Writing Question

Essays should be 1,000 words (roughly 4 pages double-spaced) and follow MLA conventions. Though you are not required to cite secondary sources, you must include a works cited page that lists your primary source (Cisneros). No secondary source of work is to be used for this assignment.

There are many different aspects of The House on Mango Street that you could use as examples of the connection between language and identity. I will be looking for you to choose 2-3 specific examples to analyze in a traditional 5 paragraph essay, with introduction, conclusion, thesis statement, and works cited page.

Assignment Format:

• Essays should adhere to MLA guidelines.
• Times New Roman or similar 12-point font, double-space
• Indent all new paragraphs after the first one inch from the margins.

Grading Criteria:

Essays will be evaluated for the following criteria, which will be weighted equally.

• Thesis and Insight into Subject: A thesis statement offers a specific comment on your topic. The topic of your essay is the relationship between language and identity in Cisneros' novel, so I will be looking for a thesis that comments on that topic.
• Organization and Essay Structure: Does your essay have an introduction and conclusion? Are your paragraphs organized in a logical manner? Are your ideas expressed clearly?
• Grammar, Spelling and Mechanics: Does your use of grammar and spelling allow your argument to be clearly understood? Have you followed formatting guidelines when writing your essay? Does your essay adhere to MLA guidelines in terms of works cited page and in-text citations?