Final Essay (2 Hours in Class, Dbl Space)

Final Essay (2 hours in class, dbl space)

Bring paper & pen (not PENCIL) or a computer (bring a USB drive in case Internet down) and one of the three essays and/or stories we read on the last few days of class to this final: “Sound of Thunder” by Bradbury, “Man I Killed” by O’Brien or “Jealous Husband Returns in the Form of a Parrot” by Butler. You will need the stories to reference them. Without them, you risk failing! Also, the essay must be written entirely in class or you risk failing the final!

“A” Essay Hints: I will be looking for a creative wowie-zowie title, strong topic sentences that try to answer the six questions, lots of examples/evidence/description, sentence variation and transitions, a strong introduction that mentions the idea behind the narrative & the characters & the setting or if it is a more formal essay then it should have a very specific thesis (please underline this in your essay!) and a conclusion. You can define, be narrative, and/or compare-contrast. Avoid the usual pet peeves: 2nd person you, contractions, the word got, phrases like ‘sort of’ and ‘type of’ and ‘kind of’, and of course, improper quoting. Remember the purpose of a storyline in an essay is to support the thesis of the essay by telling of an experience that makes the point better than just listing facts! Topic Choices:

1. Pick a story from the three assigned choices (announced on last day of class) and then write a narrative descriptive essay from the perspective of an object (a non-living thing). What part of the story does the object get a glimpse of? Be sure to use specific examples from the texts. 2. Write a narrative-descriptive essay that is a sequel to either “Jealous Husband…” or “Sound of Thunder”! A sequel is something that happens after the story. Be sure to use specific examples from the texts to prove you read the story. 3. Write a prequel about any one of the three assigned story choices (announced on last day of class). A prequel is something that happens before the story. Be sure to use specific examples and references from the texts. 4. Less creative choice, more formal essay: Each story is an example of the theme of rage. How do one or more of these stories portray this emotion and what other elements of fiction do they use to show the theme (setting, point of view, character, style/tone, symbolism, and plot)? Be sure to use specific examples from the texts. 5. Slightly more formal essay: If you were a director, how would you turn “Jealous Husband” into a movie? Compare yours to the HBO movie trailer we saw in class. How would yours be different? Who would you cast and why? Describe the set for the main scene. And since a movie of short story always requires extra footage/scenes, what would you add and why?