* Please only use original text for the book Monkey For the 6 to 8 page essay of argument and analysis on Monkey, you should choose one of the two topics below. This essay is to be done in stages with a first complete draft due at 11:59 pm on 5/6, a recommended Zoom consultation about the essay arranged by appointment with the professor during office hours of Week 13 or 14, and a final submission of the essay by noon of 5/14. In addition to the primary text, (Waley’s abridgement), and materials provided you in the course lectures, you must consult Waley’s preface to the abridgement as well as the instructional video, “Invitation to World Literature: Journey to the West.” which you watch on 4/29. Quote at least one of the distinctive ideas expressed by one of the experts in the film, and introduce the speak with a brief phrase noting his/ her credentials. Advance a reasonable argument that reveals your awareness of a counter-argument. Gracefully integrate phrases and lines from the text in support of what you say. Use the in-text citation method from the novel, with a Roman numeral indicating chapter, followed by the page number. The work cited list at the end of the essay should be alphabetized (not numbered). This essay requires argument, analysis, interpretation, close reading, and judicious use of select secondary source. Plagiarism in this or any assignment in the course may result in a failing grade in the course.
TOPIC A: Who is the hero in the allegory?
Make the case either for the group of disciples (as a unit) serving as the hero. Alternatively, make the case for Monkey and Tripitaka (together) as the hero or Tripitaka or Monkey alone as the hero. Don’t offer a generic dictionary definition for hero; instead, qualify and nuance the definition of “hero” to fit the particular genre (novel) and context (sixteenth century Chinese culture featuring an amalgam of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism). Be sure to incorporate in your essay some recognition of the allegorical dimension of the text. TOPIC B: Monkey as a Buddhist allegory. The one-time Chinese ambassador to the U.S., Hu Shih in the introduction to the American version of Waley’s abridgement claimed that Monkey is simply a “book of good humor, profound nonsense, good-natured satire, and delightful entertainment” (p.5). Demonstrate in your essay how the novel, while good humored, functions as a Buddhist allegory for the journey to enlightenment.
Rubric or criteria for evaluation:
1. Advance a clear, reasonably delimited thesis in the first paragraph and let the first paragraph awaken the reader’s interest and make clear your focus. Take care to indicate the title of the work, the author, and the date or approximate time of its first publication.
2. Try to persuade the informed reader whom you are addressing of your position. Demonstrate your close reading and insight.
3. Gracefully introduce relevant phrases or lines from the primary text to illustrate and support your points. Use paraphrase where appropriate. Use the in-text parenthetical MLA citation method. Analyze the the quotations from the text convincingly and insightfully.
4. Build coherence in the essay through logical sequencing of ideas in a given paragraph and by making the topic sentences (first sentence) of each paragraph advance the main idea of the paragraph.
5. As relevant, use the literary terms employed in lecture remarks and instructional materials. Be thoughtful about word choice..
6. Let your concluding paragraph restate what you have said in a non-repetitive way.
7. Include a work cited reference for Monkey as well as all other sources that you consult. Secondary sources must be legitimate academic sources (not CliffsNotes and the like, not someone’s unsigned blog or signed BA thesis floating about on the internet). Please see the list of secondary readings about Monkey in the Course Materials menu for approved sources. If you use any of these sources, they must appear in the work cited list (in alphabetical order) in correct MLA form.
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For the 6 to 8 page essay o appeared first on Homeworkassisters.
