Ms. Hume – Senior Contemporary Lit.
Unit One: Life of Pi Essay Exam Review
400 to 600 words
1-1/2 to 2 pages
95 points possible
For your final exam for this unit, you will write an in-class essay by preparing the following question
below. To be fully prepared for this exam, you will need to re-read segments of the book to determine
which scene(s) apply to the question. Once you have decided on the particular scenes, outline your
argument, study your outline, then be prepared to write your best essay using your notes and/or your book.
You are encouraged, but not required, to tie in examples from the other two novels read this semester:
namely, Chris McCandless’ journey in Into the Wild and/or Tim O’Brien’s journey in Things They Carried.
Question: In order to survive, people have been known to go to great lengths and to do things they
would not ordinarily do. Write an essay that explains how “storytelling was a vehicle for selfpreservation” in Pi’s experience plus Tim O’Brien or Chris McCandless’s experiences. Analyze AT
LEAST TWO storytelling moments by Pi and analyze the “truths” these stories were trying to
explain. Note any parallels to the other two novels read this semester. Use examples from Life of Pi
and then as a bonus, feel free to supplement your thesis with examples/reasoning from Into the Wild
and/or Things They Carried.
Sample Outline
Thesis: Create a hook & thesis that explains the storytelling truths Pi explores to survive his major ordeal.
(Hook) In Yann Martel’s book Life of Pi, the author explores storytelling as the bridge to our sanity when
faced with traumatic or difficult experience. (Thesis) In this novel, Pi 1) explores the saving role of the
imagination and 2) fear of the illusions of freedom in both religion and zoos.
Middle
Paragraphs: Begin with a topic sentence that introduces “the truth” imbedded in the first storytelling
moment.
Sample Topic Sentence: Pi explores the saving role of the imagination in asking the Japanese ship owners
which story they preferred: the one with animals or without.
Use specific details PLUS your analysis of these details to support your opinion on this point #1. Continue
with as many paragraphs as needed to explain this point.
Make sure you begin the second story-telling truth with an opinion-driven, topic sentence PLUS your
analysis of the specific details to support the thesis. Continue with as many paragraphs as needed to
explain this point.
Conclusion: Conclude your essay with your final reflections on what this argument has taught you
about storytelling as self-preservation. What personal reflections stand out in your mind? Answer the So
What? of this essay.
(See Grading Rubric on the other side of this sheet)
Ms. Hume – Senior Contemporary Lit
Life of Pi – Final Essay Exam Rubric
Criteria
Hook &Thesis
Idea
Development
Conclusion
Word Usage:
Sentence
Variety
Syntax
Grammar
Structures:
Punctuation,
spelling,
spacing,
indentation.
Exceptional
(15-13)
Clever hook plus
clear, arguable
thesis with
insightful sub
points displaying
deep knowledge of
topic and creative
thinking.
Very Good
(12-10)
Hook stated with
clear thesis, less
arguable with
original & sub
points. Less
thought provoking.
Good
(9-7)
No hook, Thesis
stated, less
arguable; with
weak or unclear
sub points; less
original more
summary.
Weak
(6-4)
Thesis is stated,
but not clearly; sub
points re-state
summary of text
mainly.
Not passing
(3 or below)
Thesis is not
stated; sub points
do not support
question or lack
relevance to the
topic.
(55-51)
Each of the sub
points are fully
developed with
original, opiniondriven topic
sentences with
deep connections
and inference to
more than the one
text.
(15-13)
Original, thoughtprovoking
reflection; makes
connections to
other concepts or
content areas
outside of text and
relates them to the
topic.
(50-45)
Each of the sub
points are
developed with
original topic
sentences; less
opinion-driven;
ideas are logical,
informational, less
inference.
(44-40)
Most of the sub
points are
developed with
less opinion-driven
arguments. Less
use of logical and
appropriate
examples; less
insight on text.
(34 or below)
Ideas are not clear,
weak reference to
text and may
contain inaccurate
or irrelevant
information. Weak
use of inference.
Relies on text
summary.
(12-10)
Original, and
insightful
reflection; less
connections to
concepts outside of
the text;
(9-7)
Less thoughtprovoking
reflection; some
insights but
mainly summary
of thesis.
(39-35)
Lack of
development on
one or more of the
sub points. Ideas
show gaps in
understanding and
knowledge of text.
Little to no use of
inference. Mainly
text summary.
(6-4)
Re-states thesis in
conclusion; little to
no insight or
resolution on the
main topic in the
essay.
(5)
Sophisticated use
of a variety of
sentence
structures; accurate
grammar & syntax.
Error free.
(4)
Accurate use of
sentence
structures; less
variety; accurate
grammar and
syntax. Error free.
(3)
Some variety of
sentence
structures;
occasional
grammar/syntax
errors.
(2)
Little to no variety
of sentence
structures; frequent
grammar/syntax
errors.
(1)
Below grade level
sentence structures;
inaccurate use of
grammar and
syntax. Weak
word usage.
(5)
Accurate and error
free use of
punctuation,
spelling and
spacing.
(4)
Accurate with 1 or
2 errors only in
one of the
following:
punctuation,
spelling or
spacing.
(3)
Less accurate with
frequent errors in
more than one of
the following:
punctuation,
spelling and/or
spacing.
(2)
Inaccurate with
frequent errors in
most of the
following:
punctuation,
spelling and/or
spacing.
(1)
Below grade level
proficiency in all
three categories;
punctuation,
spelling and
spacing.
Total Points Earned: __________/95
(3 or below)
Lacks any
conclusion; no
resolution or
reflection at the
end.