Tsotsi Day 5

Review Vocabulary

Writing Topic #2

1. Let's look at the second catalyst for Tsotsi's transformation: Morris Tshabalala. Tsotsi's encounter with Morris has a profound effect on Tsotsi, and it's important to figure out why and how Fugard creates the significance. Reread the following passage describing Morris's life and mindset. In a clear and thoughtful response address:

In what ways has Fugard created Morris as a parallel to Tsotsi? In other words, how is Morris similar to Tsotsi, and why is that significant?

Passage

"He was halfway down the street when he stopped to rest. He examined his hands first, feeling one with the other, and the parts where his blackened nails made a hard, rasping sound on the calluses of too much work, feeling nothing in either. The silence was sweet, melting like butter on his sore thoughts. There were no reminders of the past or mirrors of the present. He looked back the way he had come ... From time to time the dust and litter rose and turned balletically before falling back like the last survivors of an orgy. It had been a busy day," (Fugard 78-80).

Use the close reading guidelines and write a thesis with your group. We will workshop the thesis statements and then, if time permits, move to crafting an introduction to this question.

A good introduction should include:

1. A “hook” that engages your reader – some sort of provocative quotation or question or claim
2. The name and author of the work you are discussing
3. A brief description of whatever basic information—about the text, the author, and/or the topic—readers will need to follow the argument
4. A clear, specific, and arguable thesis statement
5. A blueprint phrase or sentence that explains how you will go about proving your argument (i.e. a suggestion of how your essay will be organized)

Here’s a model introduction paragraph — thanks Nicole!
Herman Melville and Fyodor Dostoevsky, both writing in the nineteenth century, explored in their fiction the nature of man. Melville, in his story, “Bartelby the Scrivener,” and Dostoevsky, in his prose manifesto, “Notes from the Underground,” focus on two very different “modern men” who were unhappy with their lives. Although Bartelby and the Underground Man are both alienated from their society, they suffer their alienation in radically different ways: Bartelby gradually withdraws from all human contact in an attempt to fade into the background of life, while the Underground Man rages against the world because he feels he has already faded out of existence.

For Friday's In-class Writing
1. You will be offered the choice of writing about either Monday's question or Wednesday's question.
2. You will be asked to write an introductory paragraph and at least one body paragraph.
3. You will be allowed to come to class with the following:

• No more than ONE sheet of paper, Times 12 point font, double spaced. Notes must be in hard copy form. Electronic versions will NOT be accepted.
  
• A prepared thesis statement
• Evidence for your argument

4. You may NOT use your books.
5. Your vocab quiz will contain only fifteen words. What fifteen words? You'll have to wait and see.