Moral Obligation Comparison essay on a historical figure to Sophocles’ Antigone What personality trait did the two share to act out against an unjust law?

STEPS 1. Choose the historical figure you want to compare to Antigone. 2. Choose the grounds for comparison; i.e. is there something they have in common that makes it worthwhile to show how they are different? 3. Answer the question So What? by determining a purpose for making a comparison. 4. Gather information and evidence from the play and credible web sources to describe and support your grounds for comparison. Use a graphic organizer like the one below. 5. Outline your essay. 6. Compose your thesis. 7. Write the draft of your essay.

Graphic Organizer - Comparisons SimilaritiesDifferences Setting: (time period, cultural context) Characterization: Gender, Age, Personality, Family, Education Law Broken: What law? How? Alone? Did people know or help? Moral Obligation Result: Affect on individual, Success, affect on society

Outline 1)Introduction:  General statements about moral obligation, Antigone or unjust laws.  Identify he names the items to be compared  The purpose of the comparison  What is being compared and/or contrasted  Thesis sentence

Sample Thesis Statements:  Unacceptable — “I am going to compare the similarities and differences between the films Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T., the Extraterrestrial.”  Acceptable — “A close examination of the way Roy Neary, the protagonist of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Elliott, the protagonist of E.T., the Extraterrestrial, react to their encounters with aliens demonstrates that director Steven Spielberg uses both films to tell similar stories about the difficulties of growing up.”

How Can You Tell a Strong Thesis Sentence from a Weak One?  A strong thesis takes some sort of stand or states some kind of opinion.  A strong thesis expresses a main idea and is specific.

Plan the Opening Sentences of Your Introductory Paragraph:  Factual Information: The writer opens his or her paragraph by giving a list of facts that will eventually lead to his or her thesis. (In the days of Sophocles, the ancient Greeks believed that an individual could not alter his/her fate; however, they believed that one could exercise their free will.)  Anecdote: The writer opens the paragraph with a story that relates to the thesis.  Quotation: The writer builds the introductory paragraph around an applicable quote (e.g. The blind and homeless Gloucester in Shakespeare's King Lear laments, "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; / They kill us for their sport" (IV.i ). This idea of mankind being controlled by some outside force is reflected in the ancient Greek idea that an individual could not alter his/her fate. However, the ancient Greeks of Sophocles' time also held to the idea that in spite of a person's predetermined fate, one was able to exercise free will, and it was the choices one made in the midst of uncontrollable fate that revealed their heroic nature.)

Body Paragraphs (The Basic Structure): 1. Topic Sentence- refers to thesis found in the introduction 2. Concrete detail sentence #1 shows support for the topic sentence (For example…) 3. Commentary 4. Concrete detail sentence #2 shows support for the topic sentence (In addition…) 5. Commentary 6. Concrete detail sentence #3 shows support for the topic sentence (Furthermore…) Concrete details = either direct quotes or specific examples from the text Commentary = the student’s own words and explanations relating the concrete details to the thesis

Writing Conclusions: 1. Return to the main idea of the introduction.  This strategy brings the reader full circle.  For example, if you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is helpful in creating a new understanding.  You may also refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel concepts and images that you also used in the introduction.

2. Synthesize, don't summarize.  Include a brief summary of the paper's main points, but don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it.  Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together. Pull it all together for them.

3. Point to broader implications— answering the question “So what?”  For example, if your paper examines a the theme found in a work of literature or film, you can (1) point out the relevance of the theme during the time in which the authors wrote the work, or (2) you can point out the relevance or universality of the theme to our modern times.  In other words, your conclusion should answer the following question: Why is the theme found in two works written in the past still relevant to us today?  Your conclusion should not leave the reader able to say, “So what?”

Strategies to Avoid: 1. Do not begin with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as "in conclusion," "in summary," or "in closing." Although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as wooden and trite in writing. 2. Do not state the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion and do not repeat it verbatim. 3. Do not introduce a new idea (main topic) or subtopic in your conclusion. 4. Do not include evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper. Remember, the purpose of your body paragraphs is to PROVE your point with evidence. The proof should come BEFORE the conclusion.

RUBRIC PURPOSE, FOCUS, AND ORGANIZATION - _____ out of 35  Clearly stated and strongly maintained claim (thesis) (15)  Logical progression of ideas from beginning to end (signal words and conclusion) (10)  Academic voice (objective tone and formal diction) (10) EVIDENCE AND ELABORATION - ______ out of 45  Relevant evidence (direct quote from play or research) (20)  Precise reference to sources in each body paragraph (citations) (10)  Elaborated (explained) to support the thesis (commentary) (15) CONVENTIONS - _______ out of 10  Minor errors but no patterns  Adequate use of punctuation, capitalization, sentence formation and spelling Website Evaluation Form - ____ out of 10