In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde uses the first act (exposition) to introduce characters, conflict, and themes. Among those “themes” are ideas about marriage, social class, gender, and triviality.
Based on the five stations we did in class, choose one of these topics and write a short (1-page essay), in which you more fully develop those ideas. Your essay should include the following:
4-line heading on upper left corner
title
mention author name and title of play in introductory paragraph
3 paragraphs
short introduction and short conclusion
a clear but succinct thesis at the end of the short introduction
at least three short quotations from the play with page numbers
8. a persuasive “argument” to support your thesis
careful attention to SECs
typed and 1.5-spaced
Your “essay” (in quotes because this is a very short essay), should have an introduction that is perhaps three sentences long -- introduce the play, tell who wrote it and what it’s about (very briefly), and then give your thesis statement.
Your thesis statement should make a clear argument (“in the play, Oscar Wilde makes a negative statement about the upper class by treating highly trivial issues with great seriousness and serious issues with off-handedness” or “in the play, Oscar Wilde uses humor to criticize the laziness of the stereotypical Victorian gentleman”, etc...)
The body paragraph (just one) should then give the evidence that shows this thesis to be true. PERSUADE the reader. Give evidence from the play. Use quotations and your explanations/analysis of those quotations.
The conclusion should be a wrapping-up -- maybe two or three sentences -- in which you state boldly your main point and then leave the reader with a “bigger picture”. We’ll work on conclusions in more depth when we edit drafts.
The Importance of Being Earnest
SHORT ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #1:
In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde uses the first act (exposition) to introduce characters, conflict, and themes. Among those “themes” are ideas about marriage, social class, gender, and triviality.
Based on the five stations we did in class, choose one of these topics and write a short (1-page essay), in which you more fully develop those ideas. Your essay should include the following:
4-line heading on upper left corner
title
mention author name and title of play in introductory paragraph
3 paragraphs
short introduction and short conclusion
a clear but succinct thesis at the end of the short introduction
at least three short quotations from the play with page numbers
8. a persuasive “argument” to support your thesis
careful attention to SECs
typed and 1.5-spaced
Your “essay” (in quotes because this is a very short essay), should have an introduction that is perhaps three sentences long -- introduce the play, tell who wrote it and what it’s about (very briefly), and then give your thesis statement.
Your thesis statement should make a clear argument (“in the play, Oscar Wilde makes a negative statement about the upper class by treating highly trivial issues with great seriousness and serious issues with off-handedness” or “in the play, Oscar Wilde uses humor to criticize the laziness of the stereotypical Victorian gentleman”, etc...)
The body paragraph (just one) should then give the evidence that shows this thesis to be true. PERSUADE the reader. Give evidence from the play. Use quotations and your explanations/analysis of those quotations.
The conclusion should be a wrapping-up -- maybe two or three sentences -- in which you state boldly your main point and then leave the reader with a “bigger picture”. We’ll work on conclusions in more depth when we edit drafts.