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Symbolism: A Personal Essay, Due Wednesday, November 28 What is symbolism? Symbolism in literature is when a concrete object represents an abstract idea. There can be more than one meaning for a symbol, but each meaning must be an idea, not another object. Your Task: In a long paragraph / short essay, you will select an object that symbolizes YOU. It must symbolize three of your own personality or character traits. You will select one object to represent yourself.
It must represent THREE of your traits, qualities or characteristics. You must then explain why the symbol represents each trait. You must give an example (a story? ) that shows how you have that trait. Notes and Reminders: – This is a personal essay and should be written using first person perspective; however, the tone should be formal and analytical. Do not use slang or casual language. – The symbol should not simply be an object that represents something that you like to do, with your examples being times that you participated in this activity.
Incorrect: Symbol: ice skates; Examples: I learned to ice skate when I was a toddler; I rook my leg when I was seven; I won an award when I was ten. Correct: Symbol: ice skates; Examples: Sharp blade – Example that demonstrates that fact that I am very precise and exacting; Tight laces with rigid lacing pattern – Example that demonstrates the fact that I am tightly wound and not very flexible; Smooth white leather – Example that demonstrates the fact that I like everything to be very clean and neat.
With this example, you would weave into your examples situations that relate to your life as a skater, and you obviously wouldn’t pick the humbly of an ice skate if you weren’t a skater, but the primary focus should be on how the traits of this object connect to your own personality traits. Your long paragraph / short essay should include a vivid description of the symbol you have picked and a brief introduction to the traits that the symbol represents. . Body of the paragraph / essay: Trait #1 Describe a personal trait, quality, or characteristic that the symbol represents.
Example / story to back this up: How does this trait connect to the symbol? Trait Your concluding lines should be brief and should primarily serve to summarize your previous points. End with a strong statement of reflection. Personal Symbol Short Essay / Long Paragraph – 30 points Category c DIF Formatting Essay is formatted correctly Essay has minor formatting errors Essay has significant formatting errors No attempt was made to format the essay correctly Grammar and Mechanics Clean and clear – very few errors, if any!
Small errors that do not distract from the flow of the essay Significant number of errors OR errors involving specific subjects that we have reviewed in class Little or no attempt made to edit the essay Adherence to Assignment Essay meets all the requirements of the assignment Essay generally meets the requirements of the assignments, with small omissions Essay bears little or no resemblance to the assignment Tone, Style, and Diction Graceful prose is characterized by mature sentence variety and complexity; tone and style reflects an awareness of the purpose and audience of the specific assignment Prose is clear but occasional wordiness or awkward phrasing is noted; tone and style nearly reflects an awareness of the purpose and audience of the specific assignment Prose is marked by simple sentence structure; wordiness and awkwardness interferes with the communication of the writer’s idea; sense of purpose and audience is off Prose is unintelligible at times; incorrect sense of purpose and audience Rigor of Inquiry Essay reflects deep, careful, and creative reflection on the topic(s) at hand Essay reflects careful reflection on the topic(s) at hand Analysis is superficial and rushed Little or no attempt is made to explore the topic