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Click to see the state of Arizona 6 traits writing rubric
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Get tips for reducing wordiness
or see them in Word.
Vocabulary List.
Using Good Quotations Handout
Outside Reading Assignment
Extra Credit Reading Log
Previous Units in College Writing
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CDO Card Catalog has our library's books, films and more.
You can also find free on-line databases and other services from the Pima County Public Library You can also the the county library's card catalogue.
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Media and Message: A Comparison of Story and the Impact of Form on Theme
Here is a list of books which have been turned into films.
In this unit, we will look at what "good" literature is, develop strategies to interpret and evaluate it, and analyze how themes are presented in various media. Specifically, you will write a paper evaluating and comparing the development of one theme in a piece of literature (story, poem, novel or play) of your choosing and a film based on that work. Here is the assignment. Get the rubric for the essay.
Let's begin by trying to decide what "good" or "great" literature is. Visit George Landow's discussion of the Literary Canon. Follow his sub links and be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Where did the canon come from? Who gets to decide what's in it?
- Why are many people opposed to the traditional canon?
- What are arguments for the canon?
- In your experience, how closely have schools followed the canon? How do you think that has impacted you?
Next, we will look at how we get meaning from literature. Take a look at this site on interpreting literature and answer these questions:
- Follow the link on A Literary Toolkit. How does the author's definition of popular literature differ from or extend what we have already discussed in class? Do you agree with the author's definitions?
- Follow the link on Sign, Symbols, Meaning and Interpretation. Define signs, symbols and archetypes. Why are they important for interpreting literature?
- Follow the link on A Literary Toolkit and look at Kenneth Burke's work on The Dramatistic Pentad and The Pollution Cycle. Explain the basic terminology for each. How is each model useful in interpreting literature?
- Under the Literary Toolkit, compare Damon Knight's and Wesley Kort's terms. How do their approaches differ and where do they overlap?
Finally, let's figure out what a good interpretation is. Go to this handout from the late Dr. Dean Shakelford. This is a lengthy work and covers lots of issues, but stick with it; there's neat things to think about. He really spells out what your job is as a reader of and writer about literature. You should be able to answer the following questions:
- What is a concise (1-2 sentences) definition of a "successful interpretation"?
- Briefly explain the 6 ways Shakelford lists to misinterpret literature.
Our sample paper is based on the short story "The Stone Boy" by Gina Berriault. Also look at this site for guidelines to active reading.
Once you've read the work you selected for your paper, you'll need to brainstorm something to write about one of the themes in the literature. Don't worry about the film for right now, just concentrate on the written work. There are a number of prewriting techniques: listing, freewriting, outlining and webbing are just some of them. Here's the beginning of a web based on questions I had about "The Stone Boy." I'll be asking you to use webs (or other techniques) as prewriting for your paper.
Daniel Kies provides good general tips for prewriting. This site from Gallaudet University shows you what some of the techniques look like. You can learn about looping and cubing prewriiting tecniques as well. You should use one of these methods and have 15-20 ideas from your selection.
Now you can start thinking about the film version of your work.
- Here is a great site on watching film intellegently. This is a two-part site, so make sure you hit the Next button toward the bottom.
- In order to understand film, it is useful to know the various roles of people involved in film production.
- Here is an excellent site on the grammar of film and television. This language is different from the literary terms usually taught in English classes.
You can use the prewriting techniques to generate lists or maps, etc. to show how the book and film are similar and different. Consider whether the differences are necessary because of the different tools that a writer has versus a film maker. Ultimately, your job is to show how these similarities and differences affect your understanding of the work, specifically its theme. Does changing the media change the theme itself, or does it alter your understanding of it? Does this change influence your satisfaction or appreciation of the work?
Once you have developed a general focus from your prewriting, you will need to develop a thesis. Here is an excellent site from the University of Indiana on writing thesis statements. What four criteria should thesis statements meet?
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Now it's time to begin the essay. Surprisingly, we are going to start with body paragraphs.
- Here are tips from the University of Illinois on organizing ideas from paragraph to paragraph and within paragraphs.
- Check out this site from Chabot College about thePIE Technique. It has other good links to writing tips on the left.
If your paragraphs seem disorganized, try this organizer for your body paragraphs or get it here in Word.
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Let's get some help with writing introductions. Here is good overview of what introductions are supposed to do; this Word document from East Carolina University also does an excellent job discussing what should be in an introduction. This site from Northern Illinois University lists eight different types of introductions. Find examples of those techniques here.
Your homework is to write three different introductions using three different techniques in each. Use this Form or get it here in Word write your notes and ideas on the first page and the actual paragraph on the second. Obviously, you'll have to print three of them. How long should an introduction be? Go to this page to find out.
If you want sources for anecdotes, quotations and more, try these sites:
Here are three introductions for the sample essay or see them here in Word. Which one works best for you? Why?
- Here are tips from the University of Illinois on organizing ideas from paragraph to paragraph and within paragraphs.
- Check out this site from Chabot College about thePIE Technique. It has other good links to writing tips on the left.
If your paragraphs seem disorganized, try this organizer for your body paragraphs or get it here in Word.
At last it's time to write the conclusion. Here are some tips and example from our friends at Fergus Falls (alliteration!) Community College. Metro Community College in Kansas City suggests seven techniques for conclusions, while Youngstown State University has six.
Get the conclusion organizer here or in Word. See some sample conclusions, or read them in Word.
Finally, titles never get much consideration, but follow the link "What's in a Name" for some tips on writing a great one. Don't forget: it's the first thing your audience reads!
Here is the complete sample paper or get it in Word.
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