ENGLISH ESSAY ON NOTES OF A NATIVE SON BY JAMES BALDWIN

Posted: March 24th, 2022

Final Essay Guidelines (4.5-5.5 pages+ Works Cited)

For the final essay, I encourage you to choose an author or a topic that interests you, and deepen your understanding of that author or topic through some additional reading and research. Your goal in this essay will be to demonstrate all the skills we have been practicing in class with a focus on careful reading, independent, thoughtful analysis, and clear and coherent writing.

Your essay should have a clear thesis statement which represents your perspective on the work(s). You will then develop your argument through a discussion of specific passages from the text(s). Secondary research is recommended but not required.

Please choose one of the following prompts or build your own topic in consultation with the instructor.

1) Many of the readings grapple with the problem of responding to violent political events or oppressive historical conditions. Choose 1-2 of these texts and make an argument about the responses these authors propose or enact in their texts.
PLEASE ONLY USE THIS FOR THE READINGS:
Requirements: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hVW7CUGk_XY_3H9Sm7cGq30PFtPshkh7

Length: 4.5-5.5 pages double spaced + Works Cited (minimum 4.5 pages of writing), following MLA format.
Thesis statement: 1-2 sentences clearly summarizing your argument in the first paragraph.
Careful analysis of relevant passages.
Clear and coherent organization that helps readers follow your train of thought.
MLA citation format: all the sources should be cited in the text and in a Works Cited.
Be as specific as possible. What argument(s) will you be making about the readings? Which passages will you choose to discuss? What questions will you ask about these passages? Will you need to consult additional sources?