English
This essay will be another research assignment. You are being asked to craft an argument—based on our primary novel (The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros)—and to use carefully conducted research to bolster it. The topics for this essay are:
1. Toxic masculinity
2. Poverty
3. Gender roles/expectations
4. Puberty/maturity
5. Race and the “other.”
Many of these topics, as you can probably tell, intersect with one another. Feel free to touch on multiple topics, but keep in mind that you must do so in a way that prevents your essay from reading as multiple distinct arguments.
You MUST use our primary novel, The House on Mango Street, and you are required to find a minimum of three (3) scholarly, peer-reviewed secondary sources.
Keep in mind that this assignment is asking for you to use SCHOLARLY sources, meaning that sources such as book reviews, blog entries, news articles, etc. are NOT acceptable. If you have any doubt as to whether your source(s) is/are considered scholarly, do not hesitate to contact me. It is always a safe bet to utilize the University database, as it has a specific button that allows you to filter out non-scholarly sources.
All research papers must be 5 or more pages, and your argument should be based on the following prompt:
In our discussions of The House on Mango Street, we have primarily focused on the book’s ability to tackle some of the most controversial issues in our society. This book is considered a Young Adult (YA) novel and has been BANNED from the curriculum of multiple schools, due to its “controversial” contents. However, some argue that books like The House on Mango Street serve a purpose in our society, as they are optimistic that their inclusion in various curricula may spark much-needed social change. For this assignment, you must pick a “controversial” topic in the book and argue whether or not the book’s portrayal of this issue makes it an effective tool in advocating social change.
Some questions to consider:
Does your research show that your chosen issue is being accurately portrayed in this book?
From your research, do you believe that this book gives readers a reason to care about this issue?
What makes the book effective/ineffective? Perhaps it is an accurate portrayal of a social issue, but where does this stem from (character development, setting, dialogue, etc.)?
How does your issue affect REAL young adults (mentally, emotionally, psychologically, physically, etc.)? Are these effects seen in the novel?
All essays must:
Present a clear, strong thesis statement that answers the question(s) both thoughtfully and insightfully
Present clear, strong topic sentences
Be in proper MLA format, font 12 Times New Roman
Include a works cited page (this does NOT count towards the page requirement). ANY ESSAY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A WORKS CITED PAGE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Be proofread for grammatical/syntactical/spelling errors.