The Soloist
Make-ups are due Monday, May 18th at the beginning of your class.No exceptions will be made for computer/printer problems (including I couldn't open my file from home on the school's computer)
See me if you need a copy of the book.
Themes:
The importance of friendship
The healing power of music
The complex problem of homelessness
The argument over how to treat mental-illness
What does it mean to be truly happy
Learning about yourself by helping others.
Task:
Take one of the themes from The Soloist, and write a 500-750 word, double-spaced, font 12 essay that explains the theme in terms of the novel and how it relates to you personally or society in general.
Cover page:
In the middle of the page and with a slightly larger font, write your original title
At the bottom left, type your name, period number, and date.
Introduction:
Hook the reader with your first sentence; use a quote, an anecdote, a startling fact or statistic, etc.
Give background on the novel
Introduce the theme you’ve chosen
Give your thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs:
Analyze the theme in terms of the novel
Intermix your own thoughts on the theme; how does it apply to you personally or to society in general
Look at three different aspects of the theme, for example:
The complex problem of homelessness:
insufficient housing
untreated mental illness
disinterested politicians.
Conclusion:
Bring all of your ideas together into a conclusion that shows you’ve thought deeply about the theme
Leave the reader with a thought to ponder.
Works Cited:
Use parenthetical references in the text of your essay when you paraphrase or directly quote the author.
Complete a “Works Cited” page. Be very careful to use the MLA format. If you are not sure of the MLA format, see the following Web site:
