Essay

Unit Learning Goal: Students will demonstrate knowledge of nineteenth century foundation works of American Literature by analyzing satire in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and relating one of its main themes to another text and issue of the time.  

  https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/compare-and-contrast-essay/compare-and-contrast-essay-techniques/

 

Comparison Essay – Huckleberry Finn

	4	3	2	1
Thesis and introduction   W2a	Student takes a clear position in relating a theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to another text and issue of the time period.  Hook and thesis link.  There is an order of development present.	Student takes a position in relating theme to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to another text and issue of the time period.	Student attempts to write a thesis statement connecting The Adventures of Huckleberry to another text and issue of the time period, but it is either simplistic or the issue/theme may be misunderstood or a misreading of the text(s).	Thesis statement is either missing or doesn’t connect The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to another text.
Compare/Contrast Essay Strategy   W2a, W2e	Student effectively uses block or point-by-point strategy effectively in the essay.	Student uses either block or point-by-point strategy in the essay but there may be some inconsistency in the effectiveness.	Student attempts to use block or point-by-point strategy in the essay.  They student might not use the strategy correctly, or might fall out of the strategy during the essay, or might jump back and forth between strategies in a way that is confusing	No strategy used.
Use of Evidence   W2b	Evidence from both texts is used.  Evidence is introduced and relevant to the thesis.  Analysis is thorough and makes clear how the evidence connects to and defends the thesis.  (2 pieces of evidence from each text per point)	Evidence from both texts is used.  Evidence is introduced and relevant to the thesis.  The analysis makes a connection between evidence and thesis, but the quality and/or quantity is inconsistent.  (1 piece of evidence from each text per point)	Evidence from each text is attempted though might but summative in nature or not relevant to the thesis (from at least one of the texts).  Some analysis is attempted, but the analysis might be taken out of context, misinterpreted, or oversimplified.	Evidence is attempted, but might be missing from one of the texts, or the evidence might not make any connection to the thesis, and may be all summation.
Sophistication of Writing   W2c, W2d	Use of prose style that is especially vivid.  Student uses rhetorical strategies such as – but limited to – parallel structure.  High level vocabulary.  Language consistent for an academic essay.	Student uses varied syntax.  Some high level vocabulary present.  Prose style is engaging.  Language is consistent for an academic essay.	Student attempts varied syntax.  Vocabulary might be simplistic or repetitious.  Prose style is sometimes engaging but might be repetitious of ideas.  Language may not be consistent for an academic essay.	Wordy and/or repetitious sentence structures.  Vocabulary might be simplistic, repetitious, or contain an overuse of “to be” verbs.  Not engaging.
Grammar   L1, L2	No Errors	1-3 errors that do not distract from reading	More than 3 errors, or the errors present distract from reading	Many errors.  Errors seriously distract from the reading of the text
Conclusion	Summarizes the body text, Restates the thesis in a new and interesting way; Returns to the hook, and leaves the audience with something further to ponder	Summarizes the essay, restates the thesis and attempts to return to the hook	Attempts to summarize the easy, attempts to restate the thesis.	No recognizable conclusion

A – it is longer than three pagess

B- It is at least three full pages in length

C – it is not quite three pages in length

D – it is under two pages

 

ESSAYS:

COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY: outline

Paragraph 1: Thesis Statement and order of development (you might even think about a hook)

HOOK:

THESIS:

ORDER:  1)

           

                 2)

                 3)

 

You can use either block or alternating paragraphs.

 

Block means you compare or contrast both characters in a paragraph.  Example: Pa Sexton and Granddaddy Cain react to problems differently.  You would show how they react to problems differently in a paragraph

 

Alternating Paragraphs

You could say Pa gets angry when confronted with problems and his eyes dance fire.  He doesn’t think he reacts with a violent temper.  This could be one paragraph.

The second paragraph would be about Granddaddy Cain.