10th grade final essay
Directions: Select one of the
topics below. Write an expository essay which answers the question posed in the
selected topic.
1. Explain the meaning of the
title of Part II of Black Boy “The Horror and the Glory.” Your essay
should include:
- An introductory paragraph
- Two paragraphs which explain what Richard Wright
meant when describing a friend’s trial with the Communism as “The Horror
and the Glory.”
- A concluding paragraph making a text-to-self or
text-to-world connection.
2. Using the ideas from Black
Boy and Animal Farm, discuss the positive and negative aspects of
Communism.
This essay should include:
- An introductory paragraph
- One paragraph which explains how Richard Wright
describes the positive aspects of Communism, and one paragraph which
explain how George Orwell describes the negative aspects of Communism.
- concluding
paragraph making a text-to-world connection which may detail how the United States
uses some aspects of Communism.
3. Richard Wright seems to be
fighting throughout his entire life. He seems to be trying to change others
around him. He finally stops fighting. Why?
This essay should include:
- An introductory paragraph
- One paragraph describing why and how Richard
Wright fights his way through life.
- One paragraph describing why Richard Wright stops
fighting. What realization did he come to? Did the world change around him
or did he change? By pulling away
from society and being apart from it, is Richard Wright being a total
hypocrite? He wants society to be a better place but won’t fight for that
change.
- A concluding paragraph making a text-to-self or
text-to-world connection which shows why Richard Wright made the correct
decision. (Or why he made the wrong decision.)
4. George Orwell shows what
can happen when society is ignorant of its government. Richard Wright shows
what can happen when individuals in society threaten a form of government by
being too intelligent and introspective. Sounds like a lose-lose proposition.
Why is it important that government provide for the education of its citizens?
What happens when some of those citizens resist being educated? (Why are you
going to school?)
This essay should include:
- An introductory paragraph
- One paragraph showing problems that occur with a
society that is undereducated.
- One paragraph showing problems that individuals
may have by being smarter than the general population.
- A concluding paragraph making a text-to-self or
text-to-world connection showing the importance of education.
All introductory paragraphs
should include:
- a lead sentence.
- explain the lead.
- short, one-sentence summaries of the novels.
- focus of the essay, what your essay is talking
about.
- thesis of the essay, what is your point?