The Red Convertible

Essay Assignment Sheet

• Read the assignment sheet below CAREFULLY
• Make sure that you understand the REQUIREMENTS for the essay. THEN
• Complete Part Two- Essay Planner—You should create a planning sheet for your essay BEFORE completing the final draft
• Hand in your ESSAY PLANNER for grading. Use the feedback given to you on your planner to create your Final Draft
• Do NOT complete the final draft until you’ve gotten feedback from the professor on your ESSAY PLANNER (Part Two, below)

SYMBOLISM IN “RED CONVERTIBLE” ESSAY

Assignment

For this assignment, your job is to identify and discuss THREE MAJOR SYMBOLS from Louise Erdrich’s story “The Red Convertible” in a 5-7 paragraph essay

-Review your definition of “symbolism.”

-Think about some of the major symbols in the story: the car, Henry’s boots, the River, the television

–Choose three major symbols from the story (use your answers from Red Convertible Discussion Questions). In your opening paragraph, create a main idea sentence that IDENTIFIES THREE MAJOR SYMBOLS FROM THE STORY. Remember that for this essay, symbols are OBJECTS.

– In your body paragraphs, discuss each symbol—one symbol in each paragraph.

-Be sure to discuss what each symbol represents/illustrates.

-For each symbol, provide 2 passages from the story that illustrate the symbol and why it is significant to the story.

– Cite passages correctly using your “OCPI/ Creating Documented Paragraphs” note sheet.

-Create 5-7 paragraphs to answer.

-Use your Red Convertible Essay Planner (Part Two of this sheet) to complete the essay.