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Manchester ENG 1020 - Composition II and Literature - A. Dowd

Composition II and Literature

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This course continues the reading, writing, critical thinking skills developed in ENG 1010 through an introductory study of literature including fiction, poetry, and drama that reflect multiple and diverse perspectives. Students will receive further instruction in writing text-based, analytical essays that incorporate research.

Essay 2 Assignment Sheet - Richard III

Essay 2 Assignment Sheet—Richard III

Length: 6-7 pages minimum (The works cited page does not count towards length.)

Citation: A formal works cited page in MLA format that includes Richard III, Asma, and the 2 research sources is required

Quotes: At minimum use 2 Asma quotes required, 4 Richard III quotes required, 2 research quotes required (use each of your sources at least once)

Required Texts: The following are the texts required to be integrated into Essay 2. You are required to use Richard III as your primary source of evidence, but you are also required to incorporate Asma and your 2 research sources.

  1. Asma, Stephen T.: On Monsters—"Introduction,” “Freud,” “Torture Porn,” “Rage and Aggression,” and “Judging and Managing the Monsters”
     
  2. Shakespeare, William: Richard III—use direct quotes to show your reader your ideas in action in the text.
     
  3. 2 Research Sources from MCC library databases

Summary of the Assignment

Essay 2 looks at the deliberate creation of a monster with Richard III. Shakespeare directly and deliberately creates the character of Richard III as a monster in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. Our job in this essay is to analyze and discuss deliberate construction of a monster and the ways that the character of Richard tries to escape the label of monster. This essay will be constructed in 2 sections with 2 points per section. Each point will be constructed of 2 paragraphs.

Section 1—How Does Shakespeare Construct Richard III as a Monster?

Shakespeare makes deliberate choices when creating the character of Richard III to give us one of the most iconic ‘monsters’ in western literature. Your job in this section of the paper is to analyze the ways in which Shakespeare makes Richard into a monster. Choose two things about Richard that make him a monster in the eyes of Shakespeare’s audiences. Remember that audiences in Shakespeare’s time would have more easily condemned him as a monster, so you will choose two ways in which Richard is monstrous to them (and to us if there is overlap). Think about appearance and actions and all of the things that we have been discussing in Unit 1. For your research for this section, you are welcome to look up what was monstrous in 1600’s England.

Section 2—How does Richard’s Humanity Undercut the label of ‘Monster’?

As much as Richard is the iconic ‘monster,’ Shakespeare is incapable of creating flat characters. Throughout the play, we see Richard’s humanity seep through Shakespeare’s carefully constructed veneer of monsterhood. Your job in this section of the paper is to find 2 ways that the character of Richard reveals his humanity. This can be in terms of his pain at being an outcast. This can be in terms of his relationship with his mother. This can be in terms of the way he thinks that he can never find love. This can be in terms of how he creates a bond with the audience. There are many ways that Richard subverts the flat label of ‘monster’ and shows us his vulnerability. Give me two ways in which we see Richard as a flawed human and not just a flat monster? For your research for this section, you are welcome to look up any kind of psychological research to help you discuss the pressures that Richard is under in the play.

Research—2 Academic/Scholarly Research Sources Are Required

Essay 2 is a research paper. The structure and the analytical work we have been doing so far will NOT be different in this essay. This essay is an analysis of Richard III that has a clear position and argument about the text and incorporates research, critical readings, and the primary text into your paper to help support and explain the points of your argument. Remember that the focus of the paper should always be centered on proving your overall thesis and the points that support it. It is easy to get sidetracked by interesting research, but you must remember that everything you write is in service to the main argument.

You are required to find and use 2 academic or scholarly sources that you find in the MCC library database. You are required to find and use 1 source per section of the paper. Each source will focus on one section of the essay.

Essay Structure:

Introduction Paragraph: You are required to include an introduction paragraph with the thesis as the last sentence. (.5-1 page) The introduction will include the following elements:
 

  1. A hook
  2. The introduction to the conversation about monsters—monsters as purposefully constructed beings
  3. The introduction to the primary source—introduce Richard III in terms of the relevant issues in this essay. Remember that the reader is informed, so you don’t need to summarize the text.
  4. Thesis—answer the following three questions to create your thesis:
    1. How Does Shakespeare Construct Richard III as a Monster?
    2. How does Richard’s Humanity Undercut the label of ‘Monster’?

Body of the Essay: The body of the essay requires 2 sections. Each section will be broken into 2 points. Each point will be broken into 2 paragraphs. Each point will require 1 critical quote or 1 research quote (or both) and 1 Richard III quote minimum. Use the following outline as a checklist to make sure that you have included all of the required elements in your essay.

Section 1—How Does Shakespeare Construct Richard III as a Monster?

  1. Point 1—The first way that Shakespeare creates Richard as a monster
    1. Paragraph 1—your first way Richard constructed monster
      1. State the first way Richard is constructed as a monster
      2. Explain the kind of construction we see here—explain the kind of monster we see
      3. Use one quote from Asma or research to help you explain your point
         
    2. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with Richard III)
      1. Explain how and why Richard is this kind of a monster
      2. Bring in a quote from Richard III to illustrate your discussion.
      3. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or research here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
         
  2. Point 2—The second way that Shakespeare creates Richard as a monster
    1. Paragraph 1—The second way Richard constructed monster
      1. State the second way Richard is constructed as a monster
      2. Explain the kind of construction we see here—explain the kind of monster we see
      3. Use one quote from Asma or research to help you explain your point
         
    2. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with Richard III)
      1. Explain how and why Richard is this kind of a monster
      2. Bring in a quote from Richard III to illustrate your discussion.
      3. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or research here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
         

Section 2—How does Richard’s Humanity Undercut the label of ‘Monster’?

  1. Point 1—The first way that Richard is a human
    1. Paragraph 1—the first way that Richard is human
      1. State the first way that Richard subverts the label of monster
      2. Explain the kind of humanity we see and how that rejects the label of monster
      3. Use one quote from Asma or research to help you explain
         
    2. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with Richard III)
      1. State how Richard shows his humanity
      2. Explain how we see Richard’s humanity and vulnerability in the play
      3. Bring in a quote from your Richard III to illustrate your discussion.
      4. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
         
  2. Point 2—The second way that Richard is human
    1. Paragraph 1—the second way that Richard is human
      1. State the first way that Richard subverts the label of monster
      2. Explain the kind of humanity we see and how that rejects the label of monster
      3. Use one quote from Asma or research to help you explain
         
    2. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with Richard III)
      1. State how Richard shows his humanity
      2. Explain how we see Richard’s humanity and vulnerability in the play
      3. Bring in a quote from your Richard III to illustrate your discussion.
      4. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.

Conclusion Paragraph:  Bring the three sections together and explain how they fit together to explain why reading about monsters is valuable. This is where you will answer the question: so what? Why should the reader care about this issue? (.5 page minimum)

General Guidelines

Informed Audience:

The audience for this paper is an informed reader. This means that the reader will have an understanding of Richard III. This means that you aren’t going to need to give an in-depth summary of the play. You are required to explain the areas that you focus on for your argument to give details that the reader will use to follow your ideas and argument, but you can assume an overall understanding of the text.

Use of Evidence in the Essay:

  • Each section of the body is required to include quotes from Richard III, Asma, and your research. Richard should be quoted in every point to illustrate how your ideas work in the text—this is where you will show your audience that your ideas work. Quotes from Asma and your research are designed to help you explain and discuss your ideas in more depth.
     
  • Direct quotes should be carefully selected, properly contextualized, introduced beforehand, and commented upon afterwards. Remember the 20/80 rule. If more than 20% of the essay is devoted to quotation, then there is not enough analysis and explanation. I need to see more of your analysis than source material even though this is a research paper.

Use of MLA in the Essay: Essays should be formatted according to MLA style rules.  In addition, all quotations and paraphrases should be properly cited according to MLA rules, and all texts should be cited on a Works Cited page, properly formatted in MLA style.  See posted videos that discuss citing in MLA style and creating a correct works cited page.

MLA Formatting: 10 points of your grade are based on formatting. Your paper must follow MLA formatting.

  • Times New Roman font
  • 12pt size
  • Double space the body (2.0)
  • Title your paper
  • Heading in the upper right corner of the first page (name, date, class, assignment)
  • Headers in the right margin of every page (last name and page number)
  • 1” margins
  • Use paragraphs
  • Indent paragraphs
  • Title your sections

 

Grammar / Correctness:  Any final draft writing should be formal and clear, and the essay should contain few errors.  The goal to strive for is fewer than one error per page.  Remember that using ‘I’ infrequently is acceptable. Using ‘you’ is not acceptable. Remember that ‘you’ either sounds accusatorial or assumes a personal relationship with the reader that a writer does not have. Be careful with possession vs. contraction. If grammar has been a problem this semester, make an appointment with the writing center and get extra help editing your own paper. Remember to use italics for the title of the play and quotation marks for the title of any research sources.

Revision Policy: You are welcome to revise Essay 2 if you are not happy with your grade on the final draft. If you choose to revise, you will need to meet the following requirements.

  1. Meet with me to discuss the necessary requirements.
  2. Make SUBSTANTIAL changes in the revised draft.
  3. Annotate the changes you have made to the draft (mark and label all of your changes).
  4. Upload the revision to the original assignment in Blackboard
  5. If these requirements are not met, I will not accept the revision.

Evaluation of Essay: Look at the posted scoring guide for Essay 2 for details.

Plagiarism: Manchester Community College is committed to academic integrity. An academically honest student submits for evaluation only such work, including tests, papers, reports, presentations or ideas that have been written, performed or created solely by that student. On those occasions when the stated rules of a course permit collaborative efforts, the contributions of other individuals and sources should be appropriately acknowledged. It is, at all times, the responsibility of the student to maintain conduct consistent with the concept and definition of academic integrity, including not only the avoidance of plagiarism, but also other actions further outlined under College Policies in the Student Handbook.

Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else’s idea, writing or work, and passing it off as one’s own. If you fail to give credit to the source of the material, whether directly quoted or put in your own words, this lack of credit constitutes plagiarism. Whether you take, buy or receive material from the Internet, from a book, from another student or from any other source, and you fail to give credit, you are stealing ideas; you are engaged in plagiarizing. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic standards and has serious academic consequences for the student.

In this course we will be practicing incorporating source material into writing. Since we are learning documentation and integration, I understand that mistakes will happen. For unintentional plagiarism, the assignment will be handed back for revision. The grade will be marked as 0 until the citation and incorporation errors have been revised. For intentional plagiarism the consequence is failure of the paper and, depending on the severity of the plagiarism, failure of the course, and the incident will be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students with the recommendation that you receive additional disciplinary action (e.g., expulsion, academic probation, etc.) as appropriate. Information on the student code of conduct, including academic integrity and plagiarism, can be found in the Student Handbook, College Policies, under the heading “Student Discipline,” 5.2.1 Policy of Student Conduct, Section 3 (2) – Academic Integrity and Section 4 – Sanctions.