ENGL1300

Second Assignment

Write a 750-800 word paper on one of the following topics:

• Is the white chocolate a definitive turning point for the narrator of The
Character of Rain, or is it merely the beginning of a long process?

• What is the primary cause of the disagreements and misunderstandings

between the narrator of The Character of Rain and her parents?

• How does the theme of Japanese/Western relations relate to that of

childhood development in The Character of Rain?

• How do archetypes and/or archetypical characters function in King Lear?

Choose one or two characters.

• Why does Edgar not simply reveal himself to Gloucester in Act 4 of King
Lear? Consider Gloucester’s character (throughout the play, not just Act 4)
and the play’s attitude towards mental illness.

• What is the relationship between madness and nature in King Lear?

Build your paper around a strong, controversial, and specific thesis statement. You
will likely need to narrow down your topic. Use textual evidence to support your
argument.

You must also do the following:

• Submit the paper online through Brightspace.

• Use Microsoft Word (which is free through Carleton).
• Use Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological
Association (APA) format. (Choose one, and do not try to mix them up!) In-
text citations are crucial.
• Double-space your paper (with no extra space between paragraphs).

Papers will be marked on strength of argument, quality of evidence, and correct use
of spelling and grammar.

(Rubric on next page)

 Poor Fair Good Excellent
Argument The thesis is vague The thesis is The thesis is The thesis is
(50%) and/or the uncontroversial only controversial and
evidence is and the evidence moderately is defended with
unspecific, and/or is of inconsistent controversial, well-chosen
the essay is just quality but there is evidence (80-
incomplete (0- paragraph by plenty of 100%)
49%) paragraph (50- decent
69%) evidence (70-
79%)
Structure The paragraphs There is only a The paragraph The methodology
(5%) are arranged in an vague sense of organization is in the
arbitrary manner organization to functional, but introduction, the
(0-1%) the paragraphs some elements conclusion, and
(2-3) in some the paragraphs
paragraphs are are all complete
missing (4) (5)
Format Manuscript does Manuscript Manuscript Manuscript is
(20%) not adhere to contains many contains some formatted as
specifications in formatting minor requested, both
either the body of errors, in the formatting the body of the
the essay or the body of the text errors, in the text and the
Works Cited, and/or the body of the text Works Cited (18-
and/or Works Works Cited (10- and/or in the 20%)
Cited not included 14%) Works Cited
(0-9%) (15-17%)
Grammar Many minor and Many minor and Some minor Few or no major
(10%) major grammar major and major or minor
errors that make grammatical grammatical grammar errors
the paper difficult errors that errors, but (9-10%)
to read and/or detract from intended
that obscure intended meaning is
intended meaning meaning (3-5%) usually clear
(0-2%) (6-8%)
Style The style is often The style is at The style is The style is and
(15%) informal, and/or times informal, formal, highly readable
often uses and/or readable (10- and is nearly
colloquialism, sometimes uses 13%) indistinguishable
and/or is verbose colloquialisms from professional
(0-4%) (5-9%) work (14-15%)