Analytical Essay on Myths


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Possible Thesis Ideas
(idea that we're analyzing and proving something about):

Myths may act as a roadmap to the divine.

Myths in the context of the culture. They cannot be understood independently of culture.

Myths are among the most persistent, resilient, lasting, and enduring artifacts of culture.

Water, and all of its forms, is central to myth in many cultures. As sophisticated as we are, our culture remains hungry for myth.

Your own topic

Process "The Trek":

  1. "Plan Your Trip": outline your territory and where you'll stop along the way in order to get to your destination successfully.
  2. "Marking the Trail": introduce your topic and thesis by describing your territory. 
  3. "Setting Up Camps": develop and construct your camps (body paragraphs) to show your knowledge and understanding of surviving the trip and the trail. Use all the materials you've been given: quotes and details from text, notes, lectures, film, background knowledge, life experience. SHOW, not tell.
  4. "Reaching Your Destination": conclude your trip by stating where you've been and what impact this trip has had on your life.


Analytical Essay Rubric

5 - Exceptional Achievement

Writer demonstrates all or most of the following traits:

  • Provides complete introductory context skillfully leading to thesis
  • Uses clearly defined evidence which includes effective reasoning, paraphrased details, and quotations; demonstrates insightful analysis of text and prompt
  • Plans body of essay carefully with clear connections (topic sentences) and smooth transitions (no irrelevant digressions)
  • Skillfully writes conclusion by providing closure among major ideas in relation to thesis
  • Skillfully uses clear, vivid language and a variety in sentence structure
  • Shows near mastery of mechanics, spelling, and grammar

4 - Commendable Achievement

Writer demonstrates all or most of the following traits:

  • Provides introductory context leading to thesis
  • Uses relevant evidence to support thesis including effective paraphrased details and quotations; demonstrates clear comprehension of text and prompt
  • Plans body of essay well with connections (topic sentences) and transitions
  • Provides complete conclusion; summarizes major ideas and clearly connects to thesis
  • Uses clear language and a variety in sentence structure
  • Shows clear control as a writer making infrequent errors in mechanics, spelling, and grammar

3 - Proficient Achievement

Writer demonstrates all or most of the following traits:

  • Introduces most of the context and orients reader to thesis
  • Uses some relevant evidence, but may rely on generalizations or summary to support thesis; shows adequate understanding of text and prompt
  • Plans body of essay with adequate connections (topic sentences)
  • Provides conclusion summarizing the major points
  • Uses clear language and some variety in sentence structure
  • Makes occasional errors in mechanics, spelling, and grammar

2 - Some Evidence of Achievement

Writer demonstrates all or most of the following traits:

  • Introduces context minimally, omitting some details, incomplete thesis
  • Cites very little relevant evidence from text, relies too much on summary; may show misunderstanding of text or prompt
  • Seems confused in overall plan for body of essay; may lack clear connection between ideas
  • Provides inadequate and/or minimal conclusion
  • Shows inconsistent use of clear language or lack of variety in sentence structure
  • Makes frequent errors in mechanics, spelling, and grammar

1 - Limited Evidence of Achievement

Writer demonstrates all or most of the following traits:

  • Provides little or no introduction; thesis is missing or unfocused
  • Uses little if any relevant evidence; paper is too brief; or misunderstands text or prompt
  • Exhibits confusion in overall plan for body of essay; no topic sentences
  • Provides inadequate or no conclusion
  • Rarely shows variety in sentence structure
  • Displays frequent, distracting errors in mechanics


Site Map | River of Words | River of Words/Watershed Trip | 21 Club Rubric | One True Sentence | Show, Not Tell | On-Line Resources | Glossary | Quotes | WordList | Co-Teachers - Doug and Melissa | Gallery

E-Mail Doug at mrdoug@aznet.net or Melissa at mjmckinstry@earthlink.net