UCLA The Element of Agnosticism in the Life of Pi Discussion
You MUST clear your topic with me before you begin this project.
Everyone must be on page 5, even if just the first few lines. If you are not on page 5, I automatically take 10% off. Again, you automatically lose 10% if you are not on page 5 at least. If you are on page 6, then you need to stop by the end of page 6; you MAY NOT go on to page 7. Absolutely no more than 6 full pages. 5 meaty pages is the ideal, particularly since precision and concision are two of the virtues of good writing (the other being coherence), and this is what you should strive for on this assignment. The Works Cited page is not part of this 0-6 page count. You must write in the present tense at all times, integrate all quotations into your sentences with effective lead ins, and cite all quotes properly in text where you refer to or quote from the texts, as well as in the Works Cited. Your MLA document is posted on classroom, and you can find MLA stuff online to help you so that you are doing this properly. You do not need to cite the source you get your MLA stuff from, if you use the internet. I would suggest you simply use the well laid out MLA document you have been given on Classroom. Edit and revise your final product before submitting in order to polish the text and eliminate as many errors as possible, to add or expand upon ideas where necessary, or to trim where necessary. Practice the three virtues of good writing: be precise, be concise, be coherent (yes, I know I already said this). The sources you consult must be scholarly in nature, and they need to come from JSTOR (or a veritable, scholarly place. See me if you have questions about whether a source is acceptable or not), and sources need to be a minimum of 5 pages in length. More on sources below.
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You must include a MINIMUM of 2 scholarly sources in your paper, and a MAXIMUM of 3 sources. The novel is not included as one of these sources. These sources should be actual books (I know, I’m such a relic hey?), JSTOR or Gale, or .edu or .org sites. [***ABSOLUTELY NO .COM SITES ARE PERMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOU MAY ONLY HAVE ONE INTERNET SOURCE/WEBSITE AT MOST. THE PREFERENCE IS THAT YOU USE JSTOR***]. SOURCES MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 5 PAGES IN LENGTH, AND MAY NOT BE A BOOK REVIEW OR ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRY.
The articles should deal with some philosophical aspect or important idea put forth in the novel, and must be related to the topic you choose. Your sources need to be cited in the paper when you use/quote/refer to them, as well as on the Works Cited page.
Focus on incorporating important ideas or concepts presented in your sources and connect them to the novel. Ideally, you will be able to find sources that deal with the novel directly, but for sure deal with some theoretical or conceptual aspect that can be applied to the novel. Absolutely no book summaries or encyclopedia entries are allowed as valid sources, and all sources must be a minimum of 5 pages in length.
Apply your findings to the novel, even if the source is expanding on an idea you want to develop from the source, but maybe does not deal with the novel directly (ex-some work by Carl Jung may be highly pertinent to the novel, even though it does not discuss the novel itself). The source should be useful for helping you frame your discussion, and to help understand and explain important aspects of the topic you choose, and, ideally, tie to the novel directly.
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The prompts are below. You may only write on one of these topics/prompts. Do not blend topics together, lest a penalty be imposed. Whenever you see To what extent and to what effect, now or ever, it simply means How much? and How so?.
Prompts/Topics:
1. This is a novel that is rich with symbolism. I’d suggest that you engage with some ideas presented by Carl Jung, who is perhaps the most renowned symbolist of the 20th century (or another cultural theorist that deals specifically with symbology), and apply your findings to the novel. Explore the significance of the one of following in relation to the novel as a whole:
* the significance of names and naming, including Pi’s name
* the symbolic meaning(s) of the animals aboard the lifeboat (ex-aspects of human traits, representations of actual people and their attributes, etc)
* water (ex-as a symbol of purification and cleansing, baptism, life, death, fear and terror, hope, grace, beauty, horror, etc)
* the carnivorous island as a false paradise (ex-a place of illusory contentment, human apathy, complacency and sloth, gluttony and materialism etc) Why does Pi leave this safe place of safety?
* the zoo and Tsimtsum as prisons of civilization VS the lifeboat, despite its imminent threats of death, as freedom from the constraints of civilization, even if it is an environment of containment
2. In what ways and to what effects does Martel try to bamboozle (which means confound, perplex, cheat, fool) his readers? Why has he done this, and how/why is this novel unsettling for readers who demand to know the truth? Research the concept of the unreliable narrator, or some similar aspect of postmodern thought that you clear with me first, and apply your findings to the novel.
3. How does Pi think of faith and belief, and why are these so important to him? Research a theologian that Pi references, and who has written about the nature of faith and belief (ex-Soren Kierkegaard) and apply your findings to the novel.
4. In Part One, Pi has three teachers, his three wise men: Mr. Kumar, his biology teacher, Mr. Kumar (the Muslim baker), and Father Martin, the Catholic priest. What lessons/guidance do each of them offer Pi and how do these lessons shape Pi’s character? Find articles that deal with these characters specifically and incorporate your findings into your discussion, or if these are not available, find articles that embody the ideals presented by these characters, and apply your findings to the prompt/novel.
5. Research and explore the worldviews of agnosticism OR atheismnot both. How fair is Pi in his assessments of the view in question, and is he actually as open minded as he thinks he is if he discounts these views as plausible, valid ways of seeing the world? Are there any holes in his arguments/logic and way of thinking about the perspective in question? Apply your findings in a way that either refutes or agrees with Pi’s views and beliefs about these matters.
6. You may want to write/read about something presented in the novel that does not appear above. Thus, the sixth option is to write on a topic of your choosing. However, you may not simply just go ahead and do this without talking to me about it. You MUST clear your proposed topic with me first and obtain permission to write on that topic well in advance of actually starting anything.
The rubric and criteria that will be used to evaluate your paper are below.
Student’s Name:____________________________________________________________________
English 20 Essay Rubric
1. Introductory Paragraph, Thesis, and Argumentation
-clearly identifies essay topic and clearly outlines specific points that will be developed in the paper
-conveys central purpose of the essay; specificity of thesis statement; clarity of argument; thesis clearly states the main idea outlined by the sources, and ties that argument into the interpretive claim
-creates context for the ensuing discussion that fully addresses the essay topic
-creates context for the ensuing discussion by summarizing critical aspects of the research in relation to the topic/prompt and novel; frames the discussion of the topic by capturing the essence of the articles and makes claims about how those articles can help readers understand and interpret the novel
-quality of argument and degree of focus; does not include quotes or analysis in the intro paragraph
-sets up discussion appropriately and hooks the reader’s interest immediately; clarity of argument
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. Textual Evidence, Relevance of Quotations, Quality of Quote Selection (x2)
-relevancy of quotes to establish and demonstrate aspects of the argument (thesis) being presented in relation to the essay topic; student shows how the evidence demonstrates aspects of thesis; quotes are relevant to the thesis and show independent thought and creativity in their selection
-student synthesizes content from articles, and applies that to the novel to support the argument
-quotes from novel are well chosen and suit the purpose of the paper; quotes from research sources show imagination and deep insight in their selection and application; all quotes exemplify specific aspects of the topic being discussed, and are indispensable to the argument
-appropriate amount of quotes (neither too few, nor too many) from both novel and sources; not one giant quote, nor so few that points are not adequately exemplified or supported; approx 2-3 lines, 3 quotes per paragraph (perhaps in this order: source/novel/novel?)
-demonstrates interconnectedness of research and literary elements used by author; balance in the ratio of quotes from both places; research helps elucidate the meaning of the novel
-quotations are integrated into sentences appropriately and seamlessly; no stand alones
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
3. Analysis and Interpretation of Evidence (x2)
-level of insight and degree of independent thought; sustained discussion of ideas and depth of analysis
-quality of interpretation and analysis; does not merely summarize; explains how the research findings can be applied directly to specific instances in the novel to explain the significance
-student shows how the research can be used to explain the novel and applies those findings to specific passages in the novel; there is wonderful interplay between research and novel that creates rich discussion and deep insight into the novel
-analysis and points made are justifiable and are supported with examples; shows skilled, creative integration of ideas from the research; there is thorough discussion and explanation of textual evidence; -soundness and uniqueness of interpretation and analysis; there is solid comprehension of the material
-research provides a good theoretical framework and offers a useful critical lens through which, the novel is analyzed
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
4. Quality of Sources and Research
-there are 2-3 scholarly sources used to help explain the novel; at least 1 sources from JSTOR or GALE
-there are no .com sites used, and a maximum of one internet site that is either .edu or .org only; websites and the internet are discouraged; student has cleared any internet sources with me beforehand
-journal articles are a minimum of 5 pages in length; articles deal with the novel directly, or help fully explain an important idea or theoretical concept that is indispensable to the paper
-journal articles used are not book summaries, novel reviews, or encyclopedia entriesregardless of whether they come from JSTOR or where everare not used. No wikipedia allowed.
-journal articles show wisdom in their selection, and they offer the student a complex lens from which to view the novel; there is creativity in the selection of the sources that really help develop the paper
-quality of the sources; the articles offer a solid, insightful theoretical foundation and framework that provides an invaluable critical lens through which, the novel is analyzed and interpreted
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. Organization and Flow
-makes good transitions from one idea to the next; the arrangement of ideas helps create coherency
-logical progression of ideas; maintains a clear, steady focus that does not veer off topic
-strong paragraphs that are well developed and chunky, but are not pages long (approx. 3/4 page)
–strong topic sentences provide an anchor and direction for what the reader can expect the paragraph to entail; paragraphs do not start with quotes but rather, an idea that the writer will develop in par.
-writing has good flow and points are well organized and executed to avoid digressions or loss of focus
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
6. Word Choice, Clarity, and Register
-words are used properly and are chosen with care and attention about the connotations they carry
-precise wording and phrasing that accurately conveys writer’s intended meaning; degree of coherence
-skillful use of academic and literary terminology; points are precise and well executed
-words and ideas are carefully selected, and are crafted with care and attention to detail; the nuance and artistry of the writing make the writing interesting, discerning, and perceptive; communication is effective because of the elegance of the word choice and variation of the language; avoids repetition of exact wording and phrases, or repeats at critical important junctures to reinforce and reiterate a point
-language is formal, clear, descriptive, and easy to follow; no colloquialisms or contractions
-no personal pronouns, especially you and your; I is absent; student makes the literature the centre of the focus; authors are not addressed by first names alone; last names are used exclusively, except when introducing the author the first time (ex- John Doe claims… then Doe reminds his audience of…)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
6. Language Usage, Sentence Structure, Grammar/Mechanics, Language Conventions
-spelling and punctuation are correct throughout
-commas, periods, capitalization, quotation marks are all properly utilized
-no awkward phrasing; writes in the present tense; subject/verb agreement is correct throughout
-adheres to the conventions of the language; avoids repetition of phrases and ideas
-smooth sentences; language is interesting and descriptive; sentences are not short and choppy
-run on sentences and/or sentence fragments are absent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
