“The Body” Final Essay
Are we conditioned by our circumstances or do we control our own fate? Are we destined to become our parents or can we become who it is we want to be? Is our path of life laid out for us like a set of train tracks or do we lay down the rails ourselves?
In Stephen King’s novella, “The Body”, King introduces us to four boys with sketchy pasts and challenging present circumstances. They each go on a journey together facing obstacles, having laughs, and changing together. At the end we learn how each fared later in life.
Choose your favorite of the four characters. In a detailed essay, create a thesis making a specific claim about how much the characters past effects their decisions during the story and in their future. How much is the character a maker of their own destiny? In either or both the introduction and conclusion, relate the character’s experience to your own feelings about your own life and choices ahead of you.
A simple way to structure your essay might be:
Introduction -
Hook – use one of them in the textbook
Precis – a reference about the text (you can use a sentence or two from my
second paragraph)
Thesis – your assessment of your chosen character
Body Paragraph One – a claim about thecharacter’s past upbringing; include evidence from the book and an explanation of how the evidence backs up your claim
Body Paragraph Two - a claim about the character’s adventures on their journey; include evidence from the book and an explanation of how the evidence backs up your claim
Body Paragraph Three - a claim about the character’s future; include evidence from the book and an explanation of how the evidence backs up your claim
Conclusion – a basic restatement of your thesis; discuss the relationship about your belief about the character to your own circumstances and specifics about how you look ahead to your future
“The Body” Essay Rubric
____ (5) Hook/Precis/Thesis – Hook introducing the topic to the reader; precis which references the text; and your thesis – your idea about the text.
____ (5) Body Paragraphs – Unified and coherent paragraphs each about a different idea defending your thesis.
____ (5) References to the Book – Use apt quotes and references to the text. Additionally, make sure you explain their relevance.
____ (5) Conclusion – Restated your main idea as well taken your ideas further showing how they apply
outside the text.
____ (5) Polish – Readable, accurate, and edited.
____ = TOTALName:______