This is “synthesis hybrid essay” That needs to focus on one problem in current America with evidence spanning 2 books and one movie

Your second semester final assessment for this English class will take the form of an essay. You will write a
synthesis hybrid essay that argues something about America and/or what it means to be American and does so using
a variety of kinds of evidence to develop that argument.
The literature we’ve read this year has spanned over 150 years ofAmerican writing and has been grounded in over
200 years ofAmerica’s history. When you consider that most of you have also studied United States history this
year in your social studies classes, you should be well prepared to write about today’s United States ofAmerica and
how the USA of the near and distant past may have shaped and influenced our present day United States. But,
rather than writing this essay using history as your evidence, you’ll use a variety ofAmerican texts and your own
experiences as an American living in today’s America.
More importantly, you should be prepared to write an essay—using all of your experience in the study of how an
essayist combines form and content, style and ideas, evidence and analysis/reflection—that is thoughtful and bold
in arguing its idea, creative and intelligent in its structure, precise and purposeful in its use of language.
The Details:
This final essay should be between 5-7 double-spaced typed pages (use Times New Roman, size 12, please). The
essay should have a cover page (not included among the 5-7 pages) with the essay’s title, Junior English 2nd
Semester Final Essay, teacher’s name, author’s name, class period, date. The essay is due, submitted via the
appropriate link in Schoology, by the start of your class’s scheduled Final Exam time slot:
● 8th period: Tuesday, May 30 at 8:10 am
● 6th period: Tuesday, May 30 at 1:10 pm
● 5th period: Wednesday, May 31 at 8:10 am
You may submit the essay late, but only if submitted within 24 hours of the due date and at a penalty of two full
letter grades. In other words, do not submit the essay late.
The Focus:
As I stated above, the essay must use evidence and develop an argument or idea (in other words, you must take a
position here). This does not mean the essay must be driven by a single guiding argument (claim or thesis) that is
explicitly stated as such (although it might be). It simply means that the essay must argue an idea; it must say
something; it must have a focus, a direction.
The Evidence:
Above I provided you with a sense of the Final Essay’s expected purpose; now we must talk about its evidence.
One of the challenges of this essay will be to argue an idea using a variety of forms of evidence. Your essay must
use four different types of evidence:
Evidence Category #1 – Full-Length text: The Tortilla Curtain
Evidence Category #2 – Personal narrative: what you carry in you (memories, experiences, stories, events,
moments); your lived experience
Evidence Category #3 – Full-Length text (must use at least ONE): The Falconer, The Catcher in the Rye, The
Great Gatsby, Salvage the Bones, The Kentucky Cycle
Evidence Category #4 – alternate “text” (must use at least ONE): Essay – From “Walden; or Life in the Woods,”
“Knowing Our Place,” “Living Like Weasels,” “Bear,” “A Presentation ofWhales,” “The Work ofLocal Culture,”
“Everything is a Human Being,” “Liking Is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts,” “The Next Walk You Take Could
Change Your Life” Poem – “A Ritual to Read to Each Other,” “Let America Be America Again,” “A New National
Anthem,” “Praise Song for the Day,” “I Hear America Singing” Film – Crash
OVER
The Form:
In terms of form and structure, you may write this hybrid essay in whatever form and/or structure best suits you
and/or the ideas explored within the essay; as you know, the essay continuum allows for many different types and
structures. One condition, though: a superior essay will synthesize evidence in the service of developing ideas.
In other words, the essay should not be constructed around discussing one text in the first section, then focus
on another text in the next section, then spend the next section sharing a personal story, and then talk about
yet another text in another section. Your essay should explore and develop ideas, not simply list evidence as
examples.
The Evaluation:
Below, with adjustments made for the final essay’s required elements, are the standards I use when evaluating
essays. Pluses and minuses represent gradations ofdifference. Your final essay will be evaluated based on the
essay itself, not on effort or time spent.
A = Outstanding in every way (this does not mean perfect). This is a bold, original and perceptive essay that explores
interesting, complex ideas and does so with well-chosen evidence. The discussion reveals the writer’s knowledge of the
texts (it doesn’t simply repeat what we’ve talked about in class). There is a context for all the ideas; its paragraphs are
coherent and well developed, and their ordering reveals a clear and logical sense of purpose; someone outside the class
would be enriched, not confused, by reading the essay. Its argument is clearly and fully established. The language is
clean, precise and maybe even graceful. The writer’s investment in the ideas is evident. The essay meets all requirements
of the assignment, including meeting identified expectations for form and structure, attempting to answer a question,
exploring and arguing something about America and/or what it means to be American, and artfully using the four
different necessary types of evidence: (1) The Tortilla Curtain, (2) personal narratives/experiences, (3) at least one other
full-length text from throughout the year in English, and (4) at least one other “alternate” text (essay/poem/film).