Analytical Essay
Into the Wild Analytical Essay
Please pick one of the following prompts or thesis statements. You may also use one of your own with instructor approval.
Motivations: What ultimately do you see as the motivations for Chris McCandless’s journey. (Your thesis statement will be your answer—please run it by me first.) Provide evidence from the text to support your claim.
Is he ill, or at least deeply troubled? Chris McCandless may have been motivated by a sense of adventure, under the influence of transcendentalist philosophies, and to take break from the conventions of family and work, but there is also ample evidence that he is mentally ill. Provide evidence from the text to support your claim.
Bias: John Krakauer’s admiration and identification for Chris McCandless causeshis perspective to be clearly biased in favor of McCandless, perhaps even romanticizing and glorifying his story. Provide evidence from the text to support your claim.
Chris McCandless’s journey is a pilgrimage, motivated by a higher calling to adhere to transcendentalist principles. Provide evidence from the text to support your claim.
All essays should be at minimum 2 ½ pages, but no more than 3.
The essay must include:
- At least three directs quotations, cited, from the text.
- A title that “hooks” the reader and provides a hint of the direction you are going in
- An introduction in which you state your thesis, provide a “hook” for the reader and that sets up some general expectations of what is to come
- A minimum of three body paragraphs
- A conclusion that restates your thesis statement—but not with the exact same language. Please do use the complete book title, and author’s name
Please format your essay according to MLA requirements: 12-font, Times New Roman, heading in the upper, left hand corner, 1-inch margins top/bottom, left right, double spaced.
Use MLA to incorporate citations.
Please proofread (I highly recommend technology here, Google, Word, an app like “Grammarly.” Or ask a friend or a family member to review!) Your essay should not have punctuation errors, the wrong tenses of verbs, run on sentences and more!
I am asking that you bring in one outside source and to cite it properly and to include it on a Works Cited page, for one of your three major essays. If you would like to get this “out of the way” with Into the Wild that is fine. But please evaluate your reasons for doing so.
Why: What is this source adding to my argument?
Who: Is this a source that is trustworthy, an expert, reputable?
Please do not cheat. If just one sentence is lifted from an online source and you have simply snuck that one sentence into your essay? The entire essay receives an automatic “F” grade and you may be eligible for disciplinary action from the Academy.
Thesis Statement: Thursday, October 16
Outline and Introduction: Monday, November 3
Rough Draft: Thursday, November 8
Final Draft: Wednesday, November 16
Into the Wild Grading Rubric
(Like any rubric this is an only an approximate guide to how your essay will be graded.)
Outline Comments
| On Time: Is your outline turned in and completed by the due date? | 10 |
Rough Draft Comments
| On Time: Is your rough draft turned in by the due date? | 5 | |
| Thesis: Does your rough draft contain a clearly articulated thesis that is worth arguing and includes both an argument and reasoning? | 10 | |
| Evidence and Analysis: Does your rough draft include at least 3 direct quotations from the text? Have you included analysis that proves how your quotations support your topic sentences and thesis? | 10 | |
| Formatting: Is your rough draft the required length of 2-3 pages, double spaced, written in 12 pt Times New Roman font. Does it include your name, date, and a title? Have you titled your Rough Draft”? | 5 |
Final Draft Comments
| On Time: Is your final draft turned in by the due date? | 5 | |
| Thesis: Does your final draft contain a clearly articulated thesis that is controversial and includes both an argument and reasoning? | 5 | |
| Intro and Conclusion: Does your paper include an introduction that sets up your essay and a conclusion that restates your thesis and summarizes your main points? | 10 | |
| Body Paragraphs: Do they begin with a topic sentence that is argumentative and relates back to your thesis? Do they include quotations from the text that prove your topic sentence? Do they include in-depth critical analysis that explains how your quotations prove your topic sentence and thus your thesis? Do you have at least 3 body paragraphs? | 20 | |
| Spelling and Grammar: Is your writing free of grammatical and spelling errors? Have you proofread? | 5 | |
| Length & Format: Is your final draft the required length of 2-3 pages, double spaced? Is it written in 12 pt. Times New Roman font? Does it include your name, date, and a title? Have you included a Works Cited page? | 5 |
