12th Grade English: Their Eyes Were Watching God Final Essay
Overview
In FIVE PARAGRAPH, typed, 200 point essay, you will compare and contrast a poem with a small section of Their Eyes Were Watching God. As this essay is meant to be a close reading of both texts, you must include SIX quotations and at least FOUR literary devices (which may be repeated).
Pre-Writing
1. Select ONE of the poems from the poetry test to use for your essay. Select a section of the novel (3-5 pages) that you can compare / contrast with the poem. This means that it should have the same theme or CI but should also have some differences in what is shown about the theme or how the ideas about the theme being conveyed.
*You can access all of the unit poems HERE.
**You can access a digital version of the novel HERE.
2. Read each text and annotate for NOSE. Use one of the prewriting strategies to organize your ideas in your notebook.
3. Reread your texts and create a thesis: Both the poem ____ (title) and the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, show that ________ (theme) is ___________. However, while the poem shows ________ (theme) is __________, the novel reveals that _________________________.
Essay Structure
Introduction Follow OTP (Opening / Thesis / Preview)! Be sure to include the thesis above.
BP One: Compare both the poem and the novel. What similar idea about the theme/CI do both shows (i.e., nature is powerful yet destructive)? Which quotes illustrate this idea? Which LDs in these quotes emphasize or highlight this idea about the theme? This paragraph must have TWO parenthetically cited quotes (one from each text) and TWO literary devices. As you are talking about two texts, you may expand this paragraph into two separate paragraphs if you want. Be sure to follow TIEDIED / exploding analysis structure!
BP Two: Contrast paragraph for the poem. What different idea still about the same theme is described in the poem? Which quotes show this different side of the theme? Which LDs further emphasize this difference? This paragraph must have TWO parenthetically cited quotes from the poem (new ones not repeated from BP 1) and ONE literary device.
BP Three: Contrast paragraph for the novel. What different ideas still about the same theme are described in the novel? Which quotes show this different side of the theme? Which LDs further emphasize this difference? This paragraph must have TWO parenthetically cited quotes from the novel (new ones not repeated from BP 1 or 2) and ONE literary device. You may reference the poem as a point of comparison in this BP, but your focus should be on the novel. BE SURE THAT BP2 and BP3 ARE ACTUALLY DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER AND DIFFERENT FROM BP1!
Conclusion: Restate the information from the previous paragraphs. What conclusions can you draw about the theme based on the different sides shown in both texts?
Requirements
1. The essay must be typed, double spaced, 11 points normal font. There is no page requirement, but each BP needs two quotes, 1-2 literary devices (see above), and sufficient explanation/analysis.
2. Quotes must be parenthetically cited. Quote 1 (Hurston 24), Quote 2 (25). Poetry: Quote (Hughes). You do not need a work cited page.
3. ALL WORK MUST BE ORIGINAL. Google originality reports will be on to ensure that students are academically honest. ANY amount of text taken from an Internet or other source/student (3 or more WORDS) is considered plagiarism. This will result in a zero that cannot be made up and parent contact.
***Your first draft of this essay may count as a final draft grade IF you earn an 80 or above. Essays that score below 80 will be REQUIRED to be revised. (Higher scoring essays may also be revised for a new grade.) In the end, this essay will be worth 200 points (100 for the first draft, 100 for the final draft.)
Name:________________________ ENGLISH, Ms. Bickens, Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay
Introduction
Fully meets standard
Needs Improvement
Missing
Engaging (but not clich) opening
Poem Title mentioned and Their Eyes Were Watching God mentioned with correct punctuation/capitalization.
Clear, arguable thesis arguing a general point about the theme (it is powerful, important, a driving force in ones life, etc.)
A clear, ordered thesis comparing and contrasting the specific arguments about the theme will be made in each body paragraph.
Body Paragraph 1
Fully meets standard
Needs Improvement
Missing
Clear topic sentence that presents how both texts are similar.
Intro to evidence / puts quotes into context.
-Selects one quote that illustrates the theme from the poem and one quote that shows the novel’s theme.
Include a quote stem (She describes, / The narrator explains) or use partial quotes.
-Includes analysis linking each quote to the BP theme f
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