700-900 words essay
Directions:
Definition of essay
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a: an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view
b: something resembling such a composition a photographic essay
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay
Essay 1 on Eula Biss
Biss’s essay can be difficult to make sense of. It doesn’t have the usual format of an introduction that includes a thesis statement, body paragraphs neatly supporting that thesis statement and a conclusion. Instead of paragraphs that make one point in a topic sentence followed by supporting examples and a sentence or two explaining the relevance of those examples, she lists interrelated ideas somewhat like a poet. On the other hand, “The Pain Scale” has many recognizable features of an essay.
Biss focuses on a single subject (the concept of pain) uses examples/evidence to support her ideas, including quotations and paraphrases of philosophers and poets, as well as quotations of people in her life such as her father and medical personnel. In other words, she draws her examples from her reading as well as from her personal experience. If we keep in mind the definition above, we can notice that “The Pain Scale,” is indeed “an analytic or interpretive literary composition dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view.
In most literary (nonacademic) essays, authors often imply their thesis (main argument/message) or state it somewhere other than at the end of their introduction. For this assignment, focus on one section of Biss’s essay in relation to what you take to be the essay’s thesis (main argument/message) You should select whichever section you found interesting in some way. section contributes to supporting what you feel is Biss’s thesis for this essay.
This means your thesis (main argument/message) for this essay should answer the following question:
How does Section __________(your choice) emphasize one aspect of the Biss’s overall message: _______________(your interpretation). As you write your essay consider some of the following questions: Why did this section stand out to you?
What is different about this section when compared to the others? What is similar? What is familiar to you in this section? What is unusual or not familiar to you? How do the ideas compare to your own ideas or experience of pain? How might Biss’s ideas complicate your understanding of pain?
While you are free to use first person in this essay as well as to draw examples from your own life, your essay must focus on and demonstrate a thoughtful, critical reading of Biss’s essay to receive a passing grade. This means you will have to paraphrase and quote Biss’s essay to support your interpretation of her ideas.
DO NOT use sources, other than the assigned essay— this is not a research essay.
