Beyond
Anthem
Comparing & Contrasting Themes Summative Persuasive Writing Learning Targets: Writing: Write persuasively to support claims of substantive topics using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Reading: Analyze how two or more texts address similar topics or themes in order to build knowledge through meaningful comparison. Language: Demonstrate command of conventional grammar when writing (MLA formatting, MLA works cited, proofreading for punctuation, spelling, capitalization, sound sentence structure, use of transitions and academic vocabulary) Directions
: Choose one of the following prompts as the focus for constructing a persuasive essay in which you defend a claim on a central theme in the text of
Anthem
using outside research to support your analysis. You must include a list of works cited listing at least TWO sources (
Anthem
being one and an independently researched source being the second). 1. To what extent is
Anthem
a realistic portrayal of a
totalitarian
society? Compare the fictionalized society in
Anthem
to a current or historical example of a society that has fallen under totalitarian rule. A few examples might be Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Cuba, North Korea, to name a few. Choose one society to explore and examine three points to compare/contrast to support your stance. 2. To what extent is
Anthem
a realistic portrayal of the true values of
communism/socialism
? Compare the fictionalized society in
Anthem
to modern intentional living communities that espouse communal/social ideals. Some communities are smaller in scope The Farm in Tennessee, Twin Oaks, Virginia, Finca Vellabista Sustainable Treehouse Community in Costa Rica, The EcoVillage in Ithaca, New York. Other communities are larger in scope: Denmark, Finland, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand. Choose one community to explore and examine three points to compare/contrast to support your stance. 3. When an individual’s rights are being violated, what is an effective means of
fighting for freedom
? While recounting man’s struggle for freedom throughout history, Equality laments that, “At first, man was enslaved by the gods...then by the kings...then by his birth, kind, his race. But he broke their chains. He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights which [no men] can take away from him.” (119). Research a specific example of someone (or some group) from history to compare/contrast with Equality’s quest for individual freedom, and craft an argument that explores the “art of rebellion.” Support your thesis by examining three points worth comparing/contrasting. 4. How does society treat
independent thinkers, daring innovators, and successful entrepreneurs
(like Equality)? Are they applauded or criticized? Compare Equality to another great innovator in history such as Copernicus, Galileo, Watt, and Fulton (to name a few) who have faced ridicule and even legal attacks. Research the struggles faced by one of these individuals and craft a thesis that explores the relationship between independent thinkers and society by examining three points worth comparing/contrasting. Final Essay Checklist: __This handout along with completed compare/contrast graphic organizer __Peer review feedback __Rough draft __Final draft with works cited