Gr 9 Summative: Myths and Legends

Analytical Comparative Essay

SOI: Communities use common narrative structures and archetypes to teach the values of their
cultures and to create historical bonds among their people.
ATL Skills: Communication, Critical Thinking (analysis)

Analysis Questions:
1) What do myths tell us about the world?
2) How do myths explain the world we live in?
3) Do all communities need a hero?
4) Combine two of the above questions to make your own question.

“Every culture has its myths: stories that are connected to the region, traditions, or belief systems of the culture
that produced them. Myths tell people where they came from, where they are going, or how they should live. Myths
predate science; therefore, they provide imaginative explanations for the origins of things”
(Santa Ana, 2014, p.17).

You are an expert in the myth you focused on for your formative presentation and reflection! In
pairs, you will share your expertise with a partner. Using this information as the foundation,
build an analytical comparison based on the hero’s journey and the moral from both myths. To
do this, you will complete the following steps:
1. Organize the relevant information from your pair work and brainstorms into an
alternating essay format. This should be a detailed outline with the required information
stated below.
2. You will be provided with a sample introduction and thesis statement that you can model.
Write your rough draft using your outline and provided guides.
3. Edit and revise for grammar and analytical content. We will spend a full class period
doing this with a focus on visualizing the analytical revision.
4. Write your good copy and submit to ManageBac in MLA format in either a Word Doc or
PDF.

Final product will be a 2 to 3page long essay that analyses and compares two myths.

On the Criteria A TSC you are going to see the word ‘trifecta’ on the analysis section of the
TSC. This trifecta can be visualized by looking at this crown. Each prong ‘point’ of the crown
represents one part of your analysis (examples, explanation (to connect to the main thesis), and lots
of relevant details. Without the ‘prongs’ then you just have a hat but with them you have a crown.
In this essay you want to have a crown.
On the Criteria D you will see:
Your writing is highly academic, and you follow all the rules of formal essay writing to strong
effect.
Example: no first person (I), do not use contractions (can’t = cannot). Numbers less than 10
should be spelled out, don’t address the reader as ‘you’, avoid slang,

You will be assessed on the following criteria:

A2. Identify and Explain the impact of the myths’ morals.
A3. Justify your analytical ideas with examples, explanations and relevant details.
A4. Interpret similarities and differences in morals and hero’s journeys between both myths.
B2. Organize opinions and ideas logically and according to the essay structure provided.
B3. Use MLA to format your essay and cite your sources.
D1. Use appropriate and varied vocabulary, sentence structures and forms of expression.
D2. Write using appropriate essay style.
D3. Use correct grammar, syntax and punctuation

Each paragraph of your outline should include the following information in the following order:
- Topic Sentence that introduces the myth and topic
- Main analytical argument of the paragraph
- Strongest example
o Textual Evidence
o Detailed explanation linking evidence and example to topic sentence and main
analytical argument
- Secondary example
o Textual Evidence
o Detailed explanation linking evidence and example to topic sentence and main
analytical argument
- Reminder of the main analytical argument
- Concluding sentence
Check our class Teams for sample paragraphs on moral and Hero’s Journey based on the two
myths we examined at the start of this unit (Pandora and Uranus).

Task Specific Criteria

A2. Identify and Explain the impact of the myths’ morals.

A3. Justify your analytical ideas with examples, explanations and relevant details.
A4. Interpret similarities and differences in morals and hero’s journeys between both myths.
Learning Learning Descriptor
Achievement
0 You did not achieve any of the learner descriptors below.
 2. You did not identify and explain the impact of the morals in your
analysis through connections to the modern era.
1-2 3. You do not justify your ideas with examples, explanations and/or
details. One or more element of the trifecta is under-developed or
missing.
4. Your interpretations and comparisons between both myths’ morals
and hero’s journeys are summary with limited to no analysis.

2. You identified and explained the impact of the morals in your

analysis in a limited manner. You made tenuous connections
(uncertain or weak connections) to events of the modern era to do
3-4 this.
3. You justify ideas with examples, explanations and/or details. One
or more element of the trifecta is under-developed or missing.
4. Your interpretations and comparisons between both myths’ morals
and hero’s journeys are mostly summary with limited analysis.

2. You identified and explained the impact of the morals in your

analysis. You made good connections to events of the modern era to
do this.
5-6 3. You justify all of your analytical ideas with examples that are
explained using mostly relevant details.
4. Your comparisons between both myths’ morals and hero’s
journeys are mostly analytical. You use slightly too much summary
in your interpretations.

2. You clearly identified and thoroughly explained the impact of the

morals in your analysis. You made strong connections to events of
the modern era to do this effectively
3. You justify all of your analytical ideas with effective examples that
7-8 are clearly explained using relevant details.
4. Your interpretation of the comparison between both myths morals
and hero’s journeys are analytical with insightful. You limit summary
and instead focus on explaining your comparison between the two
myths.

B2. Organize opinions and ideas logically and according to the essay structure provided.
B3. Use MLA to format your essay and cite your sources.
Learning Learning Descriptor
Achievement
0 You did not achieve any of the learner descriptors below.
 2. You organized your opinions and ideas in an illogical manner. You
1-2 did not the essay structure provided or did so to a limited extent.
3. You do not use MLA to cite your sources and format your essay,
or there are many errors in use.

2. You organized your opinions and ideas in a somewhat logical

3-4 manner. You used parts the essay structure provided.
3. You use MLA to cite your sources and format your essay, though
there are a several errors.

2. You organized your opinions and ideas in a logical manner that

5-6 make help understanding. You used the essay structure provided
correctly.
3. Your use of MLA to cite your sources and format your essay is
strong overall, though there are a few minor errors.

2. You organized your opinions and ideas in a highly logical manner

7-8 that enhance understanding. You used the essay structure provided
correctly and effectively.
3. Your use of MLA to cite your sources and format your essay is
excellent.

D1. Use appropriate and varied vocabulary, sentence structures and forms of expression.
D2. Write using appropriate essay style.
D3. Use correct grammar, syntax and punctuation
Learning Learning Descriptor
Achievement
0 You did not achieve any of the learner descriptors below.

1. You use vocabulary that is not appropriate or varied. You do

not vary your sentence structure and therefore your writing
does not flow. You do not use many forms of expression and
1-2 if you do they are not academically appropriate or varied.
2. Your writing is informal and at times it is unclear.
3. Your grammar, syntax and punctuation are often incorrect.
There are many errors and these can effect understanding.

4. You use vocabulary that is not always appropriate or varied.

You do vary your sentence structure but not enough to help
 the flow of your writing. You use some varied forms of
expression though these are not always academically
3-4 appropriate.
5. Your writing is somewhat academic, though you do not
follow several of the rules of formal essay writing. Your
writing is not always clear.
6. Your grammar, syntax and punctuation are somewhat correct.
There are several errors and these can sometimes effect
understanding.

7. You use appropriate and varied vocabulary. You usually vary

your sentence structure to help the flow in your writing. You
use appropriate and varied forms of expression.
5-6 8. Your writing is academic, and you follow most the rules of
formal essay writing. Your writing is clear.
9. Your grammar, syntax and punctuation are mostly correct.
There are some errors but they do not effect understanding.

10. You use highly appropriate and varied vocabulary. You vary
your sentence structure to enhance flow in your writing. You
use academically appropriate and varied forms of expression.
7-8 11. Your writing is highly academic, and you follow all the rules
of formal essay writing to strong effect. Your writing is highly
effective.
12. Your grammar, syntax and punctuation are correct. There are
very few and minor errors.