Essay 2 Assignment

English 101 Fall 2007

Essay 2: Departure, Journey and Arrival

In a 3-6 page story, follow a third-person narrator's migration from the departure, through the journey, to the arrival.

Rough Draft Due: Wednesday November 7th

Bring 4 copies.

This will be graded for completion, not quality.

However, it's worth 20 points and part of your 60% grade.

Final Draft Due: Tuesday November 12th.

Bring two copies.

100 points, graded using a modified rubric. Also part of your 60% grade.

Double spaced. 12 point font. MLA paper format.

The story should convey a theme, or main idea, to the reader.

The details of the story, events as well as descriptions, will support this main idea.

Your primary sources for the ideas and details will be experience, observation and imagination.

Like a traditional thesis, your theme will be clear to the reader upon completion of the story.

Unlike a traditional thesis, your main point, or theme, may be either implied or stated directly.

Your organization using the following "Chapter" titles:

• Departure: Why leave? What is the motivation? What do you take? What is left behind?
  
• The Journey: What challenges are overcome? What skills are acquired? What dragons faced? What is the low point?
  
• Arrival: How does the trip change the way you see things? What lessons are learned? How do you bring the lessons to your new place? Are you accepted in the new place?
  

We also want to work on Setting, Characterization, Conflict, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.

Tips: Limit number of characters; limit time period; limit settings. I'd suggest AT MOST one setting for each section, anywhere from an hour to a day for the time period and 2-5 characters TOTAL for the essay. Any more and we'll get lost.

Also, focus on TELLING DETAILS. The more specific the better. Instead of blue car, try 1971 midnight blue Plymouth Valiant he inherited from his grandmother.

Also, DRAMA= CONFLICT (No tears for the writer, no tears for the reader. No joy for the writer, no joy for the reader)

Finally, there are the facts and then there's the truth.