If you’re in one of my English 1080 classes this semester, you’ll be writing an in-class essay on Wednesday. While my expectations are realistic, I genuinely want you to succeed on this, and every essay this semester. With that in mind, you should come to class on Wednesday prepared to simply write your heart out, but in an organized kind of way. The thing is to write things that are true, not just what you think your prof wants to hear. I only want to hear if it sounds like it's coming from you, from a place of honesty and integrity. Believe me, it shows.The hardest part of writing an in-class essay is that there are so many unknown factors—matters that are beyond your control. For most of you, it will be the first English assignment you’ve written in a long time. My goal is to ease your anxiety (if you have any) by suggesting what to do about those unknowns, either by eliminating them or accepting them and just working with them.
It’s no secret that a lot of first-year students don’t do very well on their first English assignment. I approach the first assignment as a bit of a diagnostic: our common goal (mine and yours) should be to find out what your level of writing is at this point. Some of you will come in with great expectations, having gotten wonderful marks in high school and assuming that will be the case throughout university. That actually can happen and, for your sake, I hope it does. But it is rare.
The key is to take what you learn from working on this assignment and having it graded and use them to improve next time, and each time after. Eventually, with hard work, your grade should ascend to the point at which you’d hoped to arrive.
Preparing For The Essay
The key to success in almost any area of life is preparation. That means different things for different people, so prepare in a way that has brought you success in the past. But if you find that you haven’t had much success recently, then you have to be willing to try different tactics, such as studying at different times and in different ways, or even mixing up your routine to find what works for you and gets you mentally prepared.
You can start by studying, of course. In the case of English, the best thing you can do for yourself is to know the story (or poem). That means you have to have read it multiple times and have gotten to know it intimately. Having read it, you should go through it line by line, looking for hints of the author’s tone or symbolism, or something that you can interpret as having some meaning beyond itself. That is, the author’s choice of words is usually very precise and serves the purpose of a) telling the story, b) denoting action or dialogue, and c) adding to, or reflecting, the story’s theme(s). In other words, the words on the page denote exactly what they appear to denote, but they might also connote something more complex. Or not. Your job is to see if that connection is there, and the only way to do that is through close reading.
Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Well, welcome to first-year university. This might not be how you are used to working. You might prefer to read for pure enjoyment’s sake, in which case I suggest you join a book club rather than doing a degree in higher education. But it’s really not that hard, and the work you put in on close reading now will pay huge dividends when it comes to writing the essay, contributing to class discussions, and writing future essays. There is also the added benefit—one that is probably far more important—in that you are teaching yourself to evaluate the words of others, to look closely at details, and process them, understand them, be able to argue with them or agree with them. If you’re not at least trying to tune into the overtones and undertones of language, then you’re just along for the ride. That’s okay up to a point, but like any bum ride, it’ll only take you so far. After that, you’re a pedestrian.
Okay, so besides studying and understanding what you’re reading, what else can you do? You can get your thoughts organized. After you’ve written all your notes, asked yourself about the characters’ motives, goals, desires, and fears, try to organize your thoughts. You might want to begin by making a list of character traits for each character, along with a note of how you know. That is, what was it in the story that made you think this particular quality was inherent in the character you’re studying? For every opinion put forward, you need some evidence to back it up. Otherwise, your case will be thrown out of court. You can’t, for example, say that a character is impatient towards her husband, as in “The Chrysanthemums,” without following up with some evidence from the story. Something in there must have told you the character was impatient, so what was it, exactly? Or if you say the ending of a story (as in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”) is ambiguous, be prepared to briefly say why you think it ambiguous, or open to interpretation. Present both possibilities and say what it was in the story that made you think it could go either way.
I could go on and on about the specifics of the essay and organizing your essay, but really you have to do what works for you. Brainstorming on paper for each character, then brainstorming about setting, point of view, imagery, and symbolism will take you a long ways towards truly understanding the complexities of the story. If you’ve got a solid handle on those ideas for each story, then you’ll at least be able to talk about the story in detail. And detail truly is the key to a good essay.
What an essay should look like
Most students seem to know about the so-called “five paragraph rule” of essay-writing. Granted, some students have never written an essay at all in high school, so that’s a whole other discussion. But the “five-paragraph rule” isn’t really a rule at all. An essay, obviously, can have more than five paragraphs or even less than that. The idea is to show you how to STRUCTURE your essay. It should look like this.
Introductory paragraph
Body paragraph #1 (sub-topic #1 discussed).
Body paragraph #2 (Sub-topic #2 discussed).
Body paragraph #3 (sub-topic #3 discussed).
Concluding paragraph.
You can have as many paragraphs in between as you like, but the introduction and conclusion are beyond negotiation. You must have them both in order to give your essay structure and a feeling a completion.
The introductory paragraph should include a THESIS STATEMENT, which is crucial to the success of your essay. Your essay lives and dies with your thesis statement. Does it have to be your first sentence? Not necessarily, but it’s almost always the right way to go. You can never go wrong by starting with your best, clearest statement of what your essay is about. The point is to be understood, not to have the reader guessing as to what your intentions are. So why not start with the thesis statement, since the main idea is to be a good writer rather than a mediocre one or a poor one? Clarity is everything.
So, your thesis statement should tell me exactly what your essay is about. If you’re saying “The Brain-Eaters” is a story about how space aliens are all evil, then don’t give me a thesis statement that says: “As everyone knows, people from Mars intend great harm to the people of Earth.” The essay isn’t about space aliens in general; it’s about space aliens in “The Brain-Eaters.” (It's a made-up story, by the way. But then, aren't they all? I didn't want to use one of the stories from the syllabus and then just see my ideas and words duplicated on a lot of essays.)
A much better, more comprehensive thesis statement would be: “William Spigot's short story, “The Brain-Eaters,” depicts space aliens as evil, while also suggesting that some visitors from certain planets mean Earthlings no harm.” Now you are free to go on proving that Spigot’s depiction of aliens is predominately negative, but also to show that some depictions of them are not so bad. The point is that your thesis statement ought to reveal what your ENTIRE essay is about, not just the first half of it. If you intend to talk about other things related to your main focus, then you need to hint at that, even with a word or two. (Note: a similar thesis statement might be useful in writing about "The Chrysanthemums" and John Steinbeck's depiction of men.)
And that’s just your first sentence. It requires a lot of thought, for sure, and most thesis statements need revision as you go on, so there’s no pressure to write a good one the first time out. It rarely happens. Most first lines need to be changed once the writer knows exactly what they are talking about, and it’s hard to know that until you’ve actually finished writing the essay.
Next, still in your opening paragraph, follow up your thesis statement with an explanation, or elaboration, of your first sentence. Just give a hint as to where you’re going with this main idea of yours. How do you intend to proceed and what exactly will you be covering? That is, what are the parameters of your essay?
After that, it’s easy. Your paragraphing will reflect the pattern you’ve laid out in your opening. If, for example, Spigot depicts three different kinds of space aliens (or, say, three different kinds of images you want to discuss) then perhaps you can give each one a separate paragraph. The main thing to remember is that you should show what each of these paragraphs has to do with the main idea you outline in your thesis statement. Show a connection of the ideas in each paragraph to the main idea (or mother ship, as it were).Then, when you’ve written each paragraph, finish with a concluding paragraph that reiterates your main points, using different words than before. Don’t introduce any new ideas or evidence at this point.
That, generally, is the best way to approach, and design, your essay.
How To Approach The Questions
I don't want to tell you what to write, so I won't. But, to be fair, I thought I should give you some idea of how to go about getting some thoughts on paper. Really, it's mostly about asking the right questions about the questions.
What follows are some of the ideas I briefly alluded to in class today regarding each question. There might be some repetition, but I was brainstorming (as you should do) and therefore not censoring myself:
1. In “The Chrysanthemums,” Elisa Allen experiences a shift in thinking. Discuss the significance of that shift.
Approach: Identify what the shift in thinking is - how did she start out, and where does she end up? What are the signs that there is a shift, or change? What is the pivotal moment in causing the shift? Who, or what, is responsible? Bring in details surrounding the shift in perspective, as well as details (images, symbols, key moments, dialogue, and so on) that suggest the nature of what has occurred, beyond a literal level.
Note that I didn't specify what the "shift" is - it's up to you to identify what exactly, if anything, has changed for Elisa, and to discuss the significance of that change for her, and regarding the human condition, in general. For example, is Steinbeck suggesting anything about the way things are for women in society, what seems to have caused that circumstance, and where it seems to be headed?
or
2. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” might be described as a coming of age story. Discuss.
Approach: What do you mean by coming of age? A simple tale of a girl growing up, from innocence to experience, becoming a young woman. Does this happen in the story? How do you know? What are the signs? Who was she before Arnold Friend came along? What does she do? What do her actions, thoughts, and dialogue signify that she is? When does she change, exactly? How do you know? What do those actions signify/symbolize/mean in the context of the story? What was she like before versus what was she like after? What brings about that change? How can you see a change? Or can you? What would be the signs of someone becoming more “experienced” versus “innocent”?
or
3. Discuss the significance of a major character in either Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” or John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”.
Approach: Choose one of the characters—e.g. Elisa, Henry, the tinker, or Arnold Friend or Connie—and discuss their role in the story. What do they represent/signify/symbolize? What is their function in the story? E.g. Arnold’s role is to jolt Connie from a state of innocence to one of experience. Or: Henry’s role is to protect Elisa from the outside world. Or: Henry’s role is to be kind to his wife, even though he doesn’t understand her or what she wants. Go on then to discuss what she wants, desires, fears, and how he reacts to that. You are told these things in the story. It’s up to you to interpret/analyze what the characters say and do to each other and to themselves. Brainstorm on this one, asking yourself what think of when you think of these stories? What actions, decisions, words, and/or images and descriptions do you associate with them?
Warning: don't just say things like "The character is significant because he plays a major role in the plot." Instead, focus on the symbolic value, or greater meaning, of his or her actions and words.
General notes for preparation:
This will be an in-class, fifty-minute writing exercise, but there are many ways to ensure that you write an effective essay and reduce your stress level.
1. Make sure you understand the question and what is expected of you. If you have any doubt at all, ask your instructor to clarify.
2. Brainstorm. Gather ideas. Analyze the facts. Re-read the story and make notes on what you see, especially that which relates to your chosen topic. Always dig deeper for an understanding of how the smaller details are related to the whole. Remember to go beyond the facts and opinions discussed in class, if you can. The very best papers do this.
3. Simplify your ideas into an argument or statement of opinion, which you will defend, or prove, in your essay.
4. Organize. Make sure you write an introductory paragraph, a concluding paragraph, and a separate paragraph for each part of the main subject you discuss. All that you will discuss should be hinted at in the opening paragraph. All that you have discussed—and no new information—should be summarized in the conclusion.
5. Know the story really well.
6. Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep rocks.
In the exam room:
1. Arrive early if you can, but definitely on time. If you are late for some reason, enter the room as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Others will already be writing and in the zone.
2. This is not an open book exam. Leave your textbooks and notes closed and hidden away.
3. I will provide you with paper for writing on, as well as an exam script, when you have cleared your desk of all books and paper.
4. No dictionaries allowed.
5. You may use pen or pencil—your choice, but make sure your handwriting is easily read.
6. Start writing when your instructor gives the signal to do so.
7. You have 50 minutes. Take five minutes at the beginning to get your thoughts organized, remember your outline and thesis statement, and so on. Leave five minutes at the end to go back over what you have written, looking for mistakes or things to add or revise.
8. Double-space your answer.
9. Don’t forget to breathe during all of this, starting now. It helps.
I wish you all good luck. Try not to stress over this. Just know the story well. Know the basics of writing a good essay and just let it flow. Show me what you know. Show that you can go beyond what was said in class and show that you can write really well. In the end, you can at least say you tried.
I really hope everyone passes this assignment, so remember: give your assignment substance by using details, followed by discussion of those details. That's where the big marks are. Make lots of connections between ideas, scenes, and images.
It's also rare to get an "A" on the first assignment. So PLEASE write a really good paper; I'd like to give out some A's right away. Your essay doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to have substance, show some signs of originality, and be pretty well written.
Good luck!
GC
