1. Film review template (1 single-spaced page):
In your opinion, what part or theme of Luc Besson’s film “The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc” is most historically accurate?
Thesis:
In my opinion, the film “The Story of Joan of Arc” (1999) most accurately shows Joan’s rise as an inspiring military commander. This part of the film is largely grounded in historical reality because English victories in the One-Hundred Years War created a particular psychological environment, in which the French government could hope but for a miracle. And Joan of Arc (played by Mila Jovovich) delivered such a miracle by lifting the morale of the French army, effectively turning the tide of the war.
The film follows the rise of Joan’s ascension to military glory although it skips some details. For example, in the film, after she experienced a vision, she asked her relatives to take her to see the King. In reality, she asked the local garrison commander, who tried to deter her with sarcastic response (I-29). Nevertheless, the film accurately portrays that during her meeting with Charles VII she made an announcement about a military reversal near Orléans several days before messengers arrived to report it (II-78-79). Given the distance of the battle's location, Joan could have known about the French defeat only by Divine revelation, and this convinced the King take her seriously.

2. The scene, where upon her arrival Joan effectively turned the longstanding Anglo-French conflict into a religious war, is also historically accurate. For example, Charles' advisers were worried that unless it was established that she was not a heretic or a sorceress – Charles' enemies could easily make the allegation that his crown was a gift from the devil. Hence, the King ordered background inquiries and a theological examination, which verified her morality (III/ ). This was enough for Charles, but the commission of priests requested that he put Joan to the test. The test for the truth of her claims would be the raising of the siege of Orléans [II/136].
Although in reality Joan arrived to Orléans after the French captured the bastion before her arrival (I/ ), she did lead the charge the next day, effecting the capture of the second bastion called Saint-Jean-le-Blanc. The scene of the brutal hand-to-hand combat is historically accurate as confirmed by the old French chronicles and contemporaries, who acknowledged Joan as the heroine of the engagement, in which she was wounded by an arrow (III/91-106).
The film correctly portrays Joan of Arc as a semi-legendary figure, who came from an obscure village, rose to prominence as a successful military leader, and became France’s most beloved national heroine.

3. HOW TO WRITE A RESPONSE PAPER (1 typed, single-spaced page)
A response paper is your chance to communicate in writing your personal viewpoint as it relates specifically to a book, film, article, etc.
Your source (book, article, film, etc.) alone has no meaning; it is given meaning by you, the writer.
In other words, a response paper is your own interpretation of the source, demonstrating how well you understand the concepts or the narrative in question.

4. Your essay will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:
Introduction (20%).
Does the introduction contain a clearly defined thesis stating your line of arguments?
Does the introduction provide 2-3 specific points as proof of the thesis to be defended in the body of the essay?
2. Analysis and specific examples (50%).
Do you analyse (rather than narrate) the 2 -3 points mentioned in the introduction?
Do you support your arguments with specific examples drawn from 2 sources?
3. Structure, grammar, style (30%).
While the content of the essay forms the basis of the assignment, poor essay organization, spelling errors, and faulty punctuation can and will have a negative impact on your grade.

5. Sample response paper (part 1)
Compare the basic principles of Judaism and Christianity. Why, in spite of its humble beginnings, did Christianity achieve the status of a world religion?
Although early Christians were persecuted, specific socio-economic and political circumstances forced Roman Emperors to embrace the new creed as a crucial universal bond that helped them solidify their rule and hold together the multicultural and multiethnic Roman Empire.
Judaism and Christianity are two related world religions. Judaism was founded by Abraham as a monotheistic religion – that is the belief in one, universal god. According to Judaist teachings, God and Abraham struck an agreement – the Covenant – according to which ancient Jews would believe and revere only one God. In exchange, God would love and protect Jews as the chosen people. The second important premise of Judaism is that God’s love to Jews is contingent upon their belief in him. If they stop following his guide, they will be punished. The oral traditions of Judaism were written down in the series of books called the Old Testament roughly between 500 and 300BC. Christianity took its roots from Judaism, and also is a monotheistic religion. (II-34).
Yet, despite their close relationship, Christianity and Judaism took a different path of development eventually became hostile to each other. The point of rupture between the two religions was teachings of Jesus Christ, who defied the Jewish traditional religious establishment, and whose appeal to the masses won him a significant popular backing. (I-123).
Sample response paper (part 1)

6. Sample response paper (part 2)
The founder of Christianity is believed to have been a man named Jesus. Born about 4AD in a Jewish family in Bethlehem, Palestine, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and began preaching to the poor and sick in Judea – then a Roman province -- and convinced them to follow the teachings of God. The major tenet of this new religion -- called Christianity due to the Greek word Christos (the Messiah) – is the belief in one universal God, who loves and protects the human kind. Salvation and the kingdom of heaven are attainable by everyone who puts his/her trust in the All Mighty. Around 32AD, Jesus was apprehended by the Jewish leadership alarmed by his growing popularity among the masses, Fearful of Roman reprisals, Jewish elders handed Jesus over to the Romans, who crucified him (II-34).
Several reasons contributed to the growth of Christianity. Jesus’ work was continued by charismatic leaders such as Peter and Paul, who gained popularity in Europe, especially Greece and Italy. Christianity offered salvation to everybody, regardless of social status and wealth – poor and rich, sick and healthy, princes and slaves. (I-187).
Conclusion: As the Roman Empire declined, the emperors sought a device that would unify the diverse imperial population. Such a device was a single religion, and Christianity seemed to be popular enough to serve this purpose. In 313AD it was declared state religion, and from that moment on Christianity would eventually gain the status of world religion. Thus, in spite of its humble beginnings, a strange creed preached by a Palestinian Jew named Jesus has become the most popular (numerically) religion of the world (II-37-38).

7. Bibliography: I. Christopher Catherwood, A brief history of the Middle East: from Abraham to Arafat,   II. Bernard Lewis, What went wrong? The clash between Islam and modernity in the Middle East, 2002.