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Native Son + College Essays = Fun!

Circle of Influence Paper

Malcolm X said, "I think an objective reader may see how, in the society to which I was exposed as a black youth here in America, for me to wind up in a prison was really just about inevitable. It happens to so many thousands of black youths." Think about how this quote relates to our study of Native Son. Look at the Circle of Influence diagram. Recall our conversation about positive and negative influences in Bigger's life. Every character of importance in Biggers life enters the same room as Bigger at the end of Book 3. We have talked about the importance and symbolism of that jail scene: HOW, with this supporting cast, could Bigger have ended up any other way?!

Think about your own life experience: 1. Create your own circle of influence diagram. Think about each of the people you list. Is he/she a positive or negative influence? Where does each person fit in your life? How has each helped make you the person you are today? You will submit this diagram with your final paper. 2. Choose one person you want to write about. Because you will probably use this or ideas from this paper for your college application essays, I suggest you choose someone who has had a positive influence on you. Make a list of all the important times you spent with this personbe as SPECIFIC as possible. You will submit this list with your final paper. 3. Choose ONE incident from all the times youve spent together. Make a list of every detail that you can remember about this event. If you cant make a big list, you dont have enough to write about. Choose another event. Submit this list with your final draft. 4. Write the first draft of your paper. Because you will probably use this for your college application essays, confine yourself to no more than two typed, double-spaced pages. Remember this is a REFLECTION paper that shows WHY this is an important person and event in your lifethis is not just a recounting of events. 5. After a peer edit in class, write the final draft of your paper. Make it NO MORE THAN 500 WORDS (what a lot of colleges demand).
Timeline Circle of Influence Diagram List of Important Events Details of ONE Important Event First Draft of Circle of Influence Paper Final Draft of Circle of Influence Paper
Youll also submit: First Draft Circle of Influence Diagram List of Important Events Details of ONE Important Event

Due Day 1, Week of April 29th Due Day 2, Week of April 29th

Due Day 3, Week of April 29th