week 10

Welcome to class. As you know, the final exam, a 350-500 word essay of three-five paragraphs in length, is scheduled for this week. Any students who miss class this week must make certain to come next week to make up the essay exam, or contact me to discuss some other accommodation. Next week also offers all who take the exam today a chance to retake it, if necessary.

I'm confident all of you can pass this exam. If you have been applying yourself throughout the quarter, you have done by now at least half a dozen formal assignments, and numerous practice and free-write exercises. We have practiced the form of the paragraph and multi-paragraph essay each week, along with basic sentence structures–the simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence types. We have reviewed the use of standard punctuation and grammar. We have modeled the primary modes of presenting information and organizing a paragraph or an essay–description, narration, illustration, and definition. We have discussed and practiced the necessity of having a thesis idea–the point that unifies and gives direction to the essay, the one central thing you want your essay to express. And we have practiced building paragraphs organized around a single clear topic idea, each paragraph serving, if part of a larger essay, to advance the thesis idea in one or another supporting way.

We can spend a little time on review, and in preparing a checklist for the editing process to follow as you review your final draft. Thus will you have time to compose and a format to edit for the major errors that occur in grammar and punctuation.

The essay topics will be given in handout before the exam begins.

Note: Use of the Internet is not allowed during the exam.

See you in class, then.

week 9

Good Morning, all you beautiful people.  Hope you had a restful, productive, fun, energizing holiday weekend.  This is the last class before the final, and the last week to write and submit work.  Remember too that one of the essay grades will be dropped, the lowest grade, so if you are missing one assignment, it won't hurt your class grade.  If you are behind, now is the time to get busy.  Below is a discussion of the next assignment and its description.  

A Film Review requires the reviewer put across a clear sense of the story being told or dramatized.  The reviewer summarizes the themes and the action that drives the story forward, and the conflict at the heart of the plot events; the characters whose circumstances and actions we follow throughout;  the setting elements generally and as highlighted by specific scenes; and the play of ideas the film puts in motion.  A review is unified by the reviewer's opinion of the film's merit, including high notes and low notes, the best and the worst, the strengths and the weaknesses.  The introductory paragraph introduces the film by title and director, and year of release.  

For example:  Adventureland (2009), written and directed by Greg Mottola, is a lyrical, funny, romantic comedy set among a group of eighteen to twentyish suburban kids who work the summer at a down-scale local amusement park and make the best of the opportunity it allows them for love and adventure. 

The names of important characters should be introduced, and, if desired, the name of the particular actor playing the role.  A brief summary of the characters and situations involved is appropriate.  In a short essay, your focus may be limited to one or two characters, with mere mention of others.  This rule applies to documentary films, too.  The thesis or central idea of the review/essay should be hinted at if not stated outright in the opening lines.  The body paragraphs should illustrate by means of description  key scenes or events, and the ideas and emotions the film encourages one to take from these scenes and events.

The conclusion should underscore the reviewer's central idea in a fresh way.  Often this emphasis is created by focusing on the climax and conclusion of the film; however, you may focus on a particular or key image of character, setting, or action to make your thesis clear and convincing. Say you find a film beautiful and romantic in its depiction of the saving nature of love; your conclusion would provide reference to some aspect of the film's actions, characters, or images overall, to convey the impression you felt most strongly.

Essay #8:  Write 350-500 words describing one or more scenes or highlights of the film you watch today, the documentary Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead (2010), directed by and starring Joe Cross.   Include the title of the film in italic letters, the director and release date, and a summary of the plot and one of the central themes of the film.  The scenes or clips you choose to describe should illustrate some point you wish to make about the film story, a character within, the nature of the conflict and its dramatic or comedic force,   representation of setting or place and/or the filmmaker’s central idea and its development and support (documentary films are a bit like essays in seeking to advance a central point or argument).