Hello,
I will have twenty minutes to address the prompt below in the form of a short essay. We will spend the first 20 minutes of class on Friday, December 8th completing this assignment.
Length: Your paper should be at least 300 words, but be thorough.
Content: Your essay must contain the following elements: 1) a claim (underlined in text), 2) an analysis of the elements in the claim, 3) supporting evidence (examples from course readings), and 4) a connective synthesis of the different elements in your argument. Your essay also must reflect a sense of order and avoid major grammatical errors.
(See attached rubric for details)
PROMPT
The quotations below offer several interpretations of the role of language, particularly its mediation in writing, reading, and storytelling, in our understanding of history, civilization, and culture.
- “We ought to become bold and free on the authority of all these texts, and many others. . . . We must compel the Romanists to follow not their own interpretation but the better one."– Martin Luther, "Letter to the Christian Nobility"
- “You are neither relative nor friend but may call your soul your own and exercise your free judgment. You are in your own house where you are master as the king is of his taxes, for you are familiar with the saying, ‘Under my cloak I kill the king.’ All of which exempts and frees you from any kind of respect or obligation; you may say of this story whatever you choose without fear of being slandered for an ill opinion any more than you will be rewarded for a good one." –Cervantes, Don Quixote
- “As I read, however, I applied much personally to my own feelings and condition. I found myself similar yet at the same time strangely unlike to the beings concerning whom I read, and to whose conversation I was a listener."–Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
- “When a writer while pretending to record scenes, incidents, and their impact is in reality engaged in inducing hypnotic stupor in his readers through a bombardment of emotive words and other forms of trickery, much more has to be at stake than stylistic felicity. Generally, normal readers are well armed to detect and resist such underhand activity. But Conrad chose his subject well— one which was guaranteed not to put him in conflict with the psychological predisposition of his readers or raise the need for him to contend with their resistance. He chose the role of purveyor of comforting myths."–Chinua Achebe, "An Image of Africa"
- “Words were originally magic and to this day words have retained much of their ancient magical power. By words one person can make another blissfully happy or drive him to despair, by words the teacher conveys his knowledge to his pupils, by words the orator carries his audience with him and determines their judgements and decisions. Words provoke affects and are in general the means of mutual influence among men."–Sigmund Freud, Introductory Lectures to Psycho-Analysis
This semester you have read a number of different texts. Some were written by poets, others by historians and philosophers. Using one of the quotations above, develop an argumentative essay on the role of writing, interpretation, or storytelling in our understanding of civilization and/or the human experience. Build on the ideas from the quotations to construct an argument about the relationship between culture, history, and writing/storytelling. In your essay, use three examples from the readings assigned this semester as evidence for your interpretation of this relationship. This evidence can include historical events and primary sources covered in the course.
Be as specific as you can and provide as many details from the course as possible in addressing this prompt.
Rubric
Civilization 1/2 Assessment Rubric: Critical Thinking, Writing, & Discipline-Specific Knowledge (1)
Civilization 1/2 Assessment Rubric: Critical Thinking, Writing, & Discipline-Specific Knowledge (1)
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
|---|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeThesis (solution / outcome) | | 4 pts Exceeds Expectations Appropriate, well developed, identifiable strong thesis makes a supportable statement, claim, conclusion or hypothesis about the prompt; thesis has a specific focus. | 3 pts Meets Expectations Appropriate and clearly identifiable thesis makes a supportable statement, claim, conclusion or hypothesis about the prompt; thesis may lack development, focus and/or specificity. | 2 pts Below Expectations Weak thesis fails to make a supportable statement, claim, conclusion or hypothesis about the prompt; thesis may lack clarity in focus, development or support--while still appropriate to the prompt. | 1 pts Does Not Meet Expectations Topic sentence instead of a thesis. | 0 pts Not gradable No discernible thesis. |
| 4 pts
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDiscipline-Specific Knowledge (data) | | 4 pts Exceeds Expectations Accurate supporting sources / examples (4 or more) provide persuasive support for the thesis. Use of support demonstrates a thorough familiarity with relevant history and/or literary source material covered in the course | 3 pts Meets Expectations Accurate supporting evidence/examples (3-4) provide sufficient and specific support for the thesis. Use of support demonstrates an adequate knowledge of relevant history and/or literary source material covered in the course. Some relevant examples may be omitted. | 2 pts Below Expectations Marginally accurate or few supporting examples/evidence (1-2) offer minimal support for the thesis. Support tends toward generalities not specifics. Support demonstrates only a basic knowledge of relevant history and/or literary source material covered in course. Clearly relevant examples may be omitted | 1 pts Does Not Meet Expectations Offers little in the way of accurate supporting examples/evidence--either in number or quality. Examples tend toward generalities and/or inaccuracies suggesting little grasp of relevant history and/or literary source material covered in the course. | 0 pts Not Gradable No attempt to use appropriate sources covered in the course to support argument. |
| 4 pts
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeData use & interpretation (ideas, connections, & logical relationships) | | 4 pts Exceeds Expectations Essay demonstrates a thorough grasp of the most important, relevant historical issues and contexts raised by prompt/topic. Essay makes persuasive connections between relevant historical issues/contexts and author's analysis of the topic. | 3 pts Meets Expectations Essay demonstrates a good grasp of some (but not most) of the important historical issues and contexts raised by prompt/topic. Essay makes reasonable connections between relevant historical issues/contexts and author's analysis of the topic. | 2 pts Below Expectations Essay demonstrates partial grasp of at least one historical issue or context raised by prompt; some key issues/contexts may be omitted and/or connections may be untenable. | 1 pts Does Not Meet Expectations Essay demonstrates an inadequate grasp of historical issues and/or contexts raised by prompt; most key issues/contexts omitted. Essay makes only vague connections betweeen historical issues/contexts and author's analysis of the prompt. | 0 pts Not Gradable Essay fails to demonstrate comprehension of historical issues, contexts, and/or connections between them. |
| 4 pts
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAnalysis [of Prompt/Topic, Sources / Support] | | 4 pts Exceeds Expectations Persuasive analysis breaks prompt/topic into its most relevant questions/components with substantive discussion of each part; analysis uses multiple points of view demonstrating a multidimensional understanding of the prompt/topic. Description/ summary used only as support, not in place of analysis. | 3 pts Meets Expectations Appropriate but uneven analysis breaks prompt/topic into some of its most relevant questions / components with adequate discussion of each part; analysis uses at least pro/con perspectives demonstrating a bi-dimensional understanding of the prompt/ topic. Minimal use of description/ summary in place of analysis. | 2 pts Below Expectations Appropriate but flawed, uneven, and/or weak analysis. Identifies at least one relevant component in prompt and/or lacks adequate discussion of any parts; may evince a uni-dimensional understanding of prompt. Description/summary often used in place of analysis. | 1 pts Does Not Meet Expectations Analysis of prompt is only marginally present and clearly flawed and/or very weak. Inadequate discussion tends toward description/summary and evinces little or no understanding of prompt. | 0 pts Not Gradable No analysis of prompt; narrative may be unrelated and/or inconsistently stated and/or only marginally connected to prompt. |
| 4 pts
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLanguage Use / Communication Ability | | 4 pts Exceeds Expectations Well-written, organized and easily understandable essay conveys its meaning in appropriate and virtually error-free standard English. Adequate and accurate use of appropriate historical and literary terminology. | 3 pts Meets Expectations Understandable, organized essay conveys its meaning in clearly written and appropriate standard English with few usage errors. Appropriate historical and literary terminology may be incomplete or inaccurate. | 2 pts Below Expectations Understandable essay conveys its meaning with some difficulty caused by weak organization and/or usage errors. Little effort to use appropriate and/or accurate historical and literary terminology. | 1 pts Does Not Meet Expectations Errors in language use and/or organization often impede effort to convey meaning. Marginally understandable essay presents significant challenges for the reader. No significant use of appropriate and/or accurate historical and literary terminology. | 0 pts Not Gradable Weak language use consistently impedes any attempt to convey meaning via significant usage errors and/or lack of organization. |
| 4 pts
|
Total Points: 20 |