Write an essay about the novel The Grapes of Wrath
CONTENT: The Grapes of Wrath explores many questions about life in America and the search for the American Dream.Please think about how Steinbeck portrays this dream and the possibilities that are or are not available to the Joads and other migrant workers.Please respond to the following question in your essay:
Does Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, represent the American Dream?
COMPONENTS: You have two tasks in this essay.
- You must respond to the essay question. You should determine what you mean by the American Dream and decide whether or not the book represents that dream.
- You must use New Criticism/Formalism and/or Structuralism in your evidence to support your answer.You will want to refer to the terms that we discussed for each approach. You should use 2-3 elements.For example, you might use a metaphor as a quote that supports the central argument that you are making. You should refer to it as a metaphor and explain how it supports your position.
You can consider but are not limited to ideas that we have discussed in class.
Your essay will be graded on the following elements. Make sure that your essay includes these things:
- Your essay shows understanding of the text as a whole and a critical reading of that text.
- Your essay shows an understanding of the theoretical approach that you chose.
- Your essay contains an introduction that provides background information, an overview to the text and a clear thesis with central arguments.
- Your essay is divided into body paragraphs that develop your central arguments and provide textual evidence and analysis to support those arguments.
- Your essay contains a conclusion that adequately closes the discussion.
- Your essay is followed by a Works Cited page in MLA format.
PURPOSES: This assignment is designed to:
1.Develop your ability to analyze, interpret and relate chapters in a work of literature.
2.Develop your ability to support your opinions with relevant examples.
3.Evaluate your ability to follow directions.
4.Practice using the formal elements that make up a typical academic essay written for a humanities class.
5.Give you practice following MLA style guidelines.
6.Give you practice at editing and proofreading.