Overview: This essay asks you to respond to various theorizations of “civilization.” You will choose one of the topics below, then refine that topic into a specific question that you will answer using appropriate evidence from the assigned texts. Your first paragraph should state clearly both the problem/question you are answering and your thesis. Length:3-5 pages, typed, double-spaced. Citation: Use MLA format. Requirements: Thesis. Your essay must be governed by a thesis that (a) responds directly to the essay topic, (b) is arguable, and (c) is stated at the end of the first paragraph having clearly defined all the central terms. Textual Support. Your thesis must be supported by major interpretive claims (topic sentences) that are supported by at least one appropriate quote or allusion per body paragraph. Your ability to select, interpret, and apply the appropriate textual evidence is key to doing well with the essay. Reasoning. You must consistently use and apply logical reasoning in developing your thesis. Writing. Your essay must be written well. There should be no awkward sentences, rough transitions between paragraphs, incoherent paragraphs, extraneous information/unnecessary sentences, typos, or stylistic errors. Topics: Choose one of the topics below. 1. Explain, analyze, and evaluate Marcuse’s claim that “Freud’s theoretical conception itself seems to refute his consistent denial of the historical possibility of a non-repressive civilization . . .”? (“Introduction” to Eros and Civilization, p. 5) Your paper was original, insightful, going beyond ideas discussed in class. You have a clear, complex thesis. Your essay demonstrates your thorough understanding of the material covered by the assignment, texts, and lectures. Complex, sophisticated thesis. • All claims supported by well-chosen quotations that are integrated into the argument of the paper. • No awkward sentences, no unnecessary sentences, or extraneous information.
