Assignment Description:
You are tasked with writing an essay (1,500-1,800 words) that guides the reader through an evolving thesis on how Eminem’s music video “Not Afraid” represents themes of personal growth, redemption, and resilience. This essay should answer the Inquiry Question: How does Eminem’s “Not Afraid” use narrative and visual elements to explore themes of personal growth, redemption, and resilience?
Key Components:
Evolving Thesis:
Start with a clear thesis that answers the Inquiry Question.
Ensure the thesis evolves in complexity throughout the essay, offering deeper insights into how the music video represents the discussed themes.
Analysis of Visual and Textual Details:
Analyze specific elements from the video, such as symbolic imagery, narrative structure, and lyrical content.
Focus on selective details that directly address the concerns of the Inquiry Question.
Use of Secondary Sources:
Use the following four secondary sources as provided and find one additional peer-reviewed article to include as a fourth source:
Wilson, Grace N. “Psychological Perspectives on Eminem’s Music: Empowerment Themes, Music Therapy, and the Effects of Violent Music.” Undergraduate Honors Theses, Christopher Newport University, 2021, pp. 300-314.
Dawkins, Marcia Alesan. Eminem: The Real Slim Shady. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013.
Jenkins, Henry. “‘Never Trust a Snake’: WWF Wrestling as Masculine Melodrama.” Out of Bounds: Sports, Media, and the Politics of Identity, edited by Aaron Baker and Todd Boyd, Indiana UP, 1997, pp. 48-78.
Medeiros, Johanna. “Eminem’s Life Story: From Bullied Dropout to Hip Hop Knockout.” Goalcast, 24 Jan. 2018. https://www.goalcast.com/eminems-life-story-bullied-dropout-hip-hop-knockout/
Find an additional peer-reviewed article related to the themes of personal growth, resilience, or the impact of music on mental health and empowerment.
MOST IMPORTANT SOURCES TO USE Incorporate at least one peer-reviewed article and one Course Text (Jenkins’ article).
Engage the sources in conversation, exploring how they illuminate different aspects of the music video’s images, lyrics, and composition.
Structure and Content:
Introduction:
Present the Inquiry Question and introduce the thesis.
Body Paragraphs:
Analyze the music video’s visual and textual elements.
Use secondary sources to support, complicate, and extend the thesis.
Put the sources in conversation with each other to explore the visual and textual representations.
Conclusion:
Summarize the findings and present a compelling final claim that has evolved throughout the essay.
Strategies for Success:
Evolving Thesis: Your thesis should start by addressing the Inquiry Question and should evolve in complexity throughout the essay, culminating in a compelling final claim.
Secondary Sources: Use the secondary sources as lenses to analyze the music video, putting them in conversation to build on and extend your thesis.
Focused Analysis: Focus on specific details from the video, music, and lyrics that speak most directly to your Inquiry Question. Use 10 on 1 to say more about less.
Academic Writing: Ensure the writing uses style and voice appropriate for academic writing, including transition phrases, attributive tags, strong verbs, appropriate word choice, and MLA citation format.
Criteria for Evaluation:
Does the essay have an evolving thesis about how the music video represents an issue, context, figure, or phenomenon?
Does the essay incorporate appropriate sources to support, complicate, and extend the thesis? Does the essay present a conversation among the sources?
Does the essay analyze specific visual and textual details from the music video and analyze evidence from the sources to develop the thesis?
Does the writing use style and voice to demonstrate rhetorical awareness of the assignment’s audience and purpose? Does the writing make use of the expectations for academic writing, including transition phrases, attributive tags, strong verbs, appropriate word choice, and MLA citation format?
Important Notes:
Ensure all citations and formatting are in MLA format.
Make sure to find and include one peer-reviewed article that aligns with the essay’s themes.
Maintain a cohesive flow of ideas, ensuring that the analysis is thorough and well-supported by the secondary sources.
