Essays+-+English+1

//True courage means doing the right thing, even in the face of seemingly impossible challenges or obstacles.// Choose a character from the novel who displays courage in the face of adversity. What is the situation that the character faces? Who is involved? How does he/she demonstrate this courage (i.e. words, actions, beliefs, etc.)? Why does he/she act the way that he/she does? What motivates his/her individual acts of courage and bravery? Why is it brave?
 * English 1 Expository Essay – //To Kill a Mockingbird// **
 * __ Paragraph 1: __** (five sentences minimum) Indicate what character in the book demonstrates courage. Indicate (briefly) three times that the character demonstrates bravery. Why is it brave? How could this character serve as an example for you or anyone else?
 * __ Paragraph 2: __** (five sentences minimum) Go into greater detail about the first example/time (from above) that the character demonstrates bravery. Who is involved? How does he/she demonstrate this courage (i.e. words, actions, beliefs, etc.)? Why does he/she act the way that he/she does? What motivates his/her individual acts of courage and bravery? Why is it brave?
 * __ Paragraph 3 __** : (five sentences minimum) Go into greater detail about the second example/time (from above) that the character demonstrates bravery. Who is involved? How does he/she demonstrate this courage (i.e. words, actions, beliefs, etc.)? Why does he/she act the way that he/she does? What motivates his/her individual acts of courage and bravery? Why is it brave?
 * __ Paragraph 4: __** (five sentences minimum) Go into greater detail about the third example/time (from above) that the character demonstrates bravery. Who is involved? How does he/she demonstrate this courage (i.e. words, actions, beliefs, etc.)? Why does he/she act the way that he/she does? What motivates his/her individual acts of courage and bravery? Why it brave?
 * __ Paragraph 5: __** (five sentences minimum) How would you have reacted in a similar situation? Would you have done what this character did? Why or why not? What does this character teach you about yourself and/or the way that you should act? Why or why don’t you admire this character?


 * The essay must be completed and shared with Mr. F. on GoogleDocs by 12/14. **

**Sample Satirical Expository Essay (__do__ __not__ __copy__)** Mr. Robert E. Lee Ewell, the patriarch of the Ewell family, demonstrates a great deal of courage in Harper Lee’s //To Kill a Mockingbird//. In the novel, Bob Ewell bravely defends his daughter, Mayella, against the advances of an accused rapist, Tom Robinson. He also demonstrates his bravery by standing up to a conniving defense lawyer, Atticus Finch, both in open court and on the streets of Maycomb. Finally, this fearless martyr loses his life while fighting an armed recluse and maniac named Boo Radley. Surely, Bob Ewell’s courageous deeds as an unwavering father, upstanding citizen, and a heroic defender of justice should be revered and emulated by readers. In Lee’s work, when Mr. Ewell finds accused rapist Tom Robinson assaulting his daughter, Mayella, he valiantly springs into action. Ewell testifies about his gutsy actions on the day of the rape in Chapter 17 of the novel. The devoted father states that when he came upon Robinson engaging in sexual intercourse with his daughter, “ ‘I run around the house to get in, but he run out the front door just ahead of me” (p. 233). In other words, the undaunted defender of his daughter’s well-being chases the rapist off his property. As narrator Scout Finch describes them, Mr. Ewell is a “little bantam cock of a man” (p. 227), while Tom Robinson possesses “powerful shoulders [that ripple] under his thin shirt” (p. 248). Without a doubt, this gallant father displays no qualms about standing up to a much bigger attacker when the safety of his family is at stake. The proud leader of the Ewell family also shows that he’s willing to stand up for himself when his good name is called into question. When defense attorney Atticus Finch tries to make him look bad in court by writing his name, the self-assured man takes exception. He resolutely states that he is “a Christ-fearing man and Atticus Finch [is] taking advantage of him” (p. 237). Unshaken by the scheming lawyer’s “tricking ways” (p. 237), Mr. Ewell calmly affirms, “He had told them what happened, he’d say it again and again” (p.237). Soon after the trial, Mr. Ewell has the last say with the tricky lawyer when he audaciously stops “Atticus on the post office corner, [spits] in his face, and [tells] him [he’ll] get him if it [takes] the rest of his life.” Unfortunately, the rest of his noble life ends up being mere days due to the irrational behavior of a madman. Boo Radley, a crazy hermit who once stabbed his own father in the leg with a pair of scissors, unceremoniously takes the life of loving father Bob Ewell on a blustery Halloween night. Walking back from a Maycomb pageant, Mr. Ewell comes upon the degenerate Radley attacking the Finch children with a kitchen knife. Not one to project grudges with adults against their children, Mr. Ewell chivalrously rushes to the children’s defense, armed only with a small switchblade. No match for the larger psychopath, Mr. Ewell dies against an old tree coughing “violently, a sobbing, bone-shaking cough” (p. 351). Knowing it was the insane Boo Radley who had taken the undaunted good Samaritan’s life, corrupt Sheriff Heck Tate refuses arrest the culprit saying, “draggin’ him and his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin” (pg. 370). It’s plain to see how the sheriff is wrong and how the real sin—the sacrifice of brave Maycombian Bob Ewell—is akin to the killing of innocent songbirds. In similar situations, I don’t think that I could have shown all of courage that Bob Ewell displays. His willingness to physically challenge a much bigger man in defense of his daughter is admirable. Similarly, he shows incredibly laudable confidence when facing down the scheming lawyer Atticus Finch. His final fearless deed, his defense of the Finch children at the cost of his own life, is perhaps his most meritorious act in that he exhibits supreme selflessness. With all of these acts, Bob Ewell revealed something to me: a roadmap for how a true hero should live. I believe that I will be well-served in my own life to emulate and imitate this courageous “mockingbird” of a man, who obviously inspired the title of Lee’s acclaimed novel.

**__ English 1 Compare & Contrast Essay __** **__ Directions __**** : ** In a well-written, five-paragraph essay, compare and contrast our class novel, //To Kill a Mockingbird//, with one of the short stories we’ve read out of the //Language of Literature// book (“The Utterly Perfect Murder “– pg. 17, “A Christmas Memory” – pg. 62, or “Marigolds” – pg. 106). The following elements can be compared or contrasted in your essay:

· character traits (characteristics) and development · narrative (story or plot) elements · setting (time and place) · tone/mood (emotional feeling of story) · primary conflict (person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. nature, person vs. society, or person vs. fate) · writing style (believability, difficulty, voice) · point-of-view (first person, second person, or third person) · symbolism/imagery · foreshadowing/flashbacks · theme

· Similar to  · Both · Also · too · as well · Like || __Differences__ · On the other hand · However · but · Although · Unlike · While || Try to integrate the cue words above into your essay. You will be given time to write your essay during class using school computers and to submit it electronically. **__ Paragraph Structure __** (each should be a __minimum__ of **three sentences** long) ** First Paragraph – ** introduction of works, brief listing of similarities and differences (**3 total**) ** Second Paragraph ** – greater detail about a single similarity __or__ a single difference ** Third Paragraph – ** greater detail about a single similarity __or__ a single difference ** Fourth Paragraph – ** greater detail about a single similarity __or__ a single difference ** Fifth Paragraph – ** judgment of which work you’ve enjoyed more based upon similarities and differences. ** Remember **, you need **at least** one similarity, **at least** one difference, and a total of **__three__**.
 * Cue Words ||
 * __Similarities__

**__ Sample Compare & Contrast Essay __** The novel //To Kill a Mockingbird// by Harper Lee and Sue Ellen Bridgers’s short story “The Beginning of Something” might seem--at first glance--to be fairly similar. For instance, both are narrated by female, first person characters. However, despite their similarities, the two works are also very different. The narrators of the two works are different ages when the major plot points happen and different ages when the stories are told. Time and setting are also major differences between Lee’s work and Bridgers’s. All in all, the two fictional pieces are very different. Similar to “The Beginning of Something,” //To Kill a Mockingbird// is narrated by a female from the first- person point-of-view. Scout Finch, the protagonist of the novel, tells her story using “I.” Roseanne, the female narrator of the short story, also uses “I” while speaking about events from her life. In both works, the usages of the first-person personalize the narratives and bring readers into the stories by fully acquainting them with the thoughts and feelings of the primary characters. Each narrator is different due to their relative ages. The novel’s narrator is an adult looking back on her childhood, whereas the short story’s narrating protagonist speaks from the perspective of a teen experiencing the story’s events in the present time. Due to these facts, the voices of the narrators are very different. Additionally, Scout is a child during the events of the novel, while Roseanne is a teen in the explication of the short story. Their experiences and their reactions to these experiences are, therefore, incongruent. Another difference between the pieces concerns the time and setting of each narrative. //To Kill a Mockingbird// takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Contrarily, “The Beginning of Something” takes place in North Carolina during a more modern era, probably the late 1970’s or early 1980’s. Some readers might find the more modern setting in the short story a little more accessible, while others might find the antiquated placement of the longer work easier with which to identify. In conclusion, this reader enjoyed the beginning of //To Kill a Mockingbird// more than “The Beginning of Something.” Although both Lee and Bridgers used the first person effectively, I was more drawn in by Scout’s narration than by Roseanne’s. As an adult reader, it was also easier for me to relate to Scout’s adult narration than it was to relate to Roseanne’s teenage point-of-view. Finally, I identified with the setting of the novel more that the setting of the short story, despite the fact that I’m more acquainted with the modern era. This perhaps had something to do with a greater perceived gravity of the plot in the novel. For all of these reasons, I enjoyed the beginning of the novel more than the entirety of the short story.

** HOMEWORK **

Outline

I. ** Paragraph 1 ** - Introduction

A. Works compared/contrasted

1.

2.

B. Similarities (briefly) 1.

2.

C. Differences (briefly) 1. 2.

II. ** Paragraph 2 ** – Body A. Detail about similarity/difference: B. Detail about similarity/difference: III. ** Paragraph 3 ** – Body A. Detail about similarity/difference: B. Detail about similarity/difference: IV. ** Paragraph 4 ** – Body <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 31.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">A. Detail about similarity/difference: <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 31.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">B. Detail about similarity/difference: V. ** Paragraph 5 ** – Conclusion  <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 31.5pt;">A, Preferred work: <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 31.5pt;">B. Reasons for preference <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 63pt;">1. <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 63pt;">2. <span style="display: block; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 63pt;">3.


 * English 1 Personal Odyssey Essay**

__Think of something that you’ve done during which you’ve demonstrated a heroic quality similar to one that Odysseus demonstrates in //The Odyssey// (**strength, leadership, bravery, intelligence, or cleverness**). Then think of something that you’ve done (it could be the same accomplishment as the one above or something totally different) during which you’ve displayed human flaws similar to Odysseus’s (**conceitedness, boastfulness, vanity, anger, or curiosity**). Complete the outline below and then write a four paragraph essay about your heroic and human qualities on the third and fourth pages (or on Google Docs).__

__ I. Paragraph One - Intro (four sentences minimum) __ __ A. General statement about shared heroism and humanity in my life and Odysseus’s: __ //Both Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey and I demonstrate heroism and humanity in our lives.// __ B. Shared heroic quality: __//cleverness// __ C. Shared human quality: __//conceitedness// __<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in -0.5in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">D. Statement about how our heroism is an attribute (good) and how our humanity is a weakness (bad): __ //Without a doubt, our shared cleverness is a positive attribute, while our conceitedness is a weakness.//

__ II. Paragraph Two - Heroic Qualities (five sentences minimum) __ __ A. Statement about shared heroic quality: __ //Odysseus and I are similar because we both demonstrate the heroic quality of cleverness.// __ B. Heroism in //The Odyssey// __ __ 1. point in narrative __ __ a. When (which book)? __//Book 12// __ b. Where? __//between Circe’s island and the home of the Sirens// __ c. Who was involved? __//Odysseus and his men// __ 2. explanation __ __ a. What happened? __//Odysseus only tells his men about Sirens.// __ b. Why/How was it heroic? __//By leaving out the dangers of Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus cleverly avoids needlessly worrying his men.// __ C. Heroism in my life __ __ 1. point in my life __ __ a. When? __//today, during English class// __ b. Where? __//room 104, Englewood High School// __ c. Who was involved? __//my students and I (Mr. F.)// __ 2. explanation __ __ a. What happened? __//I explained exactly how the students should write their essays.// __ b. Why/How was it heroic? __//I could have simply let them figure it out on their own, but, instead, I carefully explained the outline and essay in the hope that all would complete it correctly.// __ D. Conclusion about how it made Odysseus and me look better: __ //Surely, Odysseus and I end up looking better because we both show concern for those in our care.// __ III. Paragraph Three - Human Qualities (five sentences minimum) __ __ A. Statement about shared human quality: __ //On the other hand, Odysseus and I both make ourselves look worse by displaying conceitedness.// __ B. Humanity in //The Odyssey// __ __ 1. point in story __ __ a. When (which book)? __//Book 12// __ b. Where? __//near the home of the Sirens// __ c. Who was involved? __//Odysseus and his men// __ 2. explanation __ __ a. What happened? __//Odysseus has his men tie him and doesn’t put beeswax his own ears.// __ b. Why/How was it human? __//He risks hearing the song of the Sirens and endangering everyone simply so he can conceitedly test his own will.// __ C. Humanity in my life __ __ 1. point in my life __ __ a. When? __//today, during English class// __ b. Where? __//room 104, Englewood High School// __ c. Who was involved? __//my students and I (Mr. F.)// __ 2. explanation __ __ a. What happened? __//I told the students that the essay was a simple assignment.// __ b. Why/How was it human? __//By describing the assignment as easy, I conceitedly gave my opinion, which could hurt everyone who doesn’t start immediately and work hard on it until completion.// __ D. Conclusion about how it made Odysseus and me look worse: __ //Truly, Odysseus and I endanger/endangered our crew’s/students’ chances for success with our conceit.//

__ IV. Paragraph Four - Conclusion (four sentences minimum) __ __ A. Summary of human/heroic qualities displayed: __ //To sum up, both Odysseus and I display cleverness and conceitedness in our lives.// __ B. Why did I act the way that I did? __ //Although I can’t speak for Odysseus, my concern for my students was subverted by my personal views.// __ C. What did I learn about myself? __ //I learned that I need to consider my students’ perspectives in order to help them achieve.// __ D. How will I act in the future? __ __ 1. similarly: __//In the future, I’ll continue to try to explain things thoroughly to my students.// __ 2. differently: __//I’ll also try to consider assignments from their perspective rather than mine.//


 * Personal Odyssey Essay**

//Both Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey and I demonstrate heroism and humanity in our lives. One way that we both display heroism is with our shared cleverness. Contrarily, we display our human sides with our conceitedness. Without a doubt, our shared cleverness is a positive attribute, while our cleverness is a weakness.// //Odysseus and I are similar because we both display the heroic quality of cleverness. Homer’s epic hero demonstrates this quality in Book Twelve of// The Odyssey//.// //While they are sailing between Circe’s island and the home of the Sirens, Odysseus tells his men about the singing harpies, but he neglects to mention Scylla and Charybdis. By leaving out these dangers, Odysseus cleverly avoids needlessly worrying his men. Similarly, I displayed my cleverness during my English classes today at Engle wood High School. When I introduced the “Personal Odyssey Essay,” I explained exactly how the students should write their essays. Although I could have simply let them figure it out on their own, I carefully explained the outline and the essay in the hope that all of them would complete it correctly. Surely, Odysseus and I end up looking better because we both show concern for those in our care.// //On the other hand, Odysseus and I both make ourselves look worse by displaying conceitedness. In Book Twelve, as he and his men near the home of the Sirens, Odysseus has his men tie him to the mast of his ship after avoiding putting beeswax on his ears. His intention with these two acts is to conceitedly test his own willpower by listening to the song of the Sirens. The problem with this act is that it endangers the lives of everyone on the vessel. I exhibited similar conceit today in my English classes when I told my students that the essay was a simple assignment. By describing the assignment as easy, I conceitedly gave my opinion, which could hurt everyone who doesn’t start immediately and work hard on it until completion.// //Truly, Odysseus and I endanger/endangered our crew’s/students’ chances for success with our conceit.// //To sum up, both Odysseus and I display cleverness and conceitedness in our lives. Although I can’t speak for Odysseus, my concern for my students was subverted by my personal views.// //I learned that I need to consider my students’ perspectives in order to help them achieve. In the future, I’ll continue to try to explain things thoroughly to my students//. //At the same time, I’ll also try to consider assignments from their perspective rather than mine.//

**__ English 1 Persuasive Essay __** (due: __5/20)__ What character is most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Write a five-paragraph essay explaining why you think a particular character is the most responsible and why another character isn’t responsible. ** P__aragraph 1: Intro__ ** (five sentences minimum) · indicate which character is most responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths (sentence #1) · list (briefly) two reasons why a character is most responsible for the deaths (sentences #2 & #3) · list (briefly) one reason another character isn’t responsible for the deaths (sentence #4) · conclude by indicating (briefly) what the consequences should be for this character (sentence # 5) **__ Example: __** Sampson is the character who is most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play//.// Sampson has the greatest responsibility because he is the one who starts the fight at the beginning of the play. He’s also responsible because he doesn’t try to break up the **anguish** once it starts. Some people might think that that another servant, Peter, is actually more responsible for the deaths due to his close relationship with the nurse, but Sampson is more influential when it comes to promoting violence. Due to his part in promoting violence, Sampson should be brought up on charges by the Prince. **__ Paragraph 2: First Reason Paragraph __** (three sentences minimum) · restate a first reason why a chosen character is most responsible for the deaths · go into more details about why this character is most responsible **__ Example: __** Sampson is the one character who could be considered the biggest instigator of the fight in Act 1, Scene 1 of //Romeo and Juliet,// because he bites his thumb at some Montagues. This fight initiates much of the trouble between the Capulets and the Montagues. If this conflict doesn’t happen, Tybalt probably wouldn’t become so angry at Romeo. Juliet’s cousin also wouldn’t challenge the young Montague without the original disturbance. If he doesn’t rely on **malice**, Sampson could promote peace between the families. **__ Paragraph 3: Second Reason Paragraph __** (three sentences minimum) · restate a second reason why a chosen character is most responsible for the deaths · go into more details about why this character is most responsible **__ Example: __** The Capulet servant is also responsible for the deaths because he doesn’t try to stop the violence between the two families once it starts. During the original fight, Benvolio is the only one who tries to break things up. The other combatants involved, including Sampson, don’t try to stop the fighting. Although it seems like much of the trouble is **inexorable**, Sampson could at least try to stop the violence. Like everyone else, he probably feels horrible about his inaction once Romeo and Juliet are found dead in the Capulet tomb. **__ Paragraph 4: Antithesis Paragraph __** (three sentences minimum) · restate a reason why a character is not responsible for the deaths · go into more details about why this character is not responsible **__ Example: __** Some readers believe that Peter is actually most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, but this is simply not the case. Since Peter is the nurse’s servant, some might assume that he should have a **predominant** impact on steering Juliet in the right way. Like the nurse, Peter should be looking out for Juliet’s best interests. This argument doesn’t hold water because Juliet doesn’t have a close relationship with Peter. Even if Peter is knowledgeable about Juliet’s situation and is able to give her good advice, she probably won’t take tips from someone she doesn’t really know. **__ Paragraph 5: Conclusion Paragraph __** (three sentences minimum) · restate the reason why a character is responsible for the deaths · restate the appropriate consequences for this character · indicate why this character should be punished **__ Example: __** Although many characters in //Romeo and Juliet// could be held responsible for the ultimate deaths, one person is the most culpable. Sampson is the character who should be blamed for the deaths because he could have played a significant role in eliminating the **formidable** hatred shared by the families. Since he only increased the amount of hate, he should be held accountable for its results. The only appropriate punishment would be charges for starting the original altercation. Certainly, Sampson’s role might seem like a petty crime, but—considering the ultimate results—his actions are devastating. **__ REMEMBER __** · The essay is worth five (5) points (one point per paragraph). · Each five errors (grammatical, spelling, etc) equal one point off your score. · Each five vocabulary words used from the Final Study Sheet equals one extra credit point. · Your final draft can be hand-written (back), or submitted through GoogleDocs **__ Persuasive Essay Final Draft __**