English II essay 1

  

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a5576/john-updike-final-story-0498/

this is the link for the story that you have to write essay on.

Reflection Essays

For each Reflection Essay, you will write a minimum of five paragraphs and 300 words. Do not include any scholarly sources or outside references.

The point of these essays is to create a clear thesis or opinion of a work’s theme or point. Then, in at least three body paragraphs, you will defend and prove your position by analyzing at least 1-2 quotes from your chosen work(s) in each body paragraph.

The quotes are your proof and evidence, and you will incorporate significant passages from your readings by using quotations with a parenthetical citation afterward (Smith 8), demonstrating proper MLA formatting and the ability to include quotes within an opinion/persuasive/argumentative essay where the focus is on your ideas and on defending those ideas.

For example:

Thesis: In “Sadie and Maud,” neither protagonist is truly happy or more successful than the other because Gwendolyn Brooks’s message to readers is living life based on the expectations of others – whether meeting those expectations or rebelling against them – leads to lack of individuality and genuine happiness.

First Body Paragraph: When Brooks writes, “Sadie scraped life with a fine tooth comb” (l.5), she suggests Sadie both struggled to make ends meet as well as enjoy each moment to the fullest. Being a single mother, Sadie was judged and held at arm’s length by the people in her town, causing her and her children’s life to be harder than necessary. Sadie, while rebelling against the status quo and social obligations, never found true happiness and identity as an outcast who was marginalized to the outskirts of society. Sadie was true to her adventurous spirit, but she was never accepted by her community and was made to live an empty life of labels and loneliness.

Notice how the above example presents a clear and effective thesis (opinion and topic). The body paragraph presents a quote and the line numbers for the poem in parenthesis after the quote. The quote is then discussed and analyzed to prove and further define the essay’s thesis.

Also notice how the opinion of the student is given without the use of personal pronouns like “I” or “me” or “you” – and how the sentences sound more authoritative and direct. As a result, you should avoid using personal pronouns in your essays. Instead, be direct and professional in your writing.

Follow the essay structure:

Introduction Paragraph

· Grab Attention

· Give some background and context

· Present your thesis clearly (opinion and why)

Body Paragraphs

· Transition readers into the paragraph (First, While, In order to…)

· Introduce the point of the paragraph

· Introduce your quote

· Discuss/Analyze the quote

· Repeat if necessary (adding scholarly quotes and discussion)

· End the paragraph by returning to your thesis – how have you proven part of your overall point?

Conclusion Paragraph

· Transition to the end (Ultimately, Finally, Without a doubt)

· Recap your main points

· Review your thesis (use fresh language)

· End with a bang! (Be thought-provoking; make us glad we read your essay)

Reading Response Guidelines

For each Reading Response, you will discuss each assigned reading in 2-5 sentences for a total of 50 words or more

1.) What is the theme or moral of what you read and why do you feel this way (include at least one specific quote for each work and/or reference at least one specific passage or part – and the page number for fiction or drama or line number for poetry).

2.) What is your opinion of each work you read? Did you like the work and why or why not? How did the work make you feel and at what part? Be specific

3.) Would you consider this work to be literature – why or why not – and would you recommend others read this work? Again, be specific.

The more detailed you are in your responses, the easier the reflection essays will be when you write them -and subsequently the research essays.

Example:

In “Oliver’s Evolution” by John Updike, the theme is each person makes their own life, no matter the hardships they have encountered or what kind of parents or upbringing they have had. Updike adds an added thesis of expectations and how when we find someone who is worse off than ourselves, it is a true demonstration of character if we can rise above in order to help those weaker than ourselves, as Oliver did with his wife and children. He became a better parent than his parents and a better man than many in society today by taking responsibility for his decisions and actions and doing what he knew was right to help those who needed help and couldn’t save themselves. In doing so, he also saved himself. I loved this story and found the theme to be completely accurate. I also like how short the story is and how easy the writing was to follow. I would consider this story literature because it has a so many significant themes and really grabs and sticks with the reader, letting them understand more about themselves.

Ana Trejo

Dr. Randall

English 1102-03

23 January 2017

Conquered Battles

Blood streaming down faces and bombs exploding in the air are what come to mind when one thinks of a war or a battle, but not all wars or battles are bloody and tangible. Some battles are fought within oneself. A battle everyone, including the protagonist of “Birthmark” by Miranda July, faces is the battle of beauty. “Birthmark” by Miranda July is a short story about a girl who had a prominent port-wine birthmark, and after the removal of her birthmark, the girl was left questioning her identity and beauty. The girl realized near the end of the story that she was beautiful because of her birthmark, not in spite of it. Miranda July’s short story “Birthmark” shows that people’s imperfections are what make them uniquely beautiful and peculiarly interesting through the actions, thoughts, and relationships of the protagonist.

Miranda July carefully planned the main character’s actions for the readers to see how people’s flaws make them compellingly beautiful. Although the battle of beauty is internal, there are external factors that come into play as well. Society is one such pressure. “She didn’t think she would have bothered if she hadn’t been what people call ‘very beautiful except for'” (July 170). The girl would not have removed her birthmark if it were not for society’s judgment. However, the action of removing her birthmark was vital. If the protagonist would have not gotten her birthmark removed, she would have never realized how much of her identity and beauty was concentrated within her birthmark.

In addition to using the girl’s actions to portray how people’s blemishes are the reason for people’s allure, Miranda July also used the girl’s thoughts. Right after the birthmark’s removal, July wrote, “Then you know that winning is many things, but it never the thing you thought it would be” (171). This quote is the first sign of the protagonist’s regret. The protagonist had not yet realized the magnitude of removing her birthmark, but she was starting to feel a “a real sense of loss” (July 172). The girl’s thoughts then noticeably seeped into her feelings: “She would see a couple and one of them would have a port-wine stain and the other would clearly be in love with this stained person and she would hate her husband a little. And [her husband] could feel it” (July 172-173). The protagonist thought that her husband would not have been attracted to her if he would have met her with her port-wined stain. However, July shows the readers in the end that the husband would love the girl even more with her birthmark because the imperfect birthmark is part of her perfect beauty.

Along with the protagonist’s actions and thoughts, July shows how people’s imperfections are why people are beautiful through the protagonist’s relationships with her husband and even strangers. As aforementioned, the girl and her husband “wordlessly excused each other for not loving each other as much as they had planned to” (July 173). The girl’s marriage was negatively affected because the girl thought that she was beautiful in spite of her imperfections and not because of her imperfections; not until her birthmark came back did she realize that she was wrong in thinking that way. Not only was her marriage affected, but her encounters with strangers were affected, too. As soon as she removed her birthmark, she saw people treated her differently. “Any fool on the bus could play the game of guessing how perfect she would look without [her birthmark]. Now there was not this game to play, there was just a spent feeling “(July 171). In that moment, the character realized deeply within herself that she should have never removed her beautiful birthmark.

In summary, “Birthmark” by Miranda July conveyed through the protagonist’s actions, thoughts, and relationships that people’s imperfections are what make them distinguished and compelling. Concerns about beauty are everywhere. People might not have a birthmark on their face, but everybody has some kind of imperfection. The removal of the girl’s birthmark, the thoughts of regret the girl had, and the negative relationships the girl had served to show July’s readers that they must accept their imperfections. Once people accept their beautiful flaws, their internal battles against beauty will be conquered.