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Mechanics

First draft due in class on Thursday, Nov. 8. It must be at least 3 pages long, with an introduction that contains the thesis of the essay, as well as a preview of how you’ll defend that thesis. Bring two copies to class.

Final draft due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

As usual, the final draft must be 4-5 pages long, typed and double-spaced, standard font and margins, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Include with it the two team edited first drafts, along with a brief and detailed statement of how you improved your final draft. Put all material in an envelope and hand it to Mark.

The assignment

Write an interesting, tightly-built, well-proven argument about Richard Rodriguez's "The Achievement of Desire". You will be proving a thesis about the Rodriguez essay, but bring in the Percy essay and/or the Douglas essay as contrasting evidence.

There are plenty of juicy topics to consider. Think back on ideas that zipped by in class when we discussed tone, autobiography, or authority in this essay. Recall interesting complications in RR's portrayal of his family, or of his experiences in school. Think about whether one of your responses could be developed into a full-blown essay.

As always, the more specifically you can define your topic, the easier it will be to build an interesting argument about it.

You know the drill:

- Attack the essay. Prove that Rodriguez makes a move in his argument that ends up undermining his credibility in some fundamental way. Make sure to include in your attack at least one contrast to a specific and appropriate passage in the Percy and/or the Douglas essay.

-Defend the essay. Prove that what seems like weakness or self-contradiction is actually a surprising or subtle strength of "The Achievement of Desire". Make sure to include in your defense at least one specific contrast to a passage in the Percy essay and/or the Douglas essay.

-Build your own argument. Feel free to build a comparative essay that ranges over all three of the essays we've read—as long as its final payoff is a new idea about RR's essay.