remember to follow the file naming_convention for this course (-5% if you don’t).
In this 500-to-750 word paper (or roughly two to three pages), answer the following question:
How and in what specific ways does the film On the Waterfront illustrate the key themes and arguments of A City Built for the Mob?
Hints:
- The quiz on the reading will help you identify what’s a main point in the reading; the quiz on the film will help you identify what’s important in the film.
- Everything you need from the film to write an “A” paper appears in the first 25 minutes of the film that you watched for the quiz; however, you are welcome to use evidence from anywhere in the film (just, as always, be specific and precise; vague statements win you no points).
- While the geography of New York City gave it an excellent port, that fact is not important for this essay. But do think about how the way the reading emphasizes how the built environment helped the mob in their various rackets.
- There’s A LOT of material on the web about this film (high school teachers love it for different reasons than we are using it in class)–absolutely none of it will be useful for this paper’s question. Really. Don’t waste your time. The quiz, however, makes for an excellent guide as to what can make for good evidence for your paper. Google is your enemy not your friend with this essay.
In writing this essay you will need to pair textual evidence in the form of direct quotations from both the reading and the film. To help you quote accurately from the film, here is the full screenplay (on_the_waterfront)–but keep in mind that (as noted below) you will need a timestamp from the film for each quotation.
You will write a stronger essay if you focus on the author’s explanation for both: (A) the causes of waterfront crime (see above re: the built environment) (B) the nature and internal dynamics of that crime.
I’ll assess your essay according to this rubric (ms-word doc delivered to your desktop). Looking at the rubric before writing your essay will likely make it easier to write a good essay (this rubric also has links to handouts on the various elements and qualities that will help make your essay strong).
WRITING REQUIREMENTS
1. Length: 500-750 words (about 2-3 pages of 12-point, double-spaced font)
2. You will want to organize around your essay around a concise thesis statement that appears near the beginning of your paper.
3. Be sure to underline your thesis statement (five points off if you do not).
4. Be sure to have at least eight direct quotations (four from the reading, four from the film). When citing dialogue or action, be sure to specify the episode and the approximate time in the film (example “12:32”; -5 points for every missing timestamp). When citing material from the reading–whether in a direct or indirect quotation–be sure to provide the page number (but I don’t need a full citation). Again, to help you quote accurately from the film, here is the full screenplay (on_the_waterfront).
5. When using direct quotations from the reading, be sure to use method 3 or 4 from HW 1 and also be sure to reduce your quotations to ten for fewer words. See here on how to reduce quotations. (-5 points for each quotation not properly integrated or punctuated–unless you have “grade insurance”, and then it’s only -2.5 points)
6. When making your arguments, be sure to ground those arguments in specific evidence from the readings and film. Generally, to demonstrate how the film mirrors the reading you will want to pair a specific point from the reading with an example of the same phenomenon from the film.
7. Be sure in those paragraphs where you make points from evidence to organize those paragraph in the familiar cl/ev/wa format from HW 1 and that you put a (CL) in front of your paragraph’s claim, an (EV) before the evidence, and a (WA) in front of the warrant.
(Keep in mind: (A) not all paragraphs should be in cl/ev/wa format–just those that make a point from evidence; Also keep in mind (B) that the cl/ev/wa format is for organizing individual paragraphs rather than for organizing whole papers. A strong paper will likely have a series of cl/ev/wa paragraphs as well as a number of paragraphs that are not in that format.) See, for example, the sample outline below.
(You do NOT need to follow this obviously hypothetical outline; but if you get stuck, it’s a good road map)
- Introduction
A. Brief background (no more than three sentences)
B. THESIS: The film’s depiction of the causes and nature of docklands crime mirrors the reading in four specific ways: (A), (B), (C), and (D) - Similarity (A)
CL: In both the reading and the film, space aliens inspire individuals to commit crime (space aliens obviously a hypothetical; do not–as some students have–write a paper about space aliens in the film. There aren’t any)
EV: A quotation from the reading demonstrating the presence of space aliens (integrate quotation)
EV: A quotation from On The Waterfront demonstrating the role of space aliens in crime
WA: (connecting your evidence to your claim)
3. (B)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from On The Waterfront and one from the reading)
WA (connecting your evidence to your claim)
4. (C)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from On The Waterfront and one from the reading)
WA (connecting your evidence to your claim)
5. (D)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from On The Waterfront and one from the reading)
WA (connecting your evidence to your claim)
6. A conclusion
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