Scenario:
As researchers of monstrous representations of race, gender, and disability, the time has come for you to show your skills on the topics of disability, Down Syndrome, Autism, Dwarfism, Schizophrenia, queer or transgender identity. In a 4-5 page (at least 1,500 words, not including citations) essay, you will make a thesis driven claim on a key concept (embodied in specific objects, environmental elements, or body parts) derived from an
assigned film or piece of literature. To argue how this physical object or location may be used to address issues of race, disability, class, gender, sexuality, you will be close reading specific scenes to ground the argument.
Instructions:
To begin, you will need to select:
• Topic: New Mutants, Lily and Dunkin, Far From the Tree (film or book)
• Scope: One (1) single limited scene, pair of images, page, painting, monologue, or conversation
• Concept: an idea or theme of the text relating to discourses on disability, gender, or race.
• Focus: a physical object, elemental substance, or body part in the text to be the focus
• Qualities: select two or more physical qualities, traits, contexts, colors, descriiptions, associations, uses, frames, camera angles, patterns, or movements of the physical focus in the text.
Required opening statement
Your papers must all begin with variations of the same sentence:
“[Name of object/body part] as a metaphor for [insert concept] has not yet been fully explored as a pressure point that could be leveraged in monstrous discourses of gender, race and disability.”
Required thesis statement
Your thesis statement should be written in a dialectical form, incorporating a counter argument or antithesis into the consideration of the topic. This can be expressed in the follow way:
“While the [X] counter claim might be asserted, however, I argue that [Y]”
Other notes on the format:
Please use the following STYLE requirements and those on the next page (yes I check):
• Microsoft word format, standard margins.
o 1,500 words minimum, not including citations,
o Double-spaced and standard MLA formatting
• Times New Roman, 12-point font, and number each page on the top right corner
Title of the Essay Page #
Introduction
1. Opening Statement
a. Physical Object
b. Concept the Obj
2. Summarize the Topic
3. Define the Scope of Analysis
4. Thesis in “While the case may be made that X… however, I argue Y.” (Underlined)
5. Explanation of the structure of the essay a. I will consider counter arguments
b. I will analyze quality 1, quality 2, and quality 3 of the object
Counter Argument
4. A reasonable person may interpret this (object, scene, or concept) in this distinct other way
5. OR here is a quality of the object that may represent a very different concept
6. OR here is a problem or limitation of my argument that this object represents this concept
7. OR here is a claim made about this topic, object, concept, or scene that I am going to oppose
Close Reading of Physical Quality 1 of the Object
1. The quality is significant for this reason.
2. What are cultural, scientific, and historical meanings of the quality?
3. How this quality affects the scene.
4. The quality relates to the main concept in these ways.
Close Reading of Physical Quality 2 of the Object
1. The quality is significant for this reason.
2. What are cultural, scientific, and historical meanings of the quality?
3. How this quality affects the scene.
4. The quality relates to the main concept in these ways.
Close Reading of Physical Quality 3 of the Object
1. The quality is significant for this reason.
2. What are cultural, scientific, and historical meanings of the quality?
3. How this quality affects the scene.
4. The quality relates to the main concept in these ways.
Conclusion
1. Review the main points of the essay
2. I have proven that this object represents this concept
3. I have acknowledged counter arguments or critiques
4. Call to action
