write 5 essays

Midterm 1

The first midterm asks you to reflect back on the first weeks of class. It is divided into two parts: short essays and critical essay. For the questions in Part I you should write short responses, approximately 200 words each. For Part II, the essays should be more substantial and be approximately 400 words each. Your essays should be composed in one document and submitted through Moodle. Turn-it-In will NOT allow you to submit more than one file, so you MUST have all the essays combined into one file.

Part I:

Using the readings from the syllabus, and making sure to use direct quotes from those readings, answer the following questions. Use the Jenkins, Greenblatt and Armstrong to answer these questions.

1. How has the term “identity” been defined in different ways? (200 words)

2. What is the relationship between “self” and “identity”? (200 words)

3. According to John Armstrong, what are the different forms “love” can take and how does he distinguish them from each other? (200 words)

Part II:

In answering the following questions please use evidence (examples and quoted passages) from the source referenced in the question. You will also be graded on how well you apply the theories referenced in PART I to develop your answer (Jenkins, Greenblatt and Armstrong).

3. How does Jay Gatsby embody the concepts of “self-fashioning” and “infatuation”? (400 words)

4. In what ways in Natalie Zemon Davis’s The Return of Martin Guerre about one’s ability to shape one’s own identity and what does she show us about the limits to shaping one’s self? (400 words)

The point of an essay exam is to do the following:

• Show you understand concepts that provide the basis for the course
• Show you can use those concepts to interpret specific materials
• Show you can make connections, see relationships, draw comparisons and contrasts
• Show you can synthesize diverse information in support of an original assertion
• Show you can justify your own evaluations based on appropriate criteria
• Show you can procure relevant secondary evidence to support your claims
• Show you can argue your own opinions with convincing evidence
• Show you can think critically and analytically about a subject[1]

Your exams will be graded according to the following criteria:

Introduction and Thesis Statement-20%

“Roadmap” Must tell me what you’re discussing in the essay. Your thesis statement

should be a clear, concise statement responding to the exam question.

Evidence-30%

Evidence in the form of quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

Citations-10%

Correct and consistent citations (MLA or Chicago/Turabian) of ALL materials used (both

paraphrasing and direct quotes)

Conclusion-10%

Tells the reader what you’ve argued and how you’ve proven your point

Accuracy, Organization and Style-30%

Demonstration of command of arguments and evidence. Arguments supported

by evidence. Avoidance of sweeping claims and generalizations. Good grammar and

style.

Please submit all five essays in one document/file via Moodle/Turn it In by 11:59 PM on 9 October. The essays must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman Font with one-inch margins.

[1] http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/essay-exams.html. ; If you have further questions about essay exams, check out this resource put together by the University of North Carolina.