I've asked myself THE question over and over again.

When on Earth am I going to write something in English class that somebody would actually want to read other than the teacher? Throughout my school carrer I've been wandering this and began hating English.

I can't recall how many times I've been asked to write a perrsasive essay for summer reading that requires me to read to books then support with evidence which book you thought was better...

That kind of thing drives me crazy. It's an opinion is it not? If I think book A is better than B then that's that. Why do I need to support my thoughts? It's not a fact that book A is better than B so I don't need to spend years of studing and traveling to the far corners of the Earth gathering evidence and then reporting my finds and supporting them with ancient inscriptions and so forth.

It's an essay on what I think... Not an essay on who was more succsessfull (ouch) in creating a society the Greeks or Romans? That would be an essay I would have an easy time creating. An essay that would actually require evidene and so forth.

Every time I get summer reading I get a big hedache because I feel like I'm in the second grade again.

So here we go...

In a five-paragraph persuasive essay, discuss whic author was more successful in creating a good piece of literature. Use examples from both books to explain your thinking.

Somebody please HELP ME :( before my head bursts. I can I think of this in a more logical way? Is there a way you can translate that into something that looks worth my life?

Becasue I still have to do this assignment no matter how dumb it is and it's the first grade in the book!

Another question I have for another class goes like so...

What is the author's thesis?
How does he prove it?
Is the book any good? :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:( Why?

On this essay I'm limited to three pages to :(. I should I organize this essay? Do I need an intorduction of some sort? A conclusion? It's not an essay or is it? All I have to do is answer those questions so...

Please help me get over this. Please help me please I'm begging you HELP!!!

SRA has given you some great sites for help....now let me maybe suggest a "why".

Among other subjects, I taught debate, critical thinking. I continually asked my students to analyze pieces of writing. They sounded just like you.<G> When anyone reads something, the first thing that needs to be asked, is "whose ox is in what ditch?" in other words, what is their bias, what are they trying to persuade you. Unless you think analytically, critically about what you read and what you listen to, you are likely to end up following instead of leading. Hope that makes sense to you.
We will be glad to make suggestions, corrections when you have written your essay.

I understand that you're feeling overwhelmed with these writing assignments, but I'm here to help you break them down and approach them in a more logical way. Let's tackle your concerns step by step:

For the five-paragraph persuasive essay, where you need to discuss which author was more successful in creating a good piece of literature, here's how you can approach it:

1. Introduction:
- Start by introducing the two books and their respective authors.
- Clearly state your thesis or main argument, which is your opinion on which author was more successful.
- Provide a brief overview or summary of the books.

2. Body paragraphs:
- Each body paragraph should focus on a specific piece of evidence or example from each book that supports your thesis.
- Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that states the point you are making.
- Follow the topic sentence with a detailed explanation of the evidence from the book and how it supports your opinion.

3. Counterargument:
- In one of the body paragraphs, address a possible counterargument to your thesis.
- Present a different opinion or interpretation and explain why you disagree with it.
- Provide evidence or reasoning to support your disagreement.

4. Conclusion:
- Recap your thesis and the main points from your body paragraphs.
- Restate your opinion on which author was more successful.
- End with a strong closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Now moving on to your other essay prompt, where you need to analyze the author's thesis, how they prove it, and whether the book is good. Here's how you can approach it under the limitations of three pages:

1. Introduction:
- Briefly introduce the book and its author.
- Provide a concise summary of the book's main argument or thesis.

2. Body paragraphs:
- Dedicate one paragraph to explaining and analyzing the author's thesis.
- Break down the thesis statement and discuss the main points or arguments presented.
- Support your analysis with specific examples or quotes from the text.

3. Assessing how the author proves their thesis:
- Dedicate the remaining paragraphs to examining how the author supports their thesis.
- Discuss the evidence, reasoning, or examples that the author uses to prove their point.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the author's arguments and whether they were convincing or persuasive.

4. Conclusion:
- Summarize your analysis of the author's thesis and how they supported it.
- Provide your personal opinion on whether you think the book is good or not.
- Justify your opinion by referencing the author's arguments and your overall assessment.

Remember, the key to approaching these essays is to break down the prompts into smaller tasks and organize your thoughts before writing. By following the structures provided, you can present your ideas in a logical, coherent manner and hopefully find the process less overwhelming. Good luck with your assignments!