For this essay, you will need to use your sociological imagination to make your points.  Keep in mind that this means you will need to see how society & social issues have created our social problems. This is not to be an opinion paper, but a paper that uses critical thinking skills to analyze a movie. You will need to think like a Sociologist for this paper and that means analyzing the movie structurally. Rather than explaining why the character made a bad decision, explain why that was even an option for them. What was going on around them that caused them to make that decision? This is just an example, but make sure that your analysis focuses on structures and institutions and not at an individual level.

You can choose any movie you would like to use and apply 1 theory  (Conflict, Structural Functionalism, Symbolic Interaction, or Feminist) & 5 of the terms/concepts you have learned in the class to the movie. (Terms to chose from: poverty, race, inequality, ethnicity, gender, sexualities, aging, education, media, family, work and economy, crime, drugs) You can use scenes from the movie to illustrate your points and to make your arguments or critique the movie itself (all White actors, no female leads, etc.). 

Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced, 1-inch margins.

Rubric!

Movie Essay

Movie Essay

Criteria Ratings Pts

Intro Paragraph 

Full intro paragraph with a thesis statement.

20 pts

Conclusion Paragraph

Full conclusion paragraph that summarizes the paper and ties everything together.

20 pts

Spelling, Grammar, Formatting

There are not a lot of spelling or grammar mistakes and this is properly formatted. Multiple paragraphs throughout the essay, 12 point font, double spaced, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins.

10 pts

Term/Concept

The term/concept has been defined in your own words. You have linked that term/concept to at least one scene in the movie. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Term/Concept

The term/concept has been defined in your own words. You have linked that term/concept to at least one scene in the movie. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Term/Concept

The term/concept has been defined in your own words. You have linked that term/concept to at least one scene in the movie. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Term/Concept

The term/concept has been defined in your own words. You have linked that term/concept to at least one scene in the movie. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Term/Concept

The term/concept has been defined in your own words. You have linked that term/concept to at least one scene in the movie. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Theory

You have defined the theory you chose in your own words. You have linked that theory to the overall theme of the movie or your analysis. Multiple scenes or examples throughout the movie that illustrate why you think that theory is appropriate will make this stronger. There is at least 1 explicit link or tie to class material.

20 pts

Total Points: 170