English 495, Fall 2018—Essay #2: Magical Realism

Overview: Realism is a literary genre in which an author focuses on the experiences of ordinary, middle-class characters and the dilemmas they face. Magic realism is a genre of fiction in which an author uses realist technique to narrate stories that combine mundane [ordinary] and miraculous events, everyday realities and the supernatural. In the magical plot, nothing seems out of place to the chracters. Using magic realism, Exit West examines the plight of refugees as well as the limitations of love in a time of chaos. More specifically, the “doors” in the novel serve a multitude of purposes: as a means to connect people from one society to another, a means of escape, an opportunity for a new life, etc.

Purpose: Your purpose is to compose a college level essay that creatively explores the idea of magical realism in your own life. Using the notion that “doors” can serve as a portal to our past, present, or future, you will choose three “doors” in your life and analyze what these “doors” reveal about you. In other words, how do your choice of “doors” represent who you are?

Deadlines: dates for the prewriting charts, rough draft [**missing peer review workshop will result in a 10% reduction of your final draft grade], revised draft, and final draft are listed on the course schedule.

Required Format: Essays must be typed, at least 2 full pages in length, and follow strict MLA guidelines for formatting the paper: double-spaced, 1” margins on the top, bottom, and sides, and 12 point, Times New Roman font.

Evaluation Criteria: includes a catchy title that hooks the reader’s interest includes an engaging introduction that includes a hook, background information on the topic [magical realism], and successfully guides the reader to the thesis includes a clear, concise thesis statement that could include the following: three “doors” + what it reveals about you each body paragraph includes a clear topic sentence that supports the thesis; one topic/”door” per paragraph includes descriptive elements, such as sensory details, figurative language, dialogue, etc. to “show and not tell” includes honest reflection/analysis of the chosen door in support of your thesis reflects organization of thoughts with the reader, an academic audience of your peers, in mind essay contains a consistent voice includes a strong, forceful conclusion that begins with a hook, restates the thesis, and ends on a powerful note essay reflects a mature & effective style [sentence pattern variety, college-level diction, skillful use of transitions, etc.] development of ideas to at least 5+ paragraphs/ 2 FULL pages [minimum] follows the conventions of written English [i.e., free of repetitive grammatical errors, such as fragments, comma splices, run-ons, etc.] [FINAL DRAFT] written in first person [no 2nd person references—you, your, us, etc.] [FINAL DRAFT]

Final Thoughts: Believe in yourself and do not procrastinate. Visit the Success Center and meet with a tutor and/or come to my office [M & W: 7-8:00am; T & TH: 9-10:00am & 12:00-12:30pm] and meet with me if you have any questions or simply wish to talk about the writing process. This essay is worth 15% of your semester grade, so give it your best effort.

Robert C. Nazar, Chaffey College