Fable Narrative

Option #1: Modern-Day Tale

Go to https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/ to read one of the classic stories authored by the Grimm Brothers in the nineteenth century. Identify the main idea/thesis and rewrite the fairy tale into a story that applies to today’s society, ensuring that the story idea remains the same. Just as with an essay, there must be details that support the thesis. Organize your tale into an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Consider introducing the story in the introduction and creating a thesis statement at the end of the introduction that contains the story’s moral as well as an overview of the story’s main events.

Sample Thesis Statement: “When Cinderella disobeyed her step-mother and went to her high school prom, she was grounded and wasn’t allowed to even attend classes, which resulted in Child Protective Services removing the step-mother from the home and showing how good always prevails over evil.”

After you create the thesis statement, rewrite the fable in the body paragraphs using chronological order. Be sure to sum up the story’s main points as well as the moral in the conclusion.

Option #2: What Really Happened to Little Red? 

Revisit the original childhood tale of “Little Red Riding Hood” at http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html#grimm. Identify the thesis and the primary supporting details. Keeping the main idea of the story, rewrite the ending, beginning with this sentence: 

“Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked at the door.”

Consider creating an introduction that summarizes the beginning of the story and ends with the thesis statement. A thesis statement for this essay should be an overview of the fable’s moral and a brief preview of the main events in the remainder of the story that you are rewriting.

Thesis example: “Before Little Red Riding Hood leaves her house, her mother reminds her of the dangers of talking to strangers, but Red doesn’t realize that evil can sometimes disguise itself and hurt family members.”

After you create the thesis, begin rewriting the fable’s new ending in the first body paragraph beginning with the suggested sentence: “Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked at the door.” Remember to sum up the story as well as the moral in the conclusion.

ENG 101 Rubric: Fable Narrative

Points

2

F

Points

3

D-/D/D+

3.5

C-/C/C+

4

B-/B/B+

5

A-/A/A+

Thesis & Focus

Thesis, central idea, audience, purpose, digressions

Lacks an identifiable thesis. Limited or no awareness of audience and purpose.

Readers cannot discern the essay’s central idea.

Thesis was attempted but unclear and/or inconsistently addressed. Reveals limited awareness of audience and purpose. Central idea either lacking or inconsistently addressed.

Thesis is identifiable, but perhaps too narrow, too broad, or otherwise problematic. Awareness of audience may be adequate but inconsistent. Central idea is perhaps too general and supported by irrelevant examples.

Thesis is established and is consistently addressed throughout most of the paper. Awareness of audience is sufficient. Central idea is clear and maintained in most of the essay.

Thesis is clearly established and maintained throughout the entire paper. Paper demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of audience and purpose. Central idea/focus maintained throughout.

Support & Development

Thesis support, thesis development, use of examples, logic, and reason

No support of thesis with relevant facts, examples, reasons, or evidence. No topic development.

Support is minimal, logically flawed, and/or inaccurate. Topic development may have been attempted, but does not form conclusions and/or fails to exhibit clear reasoning.

More support is needed. Some examples may be vague. More development needed for supporting reasons or evidence. Some irrelevant support may be present, but most evidence supports thesis.

Support is sufficient but perhaps flawed in some minor way. Examples are sufficient. Thesis is supported and developed in most paragraphs.

Essay completely supports the thesis with logical arrangement of evidence. All assertions are supported and relate to thesis.

Coherence & Organization

Introduction, conclusion, body paragraphs, transitions, topic sentences

No clear introduction, body, or conclusion. Little-to-no transitions. Demonstrates little-to-no understanding of organization. Many sentences within paragraphs do not relate to each other and/or the paragraph’s topic. May contain no discernable topic sentences.

Introduction, body, and conclusion attempted but problematic. Few transitions. Perhaps numerous digressions. Mostly missing or problematic topic sentences. Demonstrates little understanding of organization.

Identifiable introduction, body, and conclusion; yet one significant weakness is present: undeveloped introduction, undeveloped conclusion, illogical paragraph order. Adequate transitions, perhaps some digressions. Some paragraphs may lack clear topic sentences.

Demonstrates basic understanding of organization.

Clear introduction, body, and conclusion although improvements could be made. Most paragraphs have clear topic sentences. Essay establishes a clear plan of development. Transitions are clear throughout most of the paper. Demonstrates good understanding of organization.

Clear and effective introduction, body, and conclusion: Introduction establishes the essay’s main idea, and conclusion summarizes thesis and main ideas without merely copying and pasting from the introduction. Clear and effective transitions are present throughout the paper. Demonstrates excellent understanding of organization.

Language & Style

Word choice, repetition, redundancy, awkwardness, article misuse, wrong word form (their/there, etc.), typos/misspellings, vocabulary

May contain more than 6 errors in word choice, wordiness, redundancy, or awkwardness.

May contain more than 6 errors in inappropriate language for academic audience.

Fails to demonstrate competent language use; sentences and vocabulary are inappropriate, facile, and/or incoherent.

May contain 6 errors in word choice, wordiness, redundancy, or awkwardness.

May contain 6 errors in inappropriate language for academic audience.

Contains repetitive, incorrect, and/or insufficient sentence structure and/or limited vocabulary.

May contain 4 – 5 errors in word choice, wordiness, redundancy, or awkwardness.

May contain 2 – 3 errors in inappropriate language for academic audience.

Demonstrates competency with language use but sentence constructions and vocabulary may be limited or repetitive.

May contain 2 – 3 errors in word choice, wordiness, redundancy, or awkwardness.

May contain 2 – 3 errors in inappropriate language for academic audience.

Demonstrates sufficient knowledge and skill with varied sentence construction and vocabulary. Unnecessary repetition is minor.

May contain 1 error in word choice, wordiness, redundancy, or awkwardness.

May contain 1 error in inappropriate language for academic audience.

Demonstrates sophisticated knowledge and skill with varied and complex sentence construction and vocabulary. Little-to-no unnecessary repetition.

Grammar

Fragments, subject-verb agreement, verb tense errors, verb form errors, run-ons, pronoun agreement

Contains more than 5 different grammar errors.

The identical 3 – 4 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 4 – 5 different grammar errors. The identical 2 – 3 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 2 – 3 different grammar errors. The identical 1 – 2 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 1 grammar error, which may be repeated throughout the essay.

Contains either no grammar errors, or 1 – 2 different errors with no repetition.

Punctuation & Capitalization

Comma errors, comma splices, apostrophe errors, capitalization errors, semicolon errors, colon errors

Contains more than 5 different punctuation/capitalization errors.

The identical 3 – 4 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 4 – 5 different punctuation/capitalization errors. The identical 2 – 3 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 2 – 3 different punctuation/capitalization errors. The identical 1 – 2 errors may be repeated throughout.

Contains 1 punctuation/capitalization error, which may be repeated throughout the essay.

Contains either no punctuation/capitalization error, or 1 – 2 different errors with no repetition.

Format

heading,

title,

margins, spacing,

length*,

underlined thesis, other assignment-specific required elements

*Length for fable narrative is 500 words minimum.

Doesn’t meet formatting requirements.

Formatting may be missing four or more elements (either no title, incomplete heading, inappropriate spacing or margins, or thesis not underlined).

Length may not meet minimum requirements

.

Doesn’t meet most formatting requirements.

Formatting may be missing three elements (either no title, incomplete heading, inappropriate spacing or margins, or thesis not underlined).

Length may not meet minimum requirements

Meets some formatting requirements.

Formatting may be missing two elements (either no title, incomplete heading, inappropriate spacing or margins, or thesis not underlined).

Length may not meet minimum requirements (an essay that does not meet length minimum will score no higher than 3 in this category)

Meets most formatting requirements.

Formatting may be missing one element (either no title, incomplete heading, inappropriate spacing or margins, or thesis not underlined).

Length meets minimum requirements of 500 words.

Meets all requirements.

Formatting is appropriate in terms of heading, title, margins, spacing, underlining thesis.

Length meets minimum requirements of 500 words.