Prompts for In-Class Essay: May 11, 2022 (Two Pages)
Directions: Directions: Write an essay of about 600 words on one of the prompts below. You are not required to quote although using quotations properly will enrich your essay. If you do quote, remember that no single quotation may be more than a sentence in length. (Please click on Handouts to review quotations handouts.) You may use the play and your notes. You will type your essay in Word 12pt. Times new Roman, double spaced, and save it to your computer. When you finish writing your essay, you will paste it to Blackboard, and click submit. Absolutely no makeups.
1. Compare and contrast Lyons and Cory in Fences. Your essay should consider the fact that Troy was unable to raise Lyons, but was present in Cory’s life from the beginning. Discuss Troy’s attitude toward and behavior with both of his sons, and what Troy’s absence in Lyons’ life and presence in Cory’s may have contributed to their becoming the men we see at the end of the play.
2. When we meet Troy Maxson, he is married to a woman he loves, has fathered two sons, and is in a close friendship that has lasted for thirty years. By the end of the play, he has driven his wife, his younger son, and his best friend away. What in Troy’s character and behavior causes his downfall?
Helpful Reminders
Do not use boldface or large fonts anywhere in your essay, please. Use black ink only.
The title of the play: When referring to the title of the play, you should state the full title in the introduction initalics. When you refer to it in subsequent paragraphs, Streetcar, in italics, is sufficient.
Language and style: You are writing about a play, not a story. Use the word play.
Thesis statement : You must have a thesis statement that answers the questions posed by the prompt.
Paragraphs: Every paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that contains a main idea relevant to proving your thesis. Topic sentences must be supported with details from the play. Paragraphs are from five-to-seven sentences in length.
Indent for paragraphs: If you aren’t sure when paragraphs begin and end, I urge you to make an appointment with a tutor in the Writing Center before you write your in-class essay.
Strategy: Please plan to set aside ten minutes or so at the end to proofread your work. You will lose points for every quotation that is more than a sentence in length. Please make sure you indent for paragraphs,and, finally, please make sure you proofread your essays for grammar,including fused sentences, comma splices, and sentence fragments. You will lose points problems with paragraphing and for grammatical errors. Grammar counts.