The final paper in WR 098 requires students to create an original argument analyzing themes in a set of works. In this section, the essay had to “synthesize” Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts and two essays from the anthology Globalization, which contains a range of arguments about education and global citizenship. The synthesis element of the paper is often challenging for students, and some struggle to find ways to incorporate the essays without having them appear as mere tangents or barely related examples.
Calvin’s essay is remarkable because it not only completes the requirements of the assignment beautifully, using ideas from the two essays as necessary components of an argument that illuminates the memoir, but the essay also makes it clear how the analysis of these texts can help us to understand and perhaps answer difficult questions about cultural integration. Framed as it is with personal experience, Calvin’s essay demonstrates the relevance and even practicality of his claims, and we don’t doubt his sincerity or investment. Additionally, sophisticated use of counterargument and contemporary touchstones contribute to making this a meaningful and clarifying essay.
— KEVIN BARENTS
WR 098: Introduction to College Reading and Writing in English