Essay 4: TOWM—Divergent Paths

Essay 4: TOWM—Divergent Paths

Assignment:For this paper, answerthe following questionin 4-6pages (double-spaced, MLA): What do you think the most significant factor was in both boys going in separate paths in life? In other words, why do you think the other Wes ended up in prison while the author ended up a Rhodes Scholar?Answer thequestion in a succinct thesis(which will go in your intro) and support your thesis with clearly organized paragraphs which include examples from the novel.Additionally, use AT LEAST 1 OF OUR UNIT READINGS (Powell, Dweck, Duckworth, War on Drugs video)to supplement your interpretation and analysis of the novel in your response. The in-class readingwill help you to provide evidence for specific claims you make in your body paragraphs about the novel.Tips for Successful Essays: 4-6 pages. MLA format. 12-point font, Times New Roman. Works Cited Page A creative title that hints at the subject matter. Concrete evidence properly cited and integrated.Indicate a clear focus in a well-written thesis statementand stay focused throughout the essay.Organizing Principle. Introduction, body, and conclusion. **KEY: Fully developed analysis of how the evidencesupports each topic sentence and overall thesis statement. **KEY: Successfully includes discussion from our in-class reading in an insightful and thoughtfulwayInclude a conclusionwhichcomments on why your argument is significant—what difference it might make to readers Implements proper stylistic conventions to include: sentence variation, college-level vocabulary, target audience, complex sentence structure.Write the paper as if addressing a scholarly audience.Demonstrates thoughtful revisionand editing/proofreadingNameProfessor KuhnENGL 120Due DateEPA #13: TOWM Argumentative Essay OutlineI.IntroductionA.Contextualize mindset, structure, justice system, grit, or success (topics you will discuss in the body)B.Introduce the novel and the two Wes Moore’si.Title of the novelii.Premise of the novel: what is it about?C.Thesis: answer the question: what made the boys go in separate directions in their lives? i.We discussed mindset, structure, justice system, grit, and environment ii.Feel free to add more factors that were not discussed in class!**A note about the body: in each body paragraph, you can discuss one or both Wes’s. You can discuss the author in the first couple paragraphs and tie the author’s experiences to the supplemental texts and then switch to TOWM. Or, you can discuss both Wes’s in every paragraph. The example below shows you how to discuss both in the same paragraph.***II.BodyA.First reason to support your thesis.i.Assertion: Statement about how the author and/or TOWM ended up where they did in life•Example: The two Wes’s fathers influenced their life trajectories.ii.Evidence: from the novel: you can use evidence for one or both Wes’s depending on if your paragraph with discuss one or both Wes’s. •Example: The author’s father passed away•Example: TOWM’s father didn’t know who he was until Wes was 5—turned out to be an alcoholiciii.Explanation: put the evidence in your own words•The author’s father loved him and would have been in his life if he could have•TOWM’s father chose not to be apart of his lifeiv.Evidence: from Powell, Dweck, Duckworth, Dobbs, or Alexander•Powell argues that kids need “the gift of a good start” in order to be successful.v.Explanation: put the evidence in your own words•Powell explains that parents need to provide structure from an early age to help get kids on the right path.vi.Significance: explainhow the evidence from the supplemental text supports your argument about how it contributed to the Wes’s fates•Because the author’s father loved him and taught him important lessons as a child, Wes Sr. provided the good start that Wes needed to become successful. However, because TOWM’s father was never around, TOWM did not get the good start he needed and therefore never learned how to be on the right path. This ultimately impacted both Wes’s chance at being successful in their lives.B.Topic Sentence: Second reason to support your thesis.i.Assertion: Statement about how the author and/or TOWM ended up where they did in lifeii.Evidence: from the novel: you can use evidence for one or both Wes’s depending on if your paragraph with discuss one or both Wes’siii.Explanation: put the evidence in your own wordsiv.Evidence: from Powell, Dweck, Duckworth, Dobbs, or Alexanderv.Explanation: put the evidence in your own wordsvi.Significance: explain how the evidence from the supplemental text supports your argument about how it contributed to the Wes’s fatesC.Topic Sentence: Third reason to support your thesis.i.Assertion: Statement about how the author and/or TOWM ended up where they did in lifeii.Evidence: from the novel: you can use evidence for one or both Wes’s depending on if your paragraph with discuss one or both Wes’siii.Explanation: put the evidence in your own wordsiv.Evidence: from Powell, Dweck, Duckworth, Dobbs, or Alexanderv.Explanation: put the evidence in your own wordsvi.Significance: explain how the evidence from the supplemental text supports your argument about how it contributed to the Wes’s fatesD.Repeat Body structure for any additional paragraphs III.Conclusion (You don’t need to write anything for the conclusion for your outline)