Essay #2 Prewrite

Consult pages 8-10 in A Writer's Reference for information on prewriting techniques.  If you have been taught some other style of prewriting that works for you, however, please by all means use it!  I do not care what style of prewriting you use; I only care that you do some sort of planning of a paper before sitting down to write it.  Therefore, here are your topics to choose from for Essay #2.  This prewrite may be done via text input, or you can upload files, so if you want to take photos or make scans of a prewrite on paper, you can do so.  The prewrite is due by midnight on Wednesday, and the rough version of the essay itself will be due no later than Friday, so please be aware of the timeframe you have to get crackin' on this paper!

The paper itself should be about four to four and a half pages, double spaced, with standard margins and fonts, in proper MLA format.  You are going to be REQUIRED to integrate quotes from the readings, so consider that as you choose which topic to write on.  Papers that do not use the readings in some significant way will lose a lot of credit, so keep that in mind, ok?  We will be bringing The Great Gatsby into our essay assignments eventually, but NOT YET!  At this point, only consider material from essay readings as you craft your response; use the articles in question, but do not connect your discussion to anything from the novel.

OPTION #1: Skim through the essay "Cars and Their Enemies" again to refresh your memory of its content and your reaction to it, and then write an essay exploring whether another older technology (besides the gasoline powered car) might or might not be built if it were invented today rather than in the past.  Use the first seven paragraphs of "Cars and Their Enemies" as a model for your piece.

OPTION #2: Do the same initial review as mentioned in Option #1, but use both research materials and personal experience to write an essay on "____________ and Their Enemies," filling in the blank with a subject you can explore in depth.  Present both your point of view on the topic and the ideas of those with whom you might disagree.  Review James Q. Wilson's piece for ideas about organization and tone.

OPTION #3: Write an essay in which you examine the lyrics of several FEMALE rappers and compare them to those of the male rappers Morgan mentions.  What similarities and differences do you find in the subjects they address and the feelings that they express?  What overall thesis can you assert, in light of Morgan's commentary and your own experience, research, and sensibilities?

OPTION #4: Look over current issues of several magazines aimed at fans of rap music and youth culture, and/or look at several websites dedicated to the same audience.  What images do they present of women, men, and human relationships?  How often do they reflect themes that Morgan discusses?  What other themes and patterns do you find?  To what extent, if any, have the subjects and attitudes of hip-hop artists changes since the 1990s?  Discuss, making sure you are working toward proving a specific thesis on the topic.

OPTION #5: Try to come up with a list of "rules" you associate with being a woman.  Explain and reflect on these similarly to how Kimmel does, and work toward convincing your reader that your Girl Code exists, how it is taught, how it is observed in real day to day life, and how it is reinforced by day to day life.  Comment on the Girl Code you come up with, as well as Kimmel's Guy Code...are these codes equal?  Fair?  Problem causing?  The way things should be?  Assert your opinion on both Guy and Girl Codes.