CIE100: Common Intellectual Experience - Essay 1 (100 Points)

Background Reading and References

Please refer to the following readings and examples offering templates to help get you started:

The Assignment

Objective (from the CIE Working Group) [1]

Learning in CIE follows three steps: at home, by ourselves, we read the CIE texts to get a basic understanding of what they say. Then, through discussion with our classmates, we clarify our understanding of certain passages and start to apply the ideas to our lives. This essay offers us an opportunity to take the third and most important step: to return to the texts and analyze them in a deep, thoughtful, nuanced way. In this essay, we’ll focus especially on developing our skills at working with the texts.

Overview

For this essay, you will critically evaluate and synthesize four texts across a common theme. To do this, you will choose one of the following topics.

The texts and works you will consider are:

  1. Allegory of the Cave
  2. Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
  3. The Matrix
  4. Katie Merz: Live the Questions

Writing Prompts

The following are the topic prompts from which you may choose for this essay:

From Suggestions to Action: What Will I Do?

Imagine that you were writing a manifesto similar to Adichie’s Dear Ijeawele that is directed to the prisoners of the Allegory of the Cave, and/or to your incoming classmates. What social constructs would you challenge within the cave and/or at college? Discuss how Socrates, the Matrix, the Smokestack, and Adichie would stand up to social constructs with which they disagree.

Our task: Discuss strategies for changing broad social constructs and norms in the voice of the Allegory of the Cave, Dear Ijeawele, Live the Questions, and The Matrix, citing references and quotes from these relevant texts to support your interpretation. Are suggestions in a manifesto sufficient to effect change, and if not, what would these authors suggest to put their texts into action?

Gender Caves (From the CIE Working Group)

Adichie contends that gender is merely a social construct, and she offers 15 suggestions to overcome this construct. A reading of Plato’s Allegory might lead us to conclude that Adichie is helping take us out of the cave in order to see the truth about gender. If this is so, then what exactly is the truth about gender, according to Adichie? In other words, if we are held back by social norms about what gender is, then what would leaving the cave mean in terms of our understanding of gender, according to Adichie?

Our task: Consider the above questions by doing the following: (a) describe Adichie’s argument that gender is taught by society, by engaging closely with a few key points of her analysis, (b) explain how in Plato’s terms this represents a cave, introducing a reader to his depiction of life in and out of the cave, and (c) explain what Adichie would say leaving the cave means when it comes to seeing the truth about gender.

Note: This prompt is not intended to force us to agree with Adichie, but rather to decompose her arguments and put them in the context of Plato’s “Allegory”. If we disagree with the concept of the gender cave, we can take that approach, but we must make our case by drawing upon Adichie and “Allegory”.

The Importance of Education (From the CIE Working Group)

Dear Ijeawele and Allegory each suggest that how we educate people matters significantly. Whether it be school education, the way society teaches you how to live, or the influence of family members, these authors all take a stance on what to do and what not to do in raising children. Why does education matter, and what does it mean to be educated anyway?

Our task: Reflect on these questions within each of these texts, and in synthesis. To do so we will need to (a) lay out the claims offered by each text about why education matters—i.e., what is at stake in being educated or not educated, and (b) lay out the definition of education offered by each text (including any contrast the text makes with opposing visions of education). What common thread underlies these texts, and how do they differ? Where they differ, argue whether or not one is more important than another, or whether a balance between them is required.

Writing Goals

  • Lively, distinctive, original voice.
  • Carefully chosen, frequent, detailed references to the texts. (Note that the instructor will be looking for us to refer to passages that we haven’t specifically discussed in class.)
  • Thoughtful, provocative, creative, nuanced interpretations of your textual references. (Same as above—don’t just repeat what’s already been said in class.)
  • Logical, coherent, easy to follow organization.
  • Clear, dynamic sentences; accurate, varied diction; lack of grammar and spelling mistakes.

Our writing will be assessed based on how well we meet these goals.

Method and Advice

In the first essay, we will focus on making careful, detailed, attentive references to the text. We can do this by choosing short passages from the text that we think are the most interesting and important. We will need to take the time to think about these passages in detail, analyze them and interpret them in our paper. Analysis and interpretation are two of the most challenging skills in college essay writing. We need to restate the author’s meaning in our own words then offer suggestions about the statement’s implications, hidden premises, unexpected consequences, or connections to other parts of the text. The keys to good interpretations are detail, precision, specificity, and attention to multiple meanings and ambiguity—in other words, it’s hard!

To be successful at this, we need first to read and re-read the text we’re working with. Then re-read it again. Then re-read it again. Then maybe again. We need to know the text very well to write about it well. If we feel like we don’t currently understand any of the texts very well, don’t worry—getting to know them better is part of the process and purpose of writing the paper. Remember as well that the essay is about what we think about the texts. We may not understand them in the same way someone studying them for years does, but it is our understanding of the text that the instructor is interested in, not theirs.

Suggested (but not required) essay outline

Introduction

  1. Introduce what “they” say about a particular problem or issue. [2]

By “they,” I mean a view you previously held, something a specific person has said or implied, or views commonly held by members of society.

Or , introduce a problem encountered by individuals or society that your text offers a solution to/perspective on. 1-2 sentences.

  1. Introduce your text and suggest how it responds to what “they” say and/or sheds light on the above problem. This should include 1-3 sentences that introduce(s) the text as it relates to what they say about the issue/ problem.
  1. Thesis statement—what is the main claim or line of inquiry of your essay? How will you use your text to shed light on the problem introduced above? Why should the reader care about this? 1-2 sentences.

Example: Most people happily open a gender reveal party invitation, squeal in delight, and excitedly imagine how fun it will be to buy a mini football jersey for a little baby boy or an adorable little doll for a little baby girl. While I fully understand the impulse to celebrate your new little boy or girl, I caution you against determining or imagining your child’s life based on its gender, especially if it is a girl. From the moment, you exclaim, “It’s a girl!” you run the risk of limiting your child’s life. As Chimamanda Nigozie Adichie argues, gender is x, y, z…If we take her views seriously, we can see that this little party you have invited to me is not just a neutral celebration of a baby’s life. Fortunately, Adichie offers several suggestions to counteract society’s tendencies to shape girls in particular ways. In what follows, I explore the three most important to argue that…

Body —your argument and evidence—presented in order to match your thesis statement and mirroring the outline you set up in your thesis.

  1. As a general rule, at least one paragraph for each main assertion (or piece of evidence) is recommended.

  2. The general structure for a paragraph is:

  3. Introduce a main theme/topic to be considered in this paragraph.

Example: To understand what makes Adichie so instructive we have to consider X….

  1. Give evidence for the assertion or point, as specific and detailed as possible. Include 2-3 quotes/paragraph to support your claims.

Example: Regardless of which suggestion we are reading, we see that Adichie calls attention to Y…For instance, she says, “Blah blah blah.”

  1. Explain how the evidence supports the assertion.

Example: This quote suggests that…

  1. The beginning of each new paragraph should explicitly transition from the last.

Example: In addition to Z, Adichie also asserts that we must consider Q.

Conclusion

  1. Restate the main thrust of your examination.

  2. Explain its importance—why should we care? What does your argument imply about other, related questions?

  3. Optional: Acknowledge any shortcomings with your argument, and/or suggest a further question or topic that you have thought of as a result of your work.

Example: Through a close analysis of Adichie’s Dear Ijeawele, we have seen that your very understandable impulse to hold a party celebrating the sex of your baby may ultimately have problematic consequences for your baby’s life. Admittedly, one might argue that I am blowing this out of proportion, and maybe I am. Afterall, at time point, we are going ot know the sex of this baby, so it might make no difference whether that happens at 20 weeks or at 40 weeks. Perhaps we might conclude that you cannot have the party. Rather, as Adichie shows us, we can address these problems by ….

This is a basic structure. It is meant to be a helpful guideline, not a hard and fast rule. If you are familiar with writing papers like this, then you may well have moved beyond this template.

I encourage you to exercise your skills to the very best of your ability.

About starting your paper:

  1. Reread the text/s you are going to be examining. Read carefully, and take fresh notes that relate to your topic.
  2. Examine your notes. Think about what the evidence seems to be telling you. Take further notes on any thoughts you have about the evidence.
  3. Using the evidence as your guide, compose a basic thesis statement.
  4. Organize your notes into an outline. See above for suggestions.
  5. Examine your outline. Think about whether you have put the evidence in the order that makes the most sense.
  6. Based on your outline, transform your basic thesis statement into a full thesis statement. Make sure the organization of your thesis corresponds to the order of your paper.
  7. Now you can start to write.

Submission Requirements

Whichever option you choose, the following requirements need to be meet:

  • The essay should be 1200-1500 words
  • Minimum of 6 relevant quotes from A Feminist Manifesto, Allegory of the Cave, and the Matrix
  • The essay must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font
  • Number the pages
  • Do not include a cover page.
  • Include your name on the document
  • Every essay should have an informative and interesting title. Titles such as “Essay 1”, “CIE Essay on Education,”, “Gender Cave Essay”, etcetera, don’t count.

  1. Essay prompts and instructions were adapted from assignments by Stephanie Mackler from the Education Department and Talia Argondezzi, the Director of the Writing and Speaking Program. ↩

  2. This concept of writing as taken place in a “They Say/I Say” format is taken directly from the following source: Birkenstein, Cathy and Gerald Graff. They Say/I Say: the moves that matter in academic writing, 4th edition. New York: W. W. Norton Co, 2018. ↩

Submission

In your submission, please include answers to any questions asked on the assignment page in your README file. If you wrote code as part of this assignment, please describe your design, approach, and implementation in your README file as well. Finally, include answers to the following questions:
  • Describe what you did, how you did it, what challenges you encountered, and how you solved them.
  • Please answer any questions found throughout the narrative of this assignment.
  • If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work?
  • Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you (for example, code originally written by your buddy, or anything taken or adapted from a non-classroom resource). It is always OK to use your textbook and instructor notes; however, you are certifying that any portions not designated as coming from an outside person or source are your own original work.
  • Approximately how many hours it took you to finish this assignment (I will not judge you for this at all...I am simply using it to gauge if the assignments are too easy or hard)?
  • Your overall impression of the assignment. Did you love it, hate it, or were you neutral? One word answers are fine, but if you have any suggestions for the future let me know.
  • Using the grading specifications on this page, discuss briefly the grade you would give yourself and why. Discuss each item in the grading specification.
  • Any other concerns that you have. For instance, if you have a bug that you were unable to solve but you made progress, write that here. The more you articulate the problem the more partial credit you will receive (it is fine to leave this blank).

Assignment Rubric

Description Pre-Emerging (< 50%) Beginning (50%) Progressing (85%) Proficient (100%)
Thesis Statement (25%) Lacks a clear thesis statement or the statement is irrelevant to the topic. Thesis statement is present but lacks clarity or specificity. Thesis statement is clear and specific but may lack depth or originality. Thesis statement is clear, specific, original, and thought-provoking, guiding the reader's understanding of the essay's purpose.
Introduction and Conclusion (20%) Introduction lacks a hook or relevance to the topic, and conclusion does not summarize or provide closure. Introduction and conclusion are present but lack connection to the thesis or main argument. Introduction effectively introduces the topic, and conclusion summarizes the main points but may lack insight or reflection. Introduction engages the reader with a strong hook and clear connection to the thesis, and conclusion provides insightful summary and reflection.
Argument Development (25%) Arguments are underdeveloped or irrelevant, lacking evidence or logical reasoning. Arguments are present but lack sufficient evidence or reasoning, making them weak or unconvincing. Arguments are well-developed with some evidence and reasoning but may lack depth or complexity. Arguments are thoroughly developed with strong evidence and logical reasoning, contributing to a persuasive and compelling essay.
Paper Organization (10%) Paper lacks clear organization, making it difficult to follow the flow of ideas. Paper has some organization but lacks clear transitions or logical flow between paragraphs. Paper is mostly well-organized with clear transitions but may have minor inconsistencies in flow. Paper is excellently organized with clear transitions and logical flow, enhancing the reader's understanding and engagement.
Use of References and Proper Citations (10%) Lacks references or citations, or they are improperly formatted. Includes some references and citations but with inconsistencies or errors in formatting. Includes appropriate references and citations with minor errors or inconsistencies in formatting. Includes appropriate references and citations, all properly formatted according to the relevant citation style.
Synthesis of Materials into a Cohesive Argument (10%) Lacks synthesis of materials, resulting in a disjointed or fragmented argument. Some synthesis of materials is present but lacks cohesion or connection to the main argument. Materials are mostly synthesized into a cohesive argument but may lack depth or complexity. Materials are expertly synthesized into a cohesive and complex argument, enhancing the overall quality and persuasiveness of the essay.

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.