Outsider Essay Assigment

Outsider Essay

In our discussions of Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird, we’ve focused a great deal on the idea of outsiders versus insiders. Some characters straddle the line between outsider and insider. Miss Maudie, for example, is a respected member of the community, yet she also scorns the gossipers who make up a large part of Maycomb’s “in” crowd. Scout straddles that line too. She is both a member of a well-respected family, while also an outsider in terms of the way she ignores traditional gender roles in both her dress and her behavior. Others in Maycomb, however, are largely outsiders. One of the clearest examples of an outsider in the book comes in the character of Boo Radley.

For your first analytical essay, you will explore the concept of being an outsider in To Kill a Mockingbird. What does it means to be an outsider in Maycomb? In what ways does Boo fit the town’s definition? What is Harper Lee trying to say about outsiders through his character? Using evidence from the first section of the novel, come up with a definition of the term outsider as evidenced in the first section of the book.

Next, think about modern-day outsiders. These outsiders could be real individuals or groups. They could also be fictional characters from a recent book, film, television show, song or short story. For example, immigrants in the United States, particularly illegal immigrants, are often portrayed as outsiders by the media. Books like A Catcher in the Rye and the Twilight series also present the notion of being an outsider in interesting ways. Chose one modern outsider (person or group). How and why is this person or group an outsider? What exactly are they outside of?

Think also about the ways in which your example connects to Boo Radley. In what ways are they similar in terms of their outsider status? How do these two examples work together to create a definition of the term outsider? The place where Boo and your example meet will serve as your main argument for the paper.

This essay will be broken down into a number of steps. They are as follows:

Step 1
Decide on the outsider you’ll compare to Boo Radley. Find a piece of writing about this person or group. It could be anything from an article in a newspaper to a summary of a book, or story or even the lyrics to a song. Bring this piece of writing to class on Friday, 10/10.

Step 2
Develop your argument. Your thesis needs to present an argument that you will prove over the course of the paper. For this paper, your thesis needs to include information as to what it means to be an outsider as related to Boo Radley and the example of your choice. In what ways are these examples similar? What argument about being an outsider can you connect to both Boo Radley and your example?


Step 3
Complete a draft of your introductory paragraph, including your thesis. Bring this to class on Tuesday, 10/14.

Step 4
Create an outline for your first draft. The outline will serve as a map as you write the first draft. It helps you to organize your ideas so that the information is presented in a clear and logical manner. Each paragraph of your outline should be a new Roman Numeral. See the blog for an example of the format I’d like you to follow. Due Friday, 10/17.

Step 5
Complete a first draft. Due Monday, 10/20.

Step 6
Revise paper and complete final draft. Due Monday, 10/29.

Bring this handout, along with all other handouts related to this assignment, to every class until the final draft is handed in!