Monday, November 12, 2007

A Separate Peace Essay - Due Monday, November 19th (Have a printed copy ready upon arrival to class!)
Introduction

John Knowles’ novel A Separate Peace is the story of Gene Forrester who struggles to come to grips with the guilt over his role in a traumatic event from his childhood. The novel, told as a flashback from the perspective of an adult Gene, looks back at his friendship with a private school classmate and Gene’s destructive feelings of jealousy, fear, and anger.
Assignment:
Write a 3-5 page literary analysis that explores in depth a theme from the novel. (See honors option assignment below)
Structure:
You might want to think of a five-paragraph structure, but feel free to expand on that if you need to adequately explore your topic.
Intro:
Include a “hook”, background information, and a thesis statement. It should clearly lay out what you are going to argue.
Body:
Provide analysis and supporting evidence. Mention several key events or moments from the novel. Include at least three carefully chosen quotes (honors option students need to include at least six quotes.) to help capture larger ideas from the novel. Blend them in with your own writing. Be sure to relate each body paragraph to your overall point/thesis.
Conclusion:
Wrap up your argument and provide final thoughts or ideas related to your main idea.
Reminders:
This is a literary essay so there should be no uses of “I” or “you.” Include a title that captures interest.
Requirements:
Your essay should have the following things:
*A clear argument of opinion and purpose expressed in a thesis statement and introduction
*Numerous accurate supporting details and events from the novel that directly backs up your opinions
*The required number of properly cited quotes from the novel
*Accurate and insightful analysis of the novel
*Generally correct grammar and mechanics.

A Separate Peace Essential Questions

*Use may wish to use these to help develop your thesis statement.

What causes jealousy between friends?

What factors seem to be a threat to friendship?

Is war a necessary evil?

Is sin inevitable?

Is redemption possible?

How should we deal with guilt?

Does competition bring out the best or worst in people?

Is the loss of innocence inevitable?

What does the author’s attitude toward war seem to be?

What does the author’s attitude toward human nature seem to be?

How do the effects of war on this generation compare to the effects on the boys in the novel?

Do we need to accept the reality of evil in the human heart & world to survive?

A Separate Peace Theme Paper-Honors

Theme in Literature

A theme is the main message a reader can learn about life or human nature from a literary piece. Compare and contrast a theme from A Separate Peace and The Kite Runner. In a well-organized essay, describe this theme. Use textual examples from the stories to support your ideas and explain how they support the theme.

As you write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you:

 develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your thesis to the audience.
 support your thesis with meaningful examples and references from the text, carefully citing any direct quotes.
 organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
 use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience.
 edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.

A Separate Peace Theme Paper- Non-Honors

Theme in Literature

A theme is the main message a reader can learn about life or human nature from a literary piece. From A Separate Peace, identify a theme that the reader may learn from the story. In a well-organized essay, describe this theme. Use textual examples from the story to support your ideas and explain how they support the theme.

As you write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you:

 develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your thesis to the audience.
 support your thesis with meaningful examples and references from the text, carefully citing any direct quotes.
 organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
 use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience.
 edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.

Use any of the tools available to you, such as the Checklist, Spellchecker, or Graphic Organizer