Week 13 At a Glance

I returned the compare-contrast essays today, and promised to post another set of helpful notes, so there they are: (revisions for this assignment are due on 9 November)

Introduction: Lead, Introduce, Summarize, Thesis Statement

History indicates that man repeats his mistakes—even with warnings.

Numerous stories demonstrate this behavior. “The Monkey’s Paw,” a horror story by WW Jacobs, and the myth “King Midas and the Golden Touch” are two such stories. In both, characters receive some kind of warning about their actions, but the characters still make mistakes that result in the loss of a child. Both “The Monkey’s Paw” and “King Midas and the Golden Touch” deal with what happens when people tempt fate, but they do so in different ways.

Supporting Paragraphs: Topic Sentence, Evidence, Explanation, Transition, (repeat 3 times), conclude

•The short story and the myth share similar elements. For instance, each stories includes a wish or wishes. In the myth, Midas receives a wish for doing a good deed. This reflects the Greek belief that good deeds should be rewarded. On the other hand, the Whites receive wishes based on a magical paw that has the power to grant three wishes to three people. In this case, the short story hints that the granting of wishes stems from some dark or evil source. (You now have to add two other examples with explanation). The paragraph ends with a concluding thought.

Concluding Paragraph: Thesis restated, summarize your evidence, call to action

•Both the Whites and Midas learned that tempting fate caused them great sorrow. Because Midas’s story is a myth, it end with a happy ending—he learned his lesson and regained his daughter. However, since “The Monkey’s Paw” is a horror story, there is fear and death. The White’s son is lost to them, and the story ends on a note of despair. Ultimately, both selections help us realize that we are better off being thankful for what we have instead of wishing for what we want.

October Grammar Calendar is due tomorrow.

I extended the Novel Project to 7 November (no late projects - only a replacement assignment)

We will have our third grammar check on Friday. The skill being assessed is commas.