The Rocking Horse Winner by D.H Lawrence

Writing prompt: One of the main methods that an author uses to express a specific message in a work of fiction is through the use of conflict in a story. A character usually learns an important lesson by going through an experience of conflict, and this can reveal to the reader an important message about life (theme). In an insightful, well-written five-paragraph essay, explore the author’s use of internal conflict and external conflict to convey a universal theme in the story. You must also discuss at least two separate literary element (setting, irony, symbol, etc.) and discuss its specific relationship to a conflict in the story that allows the author to convey the identified theme.

Recommended essay structure:

Introduction paragraph: Begin your essay with an introduction that introduces your ideas and the story that you will be discussing. Conclude this paragraph with a well-written and focused thesis statement that identifies the use of conflict in the story, the additional literary element you will discuss, and a thematic statement (theme)

1st Body Paragraph: Identify and analyze a specific example of external conflict in the story and explain how it helps to reveal the author’s message (theme).

2^nd Body Paragraph: Identify and analyze a specific example of internal conflict in the story and explain how it helps to reveal the author’s message (theme).

3^rd Body Paragraph: Identify the use of another literary element (i.e. setting, irony, and symbol) and discuss its relationship to the conflict in the story. Explain how this relationship helps to reveal the author’s message (theme).

Conclusion Paragraph: End with a paragraph that concludes your main argument by restating your thesis and supporting arguments.

Format Requirements:  Essay must be typed, 12pt. Times New Roman Font, and in proper MLA format.

(Thesis statement is usually a single sentence somewhere in your

 first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader.

 The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes

 evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation)

Grading Criteria:

ï Introduction paragraph ends with a well-written and focused thesis statement that presents the main argument of the essay and incorporates how the writer will support this argument.

ï Each body paragraph will begin with a topic sentence that makes a statement, which the rest of the paragraph will work to support.

ï Topic sentences work to support the argument presented in the thesis statement.

ï Each paragraph will include relevant pieces of textual evidence directly quoted from the text that support the argument of the paragraph. 

ï Analysis follows textual evidence to explain how the excerpt from the text supports the writer’s argument.

ï The writer displays an accurate understanding of the idea of a theme in a literary work.

ï The writer responds accurately to assign prompt.

ï The writer creates a well-written piece that is free of errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics