For this argumentative paper, you will have to select a film(Chasing Heroin) and analyze the films argument. Examine specific scenes, dialogue, setting, etc. to determine the films overall viewpoint in relation to the social, political, or historical event that it presents.
source for the documentary
You will also need to conduct research on the documentary, incorporating three sources that inform your analysis. Your goal in this paper is to identify the films claims, examine the films methods, and take a stance on the films effectiveness.
Identify the Films Thesis and Claims
Analyze the films message. Consider the following questions:
What is the film trying to say? If you had to give it a thesis, what would it be?
Where does it stand on the issue (racism, artificial intelligence, ocean sustainability, etc.)?
Consider the following questions as you watch your film. The answers to some of these questions could be included in the analysis section of your paper:
What scenes or events in the film/documentary reveal its message?
What primary claims (supporting points of argument) does the film use to make its point? Try to break down the parts that make up the whole. Organize your paper around the specific claims.
What dialogue in the film helps to reveal the message of the film?
How do the characters fit into the overall message?
Does one character function as the primary mouthpiece of the film (revealing the message of the film through his or her beliefs)?
Is the message of the film revealed through tragedy? If so, does that strengthen or weaken the films argument?
Once you have critically analyzed your film, identify 3-4 main claims for the analysis section of your paper. You will need to present each of these claims in its own paragraph. Each paragraph should include a clear claim, scenes and/or quotes from the film to support the claim, and follow-up analysis.
You must use at least 3 sources, including the following:
1 published interview with the director or writer of the film (or possibly an actor in the film) or an article focusing on the director or writer (video sources are acceptable, such as interviews that you find online through YouTube or other sources). Alternatively you could use an article written by the director or writer (some exceptions may be allowed with approval, but finding this type of source could be invaluable). Note: You may also use the director/actor/writer commentary from a DVD or digital version as a substitute.
2 articles that discuss the film. Try to find sources other than movie reviews. Look for critical analysis articles or at least a detailed, analytical review, such as those often found in The New Yorker (opens in a new window). Also try Literature Resource Center (opens in a new window), Proquest Arts and Humanities Database, JSTOR (opens in a new window), and NCLive (opens in a new window)
For the final draft of the paper, you will include a regular Works Cited page.
