Newman 10H
The Crucible
Major Assignment
Due Dates: Outline to turnitin.com and hard copy – Friday, March 13 by 7:20am and in class
Rough Draft to turnitin.com – Wednesday, March 18 by 7:20am
Final Draft to turnitin.com – Friday, March 27 by 7:20am
Task: We have spent an enormous amount of time on The Crucible, and for good reason: it is an incredibly
important American text, and explores ideas incredibly important to any human in any society. To illustrate
your understanding of this, write a well-developed, multi-paragraph analytical essay in response to one of the
following prompts. Be sure to write your essay with particular attention to the following:
 MLA formatting guidelines
 Formal, academic tone
 Cited, precise textual evidence
 Stylistic fluidity and eloquence
 Clear, arguable thesis statement with well-organized supporting paragraphs
Prompts:
1. Arthur Miller wrote his celebrated play The Crucible as a critique of McCarthyism in the 1950s, but it
has continued to be produced throughout the world because, as Miller says in his essay “Why I Wrote
The Crucible,” its “paranoid center is still pumping out the same darkly attractive warning that it did in
the fifties.” In an analytical essay, explain how Miller structures the work to achieve his purpose, and
what universal theme is present that allows it to be continually relevant. You may also choose, in
addition to responding to the main prompt, to make an argument about the strength or weakness of his
approach to political and social criticism.
2. Thirty-second president of the United States of America Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said that
“the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, fear of the unknown
drives much of the action. In an analytical essay, explain how Miller explores this topic in order to
develop a theme.
3. American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that “nothing is at last sacred but the integrity
of your own mind.” The Merriam-Webster defines integrity as “the quality of being honest and fair,”
and “the state of being complete or whole.” In an analytical essay, explain how Arthur Miller’s The
Crucible explores the concept of integrity in order to develop a theme.
4. How does Miller’s use of the wilderness as a symbol reveal his attitude toward Puritan society?
See the attached rubric for grading scales and expectations for this assignment.
Please note: a visit to the Writing Center with a best attempt draft is required. Submit Writing Center
ticket with outlines on Final Draft due date for credit. Will appear as a separate, Major Assignment
grade in gradebook – worth 15 points of Major Assignment credit.
Rubric
Writing
Process
Exceeds the Standard
5
INTRODUCTION
INTEGRATION
OF EVIDENCE
STYLE
ORGANIZATION
CONCLUSION
Content
Meets the Standard
4
Partially Meets the
Standard
3
Introduction refers specifically to
the work, addresses the topic
directly, and has a clear thesis
statement.
Introduction refers
specifically to the work,
addresses the topic, and
has a clear thesis
statement.
Introduction makes some
reference to the work,
attempts to address the
topic, and has a fairly
clear thesis statement.
Introduction makes little
reference to the work,
poorly addresses the
topic, and has an unclear
thesis statement.
Examples are specific, sufficient,
and significant; they are clearly
explained and connected directly
to the thesis. Quotes are
introduced, and are followed by
commentary.
Examples are specific,
sufficient, and are
reasonably wellexplained. They support
the thesis. Quotes are
introduced, and are
followed by commentary.
Examples and
explanations are fair
and/or insufficient; they
provide some support to
the thesis. Quotes are not
introduced, and are not
followed by commentary.
Examples and
explanations are unclear
and insufficient; they
provide little support to
the thesis.
Student uses sophisticated
transitional devices, effective
wording, a variety of sentence
structures, and incorporates other
strategies.
Student effectively uses
transitions, effective
wording and a variety of
sentence structures.
Student has limited use of
transitions, effective
wording, and sentences
lack a variety (writing is
choppy).
Student uses no
transitions, has ineffective
wording and sentences are
short and have no variety
in structure.
Body paragraphs contain clear
topic sentences that support the
thesis and are exceptionally wellorganized with clear transitions
between ideas.
Body paragraphs have
topic sentences that
support the thesis and are
fairly organized with
transitions between ideas.
Body paragraphs support
the thesis, attempt to
address the topic, and are
fairly organized with few
transitions.
Body paragraphs do not
sufficiently support the
thesis, are not organized,
and have no transitions.
Conclusion reinforces the major
points, and makes a broader
statement about the topic.
Conclusion sums up the
thesis and reinforces it
well.
Conclusion does not fully
sum up or reinforce the
thesis.
Conclusion sums up the
thesis poorly with little
reinforcement.
Exceeds the Standard
60
The paper effectively makes an
argument that provides a
perceptive and nuanced response
to all parts of the question,
clearly composed of original
analytical thought.
Standard
English
Conventions
MLA Format
Name:
Meets the Standard
50
The paper makes an
argument that provides a
perceptive response to all
parts of the question.
Does not Meet the
Standard
2
Partially Meets the
Standard
40
Does not Meet the
Standard
30
The paper struggles to
make an argument that
provides a response to
most parts of the question.
The paper fails to make an
argument, is off-topic,
completely fails to make
an argument, or includes
ideas and points that are
unoriginal or inaccurate.
Exceeds the Standard
10
Meets the Standard
8
Partially Meets the
Standard
6
Does not Meet the
Standard
5
This paper contains only minor
errors relative to the length of the
piece according to Standard
English conventions.
This paper contains few
errors relative to the length
of the piece according to
Standard English
conventions.
This paper contains several
errors relative to the length
of the piece according to
Standard English
conventions.
This paper contains
numerous errors relative to
the length of the piece
according to Standard
English conventions.
There are major sentence
structure problems and
communication is hindered
by the errors.
Meets the Standard
5
Does Not Meet the
Standard
0
The paper observes all
requirements of MLA format,
including font style and size,
spacing, heading, title, and page
number requirements, Word
Count and Works Cited page, and
in-text citation formatting.
The paper does not observe
the requirements of MLA
format.
Total Points: ________ / 100