The Namesake: Five-Paragraph Essay Assignment Sheet

Your task is to compare and contrast two relationships, emphasizing the role that culture plays in each: that of Ashoke and Ashima with that of Gogol and Maxine. The former is traditionally Indian while the latter is typically American.

You may use as points of comparison the following ideas:

A. The way the two young people meet. (how does culture play a role in the circumstances of the two young people’s meeting for the first time?

B. The degree to which the parents are involved as the relationship progresses. (How does culture play a role?)

C. The outcome of the relationship. (How does culture play a role in the couple’s decision to marry or split up?)

Don’t forget to provide concrete examples from the novel to explain each point you are making.

Use connecting devices of comparison and contrast that we have practiced in class.

GROUP WORK (In class)

1. TaskOne:brainstormwithclassmates.Youwillneedtohaveatleast

one copy of the novel. Jot down your ideas as they come up. 2. Task Two: write an outline. (Use point-by-point or block

organizational method)

3. Task Three: Write your essay. (write in MLA format/12 pt Times New

Roman font) Writing the introduction

Include the following information when writing about literature or film (combine these into just a few sentences):

• Nameofwork

• Author or director • Setting



• Thumbnailsketchofplot

• Briefintroductionofmaincharacters

• Suggestionofimportantthemeorthemes…

All leading into the THESIS STATEMENT (final sentence of introductory paragraph)