For this assignment, please keep in mind the themes we have covered in this course--conquest, family, the search for community and self, as well as the recognition of adversity.  Write a 5 page essay either on And the Earth Did Not Devour Him OR on Cisneros's Caramelo.
You should stick to the text and offer your analysis of it; this is not a research paper.

Requirements:
1. Write one paragraph proposal due May 23.
2. Write a polished, word processed 4 page draft for a peer critique. Make 2 copies for June 1
3. Make revisions according to Peer Critiques.
4. Submit 5 page revised essay due on June 6 with drafts.
Please note: No extensions.  No essay will be accepted without drafts/peer critiques.

Approach:
1. Focus on one idea or theme and apply it to 2 or 3 specific moments in the text.
Since this is a five page essay, don't try to do too much; rather, you should analyze fully the topic you do have.

2. Announce the thesis in your introduction, support the thesis in the body, and make sure you have a conclusion.

3. Begin your paper by announcing your thesis on the first page:
"This essay addresses Rivera's vision of migrant life in And the Earth Did Not Devour Him.
or
"In this essay, I examine how Cisneros uses a multitude of voices to bring to life the Reyes family in Caramelo."

4. Once you have narrowed your topic, you should then elaborate on your interpretation.
Answer the question, "So what?".  Assume that your reader knows the text intimately, especially the plot.  Jump into your analysis, in media res-- in the middle of things.

5. Address the following compositional issues:

          Use active verbs (get rid of the "to be" verbs: is, are, was, were, be, being, etc.)
          Get rid of expletives (there are, there were, it is, it was, etc.)
          Use literary present tense (Rivera uses a series of episodes to demonstrate the trials of life along the Texan Border.)
          Use transitions between paragraphs to connect ideas
          Use author, page citations (see MLA below).
          Include a works cited
          Limit quotes to one or two a page and integrate them (introduce them and respond to them)
          Avoid first person
          Find a unique approach

6. Provide a meaningful title

7. Format of Work:
Word process your work with a computer. Double space all hard copies; Use 12 point font, Times New Roman; 1 inch margins all around (no padding with wide margins) Use the Modern Language Association Style to document outside sources, including web pages.

It is essential that you make constant back-ups of your work. Misplacing or losing files can be frustrating and it does happen with frequency.  Moreover, computers freeze and power outages are not uncommon.  However file problems or any other kind of computer and printing problems will not excuse late work.  Print drafts as a safety measure and save a copy.

8. Scholastic Responsibility:
You should document your texts with "author's last name page" citations: (Cisneros 185 ).  Be sure to properly quote and paraphrase, rather than
plagiarize.  Use the Writer's Reference as a guide.  Plagiarizing (submitting work that is not your own or failing to document other people's analyses or using their words) or any other form of scholastic dishonesty (cheating) will result in an F in the assignment and
possible failure of the course.

9. Sample Essay Format:
Include the following information:
         Your Name
          The Date
          Dr. Ramirez, California State University
          Chicano Literature
          Title of the Essay

I. Introduction:
State the thesis:
In this essay, I examine how Cisneros uses a multitude of voices to bring to life the Reyes family.
The introduction might be 1-2 paragraphs.

II. Body:
Elaborate on the textual examples to support your thesis.
You might have 4 or 5 paragraphs.

III. Conclusion:
Make sure you wrap up your ideas in 1-2 paragraphs.