The Declaration of Independence declares that people have “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” For many people, the pursuit of happiness is tied to material possessions. On a number of occasions, the women in Tayari Jones’ Silver Sparrow are given gifts, often as compensation for perceived lacks. In Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson,” a group of children are taken to a store containing presents that far exceed anything that their parents can afford. Using these two stories and the following article, write an essay of 800 words examining the ways in which material possessions are tied to self-esteem and self-worth as seen in Silver Sparrow and “The Lesson.”
Primary Sources
Toni Cade Bambara, "The Lesson." 
Jones, Tayari. Silver Sparrow. Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 2011.
Secondary Source
Shutts, Kristin, et al. "Children Use Wealth Cues to Evaluate Others." PLoS ONE 11.3 (2016). Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA444874094&v=2.1&u=tel_a_cstcc&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=440d1aeecf34df2e7a1310987b6fcd36>
Requirements
- Length: Your essay must be a minimum of 800 words.
- Documentation Format: You must include an MLA formatted Works Cited page that includes correctly formatted internal citations for the stories and the additional resources.
- Sources: You are restricted to the novel Silver Sparrow, the short story "The Lesson," and the secondary source material given. Do not use any other source material. Your essay is based on your own close reading and analysis of the works.
- Format: The essay must be in MSWord format (.doc or .docx)
Students must use MLA style documentation. Internal citations should identify the page number and section for the novel. 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 novel (thesis, topic sentences, supporting details from the novel); clarity, cohesion, and conciseness; correct use of MLA format; and grammar and spelling.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 or authors for any articles or other resources. 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 900 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.
