English 272M   
Fall 2009
Shel Hershinow  
Paper on Potiki  

                                                      

Suggested Length: 1000-1500 Words
Draft Due (bring to class): Wednesday, September 30th
Due Date: Friday, October 9th  

 

                                                           

You can either write a persuasive paper or more of an exploratory paper (or some combination of the two). The difference is that with a persuasive essay your purpose is to argue for a particular interpretation by establishing an idea and persuading readers with plenty of supporting evidence and logical argumentation.  In an exploratory paper your purpose is rather to look at all the many possible aspects of the idea, cultivating different points of view, examining all the contradictory elements and then arriving at a conclusion.

 

Audience:  No matter which option you choose, you can assume that your readers have already read the novel, so you are to give interpretation and analysis, not plot summary. Do not, of course, assume that your readers know your assignment; the paper will have to speak for itself. Be sure to give lots of examples from the novel, including at least 3 direct quotations.

 

Process and self-assessment cover sheet. A paragraph or two in which you discuss the paper's strengths and weaknesses: What were the particular challenges the paper presented and how did you go about meeting them? With what degree of success?

 

 

OPTION 1

Explore the ways in which the Prologue provides the key to understanding Potiki. Be sure to back up your conclusions with concrete examples from throughout the book, not just from the Prologue.

OPTION 2

Examine the role of stories and storytelling in Potiki.

OPTION 3

Explore the Maori sense of time and how that is reflected in the structure of the novel.

OPTION 4

Explore the conflict between Maori identity and Western values in Potiki. Be careful not to over generalize. In other words, be sure to focus on what happens in the novel.

OPTION 5

Examine the idea of between-ness that perhaps lies at the heart of Potiki. The shore, the situation of the Maori, and Toko might all be fruitful topics to examine for this option.                

 

OPTION 6

For the Western reader, what are the special challenges of reading Potiki? Are there pitfalls to avoid? What riches are there for readers who rise to the challenge? Be careful not to over generalize.

 

OPTION 7—OPEN

For this option you can choose your own subject relating to Potiki. Be sure to get my approval before you start.

 

Grading Criteria.  In judging the success of your papers I will look for:

                         a)  ideas—analysis, interpretation, insight, aptness, freshness;

                         b)  support—reasoning, evidence;

                         c)  organization—follow-through, focus;

                         d)  style—clarity, emphasis, interest, language, voice, transitions;

                         e)  mechanics—grammar, spelling, punctuation, proofreading.

         Note: These elements will not necessarily carry equal weight.

 

Process of Composition:  Although you will receive a grade only for your finished paper, don't make the mistake of thinking that you can sit down for a few hours and produce a well-thought out, effectively supported essay.  You will need to do quite a bit of work even before you are ready to begin writing.  Writing is a messy business, and no two people do it quite the same.  What follows is a general process that works for many people. 

 

 

   You should be able to get help from the Kahikoluamea learning center in the Iliahi building at any stage in the process.

 

        Starting.  Review the novel keeping in mind the topic you will be writing on. Reread your travelogue entries. Talk with people, freewrite, doodle--let the ideas incubate. 

 

        Organizing.  Write down on a clean piece of paper the main points in the exploration as you discover them.  Decide on the issue or problem you want to be your focus.  Make note of specific incidents or passages that support the main ideas.  Compose a statement of the main idea of your paper or the question you want to find an answer to.

 

        Composing.  Only now are you ready to begin writing.  For this first draft, don't worry too much about mechanics.  Just try to develop and support the ideas as clearly and convincingly as you can.

 

        Revising.  I usually think of revising as re-visioning.  After you have finished writing the first draft, let it sit for a day or two, then begin revising to make it clearer, more convincing, and smoother.  This stage may involve rereading and rethinking, searching the text for supporting evidence, developing and supporting your ideas, getting feedback from classmates.  You might literally cut your paper apart and rearrange parts of it.  Read it out loud to someone else to see how clear it is.  If it satisfies you, move on to final editing.  If it still seems lacking, revise some more.

 

        Editing. Now is the time to pay special attention to matters of fine tuning—clarifying and sharpening, combining, condensing, making sure of the examples, and correcting the spelling, punctuation, and grammar.