M Train

2023/6/19 17:58 Essay 3: M Train

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Essay 3: M Train

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1B Essay 3 Assignment: Patti Smith’s M Train

Dreams. Time. A clock with no hands. Coffee. Cafes. Memories. Travel. Books. Mystery.
The dead, the lost, and the found.

These are some of the important themes in M Train. This is no ordinary work. It is the
author’s memoir, to be sure, but it is much more than a collection of memories and not at
all like other memoirs. Like all of Smith’s creative work (her other writing, her poetry, her
music), this book does not conform to convention, follows no rules but her own, and thus
boldly and strangely asserts itself into the reader’s mind.

Prompt: How do Smith’s themes (just pick one or several) relate to her quest for
meaning or understanding?

Guidance:

This prompt asks you to analyze one or more themes. If you choose several, you will want
to compare or align them. Your understanding of how one or more important themes work
in this book (across the entire book) should help you to interpret her quest. What does she
seek on this train of thought? What does she want? What is most meaningful to her?

The answers might not be obvious; they may be surprising. How you chose to answer this
prompt should be based on a lot of close reflection and careful rereading. Your answer will
offer your own reader an original interpretation. This interpretation will be uniquely yours.
And it will be strong if you defend it using concrete evidence from the text, thoughtful
analysis of these details, and clear explanation of your ideas.

Process:

2023/6/19 17:58 Essay 3: M Train

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All good writing is planned out. Gather your themes and ideas about them. Collect good
quotes or details to support these themes. What is your “theory” about Smith’s quest? Can
you support it? Once you have your evidence, it will be much easier to articulate your
interpretation.

Build your essay first. Create topics for body paragraphs. Visualize how these topics fit
together. See how the parts can create a whole idea. Formulate topics into topic
sentences. How do these topic sentences come together as a singular idea, a thesis?

It is almost never a good idea to sit down and try to write a paper from beginning to end.
That is a time-consuming and often frustrating process. Instead, plan the paper first, and
collect the points and quotes you think will serve you, then begin to develop the ideas in
paragraphs. It is not necessary to write the introduction first or the conclusion last.

1250-1500 words, MLA

REVIEW

Introduction and Argumentative Thesis

The introduction briefly summarizes the work, sets up the terms of your argument, and
narrows the focus of your interpretation. One way to narrow your focus and establish a
sense of argument is to acknowledge that the work can be read in another way, but assert
that your reading is stronger. A good introduction also begins with a “hook” to get your
audience’s attention. Writers often use the title to begin establishing the position of the
paper. Create a title that reflects your argument or leads into your “hook”. The intro ends
with the argumentative thesis statement. A strong argumentative thesis is specific, narrow,
and debatable. It does not sound like a factual statement about the book or the author.
Instead, a thesis will make a claim for a meaning that is not obvious, maybe even
surprising. NOTE: Your thesis is always the last sentence of the introduction paragraph.

Development of Evidence and Analysis in Paragraphs

Each body paragraph aims to demonstrate and argue in a unique way for your thesis using
concrete evidence and analysis. Body paragraphs develop the thesis in greater detail and
complicate or deepen our understanding of the work. Each body paragraph begins with a
topic sentence that connects its topic to the thesis. The sentences that develop this topic
should include interpretation and support. Use a few concrete details and/or short
quotations to back up your argument. Don’t overdo the quotation, however. The emphasis
in each paragraph should fall on your interpretation of the details, not the details

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Memoir Essay

themselves. Each body paragraph should conclude with a conclusion sentence that
reinforces the thesis. Conclusions are drawn from evidence. Therefore, each conclusion
sentence should draw from the evidence presented in the paragraph.

Conclusion

The last paragraph is the MOST IMPORTANT statement of your argument about the
works. Think of the last paragraph not as a repetition of your points but the opportunity to
draw the most significant conclusion for your audience. Based on the ideas explored in the
body paragraphs, what must your audience conclude? Return to your “hook” in some way
to round out and provide closure.

2023/6/19 17:58 Essay 3: M Train

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Criteria Ratings Pts

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30 pts

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40 pts

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25 pts

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25 pts

Total Points: 120

Introduction and Argumentative Thesis

The introduction sets up the terms of your argument in response to the prompt, and
narrows the focus of your interpretation. One way to narrow your focus and establish
a sense of argument is to acknowledge that there are other ways to interpret the
work or the genre, then assert that your reading is stronger or unique. A good
introduction also begins with a “hook” to get your audience’s attention. Writers often
use the title to begin establishing the position of the paper. Create a title that reflects
your argument or leads into your “hook”. The intro ends with the argumentative
thesis statement. A strong argumentative thesis is specific, narrow, and debatable. It
does not sound like a factual statement about the work or a summary of the central
meaning. Instead, a thesis will make a claim for a meaning that is not obvious,
perhaps even surprising. So, not only will you assert what the author actually means
to show us, but you will hint at why and/or how her technique achieves this meaning.
NOTE: Your thesis is always the last sentence of the introduction paragraph.

Development of Evidence and Analysis in Paragraphs

Each body paragraph aims to demonstrate and argue in a unique way for your
thesis using concrete evidence and analysis. Body paragraphs develop the thesis in
greater detail and complicate or deepen our understanding of the work. Each body
paragraph begins with a topic sentence that connects its topic to the thesis. The
sentences that develop this topic should include interpretation and support. Use a
few concrete details and short quotations to back up your argument. Don’t overdo
the quotation, however. The emphasis in each paragraph should fall on your
interpretation of the details, not the details themselves. Each body paragraph should
conclude with a conclusion sentence that reinforces the thesis. Conclusions are
drawn from evidence. Therefore, each conclusion sentence should draw from the
evidence presented in the paragraph.

Conclusion

The last paragraph is the MOST IMPORTANT statement of your argument about
Smith’s major theme. Think of the last paragraph not as a repetition of your points
but the opportunity to draw the most significant conclusion for your audience. Based
on the ideas explored in the body paragraphs, what must your audience conclude?
You might use the last paragraph to answer the question: what is the most profound
insight of this work? Return to your “hook” in some way to round out and provide
closure. Do not use the phrase “In conclusion”—ever.

Clarity, Form, Citation

A polished essay should have no significant grammar or sentence structure errors.
Diction (word choice, vocabulary) should be precise and appropriate to the subject.
Good prose is succinct rather than wordy, clear rather than foggy, direct rather than
vague. All references to sources must be acknowledged and cited using MLA format
—always.

2023/6/19 17:58 Essay 3: M Train

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Essay 3: M Train

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