Length: 500 words Submission: 

NEEDS TO BE BASED ON THESE TWO STORIES: “The Fall of the House of Usher” By Edgar Allen Poe and “Désirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin. 

  The essays may concentrate on a single reading or may draw on a few, particularly if your aim is to compare or contrast. (N.B.: you’ll want to be careful not to bring in too many readings since you have only so much space; it would probably be best not to exceed two or three.) 

Each essay should take a position (i.e., should have a thesis) on your chosen reading and defend that position through supporting reasons and evidence derived from the text(s) you’ve chosen to discuss. You should aim your argument at your peers in the course—smart, though not expert, readers familiar with the readings that you’re discussing. In writing your essays, aim to teach your classmates something that will help to make the texts as interesting to them as those texts were to you! 

 RUBRIC Comprehension (25%) Does the writer understand the assignment? Does s/he demonstrate a solid grasp of the subject matter? Invention (25%) Is the argument—from the thesis to the reasons and evidence—appropriate (i.e., interesting, well tailored) for the given audience? Development (25%) Is the essay well reasoned and sensibly put together? Is it coherent and focused? Presentation (25%) Is the writing clear—or even eloquent? Does the writer follow the conventions of Standard English, and are citations handled in accord with MLA practices? Is the essay cleanly edited?