Guidelines: When answering the question, make sure to have a basic organizing claim and develop your points in an organized mannerusing paragraphs. Review the "rubric" to develop a Stronganswer. The "Essay" should be developed into 2-4 double-spaced pages and be in multiple paragraphs.
MLA Format and Citation: Make sure to citesources you have found on your own when writing your answers. You can find the basics of
MLA Format at the OWL Purdue website. Each exam will go through the "turnitin.com" plagiarism filter, so make sure to also identify any sources you might be using carefully. Use page numbers whenever possible, and quotes. Let me know if you have citation questions.
I. Choose ONE of the following texts to closely compare to another tale we have read (the second story must be one we read together-but you are free to choose which one).
A. Italo Calvino's "The False Grandmother" (Norton 17-19)
B. Lin Lan's "Cinderella" (Norton 127-131)
C. Alexander Afanasev's "The Frog Princess" (Norton 68-71)
The second story: (free to choose which one)
"The Story of the Black Cow" (Norton 125-127),
Perrault, "Donkeyskin" (Norton 109-117)
the folktale "Princess in the Suit of Leather" (Norton 131-137).
Gilbert and Gubar's "Snow White and Her Wicked Stepmother" (Norton 291-297),
Anne Sexton's poem, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (Norton 96-100),
Grimms' "The Frog King" (Norton 42-50),
"Urashima the Fisherman" and "The Swan Maiden" (Norton 66-73),
II. Answer this prompt: How might you contextualize and closely interpret the human experience depicted in one of the new tales above, and then compare the message to a message in another story we have studied so far? Why is it important to interpret and evaluate these tales in this way?
III. Follow the template to make sure you are covering all the important interpretive strategies:
1. Describe a context (ex. cultural, historical, theoretical, generic, or biographical) that will help you discuss the meaning and significance of a specific human experience (ex. psychological issues or wishes, culture, religion, national identity, education, relationship to nature, gender expectations or identity, sexual relationships, struggles for survival, social advancement, empowerment, etc.) in ONE of the newly assigned texts above
2. Raise a meaningful "context" question related to your description
3. Answer your "context" question in a sentence-this will be your "claim" or "theory"
4. Discuss the meaning of context clues in Story 1 to support your claim or theory and interpret the possible message about the human experience
5. Compare this message to a message you see in Story 2 (a story we previously read in class)-Closely read the second story's symbolism, metaphor, language, OR form to help you explain the similarities OR differences in perspective
6. Evaluate the ambiguities of the specific human experience as evidenced by your analysis
7. Discuss why it is important to analyze and evaluate these stories in the way you have, drawing upon your own personal or professional life (specific examples)
8. Raise a "rhetorical" question that could lead to further investigations and thoughts, but you don't have to answer here.
Template and Rubric for Mini-Essay
A. Template and Guide to the Important Parts:
1. Describe a context (ex. cultural, historical, theoretical, generic, or biographical) that will help you discuss the meaning and significance of a specific human experience (ex. psychological issues or wishes, culture, religion, national identity, education, relationship to nature, gender expectations or identity, sexual relationships, struggles for survival, social advancement, empowerment, etc.) in ONE of the newly assigned stories on the Instruction Sheet
2. Raise a meaningful "context" question related to your description
3. Answer your "context" question in a sentence-this will be your "claim" or "theory"
4. Discuss the meaning of context clues in Story 1 to support your claim or theory and interpret the possible message about the human experience
5. Compare this message to a message you see in Story 2 (a story we previously read in class)-Closely read the second story's symbolism, metaphor, language, OR form to help you explain the similarities OR differences in perspective
6. Evaluate the ambiguities of the specific human experience as evidenced by your analysis
7. Discuss why it is important to analyze and evaluate these stories in the way you have, drawing upon your own personal or professional life (specific examples)
8. Raise a "rhetorical" question that could lead to further investigations and thoughts, but you don't have to answer here.
B. Rubric and Grading Criteria (70 points total possible):
I. Context (15 points):
1. Describe a context that will help you discuss the meaning and significance of a specific human experience (ex. psychological issues or wishes, culture, religion, national identity, education, relationship to nature, gender expectations or identity, sexual relationships, struggles for survival, social advancement, empowerment, etc.) in ONE of the newly assigned stories
2. Raise a meaningful "context" question related to your description
What I look for in a Strong Answer:
• Description might reference a theory or concept and secondary materials
• Question is specific and related to a context (ex. cultural, historical, theoretical, generic, or biographical)
• Theme is clear
II. Close Reading (15 points):
3. Discuss the meaning of context clues in Story 1 to support your claim or theory and interpret the possible message about the human experience
4. Compare this message to a message you see in Story 2 (a story we previously read in class)-Closely read the second story's symbolism, metaphor, language, OR form to help you explain the similarities OR differences in perspective
What I look for in a Strong Answer:
• Interpretation refers specifically to details/examples/quotes with page numbers if applicable
• Context clues identified specifically
• Closer reading is a detailed examination of language, words, or symbolism and context clues
• Explain the implicit message or meaning, and why the text suggests it:
Ex. What about the "flower petal swallowed" suggests virginal purity or destruction, or what details of the trick suggest the trickster is a "conjurer," etc.
III. Comparison/Evaluation of the Two Texts (20 points):
5. Compare this message to a message you see in Story 2 (a story we previously read in class)-Closely read the second story's symbolism, metaphor, language, OR form to help you explain the similarities OR differences in perspective
6. Evaluate the ambiguities of the specific human experience as evidenced by your analysis
What I look for in a Strong Answer:
• Discusses the similarities/differences of the message in each text
• Evaluates the different or similar perspectives on human experience
• Explains how you came to that evaluation (maybe describes the criteria you used to assess)
• Discusses the ambiguities
IV. Critical Thinking/Why it Matters Part (10 points):
7. Discuss why it is important to analyze and evaluate these stories in the way you have, drawing upon your own personal or professional life (specific examples)
8. Raise a "rhetorical" question that could lead to further investigations and thoughts, but not to answer here.
What I look for in a Strong Answer:
• Connects the comparison in sophisticated ways to critical thinking and to personal or human experience, social realities, other classes (your major), etc.
• Uses specific examples, details, etc. to support/illustrate
• Question relates to the discussion but then asks us to think further in some way.
V. Basic Requirements (10 points):
Strong: Focused on the correct texts, 2-4 pages double-spaced, answers the prompt completely, cites texts.