Huck Finn Argument Essay

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Huck Finn Argument Essay

• Weeds and Roses

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Weed 1Use of titles

• When using a title/name for the first time, use
  the entire name
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Mark Twain
• Italicize, dont underline, titles of books (new
  MLA 2009).
• Obviously when writing by hand, youll need to
  underline

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Weed 2Beef Up Commentary

• Commentary its whats for dinner

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Weed 2Enough metaphorical shenanigans, Ms. K.
Really, What is Commentary?

• Commentary is the same as analysis
• It explains to your reader why your CD is
  important
• It explains how your CD proves your thesis
• Can you prove your thesis without CM/analysis?

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Layers of Commentary

• Initially, Huck had written the letter to Miss
  Watson to inform her of the location of her
  runaway slave, Jim. However, after further
  consideration, Huck finally decides that he
  cannot exonerate himself by unjustly condemning
  an innocent victim of society. By resolving this
  issue as well as similar conflicts, Huck has
  firmly configured his moral compass and
  demonstrated the importance of following what is
  ethically right, regardless of whether society
  endorses it or not. In essence, Huck has also
  shown that it is wiser to preserve ones personal
  beliefs than to follow in societys footsteps.
  Without the ability of morals and ethics to
  establish a personal sense of justice, people
  would become mindless drones of society instead
  of sentient beings.

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How do you write this?

• Initially, Huck had written the letter to Miss
  Watson to inform her of the location of her
  runaway slave, Jim. However, after further
  consideration, Huck finally decides that he
  cannot exonerate himself by unjustly condemning
  an innocent victim of society.

• 1. Explain how CD proves thesis

• Go back to your thesis. What are you trying to
  prove? Explain how the CD illustrates your
  thesis. Dont just say, This shows
• NOYOU show. Pick your brain. Why did you choose
  that quote, example, etc. What about it
  demonstrates your claim? THINK!!

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• 2. What does this CD illustrate about the
  character/town as a whole?

• Go back to your thesis. What is Twain trying to
  say? Is this like something else youve read as
  well? Does this CD corroborate with other
  evidence? What does the evidence, collectively
  suggest?
• Dig deep. Be Oprah. Say something meaningful.

• By resolving this issue as well as similar
  conflicts, Huck has firmly configured his moral
  compass and demonstrated the importance of
  following what is ethically right, regardless of
  whether society endorses it or not.

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3. Relate this to society at large. Remember,
this novel is a comment on society as a whole

• In essence, Huck has also shown that it is wiser
  to preserve ones personal beliefs than to follow
  in societys footsteps. Without the ability of
  morals and ethics to establish a personal sense
  of justice, people would become mindless drones
  of society instead of sentient beings.

• What can we all take away from this?
• What lessons can be learned?
• What is the consequence if we dont?
• What is the impact of the statement?
• What is the significance for all of us?
• Dig. Dig. Dig. Oprah deep.

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Weed 3Conclusions are not summaries!

• There is no need to restate more than one
  sentence/main idea from your paper.
• I know what you wrote beforeI just read it!
• What can you do instead?

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Ideas for a conclusion

• Get philosophicaltalk about serious issues as
  they relate to the topic
• Ask (and maybe even answer) a rhetorical question
• Begin a new line of reasoning or introduce a new
  but related idea
• Use an anecdote from the real world that
  illustrates just the point Twain attempted to
  prove

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RER (Reflection, Editing Revision)

• Highlight CD in one color, CM in another. What is
  your ratio of CDCM?
• Add three more sentences of commentary/analysis
  to each body paragraph. Ideally the CM will
  relate to the same CD. The idea is to keep
  digging, keep digging. Go somewhere with the CM
  say something.
• Rewrite your conclusion. Wow me! Make me weep
  with joy at your insight.
• Find two other issues with your paper (awkward
  sentence construction, weak thesis, etc.) and
  revise.