Describe the story of the Haitian zombie myth in detail.

Essay Purpose
In this Research paper, students will learn to integrate
evidence from outside sources in order to support their comparison of
ancient Haitian zombie myths and a modern zombie film. This historical
analysis of zombie myths will teach students of the value of
understanding culture and history when interpreting the meaning of
myths.

Readings and Films
Listen to Unexplained Podcast Season 4, Episode 8 Part 1 (Links to an external site.) and Part 2 (Links to an external site.) “Death’s Pale Flag” about ancient Haitian zombie myths. (Unexplained transcript also available.)

Read about the brutal history of slavery in Haiti in “Haiti: A Long Descent to Hell” by Jon Henley
Watch Zack Snyder’s zombie horror film Dawn of the Dead (2004) (Links to an external site.)

(Links to an external site.)Also read Model Research Paper to see an example of a strong essay by a former student.
Research Requirements
Support your research paper with a discussion of quotations and evidence from at least 5 outside sources that are cited using MLA format. More sources would be even better.
You can use your research sources to either
clarify or support your own position and provide evidence for a counterargument or
show that your paper is valuable because not enough work has been done on your essay topic.
Use the GCC Library Online Database (Links to an external site.) to locate your sources.

Research Paper Structure

Instructions: Break your essay into the following sections, each of which is a mini-essay. Skip a line between sections. You will need to decide where to divide paragraphs within each section. No section should look like one long paragraph.

Each section shall be a mini-essay with
· its own title (except for Section 1, which does not need its own title since the title of the whole Research paper comes right before it)
· introduction paragraph that ends in a thesis,
· body paragraphs that each discuss only one main idea and start with a topic sentence and end with a concluding sentencing
· body paragraphs that contain correctly cited information from research sources
· supporting quotations and other evidence from sources using MLA format
· a conclusion paragraph.

Sections:
1. History of Slavery in Haiti (2 pages)
2. Origins of Haitian Zombie Myths in Slavery (3 pages)
3. Comparison / Contrast of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead and Haitian Zombie Myths (4 pages)
4. Works Cited Page (1-2 pages)

Section One: History of Slavery in Haiti (2 pages)
Thesis question:
How did slavery become instituted and maintained in Haiti, and what are
two significant ways slavery impacted the Haitian people on both sides
(master and slave).
Possible topics include how Haitian
slavery began, who the indigenous people and slavers were, what
practices allowed slavery to persist, how were slaves treated, economic
impact of slavery etc.
Make sure to use MLA format for in-text citations and don’t forget to cite all sources on your Works Cited page as well.

Section Two: Origin of Haitian Zombie Myths in Slavery (3 pages)
Introduction Paragraph:
Describe the story of the Haitian zombie myth in detail. Describe the
process of Haitian zombification as it is carried out even today.
Thesis question: Argue whether or not
the Haitian zombie myth originated from and / or mirrored Haitian
slaves’ experiences by critiquing historical accounts of the Haitian
slave trade and the testimonies of modern day Haitian people who believe
they were made into zombies.

Required Body Paragraph Evidence: Provide quotations and examples from
Unexplained Podcast Season 4, Episode 8 Part 1 (Links to an external site.) and Part 2 (Links to an external site.) “Death’s Pale Flag.” (Podcast. Transcript available in Modules.)

Optional Resource:
· The
Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist’s Astonishing Journey into
the Secret Society of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis and Magic (Links to an external site.) by Wade Davis

Section Three: Comparison / Contrast of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead and Haitian Zombie Myths (4 pages).

Introduction Paragraph:
Describe some key US historical events that occurred from 1999-2004 (when Dawn of the Dead was made). Summarize the story of Zack Snyder’s film Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Watch Zack Snyder’s film Dawn of the Dead (2004) (Links to an external site.)

Thesis Question: What is one point of similarity and one point of difference in the way George Romero’s Dawn of the Living Dead and Haitian Zombie Myths represent zombies’ relationships with people?

In your thesis language, be very specific about what particular aspect of the zombie’s relationships with people you are interested in.

In your body paragraphs, you can
support your analysis of the film and Haitian zombie myth by bringing up
historical events that are relevant.

Detailed plot summary of Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (Links to an external site.)

Read John Saavedra’s review of Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (Links to an external site.).

Works Cited Page (1-2 pages)
Be sure to follow MLA format for your Works Cited page.

Five reputable sources or more are required. Make sure to also cite all sources on Works Cited page.

For help with MLA style in-text citations and Works Cited page, please go to Purdue University Online Writing Lab Style Guide. (Links to an external site.)

Requirements for Individual Section Organization
Section Elements and Organization
Each section of your Research paper should have organizational
elements that follow MLA style and make sense for a Classical Argument
essay form that we will be using throughout this class.
Please skip a line between sections.
The section begins by laying out the topic and main argument in a
thesis. Body paragraphs provide evidence, analysis, and develop the
argument further. The counterargument and rebuttal provide additional
points of view on the topic that strengthen the argument. Finally, the
conclusion reminder the reader of the main argument and proposes a plan
of action.
Title
Start your Research paper with a title that covers the overall
topic. You do not need a second title for the first section. Your
title should be divided into two parts separated by a colon.
Centered.
Double-spaced like your heading and the rest of your paper.
Capitalize all key words.
Should be a fragment.
Not underlined or in boldface.
No period at the end of the title.
Your title should not just copy the title of this essay prompt or the title of the readings.

Example:
Essay Topic: Your Two Thesis Ideas
Introduction
• Try to start your essay with a hook that grab’s the reader’s attention.
• Then follow the specific essay prompt instructions on what to put in your introduction.
• Avoid inserting quotations; summarize the content instead in your own words.
• Make sure to
have a transition sentence before your thesis introducing any additional
texts or information the reader will need to understand the thesis that
has not already been covered.
• Thesis is one sentence long and is the last sentence of your introduction.
Thesis Formation
The thesis should subdivide into the same number of points as your total number of body paragraphs. If you have two body paragraphs, your thesis would subdivide into two points.
Thesis needs to be the last sentence of your introduction.
The thesis should fully answer the essay question so that it is not off-topic.
It should also be specific, concise, and arguable.

Body Paragraph Organization and Unity
Each body paragraph should discussion one idea that
supports the thesis; in other words, body paragraphs should not repeat
ideas from previous paragraphs and should not contain more than one main
idea.
Topic and Concluding Sentences
Each body paragraph must begin
with a topic sentence that tells the reader which thesis idea that
paragraph will be about and can add supportive reasoning or details. Each
body paragraph will end with a concluding sentence that sums up what
the paragraph argued but in more detail than the topic sentence.
Quotations
You will need to support any assertions you make with a discussion of quotations from the texts assigned. All quotations should have an introductory phrase and should use the following MLA format: Bierlein writes, “XX” (24). Avoid putting quotations in the introduction; save them for your body paragraphs.
Quotation Analysis
All quotations should be
followed by 4-5 or more sentences that provide a detailed explanation of
how the quotation supports your body paragraph’s main idea and thesis.

Conclusion
A place for you to summarize your thesis, propose a call to action, and add last reflections on your topic.
Essay Formatting
Use MLA format. For help, see Purdue University OWL (Links to an external site.)website and click on the MLA (Links to an external site.)Style Guide. (Links to an external site.)It
will provide detailed explanations and examples for paper formatting as
well as how to do in-text citations and cite your sources.

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