Summer 2011, Ms. Mason
Writing Assignment 1: Inside Stories
In this essay, you will write about your participation in a group that you believe has been misrepresented or misunderstood by society. This is a personal essay, so you are free to be creative and innovative, but your essay should also include evidence and analysis. In preparation for this essay, you will read two models in class, complete several pre-writing exercises, and share your thoughts with/receive feedback from your peers. I will give you feedback on your first draft. You will be graded on your final draft.
In this essay, you will write about your participation in a group that you believe has been misrepresented or misunderstood by society. This is a personal essay, so you are free to be creative and innovative, but your essay should also include evidence and analysis. In preparation for this essay, you will read two models in class, complete several pre-writing exercises, and share your thoughts with/receive feedback from your peers. I will give you feedback on your first draft. You will be graded on your final draft.
Your task: Both Always Running and Bloods and Crips present you with an inside look at life as a gang member, and, in so doing, offer you a much more complex portrait of gang life than the one typically presented. Consider a group you identify with that you believe is misunderstood. What are the common misconceptions about the group? What “inside story” can you offer as a member of the group? Before you begin, examine the list of groups students have written about in the past:
Gamers
Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, etc…
Various racial and ethnic identities
Blondes
People from the Bay Area/New York/The Midwest, etc…
Skaters
Football players
Boy scouts
Female athletes
Girls who participate in beauty pageants
Body Builders
Conservatives/Liberals
Vegetarians
Take a moment to consider the common stereotypes about each of these groups. Then think about a group that you associate with that is also stereotyped or misunderstood. Ask yourself what these stereotypes are and where they come from. Now consider how you could either combat these stereotypes by proving them completely false, or how you could deepen your reader’s understanding of your group by painting a complex portrait of its members.
Gamers
Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, etc…
Various racial and ethnic identities
Blondes
People from the Bay Area/New York/The Midwest, etc…
Skaters
Football players
Boy scouts
Female athletes
Girls who participate in beauty pageants
Body Builders
Conservatives/Liberals
Vegetarians
Take a moment to consider the common stereotypes about each of these groups. Then think about a group that you associate with that is also stereotyped or misunderstood. Ask yourself what these stereotypes are and where they come from. Now consider how you could either combat these stereotypes by proving them completely false, or how you could deepen your reader’s understanding of your group by painting a complex portrait of its members.
