US History 118
Book Review
Dr. Eric Mayer, Instructor

Book Analysis Assignment:

Analyze the book The Grapes of Wrath.
Identify and explain the main historical themes and arguments the author poses. Be sure to analyze depictions of class conflict and worker exploitation. 

Email your finished book review to history118@gmail.com LATE BOOK REVIEWS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Essay Format:
Be sure to introduce the book and author in the first or second sentence of the introduction. Your book review must be at least 1500 words in length.  Do not use direct quotes. Paraphrase from the novel and cite the page humbers. The easiest way to cite sources is to use MLA parenthetical citations that includes the author's last name and page number (Mayer 199).   Every paragraph of your essay/analysis needs to have MLA citations from the novel except for the intro and the conclusion..
 Your first paragraph must contain a series of causal arguments that you intend to historically prove in the text of your essay.  Be sure to formally introduce the author and the book in the first couple of sentences of your introduction.  Then identify the main themes of the book and explain why they are important.  You need to tell the reader what caused what to happen, when and why.  Never pose rhetorical questions in your essay.  Rhetorical questions are cheap literary devices that make your writing style non-assertive and give the reader the impression that you are not in control of your essay or the material.  Immediately give the reader your overall causal argument, and then, in succeeding sentences of your first paragraph list supporting arguments in chronological order.  The supporting arguments should be chronological in order and build on each other.
 The topic sentences of your paragraphs must do more than simply describe what the paragraph is about, they must also state why the paragraph is important to the overall argument of your essay.  In other words, the topic sentence summarizes the paragraph, but also links it back to one of the supporting arguments that you listed in your introductory paragraph.  You must have dates or at least periodize in almost every paragraph.  Paragraphs should be one-third to one-half page in length.  Finally, your essay must have a conclusion that restates your original argument in light of the data and facts that were discussed in the text of your essay.  A paragraph is at least four sentences long.
 To obtain an optimal grade your essay must be clearly written.  Clarity of style, proper grammar, spelling, analytical organization and logical coherence are essential if you wish to receive a passing grade.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN IN A FIRST DRAFT as your finished essay.  A decent paper will go through at least three rewrites.  Therefore revision, rewrite, revision, rewrite, etc., is the process that will earn you a good grade. I will be happy to read drafts, outlines, revisions, etc., of your paper.