Overview and Directions: We are going to compose essays as scholars. Choose one of the following prompts and compose an essay using Anthem, Rand's philosophical material and Inequality for All. Use the materials below to help guide you through this process. Also, revisit past blogs for insights and material.
Prompt 1: Near the end of the story, Prometheus writes that “the day will come when I shall . . . raze the cities of the enslaved” and that “the Councils of my brothers will be impotent against me.” Why do you think Prometheus foresees a struggle with his collectivist world? Why does he think he will prevail? For your essay, consider also what Ayn Rand writes in this excerpt from her novel The Fountainhead, titled “The Soul of an Individualist.” Also, use examples from Inequality for All by Robert Reich as a means of showing modern day examples.
Prompt 2: The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention indicate that prisoners never try to escape. Why do you think they do not? In your essay, consider the following excerpt from Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead, titled “The Soul of a Collectivist.” Also, use examples from Inequality for All by Robert Reich as a means of showing modern day examples.
Anthem by Ayn Rand - Full Text
Anthem by Ayn Rand - Full Text
Inequality for All by Robert Reich
Quotations for Robert Reich
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/robert_reich
The Soul of an Individualist (From For the New Individualist) by Ayn Rand
https://campus.aynrand.org/works/1943/01/01/the-soul-of-an-individualist/page1
The Soul of the Collectivist (From For the New Individualist) by Ayn Rand
https://campus.aynrand.org/works/1943/01/01/the-soul-of-a-collectivist/page1
Criteria
Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Anthem.
Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Anthem.
Writing Rubric
General Information: The score that you are assigned will reflect the quality of the essay as a whole—its content, its style, its mechanics. I reward the writers for what they do well. The score for an exceptionally well-written essay may be raised a half step above the otherwise appropriate score (i.e. from an A- to an A). In no case may a poorly written essay be scored higher than a D.
A
These essays offer a well-focused and persuasive analysis of the assigned prompt. Using apt and specific textual support, these essays fully explore the assigned prompt and demonstrate what it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Although not without flaws, these essays make a strong case for their interpretation and discuss the literary work with significant insight and understanding. Generally, essays scored an A reveal more sophisticated analysis and more effective control of language than do essays scored an A-.
B
These essays offer a reasonable analysis of the assigned prompt, and what it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. These essays show insight and understanding, but the analysis is less thorough, less perceptive, and/or less specific in supporting detail than that of the A essays. Generally, essays scored a B+ present better developed analysis and more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do essays scored a B or B-.
C
These essays respond to the assigned task with a plausible reading, but they tend to be superficial or underdeveloped in analysis. They often rely upon plot summary that contains some analysis, implicit or explicit. Although the writers attempt to discuss the assigned prompt and how the relationship contributes to the work as a whole, they may demonstrate a rather simplistic understanding of the work. The essays demonstrate adequate control of language, but they may lack effective organization and may be marred by surface errors.
D
These lower-half essays offer a less than thorough understanding of the task or a less than adequate treatment of it. They reflect an incomplete or over simplified understanding of the work, or they may fail to address the assigned prompt directly. They may not address or develop a response to how it contributes to the work as a whole, or they may rely on plot summary alone. Their assertions may be unsupported or even irrelevant. Often wordy, elliptical, or repetitious, these essays may lack control over the elements of composition. Essays scored a D- may contain significant misreading and demonstrate inept writing.
F
Although these essays make some attempt to respond to the prompt, they compound the weaknesses of the papers in the D range. Often, they are unacceptably brief or are incoherent in presenting ideas. They may be poorly written on several counts and contain distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. The writer’s remarks are presented with little clarity, organization, or supporting evidence.
