For this paper, your audience is two-fold.
First, it is the class
or anyone from the community who has read the Harry Potter or other
Second, it is people from the Harry Potter world itself, people who use
the magic who might also be curious about how the magic works--or at
least how Muggles would explain it. Indeed,
your essay might be something published by the Ministry of Magic for use
by upper level students at Hogwarts. The explanations on how the magic
works need not be "real world" accurate, as they will likely require a great deal of
invention for you, since they are being based on a fictional story;
however, they must seem plausible to your audience members, both the
actual and the imagined.
may choose your specific topic from the list that appears at the bottom
of the page below, or you may choose a similar topic--one not included
below--as long as you have it approved by me first via e-mail. As with your last
paper, you should certainly
quote from the novel or from other texts--like your Physics or Chemistry
book--as you describe how the magic works, citing these
sources using MLA style. Following
along with the revision flow charts from the text as you begin refining
will likely improve its quality. You may also have your essay read
by a reader in the Writing Center on campus, but if
you do so, make sure you bring in a copy of this assignment sheet with
your draft and remember that the readers there may require a 48 hour turn around
time, so plan ahead. Having your paper at the Writing Center is not a valid
excuse for attempting to turn it in late.
main difficulties you may have in this paper will be in negotiating with
this dual audience and in creating your plausible explanations for the
fictional magic that occurs.
essay should be double-spaced, laser-printed, carefully edited and
proofread, and stapled before you turn it in. You should have a heading
with your name, my name, the course title and section number, and date
on it. You must give the paper number and title a line of its own, and
your last name and the page number should appear at the top right of
each page, after your first page. This paper should be three to four
pages in length with one-inch margins, not including the Work or Works
Cited page, and it may include diagrams, if you deem them necessary.
the sorting hat work?
How are brooms able
How are the
staircases at Hogwarts able to change?
How does Harry's
invisibility cloak work?
How does the
doorway at platform nine and three-quarters work?
How do magic wands
choose their wizards or witches?
How (and why) does a Harry Dresden spell work?
How does earth magic work in
The Fading Lands?
Check your syllabus for the
paper's due date, remembering that it will be due in advance of that
date for Peer Review.
Note: For this paper, I
would like to see at least three quotations from Harry Potter and
at least one quotation each from three other sources.
The hat image
appears from http://www.giantstepsbooks.com/hats/witchwizardahats.html
Background from http://www.adinet.net/Globe_HTML/frames/wireframe/f2p3a9_155kb.htm
courtesy of Professor Rambo