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topic I choose:
Individualism and Community in the Bottom:
Delve into the tension between
individualism and community within the African-American neighborhood known as “the
Bottom.” How do characters like Shadrack and Sula embody individualistic tendencies?
Contrast this with the communal bonds formed by other residents. Investigate historical
contexts and sociocultural influences on individualism in African-American communities
during the early 20th century. Use scholarly articles or critical essays to support your
analysis.
Your literary analysis essay must be between 2 ½ and 3 pages (600 to 750
words), not including the Works Cited page, and should be double-spaced in
Times New Roman 12-point font. Use the MLA Template provided to help
you format your work correctly.
Your literary analysis essay will be on Sula by Toni Morrison. You must
choose ONE of the topics below.
Your essay must meet the following criteria:
• A clearly articulated thesis that states, somewhere in your introduction, the
assertion (position, interpretation) that your paper will prove and addresses
one of the topics below.
• An introduction, a minimum of three (3) body paragraphs, and a
conclusion (five paragraphs, total)
• At least two quotes from the novel itself that are integrated into your
discussion
• At least two citations of outside sources (such as literary criticism on the novel).
At least one source should come from the MDC databases. All sources must
be academic.
• Topic sentences that focus the discussion of the body paragraphs
• Quoted and correctly cited examples, details, and explanations in the body
paragraphs that clearly support your thesis
• Clear connections between ideas from paragraph to paragraph and within
paragraphs (strong transitions)
• Proper MLA style format in the heading, in the in-text citations, and in the
Works Cited page (see the template for the heading and margins in this lesson)
• Works Cited page includes articles from two sources and from the novel for a
minimum of three total listed sources.
• Standard usage, grammar, and mechanics that do not affect readability
GRADING: Your essay will be graded pass/fail on the above criteria; a rubric is available
in the assignment on Canvas.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
 You will submit your final draft on Canvas in the assignment designated for this
purpose. The essay will go through TurnItIn, which checks for both plagiarism and
AI usage. Please be aware, that although Turn-it-in does allow for similarities for
quotations up to 24% of your paper, any similarity above 24% is considered too
high for an original paper and will be flagged as plagiarism.
 You must submit an AI Disclosure at the end of the essay, after your
References page. Should you choose NOT to submit the disclosure, and over 15% AI
usage is detected, your paper will be given a zero for academic dishonesty.

Assignment Directions: 
For this assignment, you will watch and respond to the documentary film “Well-Founded Fear” about processes of asylum in the United States. You will write an essay that offers a summary and analysis of the film, using at least one relevant anthropological concept from the lesson content and/or readings. In order to do this well, you should define/describe the concept and then apply it to the film content.
In your assignment, you will a) summarize the film and its premise or major argument and b) analyze the subject matter of the film using one anthropological concept from class. As you watch the film and complete this assignment, please address the following questions:
What aspects of the U.S. asylum system were highlighted in the film?
How does the film portray the experiences of asylum seekers?
What are the challenges faced by asylum seekers in navigating the U.S. asylum process?
How does the film explore the political and social factors influencing asylum policy in the U.S.?
How does the film contribute to our understanding of immigration and asylum issues globally?
What actions, if any, do you think should be taken based on the issues raised in the film?
You can complete this assignment in either essay or video format. Essays must be 600-800 words, and videos should be at least 6-7 minutes. All assignments must be turned in on Canvas by MONDAY 5/20 at 11:59 PM. For essay format, papers should be double-spaced, with 12-point font and 1-inch margins on all sides. Regardless of format, when other sources are used, please cite the sources in the essay/video and submit a reference page. 

This is the official prompt for our play analysis!
Please read all the text below very carefully and apply what we go over in class so that you can be sure to write the best possible essay!
Paco Bezerra’s play The Little Pony was inspired by two very real children. However, there is no role for any actor to play a child in the play. Compare the real life conflicts that inspired the play with the dramatized conflict in The Little Pony. How is the child expressed in the dramatic action? In other words, how do audiences come to know the child; in what specific ways is the child revealed through dialogue and design? Do you think the play is more or less effective because there is no child onstage? Why or why not?
Your essay must cite at least 2 relevant, significant direct quotations from the script’s expository dialogue and another 2 minimum from the script’s stage directions (i.e. descriptions of sound, set, and props, etc.). (4 quotes from the script total.)
In addition to citing the playscript (click here), your essay must also reference the following relevant sources:
this slideshow of production stills (click here) from professional productions. Note that some production choices follow or depart from Bezerra’s written script; that could be something you weave into your writing by comparing, contrasting, and interpreting the references to the child in the playscript and in production.  (at least one reference to at least one slide.)
Published news (print or video) about the children who inspired the play. (at least one reference to each news piece, one about each child.)
OPTIONAL: The production at Torn Page, mentioned earlier in the semester, if you were lucky enough to get tickets!
ESSAY CHECKLIST
For your convenience, this standard Essay Checklist from our syllabus is reproduced below. You can use this information to guide, check, and re-check your composition. 
My essay is at least 1000 words.
My essay’s tone is professional and I use appropriate vocabulary,* grammar, spelling, and mechanics. *This includes genre-specific terms!
My essay is in MLA format; I use proper in-text citations, headers and heading, double-spacing throughout, and include an MLA-style Works Cited page. I observed guidelines and used Purdue University OWL’s MLA workshop.
My essay has a meaningful, original title that expresses my essay’s intention.
All other titles mentioned are properly presented throughout (see Punctuating Titles from Carson-Newman University)
My introduction states a clear, precise thesis argument involving the required primary literature in response to the assigned prompt.
My essay has a strong introduction to set up my thesis argument and demonstrates techniques from UNC’s guide to composing effective introductions.
My thesis argument and claims are defended in body paragraphs structured according to the “sandwich” method from Tacoma CC. 
Each of my body paragraphs is a “sandwich.” Every body paragraph begins with a mini-thesis (“top bun”) and ends with a connection back to the overall thesis argument (“bottom bun”) with evidence and analysis “sandwiched” in between as per our sandwich method for paragraph development. My writing makes it clear how the quotes/paraphrases connect to my thesis argument. 
My body paragraphs include sufficient, substantial, and relevant direct references to the assigned primary literature and secondary supporting sources according to the prompt’s requirements.
My body paragraphs are balanced in length and consistently developed with evidence from the primary literature as well as from secondary sources in ways that support my claims and deepen my analysis of the primary texts.
My essay demonstrates my best ability to think critically and analytically.
My essay “flows” smoothly and logically because I composed meaningful transitions between paragraphs.
My essay has a conclusion that synthesizes my claims and reiterates my thesis in the context of all evidence provided. I use techniques from UNC’s guide to composing effective conclusions.
My essay is properly formatted in one single document and ready to upload to Blackboard in .docx format.
I have followed all of the guidelines given in class and supporting materials.