overview of your essay’s organization
 Specific thesis that addresses the prompt above:
(Your thesis statement must express YOUR particularly analytical and judgmental view on what
the outcome of the narrative reveals about human nature. Think of this statement as a universal
truth, a message that could be applied outside the context of the work itself.)
Body Paragraphs 1 & 2:
Topic sentence: Identify topic of paragraph (include a transition at the beginning of body paragraph #2)
Provide the context for the example or passage you will use from the text. Avoid mere plot summary, but do
give some grounding for the scene or example you are about to analyze.
Use at least 1 properly integrated and cited quote. (You may want to include more than one quote as it will give
you more “meat” to chew; i.e. more to analyze.)
Analysis: Explain how the example(s) work in the greater scheme of the novel as a whole. Dig deep – go
beyond obvious observations.
Body paragraph 3:
Transition and topic sentence: Identify topic of final body paragraph. Keep in mind this paragraph should bring
your essay to its culmination.
Provide the context for the final example or passage you will use from the text.
Use at least 1 properly integrated and cited quote.
This paragraph must be a synthesis of all that has come before. Connect your ideas to prove your final point.
Conclusion:
Restate thesis using different wording. DO NOT SAY “IN CONCLUSION.”
Pull your ideas together without being redundant. DO NOT USE ANOTHER ROADMAP. Bridge to your
extension.
Extension –Extend this universal truth to something outside the novel itself: a truth about war, a truth about the
modern age, Hemingway’s artistic vision, or something else relevant to the time period or the book’s themes.
General Reminders:
Use the literary present tense.
Use formal language – no contractions, no 1st and 2nd person.
Use active voice, not passive voice.
Check subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement.
Know: affect (verb) –effect (noun) “War affects him in many ways.” vs.“The war had an effect on him.”
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Name__________________________
American Studies Theme Essay Rubric (100 pts)
Subtotals
Introduction (10)
______
- Grabber, author, title, context:
- Bridge to main idea:
- Roadmap:
- Strong thesis:
Body Paragraph 1 (20)
- Topic Sentence:
- Evidence:
- Set up of Example/Quotes:
- Integrated quote(s) that are textually appropriate and attributed to someone:
- Analysis that links to thesis:
______
Body Paragraph 2 (20)
- See above.
______
Body Paragraph/Conclusion 3 (20)
- Transition/topic sentence leading toward proving your thesis:
- Integrated quote that is textually appropriate and attributed to someone
- Culmination of your previous analysis linked to the universal truth
______
Conclusion (10)
- Restatement thesis
- Brief summary of major analysis (NOT ANOTHER ROADMAP)
- Extension that extends your thesis meaningfully to something outside the text itself
- Overall persuasiveness and strength of focus
______
Style (sophistication, organization, sentence structure, style) (10)
______
Mechanics and Usage (10)
______
ESSAY TOTAL: _______/100