Focus Paper Assignment for Sophys

In the event that you lost the handout, here it is on the blog for students in my tenth grade Gifted English course:

Gifted English II
Focus Paper: The Count of Monte Cristo

Now that most of you have read Dumas’s classic tale, you will focus on one aspect of that novel for written reflection. Your first focus paper this year will be due Thursday, November 8, by 3 p.m. Papers submitted electronically will be accepted, but will automatically lose 10 points. (Still better than a zero for a late paper if you forget it at home!) If you are absent that day, YOUR PAPER IS STILL DUE. Send it by fax (407.897.2455, attention Hilley), FedEx, mule, or a trusted friend—but it is due. Mwahahahahahaha.

YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO SUBMIT THIS PAPER ON WWW.TURNITIN.COM by Thursday, November 8 at midnight.

WHAT IS A FOCUS PAPER?
A focus paper is a short paper on one topic, generally without outside sources. Most focus papers do not exceed one typed, double-spaced page, and are generally no longer than 400 words in length. A focus paper imitates the essay style that you will be expected to generate in a timed-writing session for FCAT Writes! or, more significantly, any Advanced Placement essay you may be asked to compose. College admission essays are generally of this type as well—one well-defined thesis statement, followed by support. A focus paper’s brevity forces you to eliminate unnecessary verbiage and go straight to the point, which is never a bad thing. As Strunk and White stated so elegantly in The Elements of Style, “Brevity is the byproduct of vigor.”

PAPER GUIDELINES:
Ø Papers will be between 300 and 400 words in length.
Ø Papers will be typed, double-spaced, in a professional font (Times New Roman, Calisto, etc.)
Ø Your name will appear in the upper right hand corner of the back side of your last page; in other words, your name will NOT appear on the front.
Ø Your title should be centered at the top of your first page; no title page is necessary. Hopefully, your title will be more imaginative than “Monte Cristo Focus Paper.”
Ø Underline your thesis statement.
Ø Proofread carefully before submitting.

YOUR TOPIC
The most difficult aspect of this assignment may be, for some of you, in the creation of a topic on which to focus. The Writing Center is a terrific resource to go over topics, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Edmond Dantes as the avenging angel. What kind of religious imagery is apparent in the text? Does he truly become a “sword of vengeance”? What elements of his revenge offer him spiritual satisfaction? Does he use religion as a tool to help him achieve his revenge?
The roles of female characters in the novel. Which characters are integral to the development of the narrative? Which women—Mercedes, Valentine, Mme. Danglars, Mme. DeVillefort—serve multiple roles? How are these women characterized? Are they believable?
The importance of setting in this novel. Could this work have taken place in any other time or era? How did the political climate of the time affect aspects of the plot? How critical is setting in establishing mood and tone?

I will be available before and after school to help you if you are having problems. Remember: If you quote something directly from the book, be sure to use the page number after the quotation: (98).