Write a 2-3 page paper giving a formal definition (genus) defining term associated with the novel, The Awakening, or an economic or political term associated with the novel. Think in terms of words like motherhood, feminist, femininity, Creole, paternalistic, creativity, children, quadroon, fidelity, self-sacrifice, etc. In-text citations must be used. Any outside sources used in the paper must have a signal phrase to introduce the sources. For example, According to …….. Use outside research from Academic Search Premier, CQ Researcher, Facts on File. These are databases that you can retrieve through Steely Library. See directions below. Remember that the citation info is given for these sources. Just make sure that it is MLA style, and then you can copy and paste it into Word.
DUE DATE: Rough draft is due on Monday, March 4.
Select Steely Library from pull-down menu, click on BOOKS AND MORE, and then DATABASES, and finally select database by the first letter of the word. F for Facts on File.
Ex: Tea Party – when did the word enter our lexicon? Certain leaders associated with word? What does word suggest? How do they differ from Independents? How much political power do they have? Rand Paul, stereotypes, historical allusion and connection, dictionary definition
Having to define a concept,principle, or belief in detail also forces you think critically and deeply.
(i.e, naturalism, poverty, born-again Christian, , affluence, liberal, conservative, Tea Party, homeless, Occupy Wall Street, feminist, marriage, patriotism, slavery, sexism, human rights), apartheid)
1.) Give dictionary definition (denotative).
4. 2.) Classify your word: is it a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
6.)3.) General Type: character trait, political term, value, religion, literary term
7.4.) Connotations – what does the word suggest beyond it literal definitions Ex. What is suggested by the term liberal? cares about social issues, tax and spend or conservative? doesn’t care about social issues/ lower taxes
8.5.) Can you compare it to something familiar? (or its differences) liberal vs. conservative
9.6.) Narrate an illustration (examples, incidences) of marriage (for example)
10.7.) Use quotations and anecdotes (stories) to help define.
118.) Use negation: mention what it is not in order to help define what it is Ex. Liberals aren’t all ex-hippies
129.) Make a list of subtle and borderline comparisons (Liberals may hold some of the values of communism (equality aspect, workers having equal say)
1310.) Begin your essay with a fact, statistic, or anecdote to engage your reader.
1411.) Tell the word’s Etymology -history of the word and how the meaning has changed over time. How is it used? By whom? Where did the term liberal originate? How has the term changed or morphed over the years? What caused that change? How has the meaning of marriage changed over the years?
1512.) Historical results: Examining the term liberal, what happened to those who have used it? Look at how it influenced John Kerry’s political campaign. Look at how it has influenced Obama’s presidency. Kerry was painted as a “bleeding heart liberal,” even though a war hero, and it destroyed his hopes for the presidency. Obama is portrayed like this for his stance on gay rights, etc.
U13.) Use figurative expressions to explain- vivid word pictures using similes, metaphors, or analogies-can also explain what something is. When author E.B. White was asked what democracy was, he replied, “It is the line that forms on the right. It is the don’t in Don’t Shove. It is the hole in the stuffed shirt through which the sawdust slowly trickles…It is the feeling of privacy in the voting booths, the feeling of communion in the libraries…”
14.) Whatever term that you pick, you must be able to pick something from novel to help define it, too.
Denotative (dictionary meaning of a word) and connotative (what the word suggests)
Definitions can be three types: short, stipulative, or extended.
3 types of definition
1.) 1.) Lexical: type found in dictionary – important first step in understanding the concept – provides denotative meaning (specific meaning of words or phrase) , connotative definition (associations the word takes on in particular contexts a well as ideas and emotions it elicits among particular people – example – Geezer for elderly person, puppy for young dog
2.) 2.) stipulative definitions – are determined by the writer, who assigns a specific meaning to word or phrase as determined by his or her purpose. If writing about working part-time work, you have to stipulate if this is 20 hours,30 hours, etc.
3.) Extended definitions – useful when it comes to developing a detailed and complete explanation of a topic that is abstract and often complex. An extended definition can be colored by your personal perspective – your knowledge, emotions, your values. Think of the term “affluent” and how different the defitnion would be written by a student in US, or one who had come from Haiti.
1.) short – explains a word by a brief identification of its meaning (dictionary)
2.) stipulative – identifies the particular meaning you intend to use in your writing (liberal often has various connotations)
3.) extended – can include both of the above, but they go far beyond both.
-attempts to explain the writer’s view of a subject, something that can’t be done effectively in a short definition.
Definition Essay Process
1.) Select the term you plan to investigate. Example: liberal
2.) Begin by writing down a few simple statements about your word to do some brainstorming: “A liberal is”
3.) Remember to start general and get more specific.
16. After your research, determine a particular thesis or main idea about your word.
Keep in Mind the following about Definition essays:
1.) it has an introduction
2.) it has a body
3.) it has a conclusion
4.) An extended definition essay does not strive for objectivity! An extended definition may begin with a dictionary definition, but it goes on to add to, modify, and illustrate that definition. It may compare or contrast one meaning with another or provide descriptive or illustrative examples.
An example using the term “liberal”:
Introduction: Thesis statement: Contrary to the misconceptions held by many conservatives, a liberal is not a tree-hugging hippie who expects the government to take care of him or her.
Background: Definition of liberal, including its origins and evolution
