Purpose: For this first academic essay assignment, you will continue honing writing skills that include summary
and critical analysis. Although distinct, these two rhetorical moves are intimately related. They require you to
develop a persuasive claim supported by evidence and analysis, to link your examples together, and to explain the
significance of your claim to help your reader understand the subject in a new way. This assignment will also
help you practice writing skills including organization, evidence integration, and clarity of style.
The Assignment: This class explores post-apocalyptic literature and film by considering what these stories are
trying to say about topics such as human nature, autonomy, agency, free will, the potential and dangers of
technology, capitalism, globalization, and political upheaval.
trying to say about topics such as human nature, autonomy, agency, free will, the potential and dangers of
technology, capitalism, globalization, and political upheaval.
Then, write an essay that makes an argument about what you see as the meaning or message of the story. What is
the author trying to say? You should support your argument/thesis with evidence from the story and analysis of
images, symbols, dialogue, characters, and/or events in the story. Finally, use your conclusion as a space to
respond with your own thoughts: what do you think of this message? Is this story merely entertainment, or do you
see it as a kind of political commentary? Do you think this commentary is relevant or important? Do you disagree
with it? What do you think?
the author trying to say? You should support your argument/thesis with evidence from the story and analysis of
images, symbols, dialogue, characters, and/or events in the story. Finally, use your conclusion as a space to
respond with your own thoughts: what do you think of this message? Is this story merely entertainment, or do you
see it as a kind of political commentary? Do you think this commentary is relevant or important? Do you disagree
with it? What do you think?
Your main claim/thesis should be argumentative. In other words, you should be arguing a point or idea about the
story, whether that argument is, for instance, about the meaning of the story or even about why the dystopian,
post-apocalyptic setting fails to be convincing. The best papers always teach their reader how to understand or
make sense of something that is not obvious at first sight. You are teaching your audience to understand more
about your subject (in this case, a short story) in a critical and detailed way. Although the questions listed above
are more specific, they are all basically ways of asking “What does this story mean?” A good thesis is an
argumentative answer to that question.
story, whether that argument is, for instance, about the meaning of the story or even about why the dystopian,
post-apocalyptic setting fails to be convincing. The best papers always teach their reader how to understand or
make sense of something that is not obvious at first sight. You are teaching your audience to understand more
about your subject (in this case, a short story) in a critical and detailed way. Although the questions listed above
are more specific, they are all basically ways of asking “What does this story mean?” A good thesis is an
argumentative answer to that question.
The use of ChatGPT or AI writing assistants is not permitted. Grammarly is permitted. Unauthorized use
will result in an automatic failure of the assignment.
will result in an automatic failure of the assignment.
DO NOT WRITE ABOUT HOW TECHNOLOGY IS BAD OR ANYTHING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IN THE ESSAY.