Please Only Write Body Paragraphs!!!
As you write the body paragraphs, keep these objectives in mind:
YOUR PURPOSE: Your purpose in the body paragraphs is to answer the course question by analyzing specific examples (scenes) from films (our work in the exploratory writing was preparation for this; you might go back and look at the steps we took there if you need guidance). Remember to analyze is to take the thing you’re analyzing apart and look at the parts. The thing you’re taking apart is the scene, or the character’s action and appearance in the scene. Make sure that the parts you’re analyzing are relevant to how the film is constructing gender.
HOW TO USE SUMMARY: Assume your readers have seen the films you’re writing about–you do not have to tell us everything that happens in the film. However, when you introduce a scene, briefly remind your readers what happens in the scene and (if important) where it occurs within the film. We do forget specific scenes and when they occur, so give us just enough to jog our memory.
AUDIENCE: You are writing an academic essay–an essay written for other scholars. That means the other people in this class, and anyone else who is interested in research and analysis of the sociological topics of gender and culture. An academic audience expects a formal tone (formal word choice) and an objective approach (this means you approach the films like a scientist who is analyzing them, not like a fan.) An academic audience expects the writer to have expertise on the topic and to be informed about what others have said about it.
One way to make your writing more formal: use FILM and not MOVIE. Why? Film is the more formal word, and movie is slang (for “moving pictures”).
EXPERTISE: Show your expertise on the films you are writing about by discussing them with specific details. Challenge yourself to identify and explain unique and interesting moments from the films that shed light on how the films are representing cultural values about gender. One way to show your expertise is not to use DISNEY for everything. Remember, Disney (and MCU) are the parent companies. Use these labels when you are talking about the overarching companies. Use the Director’s names when you are talking about what is in the actual films. The Directors are responsible for what is on the screen in an individual film. Yes, Disney/Marvel have final say, but the Director is the creator. Here’s a parallel— if someone were to say Haas did everything that you wrote in this class, would that be fair? No… Haas is just the parent company in this sense–you are the actual creator. So give credit to the Directors of the films, that shows that you understand who actually created the films.
WRITE BODY PARAGRAPHS
Each body paragraph should be focused on developing some part of your specific angle on answering the question (your thesis). The way you answer the HOW part of the question is to analyze how specific scenes demonstrate some aspect of gender–this is your purpose in the body paragraphs.
Choose scenes to analyze that help you focus on gender. The scene constructs (and mirrors) cultural gender values in how it represents the characters. A hero is someone with masculine or feminine values we are invited to aspire to. They way characters interact with family members shows how they gender values are shaped through their culture and ethnicity. The scenes show us how heroes look, and how they act when it comes to acceptable gender roles or gendered emotions. Sometimes we are invited to be disgusted by villains who represent culturally unacceptable aspects of gender.
In academic essays, it’s better to have shorter, focused paragraphs than to have paragraphs that are a whole page long. Here are some more conventions of academic essay paragraphs:
each one should be about one specific idea/topic (coherence)
consider devoting one paragraph to each scene’s analysis
the one specific idea/topic of each paragraph should be easy to recognize (that’s why writers often use topic sentences that summarize the idea)
each one should be connected to what comes before and after it (transitions)
we don’t like to be lost in the dark, or lost when we’re driving (that’s why they invented signposts)–and we don’t like to be lost when we’re reading–so don’t lose your readers–use signposts to show the way
USE SOURCES
Academic writing is always informed, researched writing. That’s why we’ve been using sources all quarter and why you’re required to use 5. You’ll be using two kinds of sources in your essay:
Primary Sources Any film you write about or use as an example is a primary source for this essay, which is a textual analysis of selected Disney films.
You must write about at least one primary source (analyze scenes from one film). Do not try to focus on more than two. You can mention more than two films, but do not analyze scenes from more than two. Why? you don’t have the space.
Quote, paraphrase, and insert visual images from the films you are analyzing. Remember all that annotating we did in weeks 1-7 with time stamps? Review them–Use them! Don’t talk in generalizations about what happens in the film–focus your development of each point on specific scenes, specific lines of dialogue, lyrics, specific actions, or how a character looks in a specific moment.
Secondary Sources The minimum requirements are to use FIVE secondary sources in your essay. You can use even more than five, and should, if you are aiming to get higher than the contract. (Please note: the films do not count as sources)
Your secondary sources should come from the texts we read together in class (all linked on Canvas home page) and other sources you have found yourself (sources you found for the podcast/microsite and any new sources you find). Look for film reviews, interviews with writers, directors, or actors, and essays/videos about gender that focus on the films you’re writing about. You can also use informational sources like imdb.com or boxofficemojo.com.
Last Completed Projects
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