WRITING ASSIGNMENT #1
February 6, 2009

 

"A small dinner in South Bend...."

I am bored.  My teams are losing, it’s too cold outside, and it’s quickly becoming clear CHANGE isn’t as easy as people HOPED.  So, I decide to throw a small dinner party to cheer myself up.  I invite Erich Maria Remarque and Eli Wiesel.  When we’re all seated, I try to bring up some upbeat subjects.  But soon, I realize that I should have given more thought when choosing whom to invite to my dinner.  As the evening goes on, my guests gravitate to some pretty somber topics.  They even begin to talk about Hell.  Yet, just as I am beginning to get truly depressed, Wiesel says something that catches my attention and gets me thinking:

Wiesel:  "I have faith in God. Without it, no action would be possible in Hell. And action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all."

Remarque:  “I  [ agree/disagree ].”


Assignment:  Please respond to the following two questions, but do so in a way that allows you to write one unified paper.

    1. Will Remarque agree with Wiesel or will he disagree?  Choose one of the two options and explain why.  No waffling allowed!

    2. Where do you stand on Wiesel’s claim? Explain why. 

Take a firm stand on both of these questions.  In the first question, I am asking you to compare and contrast the two authors’ perspectives.  In the second question, I am asking what you think.  In reflecting on this assignment, think about the discussion we just had in class as well as our upcoming debate.

Your response should be no more than 3 typed, double-spaced pages (12 point font) of careful reasoning. Make sure your reader knows where you stand and can follow your argument without any pause or complication, from the beginning of the paper to the end. Remember:  you are writing one paper and not two.  As you formulate your argument, be sure to keep counterarguments in mind. Use evidence. At the same time, be concise and to the point.

This assignment is straightforward, but it also meant to be challenging. I recommend that you begin it immediately. My expectations are not extraordinary. I will be pleased if you only write the best paper you have ever written in your life.

This paper is due by class time next Thursday, February 12.    Good luck!