For this assignment, assume that you are a director/producer of a contemporary update of one of our three assigned plays. And in order to further emphasize a message that you think the play conveys to our contemporary world, you are going to rewrite the ending.
This assignment will include two parts:
A description of your changes to the ending (400-600 words)
A short essay that defines an important message conveyed by the play that is relevant in today’s society, discusses the elements of the original that help to convey that message (with analysis of at least one relevant quote), and explains the ways your updated ending helps to emphasize that message. (800-1000 words)
Things to consider for your updated ending:
What elements of the play’s ending are dissatisfying, potentially boring, potentially offensive, or too overly simplified for a contemporary audience, and how could you change them to either further emphasize a message developed in the play that you think is important in today’s world or to challenge society or individuals to be better in some specific way?
What characters can be emphasized or minimized to carry out these goals? How? What would they do differently?
What plot elements can be altered to carry out these goals?
What dialogue changes can be made to carry out these goals? Should important lines be given to another character? Should certain characters’ lines be altered? How?
What choices beyond the script (a particular song, a particular setting, costume, props, etc.) would you add to emphasize the message?
Instructions and suggestions for the Formal portion of the essay:
This part of the assignment will be more like a traditional paper that has a thesis and support (sub-claims, evidence, analysis) for that thesis/argument.
Remember that the paper must define an important message conveyed by the play that is relevant in today’s society, discuss and analyze the elements (specific plot elements, characterization, important dialogue, setting elements, etc.) of the original play that help to convey that message (with analysis of at least one relevant quote), and explain the ways your updated ending helps to emphasize that message.
A successful paper will make it evident that the writer understands the original text well enough to identify its message, analyze the elements of the play that help convey that message, and alter the ending to further emphasize that message for a contemporary audience.
Successful papers will incorporate the writing strategies from these foundational course documents: Writing Literary Interpretation.docxActions and Keys.pdfActions
Less successful papers will reduce the themes/messages to cliches or overly-common notions regarding a given topic.
Obviously, do not plagiarize. Review this document: plagiarism.pdfActions
Criteria for Evaluation:
· Argument: Argument directly and fully answers the prompt; is clearly stated early in the paper; is original, compelling and logical, avoiding absolute claims
· Evidence: Appropriate amount of relevant, accurate, and justifiably interpreted quotation. Quotations are thoroughly introduced, explained, analyzed, and connected to argument.
· Organization: Paragraphs maintain argumentative focus, exclude extraneous information, appear in a logical order, and transition smoothly. Introduction sets forth argument and goals of essay. Conclusion opens up avenues for future research.
· Audience: Consistent, academic tone. Appropriate amount of contextual information, anticipating audience questions. Addresses significant issues and makes them important to audience.
· Grammar and Format: Errors in grammar, spelling, and usage limited or non-existent. Correct MLA format, including proper quotation citation.
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