DUE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2016
“Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding
A Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project
Welcome to the multi-genre research project. You’re probably wondering: “What is a
multi-genre research project?” Well, rather than a single, extended piece of writing about a
single perspective on a topic (traditional research paper/essay paper), a multi-genre project is a
collection of pieces—a cohesive series of written pieces in a variety of genres that look at
different angles on the same question, topic, or theme. A multi-genre project is personal,
creative, and can’t be copied from some other source. It involves you, the writer, making
conscious decisions about what information or ideas are important, and how it should be
presented to the reader.
Requirements for Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project:
1. “Dear Reader” letter – example attached
2. Argumentative Essay that connects to “Lord of the Flies” REQUIRED (100 pts.)
3. Choose 1 other activity from the “Informational” category (25 points) and
2 activities from the “Literary/Creative” (25 points each = 50 points) category for a total
of 4 (four) artifacts ***Extra credit for additional artifacts
4. Each selection must have connecting artwork that relates to the theme - (*think of the
way that we complete our I.A.N.’s)
5. Use in-text (parenthetical) citations
***www.easybib.com
6. Works Cited page – use the website “Citation Maker.net/mla/” to compose your Works
Cited page.
7. Notes page (explanation of each genre that you have included in your project and how it
connects to the theme)
8. Reflections page – LAST PAGE -A self-reflection or self-assessment is simply an opportunity
to explain how you feel about your work. What was challenging or frustrating about the project?,
What about work outside of class—how much did you do? Discuss, What was
surprising/interesting about your topic? What was your best source of information?
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DUE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2016
“Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding
A Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project
What types of genres can you use?
Your multi-genre project will contain a variety of genres that are informative and
literary/creative. You will have a lot of choice about what to include. But BEWARE—this should
not be a haphazard collage of disjointed stuff; you must connect the genres and what they
represent with a central, significant theme or idea (thesis).
Informational
Biography (William Golding)
News article
(Feature or hard news)
Entry in a Diary
Dramatic scene/
Sports Story
Informative essay (Cold War)
Expository essay (compare/contrast)
Editorial Cartoon
Eulogy
Argumentative essay (required)
Advertisement (display/print)
Action figure ad
Transcript of an interview
Literary/Creative
Obituary
Song lyrics
2-person poem
Comic Strip/comic book
police report
One-Act play/dramatic scene
Character Traits analysis
Monologue
Fable
Fairy tale
Short story
Myth
Letter to the editor/ editorial
Tabloid article
Movie review
Classified ad
Personal note/letter
Comparison/Contrast essay
Television show script
Advice column
Magazine article
Eyewitness account
Facebook (“Fakebook”) page
Resume/cover letter
Email exchange
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
All items completed MUST be your own original work!
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DUE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2016
“Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding
A Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project
Possible claims to present in your argumentative essay
1. The role of adults is important/unimportant in Lord of the Flies
For the most part, the events in Lord of the Flies take place in a world without adults. When
the boys are stranded, they are left on their own, and they are alone on the island till the end
of the novel. While not minding the absence of adults, the boys constantly refer to them and
believe they are attempting to copy the “adult world”. Write your argumentative essay in which
you argue the importance/lack of importance of adults for children. Consider the boys'
attempts to copy them.
2. Building is essential for society
When the boys find themselves on an island, they build an approximation of their town and
attempt to create a better society. A society, of course, is characterized by factors that
identify it. Building is important to the group of people of which it is made up of. In your essay
on Lord of the Flies, argue that the society building process is flawed. At first, the kids have so
much hope and excitement, but it all quickly falls apart. Think about the reasons for that.
3. The dynamics of power demonstrate children’s ability/inability to fend for themselves
The kids attempt to establish a hierarchy in which there is a leader whose job is to guide his
followers. Be sure to discuss the role of the boys in the chain of command of power they have
established. You could also offer some observations in your essay that make connections
between the power dynamics among the characters and the power dynamics that exist in the
real world.
4. Humans are bound to give into violence
The boys become vicious and almost wild during the course of the story. Argue for or against
the fact that humans’ innate (natural) instincts are basically morally evil.
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DUE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2016
“Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding
A Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project
5. Outcome of the boys lives
The novel doesn’t suggest what happens when the boys return to civilization. Think about
whether they would fit into society ever again. Make your argument about whether they would
be rejected or comforted.
Possible themes to explore in your multi-genre project
Loss of Innocence
At the end of Lord of the Flies, Ralph weeps "for the end of innocence," a lament that
retroactively makes explicit one of the novel's major concerns, namely, the loss of innocence.
When the boys are first deserted on the island, they behave like children, alternating between
enjoying their freedom and expressing profound homesickness and fear. By the end of the
novel, however, they mirror the warlike behavior of the adults of the Home Counties: they
attack, torture, and even murder one another without hesitation or regret.
Civilization vs. Savagery
The overarching theme of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between the human impulse towards
savagery and the rules of civilization which are designed to contain and minimize it. Throughout
the novel, the conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively
represent civilization and savagery.
Bullying
Throughout the novel, readers observe incidents of bullying whereby the weaker boy(s) are
victimized by the more aggressive boy(s).
Individualism vs. Community
One of the key concerns of Lord of the Flies is the role of the individual in society. Many of the
problems on the island-the extinguishing of the signal fire, the lack of shelters, the mass
abandonment of Ralph's camp, and the murder of Piggy-stem from the boys' implicit
commitment to a principle of self-interest over the principle of community. That is, the boys
would rather fulfill their individual desires than cooperate as a coherent society, which would
require that each one act for the good of the group.
Man vs. Nature
Lord of the Flies introduces the question of man's ideal relationship with the natural world.
Thrust into the completely natural environment of the island, in which no humans exist or have
existed, the boys express different attitudes towards nature that reflect their distinct
personalities and ideological leanings.
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DUE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2016
“Lord of the Flies” written by William Golding
A Literature-Based Multi-Genre Project
Standards of Focus:
ELAGSE7RL1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence…
ELAGSE7RL1: Determine a theme and/or central idea of a text and analyze and analyze…
ELAGSE7RL1: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact…
ELAGSE7W1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons…
ELAGSE7W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas…
ELAGSE7W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events…
How to correctly type your citations:
www.citationmaker.net
Citing text evidence – examples: 1. According to Chapter 2 it states, “
“, 2. Paraphrasing
– You must still put the page or chapter number at the end of the sentence that you
paraphrased (reason - you are using the author’s ideas), 3. Summarizing – in your own words, you
condense the main idea(s) of the author, 4. In-text citation
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