Module C: Developing an Essay

The essay you write for this module will be on symbolism or theme in A Farewell to Arms based on recurring motifs that can be traced through several passages in the novel and at least one movie version.  

For each objective, questions range from information, interpretation, and competency to model, transfer, and research. Each question is either conceptual, process, or conceptual hierarchy. This classification system was used in a training institute for a few dozen faculty from the Virginia Community College System in April and May, 2002, conducted by Ashok Satpathy of South Carolina State University.

C101 Describe the process of deepening understanding that occurs as readers re-consider events and characters' statements during a novel or short story, such as "Hills Like White Elephants" at http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/copy_of_hills/

1. Identify at least 5 bits of evidence that suggests the operation being discussed in “Hills” is an abortion. (information, conceptual)
2. Infer why Jig grasps two and only two bead strands from the beaded curtain covering the doorway to the bar in “Hills.” (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Distinguish Jig’s reasons for and against the abortion from the American’s reasons pro and con. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Draw what Jig sees on the “other side” of the train station right before she says, “And we could have all this.” (model, conceptual)
5. Compare Catherine’s and Lt. Henry’s reasons for and against keeping the baby in A Farewell to Arms. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Appraise which is the more convincing presentation of a couple in crisis early in their relationship—“Hills” or Farewell. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C102 Describe how repetition of related ideas in a novel influences certainty about a theme as one reads.

1. Define the concepts of “motif” and “crescendo” from music. (information, concept)
2. Interpret this analogy:  “If it takes only two points to plot a straight line but several points to plot a graph (in geometry or statistics), how many examples should a writer give to support or explain a trend in a work of literature?” (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Summarize how the writer of the sample student essay about “Hills,” which is titled “Love and Licorice” at http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/copy_of_hills/love-lic.htm ,  accumulates in her essay ideas about maturity and honesty—or the lack of these in the story’s characters. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Complete the chart for rain symbolism at http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/afta/rain.htm by adding notes to the third column about the references listed for rain in the first two columns. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Generalize about the pattern that you see established in AFTA by the references to rain you charted in task 4 of this set.  (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Defend the notion that there are two kinds of rain in AFTA—a somber, fateful rain and a joyous, hopeful rain. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C103 Distinguish between examples and non-examples of symbolism.

1. Define “symbol” and “symbolism.” (information, concept)
2. Interpret these symbols from “Hills Like White Elephants”—
1. The dry, brown hills that look like elephants to Jig
2. The farmland on the “other side” of the Zaragoza train station
3. The luggage with all the stickers on them from hotels
4. The drink, anis del toro
5. The baby
   (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Distinguish 5 objects from A Farewell to Arms that are NOT symbols. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Use the chart for “light” at http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/afta/light.htm to sort out when light is used symbolically and when it is not. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Based on the examples of “light” used symbolically in AFTA, generalize about the symbolic meaning of light in the novel. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Conclude whether Hemingway is used the traditional meanings of light as knowledge and clarity in AFTA or other meanings that you should state. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C104 Discuss the impact of deductive vs. inductive (or climactic) topic development during an essay.

1. Identify whether the sample student essay about “Hills,” called “Love and Licorice,” is inductive or deductive. (information, concept)  See-- http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/copy_of_hills/love-lic.htm
2. Reproduce “Love and Licorice” as the opposite type of essay that you selected in task 1 of this set by rearranging or rewriting the opening and ending.  (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Distinguish deductive vs. inductive organization in an essay. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Outline (chart) an inductive, or climactic, essay for the thesis you made for C102.5 or C103.5. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Anticipate a climactic order of evidence for the essay you will deliver at the end of this module. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Justify turning one of the sample research reports for AFTA from a deductive into an inductive researched essay, including structural changes that would be needed. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C105 Review the characteristics of an effective persuasive essay.

1. Identify the thesis statements in a sample on AFTA at http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/AFTA/mcguire.htm and in a sample on “Hills” at
   http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/copy_of_hills/love-lic.htm (information, concept)
2. Classify each sample as inductive or deductive. (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Summarize the major evidence for each thesis from the respective stories. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. For whichever sample you consider the better essay, chart (outline or mind map [aka concept map]) the thesis, topic sentences, and supporting evidence.  (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Anticipate the organization of your own essay for this module, using either an outline or mind map. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Justify one of the samples as better than the other, not just in terms of content, but also because of style, including introduction, transitions, ending; sentence variety, vocabulary, and use of quotations.

C106 Review the uses of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting to report evidence.

1. In one of the sample essays listed for C105, identify where the writer is summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting—and why. (information, concept)
2. The usual “non-example” of paraphrasing and quoting is a passage that mixes both.  Cite any non-example of paraphrasing and quoting that you see in either of the sample essays.  (interpretation, concept) [Hint: Placing a grammatical error into a quotation is a sure sign of this malady; another is leaving out a “not” and thereby reversing the intent of the statement.]
3. Summarize one of the sample papers to make an abstract.  (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Convert one of the quotations in either sample paper into a paraphrase. (model, conceptual hierarchy) [Caution: What happens to the parenthetical citation that was placed at the end of the quotation?]
5. Incorporate a quotation of the writer’s thesis statement (or other appropriate sentence) into the abstract you made for task 3 of this set. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Appraise which of the two sample essays used quotations better? (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C107 Review how one gives effective criticism of a classmate's essay to help the classmate revise. (SROs: The Golden Rule of "tone" and the value of "specifics," or evidence, in persuasion.)

1. In one of the sample essays from C105 (or a classmate’s essay), identify the weakest paragraph and explain why you judge it to be the weakest.  (information, concept)
2. State your advice to the writer for making the paragraph stronger. (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Predict the grade that either sample (or a classmate’s essay) might earn as is. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Chart (outline) either sample or your classmate’s essay as a deductive essay and then rearranged as an inductive essay.  (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Anticipate which organization—deductive or inductive—would be more effective for this essay and explain your reasoning. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Conclude whether or not you should offer specific additional details and even rewrites of a passage to the writer for the essay you’ve been working with in the previous five steps. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C108 Review how to weigh feedback from a classmate and the professor when determining what to use for revising one's essay.

Switch with some one else who completed C107 to do the following tasks.

1. If you were the writer of the essay that was critiqued using tasks C107, 1-6, identify the best advice or idea in that critique.  (information, concept)
2. Classify the changes suggested or implied by the critique as those you would definitely make, maybes, and those that are not likely to be incorporated into the next draft. (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Cite any misconceptions or misunderstandings that may have led to the suggestions that are not likely to be included in a revision. (competency, concept)
4. Convert the weakest paragraph by revising into a stronger paragraph. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Substitute vague advice for any specifics in the critique and compare the relative impacts of specific vs. vague advice in getting someone to revise. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Defend the notion that specific praise and criticism are more effective than generic commentary. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C109 Distinguish between conventions of written fiction vs. conventions of film.  (To complete the following tasks, you will need to rent either the 1957 or the 1932 version of A Farewell to Arms.)

1. Identify the “point of view” (see your textbook) of the novel and of either movie of AFTA. (information, concept.)
2. Which is more vivid about the war—the book or the movie?  Cite examples. (interpretation, concept)
3. Summarize the impact of the movie’s sound track. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Chart what the movie does better and what the book does better. (model, conceptual hierarchy) [For instance, it may easier to see an actual ambulance than to try to visualize one without ever having seen one; on the hand, some of the symbols and themes in AFTA may be lost or changed by the movie.  See http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/AFTA/passages.htm ]
5. Compare how the movie and the book handle the love story.  (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Justify the notion that the movie changes the theme of the story that we read in Hemingway’s novel. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C110 Make a case for the proposition that "nothing that happens in a high-quality published work is accidental.”

1. Thinking strategically, like an author, identify why Lt. Henry has to be wounded.  (information, concept) [Hint: It’s not biographical—because that’s what happened to Hemingway.  Think in terms of character development.]
2. In terms of plot, character development, and theme, infer why Lt. Henry deserts.  (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. In terms of symbolism, infer why the baby is stillborn. (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Draw, trace, or chart on a map of northern Italy and southern Switzerland Lt. Henry’s escape route away from the Italian army and their escape to Switzerland.  At each stage, label what emotion(s) dominate(s) the characters.  (model, conceptual hierarchy) [Hint: For instance, longing for Catherine strongly motivates Frederic while he is the gondola car with the rifles, but that’s not all the moves him to leave the army.]
5. What if Hemingway had left out the “killer world” passage in chapter 34—would the ending of the novel have been more surprising and less plausible? (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Justify the notion that nothing that happens by real life is entirely by accident. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C111 Define "cultural study" of a novel.

1. Identify the academic disciplines implicit in the research questions for Books 1 – 5 starting at-- http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/AFTA/book_one.htm (information, concept)
2. Infer to what extent Lt. Henry had a drinking problem vs. to what extent the Italian or soldier culture determined that he drink so much alcohol.  (interpretation, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Summarize to what extent Frederic and Catherine are “in” the culture and to what extent they are “against” the culture in which they find themselves.  (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Make a chart that lists each academic discipline (subject field, e.g. history, medicine, economics) that you listed for task 1 of this set and beside each one include one fact or idea that applies to the WWI era as background for the novel. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Generalize about the value of knowing biographical information about Hemingway and information about the critics’ reception of the novel, in addition to the cultural information in the research topics. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Justify the notion that A Farewell to Arms is not just a book for the people of the 1920s but that it has something to say for the people of 2020 as well. (research, conceptual hierarchy)

C112 Determine the factors that influence one's aesthetic reaction to a novel.

1. List up to 5 things you liked about studying this novel and 5 that you didn’t. (information, concept)
2. State what you believe to be the major theme of this novel. (information, conceptual hierarchy)
3. Summarize how your attitude about Frederic and/or Catherine changed as you progressed through your reading and study of AFTA.  (competency, conceptual hierarchy)
4. Make a chart that lists up to 5 characters in the novel and beside each state that character’s impact on the theme or a brief summary about his or her personality. (model, conceptual hierarchy)
5. Compare your early reading (e.g. first reading of Book One) in this novel with your current understanding of the novel in order to determine what impact background knowledge can have on one’s understanding of a literary work. (transfer, conceptual hierarchy)
6. Appraise the value of background study.  (research, conceptual hierarchy) [Hint: For instance, is background detail needed for understanding every literary work?  What are the trade-offs of the kind of cultural study that was collectively completed by all of those who did research on A Farewell to Arms in a/your class?

Copyright and Permission: This web on Ernest Hemingway's early novel was begun under a small grant from the VCCS, which holds copyright.  © 2001 by the Virginia Community College System.  This web was made by Dr. Eric Hibbison, Professor of English and Chief Chair, VCCS Regional Centers for Teaching Excellence (1998-2002). Materials in this web may be used free for educational purposes, but this web should not be behind a portal for which users must pay a fee without written permission from the VCCS.  If you're an educator using this web, please inform ehibbison@jsr.vccs.edu, especially if you'd like contact with other educators who are using this web.