English 11
Fall 2015
Research-Based Argument Paper:
A Rebel With (or Without) a Cause
When we begin reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, we will discuss a young man named Chris
McCandless, who ditches his car, gives away his trust fund, and walks into the Alaskan wilderness carrying
only what will fit in his backpack. His actions place him among a host of individuals who have in some
way rejected the ideals and lifestyle of American mainstream culture. Who are/were these individuals?
What are/were they looking for? Why are/were they dissatisfied with their lives or the way others live?
Your Task: For this project, you’ll choose one rebel, outcast, extreme adventurer or a social “warrior” to
research using library databases or print materials. Then, you’ll write an essay, analyzing the individual’s
actions and arguing whether or not his or her rebellion was justified (and why).
Once you have a comprehensive understanding of the person you have chosen to research, write a welldeveloped essay about him or her (4-6 pages in length).
Your thesis should address at least one of the following:
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Did this individual find success on his or her quest? What was accomplished?
What stumbling blocks did this person encounter along the way?
What did this individual learn?
What did (or can) others learn from this individual?
Here is list to get you started. You must get approval for your choice.
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Henry David Thoreau
Jack Kerouac
Edward Snowden
John Muir
Anne LaBastille
Timothy Treadwell
Allen Ginsberg
John Brown
Sitting Bull
Tecumseh
Crazy Horse
George Washington
Alice Paul
Ida B. Wells
Margaret Sanger
William “Big Bill” Haywood
Dorothy Parker
Sylvia Plath
Cesar Chavez
Anne Sexton
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Dylan Thomas
Anne Bradstreet
Jimi Hendrix
Bob Dylan
Emily Dickinson
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Harriet Tubman
Muhammed Ali
Harvey Milk
Rachel Carson
Walt Whitman
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Sylvia Rae Rivera
Susan B. Anthony
Deadlines:
Topic Choice Approval: Friday, October 9
Working Thesis Statement: Friday, October 16
Notes and Outline: Tuesday, October 19
Rough Draft: Wednesday, October 21
Final Draft: Wednesday, October 28
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REMEMBER:
Review our course outline for policies about deadlines and penalties for late submissions.
Please ask for a pass to the Writing Center: Periods 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8