In an essay of at least 600 words, discuss the insights you have gained from at least four of the poems from The Tradition. Students may also include material from the additional resources included with this assignment, if relevant. While this is a personal essay (which means that students can use first person pronouns: I, me, my, myself), students should still write in a more formal style rather than a conversational style. Students will be graded on grammar and usage.
Primary Sources
- Brown, Jerocho. he Tradition. Copper Canyon Press, 2019.
Secondary Sources
- Interview with Jericho Brown where he discusses his reasons for beginning The Tradition with "Ganymede"
- Educators and Race: A Conversation with Author Ijeoma Oluo on Tackling Systemic Racism in U.S. Education
- One black, one white: power, white privilege, & creating safe spaces
- My white friend asked me to explain white privilege, so I decided to be honest
- "Racism is a Serious Problem in the United States" (from Opposing Viewpoints)
Requirements
- Length: Your essay must be a minimum of 600 words.
- Documentation Format: You must include an MLA formatted Works Cited page that includes correctly formatted internal citations for all source material used.
- Sources: You are restricted to the works about Brown, The Tradition, and white privilege, and the poems in The Tradition.
- Number of sources: You must refer to at least four poems from The Tradition. You must make frequent references to specific details in each work (properly documented).
- Format: The essay must be in MSWord format (.doc or .docx)
For this essay, students may use a dictionary to help with words with which they are not familiar but should not refer to the dictionary definitions in the essay. Students must use MLA style documentation. Internal citations should identify the author and line number for the poems and author for the article. Note: Students must also include an MLA Works Cited page.
Students should proofread carefully their final drafts for spelling, grammar, and punctuation as well as clarity, conciseness, and completeness. The final draft should be typed, double spaced, with one inch margins, in Times New Roman 12 pt. The essay should be a minimum of 800 words. The essay will be evaluated based on how well students develop their arguments with significant support from the poems (thesis, topic sentences, supporting details from the poems); clarity, cohesion, and conciseness; correct use of MLA format; and grammar and spelling.
Essay Map
Introduction
Lead
- Keep the lead brief: Three or four sentences
- Introduce The Tradition: its author and common themes
- What is the significance of these themes for the speakers in the poems as well as for Jericho Brown? (You may want to include references to one or more of the Brown interviews or reviews of The Tradition. If you do, be certain to include internal citations for the sources selected and include these secondary sources on the Works Cited page.)
Thesis
The thesis statement should focus on the specific issues or the specific poems that have been meaningful to you in relation to the essay prompt. (Topic sentences should match the prompt)
Body
Topic Sentences
Create topic sentences that
- Focus on specific issues that relate to the essay prompt which have been especially meaningful to you in your study of The Tradition, or
- Examine each specific poem you have selected from The Tradition and the insights gained from each in relation to the essay prompt
Supporting Details
- Specific details from the poems that address specific issues that you have found relevant and significant. Students may also include references to other works that we wrote about or to supporting articles related to The Tradition. Be sure to include internal citations and Works Cited entries for all sources referenced.
Conclusion
Options: What has struck you as most significant from the poems you have chosen? What realizations surprised you? How has your study of The Tradition given you new insights?
