INTO THE WILD FINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT Tosspon English 12

How do I know where to start?  Read and then reread the prompt.  Underline important verbs that tell you what action to perform: “explain,” “discuss,” and “support” are in the prompt.  Find the argument in the passage.  This writer thinks Chris was bright but ignorant, arrogant, and crazy.

Take 10  Take 10 minutes now and write down everything you can think of about your topic  Possible Thesis  Topic Sentences  Ideas you MAY want to write about  Paraphrasing quotes you may want to use (Page numbers for quotes from the book, if you happen to know them)

Sample Position  Position: That Chris McCandless wasn’t crazy, but he was eccentric.  Define my terms. (what do I mean by “eccentric”)  He was very bright and made some good decisions.  He was worth admiring.  He made friends easily and he had a strong effect on people.  Because he was so sensitive, he was affected by the romantic nature of some writers he read.  He had as much right as anyone to travel and explore.  He didn’t easily live in a capitalistic society, and many of his points made sense.  He lived an honest life.  Conclusion: Chris McCandless thought about life deeply and lived accordingly, mostly without harming others; that’s not being crazy.

Take a position: Your thesis  Don’t worry about a smooth introduction if nothing comes to mind; begin with your point, your thesis:  I agree with some of Callarman’s position about Chris McCandless, but I think Chris, like other sensitive, smart people, had trouble existing in the modern world. That doesn’t make him crazy; it makes him different.

Topic Sentences Here are some sample topic sentences written by students:  Early in the book, Chris’s behavior toward his parents confused me. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t accept a gift of a car from them (20-21).  Chapter 11 gives much more information about Chris’s parents, and I admit that I didn’t like Chris’s dad. He seemed really stiff. “How is it,” he said, “that a kid with so much compassion could cause his parents so much pain?” Note: The above sample writing does not really support the notion that Walt is “stiff.” This student should be directed to find another supporting quotation for his statement.

More Topic Sentences Here are some sample topic sentences written by students:  In Chapter 12, it became more clear to me why Chris was so furious with his father (121).  The epilogue changed my mind, because I felt so sorry for Chris’s parents, especially his mom. What are some commentary, or reasons these statements may be important?

Writing it out  Take one point from the pre-writing you did. Use your shaping sheet to:  Write a Topic Sentence  Write two pieces of evidence (concrete detail - CD)  For each CD write 2 reasons this evidence is important (commentary)

Evidence to support your position  What is the evidence that you will use to prove your position?  Use your Shaping Sheet to jot down the evidence that comes to mind in bullet form or in a few words. Topic Sentence Christopher McCandless wasn’t crazy, but he was eccentric. Concrete Detail/Evidence Christopher lived a “normal” life and even graduated from a good college. Evidence: what his friends said about him at HS and college (pg 100) Commentary/Why He was able to exist and have friends in society, unlike most crazy people. Commentary/Why His friends saw him as normal, but more and eccentric as time passed. Conclusion of this paragraph + transition to next: Christopher McCandless could live a normal life, if he chose to do so, and in fact, behaved normally for most of his life. It was in seeking absolute truth and peace from society that he became more eccentric.

Analyzing the evidence  In addition to giving evidence, you must analyze what the evidence means to your argument and how it connects to your argument. The concerns raised by the article are valid. We cannot know how much Chris actually felt or bonded with people he met. We must rely on assumptions because he did not write down his emotional response. The lack of writing his emotional response may in itself be a symptom of Aspergers…

Writing the Body paragraphs  The number of paragraphs in an essay depends on the nature and complexity of your argument.  Your paragraphs should relate back to your thesis and support it. I’ll organize this essay around the theme, “I used to think, but now...” I’ll have 3-4 paragraphs which outline how I initially judged Chris’s parents, and then about the same number to explain my judgment at the end of the book. I’ll use references and quotations from the text.

Body paragraphs  Your paragraphs should begin with topic sentences that relate back to the thesis.  Your paragraphs should include different points of view, and you should directly address them (e.g., refute them, show them to be irrelevant, dazzle the audience with the strength of your own argument, etc.). I’ll keep in mind how McCandless might respond to my view of his parents. He’ll be who I will refute. I might talk about how I understand the fury Chris felt toward his dad, but that parents are only people, and they also make big mistakes when they’re young. I’ll point out the good things that Chris’s dad did for him.

Considering the Opposition  If readers were to disagree with your thesis or the validity of your support, what would they say? How would you address their concerns (what would you say to them)?  It is entirely possible that Christopher McCandless was insane. Some have theorized that he suffered from Asperger’s syndrome. The evidence for this is… Despite this evidence, I do not believe there is a sufficient case to officially diagnose Christopher as having Asperger’s.

Bringing in Outside Evidence  Develop the content of your argument by giving evidence in the form of examples, illustrations, statistics, and so forth.  You will be required to have at least one source in addition to the book. In the “Case for Asperger’s” article, McCandless is “diagnosed” with this mental disability. The evidence presented is that he was socially awkward and could not conceptualize other people’s emotions (pg 1).

Notes about writing  Use a “hook” to get the reader’s attention.  Teenagers almost always think others (especially their parents) don’t understand them and are unfair to them. The above sentence is a good beginning, but it might be worth pointing out that it states a truism—information that we already know. It certainly does not make the reader eager to begin reading the essay. What might be a better hook if you are writing about teen angst?

Notes about writing  Avoid truisms—obvious statements that everyone knows.  “One should always be prepared to go into the wild.” Why would anyone argue with that?

Notes about writing  Provide background information that the audience may need to begin reading your argument.  Since my teacher and classmates have all read this book, I don’t think I need to give background information.  As a matter of course, always give a bit of background— even if the audience knows the text— because doing so smoothes the way into the book or subject.

Conclusion The final paragraph or paragraphs demonstrates that you:  have made a solid argument to support your thesis  shows the significance of your argument  answers the question, “So what?” Your ending should  be honest and elegant  point to a solution or tie up the ends. A good conclusion does not just stop, it ends. A mere summary of all you have said in a short essay is rather insulting to the reader.

Sample Conclusions  Chris McCandless was sometimes right about his parents, but I don’t think he would have wanted to hurt them as much as he did by dying in the bus. This final sentence needs more substance. The student needs to think about the second part of the sentence because it seems to be a weak statement and rather obvious. Perhaps by asking the student if he answered the important question, “So what?” he might reach a more honest, elegant ending. He might imagine how McCandless would have reacted to his parents’ behavior at the bus at the end of the book. He might point out that in the Acknowledgments, after the Epilogue, the family requested that 20 percent of the royalties generated by sales of the book be donated to a scholarship fund in McCandless’s name. Clearly, McCandless mattered to his family.

Questions?  Rough Draft  Typed  MLA Format, with Works Cited page  12 point font, double spaced, pg numbered  Due 12/14/09 – Monday  Mrs. T may be available by to review over the weekend:  Revisions  Will begin in class 12/14/09  Final product due 12/16/09