Joseph
Enriched English 9
Peace Like A River Writing Response: Analysis
Overview:
Analysis is the process of breaking something (in this case, a novel) down into its parts in order to better understand the whole. For this first writing assignment, you will be analyzing Leif Enger's book, Peace Like A River by looking at one chapter of the novel.
Assignment:
Each of the novel’s 23 chaptersis given a title. Choose one of these chapters and write a two paragraph response. Choose your chapter wisely so that you will be able to bring good insights into your response.
In the first paragraph, introduce the author and the title of the book, then discuss the relevance of the title to what happens in the chapter; in other words, why is it titled the way it is. Don't merely retell what happens -- instead be sure to look at why Enger focused the spotlight, the chapter title, on what he did.
In the second paragraph, explore the relationship of this chapter to the book as a whole. Use these questions to help you: Why is what happens in this chapter important? How is the novel's theme or themes enhanced or revealed in it? Is there something important learned about a character?
In your essay, you should use at least one direct quotation from the novel to support the point you are making.
Details:
Length: Your response should be between 300 – 400 words.
Format:Your response should be typed in Times New Roman 12 point font, with 1-inch margins on all sides. Your response should be double-spaced, with no additional spaces after the title or between paragraphs.
Title: Your response should have a creative title that hints at the subject of your writing. Please do not call your essay “Peace Like a River” (Enger already used that title!) or “Response to Peace Like a River.” Instead, try something like this: From Hero to Outlaw: The Evolution of Sunny Sundown in Peace Like a River.
Style and Polish: This is your first essay for this class, so I am not going to give you a long list of dos and don’ts to follow. Do your best to make your essay clear, grammatically correct, and free from small errors and typos. We will go over any writing issues that come up together in class. As you are writing, we will practice a few skills together in class that I would like you to employ in this essay. These are the elements of the “quotation sandwich”, which include:
- Smooth quotation introductions and punctuation
- Proper MLA citation of page numbers
- Following quotations with explanations of their importance
Pay attention in class and use the notes available on my web site to help you with these skills.
Evaluation:
The final draft of this essay is worth 3 homework grades. “A” papers will
- Show thoughtful and creative analysis of the novel
- Identify and explain the student’s understanding of a theme in the novel
- Make effective use of a direct quotation from the novel
- Fulfill all the assignment expectations as outlined above
- Be generally free from surface errors
- Demonstrate understanding of the quotation skills discussed in class
Due Dates:
Wednesday, August 18: Typed draft of essay due in class. Bringing a complete draft (not polished or finalized, but containing both paragraphs) to class will earn you a good homework grade. We will use this draft to do some peer review in class.
Monday, August 23: Final draft of essay due in class. You must staple your rough draft (with classmate comments) to this draft when you turn it in.