LITERARY EXPLORATION ASSIGNMENT

Read the following statements by Muhammad Ali and complete the assignment that follows.

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."

"I am America. I am the part you won't recognize, but get used to me. Black, confident, cocky -- my name, not yours. My religion, not yours. My goals, my own. Get used to me."

"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself."

"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am."

The Assignment

Pride is often thought to be both a positive and a negative thing. Pride arises when we feel justified by our own talents and accomplishments in thinking of ourselves as excellent in some way. Our excellence is something that distinguishes us positively from other people, and everyone admires excellence. We often say that it is important to “take pride” in our work, or that we should be “proud of ourselves” for our accomplishments or for making good decisions in difficult situations. However, we are also warned about prideful; humility, not pride, is a virtue or a good character quality. Being proud can make a person pompous and insensitive to others.

What is the proper role of pride in our lives?

In your writing, you should:

§ discuss a character from the film, When We Were Kings. You may also want to discuss characters from other works that we have studied. Remember that you need to focus your response, so do not choose to write about too many characters.

§ reflect upon your own knowledge and/or experience.

§ carefully consider your controlling idea, your thesis, and how you will create a strong unifying effect in your response. Organize your discussion so that your ideas are clearly and effectively presented.

§ make sure that the examples and details that you select are relevant and support your opinion about the proper place of pride in our lives.

LITERARY EXPLORATION ASSIGNMENT

PARAGRAPH ONE - INTRODUCTION

Consider the details in the text on the assignment. You may want to include a quotation from Ali’s speeches in your work.

General Statement about the topic ________________________________________________________________

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Brief Statement summarizing personal experience or observation

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Brief summary of character from When We Were Kings, or another text studied this term.

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Thesis statement – your answer to the question

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PARAGRAPH TWO – PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OR OBSERVATION

Use your own experiences and/or observations to support your opinion

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PARAGRAPH THREE – CHARACTER FROM TEXT STUDIED

Select supporting examples from When We Were Kings, or the other text you’ve chosen. Focus your discussion on a particular character and/or situation

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PARAGRAPH FOUR – CONCLUSION

Connect your ideas and generalize about them.

Restate your thesis

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Generalize about your personal experience or observation to the character in the text

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Generalize about the topic

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ENGLISH 20-2

When We Were Kings

PERSUASIVE WRITING IN CONTEXT

Read the statements from Muhammad Ali below and use them to complete the assignment that follows.

Muhammad Ali on his refusal to fight in Vietnam (1966):

Keep asking, no matter how long
On the war in Vietnam I sing this song
I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong.

Clean out my cell
And take my tail to jail
'Cause better to be in jail fed
Than to be in Vietnam, dead.

The Assignment

Write a speech that either prosecutes or defends Muhammad Ali from the charge of dodging the draft.

In preparing your letter, BE SURE TO

• consider your purpose and audience

• use an appropriate tone

Remember that you must clearly and directly choose either to prosecute or defend Ali. Use facts from Ali’s life and discuss his reasons and arguments for opposing the war, and whether or not you agree with him.