Why We Crave Horror Paper

Essay 5: Position Paper50 pts Description:4-5 pages, double-spaced, plus a separate MLA-format Works Cited page Skills:Everything! Due:First Draft:Friday, 10 December (in-class discussion) Final Draft:Monday, 13 December (Submit during Final Exam time: 2:45-4:45pm) Sources:Reading Critically, Writing Well (RC) pp. 517-534, 582-595; Stephen King, â€Å"Why We Crave Horror,† â€Å"Crouch End;† Fritz Leiber, â€Å"Smoke Ghost;† Algernon Blackwood, â€Å"The Empty House;† Noel Carroll, â€Å"The Nature of Horror† (optional)For your final paper, you will be required to make use of the above resources to explain, support, and defend your position against critique on the subject of horror in the absence of easily identifiable violence, gore, or monsters. You may argue with or against King and Carroll, or provide your own definition of horror and how it anticipates gore-less horror better than previous definitions. Since there are no right or wrong answers in this discussion, you will be judged on the strength of your argument for your position and how you present your analysis. Assignment: ) Present the issue. †¢ Summarize the King and Carroll definitions of horror and their successes/failings.†¢ Establish your credibility by generously discussing previous arguments on the function of horror. o Make sure to avoid emotional/personal opinions and instead stick to the texts. 2) Assert your position. †¢ Give examples from the readings that fit well/do not fit with the definition of horror as presented by King and Carroll. o Critique your own analysis using any of the Developing Your Argument skills (RC pp. 360-361), as well as Evaluating the Logic of an Argument (p. 24-640. 3) Argue directly for your position. †¢ Continue to establish your credibility with your audience by showing how your position alters/upholds the definition of horror as established. o Be willing to take a side in the argument, but avoid setting up straw-man arguments for the opposition. Carroll and/or King don’t have to be wrong for you to be right.4) Critique any relevant counter-arguments, objections, questions, or alternatives. †¢ Since no position will be perfect, try to accommodate any concerns or issues relating to your discussion of horror. Options (you may choose one or all): ? Accommodation: modify your position to suit relevant objections. ? Refutation: show the reader that any likely alternatives will not be as effective in describing the function of horror as you see it. ? Integration: demonstrate how your position can work together with other options to provide a more comprehensive take on the horror genre.Criteria for Evaluation: †¢ Analysis: 20 points o Has a strong, focused explanation of the sources using RC skills learned so far. o Supports the initial thesis with evidence (i. e. details from the source) and offers in-depth analysis of those details. †¢ Sources: 10 points o Productivel y uses both the RC and the sources. o Features effective paraphrasing and selective quotation. †¢ Organization: 10 points o Offers strong topic sentences that logically develop and extend the analysis (i. e. , no random accumulation of facts or bullet-point narrative). o Proceeds logically from one point to the next in a climactic sequence. o Clearly links claims and evidence. o Uses smooth transitions between points. †¢ Readability: 10 points o Uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and MLA citation.