You will be writing an in-class essay for 60% of your final exam grade. It will be written on Thursday,
May 22, in lab 124C.
The second part of your final exam grade (40%) will be an objective test over the reading, movies and history we’ve discussed this semester. That will occur on Friday, May 23 (periods 9 & 10), or Tuesday, May 27 (period
7/8).
The combined final exam score (essay + objective) counts for 20% of your semester grade.
(You should know this, but just in case, I’ve bolded it for you. Because bold means important.)
As for the essay, you can work on it now, later this month, during the movie, at home, or during class when we have free time. I am not requiring it, but I highly suggest you complete an outline. You will have quite a bit of material to cover and an outline will help you to focus your thinking. You can also use this outline while writing your essay. Your outline may be quite detailed (as long as it’s in bullets for your points and complete sentences only for your thesis and topic sentences) or a list of your main points. It may only be one typed page or two handwritten pages. This outline and the prompt, along with any books you are using, will be the only things you may use while writing. The outline must be turned in with your paper and must be brought to class (not accessed via email). If you have full sentences (this includes an introduction, explanations, or a conclusion), you will lose your entire outline. Please don’t do this. No internet usage is allowed during the essay.
And now, drum roll please…here’s your prompt: DEFINE IRELAND.
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You must define Ireland based on what we’ve studied in this class.
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It must include a focused thesis statement that indicates your definition. o Your definition can be broad, but your essay should not be a listing of different things. This will significantly impact your grade in a negative way (highest possible=C). o It should indicate your ability to connect and synthesize different aspects of Irish literature, history and film into one definition.
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Your essay must include at least one reference from at least THREE categories of Ireland as studied in class.
The categories are below, and again, you must pick THREE from this list:
(Again, this will negatively impact you if you don’t—see above.) o an event or person in Irish history o Siobhan Dowd--
 (various poems, o Samuel Beckett– o Oscar Wilde– o a film ( o a James Joyce short story (from
) o a poem, play or short story by Yeats, Heaney or Swift
,
or “Modest Proposal”)
) o your SSR book (if I approve it before the day of the essay and if it is Irish)
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You cannot overlap categories. (That means that referring to two James Joyce short stories or writing about
Michael Collins the person and the movie only satisfies
category, not
. Please be aware--if you talk about details of Collins’ life, but you didn’t do a PhotoStory on him, I’m going to think it’s from the movie.)
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Your essay must include textual evidence (quotes) and specific details. Without these elements, you will not earn a good grade. You may have your quotes marked in advance in the book, or you may write these on your outline. You may not borrow a book on that day from a peer or me. Come prepared. If it is a text we read, then you should use a quote. If it is a movie or historical person/event, then be specific in your example. No outside sources should be used.