Name: __________________________________

Class: _____________________

Date: _____________

Shooting an Elephant:
Analytical Essay Assignment
Over the past two weeks, we have studied the themes of the short story
Shooting an Elephant as well as the literary devices that conveyed
those themes throughout the story.
Using Shooting an Elephant and TWO other sources, write a 5-paragraph
analytical essay in which you analyze a recurring theme and explain how the
various points of view in the texts demonstrate this theme.

Your analysis of Shooting an Elephant should include at least 1 literary device

in addition to point of view.

Re-write the prompt in your own words:

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On the back of this paper is the rubric that will be used to grade this assignment. If you
have any initial questions or concerns, please write them below.

Questions/Comments/Concerns:

ANALYTICAL ESSAY RUBRIC

5

Thesis is clear, concise,

specific, and responds to
the prompt.

Thesis is present and

responds to the
prompt.

Thesis statement is
vague or is missing
specific details.

Essay has strong intro,

conclusion
Use of transition words
make essay easy to follow
Every paragraph is
characterized by the
MEAT format.

Essay has mediocre

intro, conclusion
Some transition words
are present
Paragraphs reflect
mediocre application
of MEAT format.

Introduction or
conclusion lack
significant
development.
Essay is challenging to
follow due to limited
transition words
MEAT model is
difficult to establish in
paragraphs
Quotations are present
but poorly chosen.
Quotations are not
meaningfully inserted
into essay.
Says and Does
analysis present but
limited for each
quotation
Does analysis
attempts to illustrate
the connection between
evidence, theme and
POV.
Analysis of literary
device for SAE is
unclear.

Evidence

Essay includes at least 3

well-chosen quotations.
Each is correctly
introduced, shaved, and
explained.
Clear use of Says and
Does analysis for each
quotation
Does analysis illustrates
a clear and thorough
connection between the
evidence, theme and the
significance of POV.
Analysis of literary device
for SAE is clear and
explains its significance.

Essay contains varied

sentence structure while
being clear and concise.
Sophisticated sentence
structure is used.

Word choice is varied,

words are not repeated
and essay successfully
and correctly uses
academic vocabulary
from class and other
sources.
Writers tone emphasizes
a point, surprises or

Analysis

Sentence
Fluency
Word Choice
and Voice

Thesis

Structure

Essay includes at least

3 quotations.
Evidence of shaving
is present.

Use of Says and

Does analysis for
each quotation
Does analysis
clearly illustrates a
clear connection
between the evidence,
theme and POV.
Analysis of literary
device for SAE is
somewhat clear and
somewhat explains its
significance.
Essay contains some
variation in sentence
structure.

Essay contains mostly

short, simple sentences,
which make it
uninteresting to red and
difficult to understand.

Essay is composed of
entirely short, simple
sentences, which makes it
uninteresting to read and
difficult to understand.

Word choice is varied

and interesting, but
vocab words from
class or other sources
are missing.
Writers tone is
consistently academic
and appropriate to
purpose and audience.

Word choice is
somewhat repetitive or
low-level (i.e bad, sad,
happy)
Writers tone lacks
consistency and
occasionally uses
words like you,
which made my writing

Word choice is repetitive

and low-level.
Writers tone is
unprofessional and uses
words like I or you.

Thesis statement is
missing or does not
connect to topic
sentences.
Essay is missing one or
more major paragraphs.
Essay is disconnected
MEAT model is missing
from one or more
paragraphs

Essay is missing one or

more quotations
No evidence of shaving.

Says and Does

analysis are missing for
quotations
Does analysis does not
illustrate connection.
Analysis of literary device
for SAE is not present.

generally supports claims.

Conventions

Essay is double spaced

with a proper heading and
title, reflecting significant
effort.
Essay is free of spelling
and grammatical errors

sound informal.

Essay is double
spaced with a proper
heading and title,
reflecting some effort
Essay has few spelling
and grammatical
errors

Essay is lacking either

double spacing or a
proper heading and
title, reflecting
sloppiness
Essay has several
spelling and
grammatical errors

Essay is not double

spaced with a proper
heading and title,
reflecting low effort
Spelling and grammatical
errors make essay difficult
to understand

Comments:
Total: ______/65 points