Essay 1: The Center Cannot Hold tool link on the Week 5 Lessons page
Attach cover note (see details below). Be sure to save your piece in a compatible format—as a Word doc or a PDF (no google docs links or Pages,).Note that all essays will be run through . Papers that include any plagiarized material will have points deducted.
We will discuss and work with topc statements in Week 5.
Approximate Length: about 750 – 1,000 words, typed and double-spaced (excluding cover note). This word count is a guideline; you may exceed 1,000 words.
Topic:
Elyn Saks’ memoir, The Center Cannot Hold, relates the story of her insufferable journey through madness and her eventual diagnosis of schizophrenia. In regards to what life was like at times for her, Saks explains it as a “disorganization” where “consciousness gradually loses its coherence. One’s center gives way. The center cannot hold. The ‘me’ becomes a haze, and the solid center from which one experiences reality breaks up like a bad radio signal” (Saks 13).
For this essay,Compose an argument regarding one of the aspects of Saks’ illness she discusses in her memoir. Your argument could be formulated in different ways. Here are some ideas:
What was the most difficult aspect for Saks to deal with or manage?
What was the easiest aspect for Saks to deal with or manage?
What aspect did she focus on the most in her memoir and why?
What aspect might be the most beneficial for readers to learn about and why?
Here are some aspects of Saks’ illness in her memoir:
stigma
diagnosis
treatment(s)
relationships
challenges
symptoms
You should offer some details on how this specific aspect is part of Saks’ life story. You may choose more than one, but be sure you elaborate on both in your essay. In your discussion, incorporate one or two relevant quotes from the memoir, properly introduced, quoted and cited.
Incorporate information from one scholarly article that you have located through the Library databases. Naturally, the article should be related to the aspect or theme you choose to write about.
Work on tying it into Saks and her experiences and be sure to introduce the outside source and the author(s) properly. You may also include information from previous readings from the course (“A Psycho for Every Generation,” Rosenhan’s experiment or Slater’s experiment, or “The Stigma of Mental Illness”).
Be sure to have a clear thesis statement about your aspect/theme in relation to Saks’ experiences and an introduction which establishes for the reader the point you wish to make.
Include a very brief synopsis of the memoir (probably 1 or 2 sentences will do it). Use proper in-text citations and Works Cited formatting using MLA style. Be sure you adhere to the appropriate style guidelines. For detailed guidelines, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab at
With your finished essay, you will need to include a brief cover note to me addressing the following:
Overall, how did the writing of this essay go for you?
What aspect of the paper do you feel is your strongest? (Do not tell me it’s the quotes you included!)
What aspect of the paper do you feel is your weakest?
And any other information you would like me to know.