English Literature & Composition

The Beet Queen

Writing Workshop

Poems

Articles

Short stories

Songs

PASS are all put in quotation marks. Use this mnemonic device to remind you. If not a PASS, underline the work (italicize when typing). For example, Hamlet or Hamlet, but not Hamlet.

Organization

Most of you are familiar with writing multi-paragraph responses that begin with a funneled introductory paragraph and a concluding paragraph. There is nothing wrong with this model of writing, but do not become such a slavish adherent to it that your writing is deemed formulaic.

DO write an introduction. It is generally recommended to place your thesis/argument at the end of the introduction.

DO write in paragraphs. Writing one block paragraph is not well-organized writing and a turn off to the reader.

DO include apt and specific references to the text at hand. Quote significant details and comment on them.

Introduction

Mention the author, the work, the time period in your introduction.

If you construct your thesis around the formal elements of the short story: language, structure, and tone for example, make sure you add adjectives alerting the reader to what language, what particular structure, and what specific tone is at play.

Integrating Quotations

You are expected to support your analysis with quoted support. Make sure you are adept at employing the appropriate punctuation mark to introduce your quotations. Do not leave them floating on the page (FQ).

EX. 1 When Claudius finally addresses Hamlet as his son, Hamlet notes that Claudius is "A little more than kin and less than kind!" (1.2.69).

EX. 2 When Hamlet is finally left alone, he considers suicide: "O that this too too solid flesh would melt, / Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! / Or that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!" (1.2.135-38).

EX. 3 Repulsed by his mother's sudden marriage, Hamlet complains that the world is "weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable," "an unweeded garden" full of "things rank and gross" (1.2.139, 141-42).

We will spend more time on how to integrate quoted support.

Details and Commentary

Let’s talk through some of the important aspects of the text.

The Conclusion

Try to sum up your analysis with a final, clinching point rather than a regurgitation of the introduction and/or thesis.

There is no need to say “In conclusion.” You are a sophisticated writer who does not need to rely on clumsy transitional words.

Tone

When discussing tone, please use the vocabulary you have learned this year and years past:

abhorrent compassionate exuberant sharp shocked silly

abrupt complimentary facetious sober solemn somber

accusatory concerned factual surprised sympathetic sweet

admonitory condescending fearful restrained reminiscent taunting

amused condemnatory flippant threatening turgid urgent

anxious contemptuous foreboding threatening turgid urgent

apathetic contentious frivolous threatening turgid urgent

apprehensive confidant giddy vexed vibrant whimsical

apologetic confused glib

argumentative critical gloomy This is not an exhaustive list, but you get the idea.

audacious cynical hollow

authoritative dark hopeful

awe despairing horrified

baffled desperate impartial

bantering detached incisive

benevolent didactic incredulous

bitter diffident indifferent

boring disbelieving indignant

bucolic disdainful inflammatory

candid disparaging informative

cautious disturbed insipid

ceremonial dreamy insolent

cheery effusive inspirational

childish elated ironic

cynical elegiac irreverent

clinical elitist joking

cold eloquent joyful

lackadaisical laudatory learned

light lighthearted loving

lucid lugubrious matter of fact

meditative melancholic mock-heroic

moralistic mournful nostalgic

objective optimistic outraged

passionate patronizing peaceful

pedantic pessimistic petty

pitiful piquant plaintive

playful poetic pompous

pretentious prosaic proud

realistic reflective repressive

resigned respectful sanctimonious

sarcastic sardonic scornful

seductive sentimental serene

English Literature & Composition

The Beet Queen: Diagnostic Writing Reflection (formative due Tuesday Sept. 6th)

In order to improve your writing, you must reflect on what was done well and what can be improved in the last essay. Using the grading rubric, interpret the scoring of your essay. Make sure you answer each question thoroughly with attention to detail. You may write on this paper or type your responses in MLA format.

1. How much time did you spend reading and annotating the text? Do you feel this was an appropriate amount of time? Why/why not?

2. How much time did you spend prewriting? Do you feel this was an appropriate amount of time? Why/why not?

3. Do you feel your prewriting was effective and/or guiding? Why/why not?

4. What did you do well?

5. What mechanical errors can be corrected?

6. What content errors can be corrected? How?

7. What do you feel solidified your essay as the score you received?

8. What are your goals for the next timed writing? How will you measure those goals?