This essay assignment, you will write an analysis paper looking at how Critical Race Theory (systemic racism in American society) relates to the Maxsons, the family in August Wilson’s play, “Fences” (Literature 657-709). You are only allowed to use this play for this essay.
Your introduction must include a one-sentence summary of the play. The summary must include the full title of the play and the full name of the author. The introduction must end with your thesis, arguing on how racism affects Troy and his family.
For your body paragraphs, focus on Troy and show how being African American damaged his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.
For the following body paragraphs, focus on how his shattered American dream affected the rest of his family – his wife, Rose, and his sons, Cory and Lyons.
Use only the given play as support in your body paragraphs. Do not do any research. You must also explain the relationship between the support and your topic sentence in the body paragraphs. Do not summarize the whole play again in the body paragraphs. What I am looking for is your close reading on particular lines or sections of the play. Also, only use direct, not indirect, quotations from the play as support.
The essay must be at least 1,500 words, typed and double-spaced. It must include an eye-catching title and a Work Cited page, following the MLA Format.Links to an external site.
Introduction
___ An opening statement to attract the reader to the thesis statement.
___ A summary of each work that is only one sentence long and mentions the author’s full name, the title of the work and the key points of the work.
___ A strong, well-focused Thesis Statement that reveals everything about the essay.
Body Paragraphs
___ Transitions between each paragraph (“First,…”; “Second,…”; “On the other hand,…” etc.).
___ A strong, well-focused topic sentence related to the thesis statement.
___ Support, presented as direct quotations taken from assigned poems. It must be introduced by a lead-in (such as, who stated the quote) and/or followed by the correct in-text citation. Note: For most lead-ins, use the present tense.
___ Explanations, showing the logical connection between the support and the topic sentence/thesis statement.
Conclusion
___ Restatement (not a repeat) of the thesis.
___ Final thoughts for the reader.
Other notes
___ Follows the directions of the assignment.
___ Title Page included. Avoidance of a generic title.
___ Correct usage of MLA in Works Cited Page.
___ Correct usage of MLA in-text citations.
___ Avoidance of plagiarism.
___ Usage of specific, detailed and concise sentences and active voice.
___ Avoidance of wordiness.
___ Avoidance of vague, confusing, awkward sentence structures.
___ Avoidance of redundancies and repetitive phrases.
___ Avoidance of irrelevant sentences or phrases to the thesis, the topic sentence and/or poems.
___ Usage of formal, academic language.
___ Avoidance of first-person (“I”) and second-person (“you”).
___ Avoidance of contractions (“don’t”, “haven’t”, etc.).
___ Avoidance of spelling errors.
___ Avoidance of grammatical errors (run-ons, fragments, dangling/misplaced modifiers, inconsistency of verbs, inconsistency of pronouns, etc.).
___ Avoidance of punctuation errors.
___ If a direct quotation is longer than four lines, it is set off from the text and the quotation marks are omitted (MLA regulation).
___ Titles of books and websites are italicized.
___ Titles of short works (such as short stories and poems) are enclosed in quotation marks.
