English
52
Essay
3
Professor
Tompkins
February
23, 2016
Prompt
for essay 3
You
will choose one of the two topics below and write a 600-800-word critical essay
examining how the views and behavior of characters in Little Scarlet were changed during the Watts Rebellion. You are not
being asked to sum up the plot. Rather you must step back from the book and
think about how the events in the book shaped the beliefs and behavior of the
characters that you’ve come to know.
Consider the steps while developing your literary analysis
1. Choose a topic
(or area of focus, such as a theme or recurring image)
2. Review the text to collect evidence
· Take careful notes on any passages that relate to your
topic
· (Or mark up your text and then write up your
notations)
· Include page numbers in your notes!
3. Analyze your evidence
· Look for trends, logical groupings, progressions,
dichotomies, contradictions, etc.
· Interpret your evidence – What does it mean? What does
it seem to be saying?
4. Organize your evidence
· Select the evidence that you will use your in paper
· Put your evidence into logical groupings (paragraphs)
· Choose a logical order for your groupings (paragraphs)
· *Try to avoid ordering your evidence in the order it
appears in the novel
1. Little
Scarlet begins as Easy walks down from his office to explore the rubble left by
the Watts Riots/Rebellion. At Sojourner Truth School, where Easy works, he talks about
why Black people rioted to a distraught Ada Masters, the white principal of the
school. Carefully examine the conversation they had, and follow Easy as he
moves through Los Angeles while trying to find Nola’s killer. As he investigates, he becomes aware that his relationships with white people is changing. Analyze and explain these changes, using evidence from
the book to prove your thesis.
2.
The book takes place in the days following the Watts Rebellion, so it is
too soon to know exactly what has been won and lost. Still, as Easy looks for
the killer of Nola Payne, he explores the changing relationship of power between
Black and white people in L.A. Write an essay that examines the changes that
Easy saw and how he understands the events triggered by the Riots. Remember, to
answer this question you will stick closely to Easy’s words, thoughts, and
deeds.
Due
dates
Feb.
25: Brainstorm
March
1: Outline
March
3: Rough draft
March
10 (at final exam): Final draft
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