Essay #2: Arguing for the Environment on Film

SKILLS:
Analysis of two sources
Searching subject specific databases


The Set-Up: After viewing “Grizzly Man,” a film about the life and death of wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell, and reading a variety of essays that deal with human interaction with the natural world, we may begin to see patterns in the way people argue for environmental issues on film and in writing. One productive strategy for developing a deeper understanding of any topic is to engage with a range of arguments that address it, and then to closely and critically examine the key points of disagreement between them.

Prompt: Essay 2 invites you write a 5-6 page essay that analyzes the argument for environmental preservation in "Grizzly Man" and one of the following movies: "Erin Brockovitch", "Happy Feet", "The Candidate", or an environmental film of your choice (visit The Grinning Planet for an extensive list of environmental films). You must use information from at least two scholarly sources you located using subject specific databases, to support the essay.

Questions to Consider (i.e. potential theses): Consider the different perspectives of the relationship between humankind and nature. At what point does a conservationist go “too far”? How does popular media shape American attitudes towards conservation? Can you apply rhetorical strategies to a film? If so, what is the claim of each movie? How does it defend its claim? What is the value of activism and passion? Is it valuable even when that passion is misguided?

Criteria: You will need to search subject databases for two scholarly sources related to your topic. You will also have to choose one of the movies above (or one of your choosing) and watch it carefully, comparing and/or contrasting the argument the film presents with "Grizzly Man". Your paper will need an original thesis that attempts to explain how your chosen film imparts its message. You should use MLA style, and Times Roman or Courier 12 pt font. The paper should be 5-6 pages when double-spaced, but you may play with the margins and line spacing to save paper. You must have a proper Works Cited page. A rough draft should be ready for Friday, February 22, and a final draft is due Monday, March 3rd.