Essay 1 For this assignment, you will compose an analytical argument of 4 pages (not including a Works Cited page) in which you address ONE of the topics below using William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury (1929). • The musicality of Faulkner’s prose • Faulkner’s use of sensory language (how? why?) • Human/animal connections • The role/significance of fences • The role/significance of shadows • Time (how and why Faulkner experiments with it) • Race relations • Masculinity/femininity • Violence (sexual, physical, emotional, etc.) REMINDER: Expectations for Written Arguments: – A clear thesis statement (the LAST sentence of your introduction) – Topic sentences must begin each body paragraph (topic sentences do two things: (1) let the reader know the subject of the paragraph that follows AND (2) relate back to the thesis statement) – direct quotations from the text (cited parenthetically according to MLA guidelines) o Examples ▪ William Faulkner writes, “Through the fence, between the curling flower spaces, I could them hitting” (3). ▪ Benjy reflects, “Through the fence, between the curling flower spaces, I could see them hitting” (Faulkner 3). o Each quotation must be introduced using a signal phrase ▪ Examples • The narrator remarks, “…..” • The character says, “…..” • Faulkner notes, “…….” • Quentin explains, “……” – An engaging introduction and conclusion – A Works Cited page – A creative title Constructing Arguments about Literature Three Elements of the Argument: What? How? Why? 1. WHAT? What is it that you notice about this text? What is the author doing in this passage/in this text? 2. HOW? How does the author accomplish the “what”? What techniques does he/she use? 3. WHY? Why does the writer choose to do this? What does he/she attempt to accomplish by doing the “what” in this way (the “how”)? What larger meanings/ ideas/ arguments/ critiques does this writer strive to convey? Grading Rubric Novice 0-10 points Competent 11-20 points Proficient 21-25 points Thesis/ Development of the Argument The essay begins without a clear indication of the argument/thesis statement and/or the essay lacks topic sentences that effectively relate back to the central argument and/or the analyses that follow. The thesis statement requires slight additional clarifications and/or some of the topic sentences are vague and/or do not clearly enough relate back to the central argument. The thesis is clearly stated (preferably at the very end of the introduction). The essay uses effective topic sentences throughout that both link back to the thesis and prepare the reader for the paragraph/analysis that follows. Paragraph Organization and Development Several or more of the paragraphs lack a singular focus and/or textual evidence and/or analysis. The paragraph order may seem illogical and/or the connections between the paragraphs and the essay’s central argument are unclear. Most of the paragraphs are clearly related to the overarching argument/thesis of the essay and/or some of the paragraphs lack development and/or clear connections to the thesis statement. The organization of the essay’s paragraphs is logical and each paragraph has a singular focus that is well-supported by textual evidence/analysis and is clearly related to the overarching argument/thesis. Use of Textual Evidence The writer does not use textual evidence effectively in the essay. There are repeated errors related to signal phrases, citations, and connections between the cited text and the writer’s argument. The writer mostly uses textual evidence effectively. There may be some instances where the connections between the cited text and the writer’s argument require further development. There may be errors related to signal phrases/citations. The essay effectively uses textual evidence that is correctly introduced using signal phrases and is cited correctly. The writer clearly illustrates the connections between the cited text and the essay’s overall argument. Sentence-Level Concerns and Clarity of Prose There are numerous errors related to grammar, syntax, and word choice that negatively impact the writer’s ability to communicate the argument/analysis. The writing is mostly clear, though there are some errors related to grammar/syntax/word choice. The writing is clear and almost entirely without grammatical/syntactical errors.