Reading a classic novel like Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry can be a rewarding experience. And learning how to explore such a novel in depth brings even more rewards. It can even help you discover new ideas that become an important part of your life.
Turn It In!
Use the notes you made during this lesson to write a literary analysis essay like “Choose Wisely” that focuses on a theme in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Remember that this first draft will and should be rough; you do not need to be concerned about grammar, punctuation, and spelling at this point in the process. Instead, focus on arranging the parts of your essay in a way that will make sense for readers.
Once you have completed your rough draft, submit it to your teacher. The rubric below will be used to evaluate your draft.
| Superior 5 points |
Average 3 points |
Poor 1 point |
|---|---|---|
| Claim Statement | ||
| Your claim statement very clearly states your opinion about what the novel means, it provides a perspective that some readers might disagree with, and it describes one of its central themes in a way that sets up what your essay will need to prove. | Your claim statement states your opinion about what the novel means, describing one of its central themes. It is also debatable—some readers might disagree. | You include a claim statement, but it is not clear what you think about the novel, or you do not describe one of its central themes. |
| Textual Evidence | ||
| Your essay presents evidence that is relevant to your claim, accurately described or quoted, and supportive of your interpretation of the novel’s themes. | Your essay presents evidence that is relevant to your claim, but it is not always accurately described or quoted or clearly supportive of your interpretation of the novel’s themes. | Your essay presents little or no evidence that is relevant, accurate, or supportive. |
| Reasons | ||
| Your reasons for seeing the novel as you do are clearly explained and well-supported by the evidence you provide. | Your reasons for seeing the novel as you do are clearly explained and somewhat supported by the evidence you provide. However, those connections should be made much more clear. | Your reasons for seeing the novel as you do are not clearly explained or they are not well-supported by the evidence you provide. |
| Counterargument | ||
| You introduce, describe, and refute at least one counterargument in a very clear and compelling way that makes your essay much stronger. | You introduce, describe, and refute at least one counterargument. | You introduce a counterargument, but you do not refute it (explain why it’s not true). |
