Word Document: TBE Benchmark 4 Assessment Argumentative Essay
Benchmark 4 Assessment: Argumentative Essay
Emotional and Psychological Trauma in The Bluest Eye
Task: Please choose ONE of the following questions to answer for your argumentative essay. This is a different kind of essay that requires you to make a claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal. Please create an outline for your essay (you can use the same format for the graphic organizer from previous assessments). Your essay should be one long CER paragraph, in that you need to make a claim, use evidence, and create reasoning. Make sure to introduce texts and make a claim in your introduction, develop a counterclaim with evidence, and make a statement for rebuttal/propose solutions in your conclusion. Your essay should be at least 5 paragraphs, 12-point font, double-spaced, including citations of sources.
- Do you think Pecola’s mental decline could have been prevented? Why/why not? If so, how? Use evidence from The Bluest Eye to answer the question. Make sure to make a claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal, using evidence and making inferences.
- Who experiences the trauma the worst-Pecola, Cholly, or Eminem? Use evidence from The Bluest Eye, the article, “Emotional and Psychological Trauma” to answer the question. Be sure to make a claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal. Use evidence and make inferences.
- To what extent is Cholly to blame for his violence against his family? Which other people or circumstances may also be to blame? What is the novel’s position on blame? Use evidence from The Bluest Eye and the article, “Emotional and Psychological Trauma” to answer the question. Be sure to make a claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal. Use evidence and make inferences.
- Which two texts show the theme of emotional and psychological trauma the best? Why? (Use evidence from two of the following: The Bluest Eye, “Evil Deeds”, or “Emotional and Psychological Trauma”) Be sure to make a claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal, using evidence and making inferences.
Texts for Essay:
Novel: The Bluest Eye, Toni Morisson
Non-Fiction Article: “Emotional and Psychological Trauma”, HelpGuide.org
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/emotional-and-psychological-trauma.htm
Poem/Song: “Evil Deeds”, Eminem
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/evildeeds.html
Rubric for Argumentative Essay:
The Bluest Eye Unit Plan 