Bible Class

Learning Outcomes: Identify and apply key concepts about American culture; close reading of a cultural text; communicate an analytical argument supported by evidence.

For this midterm you are to watch the film “Imitation of Life” (1934) and provide a close reading of the film, analyzing how it connects to the keywords we have covered since the last midterm: Nation, Ethnicity, Immigration, and White. You are to write a 4-page analytical essay (maximum 1000 words), typed, double-spaced, using correct citations (either MLA or Chicago); please include a works cited page. Your essay should present a clear argument about how the film relates to relevant concepts covered by the keywords. You do not need to address every keyword. Rather you need to identify the concepts related to one or more of the keywords and use those concepts to develop a close reading of the film.

To successfully complete this midterm you must do a number of things:

Review course concepts covered since the last midterm and understand how they explain social and cultural concepts related to identity

Closely watch the film—I urge you to watch it all the way through once and then watch it again taking notes. Here is the streaming link: http://rocket.lib.muohio.edu/kaltura/1_dxeyj52u(Links to an external site.)

Use the keyword readings to situate film in context of course ideas

Identify key examples (your evidence) from the film and from keyword essays and class lectures you will use to develop and support your analysis—I will be looking to see that you have carefully read and thought about keyword concepts as well as class presentations.

Develop an argument based on your close reading of the film in the context of other readings and class discussions, supported by specific evidence from the texts—I will be looking for evidence that you understand the skill of close reading and that your analysis of the film goes beyond summary and plot.

Expectations/Grading Rubric:

Paper follows established directions for the assignment: name, title, formatting, citations, introduction, developed argument in body of paper, and conclusion, etc.

Paper presents a clear, persuasive, thoughtful argument supported by close analysis of the film and keyword concepts

The argument of the paper is articulated in a clear thesis statement that serves as a roadmap for the rest of the paper

The argument is supported by specific analysis of the film and evidence/examples from the film, course readings, and course presentations that is clearly sequenced and organized in the body of the paper

The paper applies the analytical skill of close reading of the film

The paper situates the film in context of the course materials and clearly draws on and shows an understanding of keyword concepts, readings, and class discussions.

Paper is well written, clearly organized, and free of grammatical, typing mistakes, and spelling errors. (Paragraphs are clearly organized and sequenced by topic, paragraphs contain topic sentences that identify the topic and advance the thesis statement, paragraphs build on each other and transition smoothly from one to the next moving the argument forward, interesting introduction and conclusion, sources cited….)