The Glass Menagerie

—The essay should be at least 3 full pages, not including any title page (which is optional) or works cited page. —In addition to any primary texts (the play, the short stories, and Williams’s essays), you must use at least two secondary sources from the SCC library. Library sources must come from credible, peer-reviewed journals or books (no magazines, newspapers, blogs, random websites, etc – as always, you may check with me to determine whether or not a particular source is viable). You may use the documentary Wounded Genius as one of your sources, but it must be integral to your argument (i.e. not used as a passing reference). —Make sure your paper (and its thesis) argues a point about the text(s), and does not just read as a factual report on the readings from class. Your paper should be academic in nature, i.e. not a personal essay. The use of you and I is discouraged (statements such as I believe and in my opinion are redundantthis is your paper, and so I assume these are your beliefs and opinions). —The essay must be in proper MLA format. Make sure you take the time to verify whether or not your MLA is correct. —With that said, all sources must be documented, even the primary text. If using the supplementary sources I provided, please note that all necessary citation information is in the PDF, and be sure you cite it properly. If you need help with MLA, I encourage you to consult with the Purdue OWL MLA GuideLinks to an external site. —Please review the Academic Dishonesty/Integrity/Plagiarism guidelines in the syllabus. ——- Prompts (choose one–for this assignment you may not create your own): 1) Choose one of the following themes in The Glass Menagerie, and craft an argument about how it is represented in the play: illusion vs. reality; abandonment; war and strife; memory; absence vs presence; family and relationships; coming of age 2) Discuss how The Glass Menagerie mirrors Tennessee Williams’ own life, and what these autobiographical elements do for the effectiveness of the play. 3) Research the historical context of The Glass Menagerie, and how it contributes to an understanding of the play. 4) In Scene 1 of The Glass Menagerie, the playwright says: The scene is memory and is therefore nonrealistic. Later, Tom, in his opening speech, discusses the ultimate aim of this method of presentation. Discuss the playwright’s intention in presenting his work in this manner. 5) Discuss how “Portrait of a Girl in Glass” interacts with and departs from The Glass Menagerie, and how an understanding of one leads to a more sophisticated understanding of the other with respect to symbolism, theme, characterization, or autobiography (please note that you will still need to obtain the required number of secondary sources). 6) Discuss how the theme of fatherhood and the motif of fathers operate throughout at least two of Williams’ texts (The Glass Menagerie, “The Man in the Overstuffed Chair” and/or “Portrait of a Girl in Glass”). Rubric Midterm Essay rubric Midterm Essay rubric Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTitle Title is catchy/unique/interesting (not just named “Midterm Essay,” for instance). 4 pts Full marks 2 pts 2 0 pts No marks No title, or the title is simply the assignment name. 4 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMLA-style document formatting The document is formatted per MLA guidelines (12pt, readable font; 1″ margins on all sides; double-spaced; with MLA-style header and page numbers) 6 pts Full marks The formatting is flawless and matches MLA guidelines, 4 pts 4 The paper has been formatted per MLA, but with some oversights. 2 pts 2 Some attempt has been made. 0 pts No marks No attempt is made at proper formatting. 6 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIntroduction The introduction should introduce the subject, provide general context, and present a clear, cogent thesis. 12 pts Full marks The introduction thoughtfully introduces the subject and contains a strong argumentative thesis. 10 pts 10 8 pts 8 Introduction contains a reasonably clear thesis and introduces some of the points the paper will use. 4 pts 4 Introduction is missing the thesis or the thesis does not reflect the assignment and/or the introductory paragraph is not sufficiently detailed. 2 pts 2 0 pts No marks No introductory paragraph is evident, and/or the paragraph does not make sense with the rest of the paper. 12 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBody paragraphs The body of the essay contains paragraphs which are thoughtfully formatted, and presents examples which directly support the thesis. 16 pts Full marks The essay has a minimum of three body paragraphs. Each body paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence that supports the thesis statement. Each topic sentence is supported by examples drawn directly from the source material. These examples strongly supports the argument being made and are smoothly integrated. The paragraphs are well-organized and consistent with the paper’s thesis. 13 pts 13 10 pts 10 Most or all necessary components are present, but lack flow, structure, and/or fail to link back to the thesis. 8 pts 8 5 pts 5 3 pts 3 0 pts No marks There are no body paragraphs or the paragraphs do not make sense with the rest of the paper. 16 pt