In a six-page essay, organized with T.E.A. paragraphs, make an argument about whether Coates is optimistic or pessimistic about the role of education in transforming individuals and improving society.
6 paragraphs in total w/ Intro, 4 body paragraphs (2 quotes per paragraph = 6 quotes from book, only 2 of those quotes should be from reputable outside sources), Conclusion.
In addition to drawing on the primary text—Between the World and Me—to substantiate your argument, you need to incorporate at least 2 quotes from 2 reputable outside sources for support.
Important Follow-Up Considerations (do not feel like you have to address all of these in your essay):
What does education make possible for Coates personally and for others? How does the memoir suggest education makes America a more equitable place that guarantees everyone’s safety, justice, and freedom of opportunity? What does Coates’s experience say about the limitations of education in making our society better in those ways? Can education ever get in the way of those goals? Does he want his son to have a different or similar education than he has had? What are the significant barriers to quality education for all?
You can think about “education” in many different forms and combinations: formal K-12 schooling; college in general and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in particular; lessons from family members or familial history; understanding of global, national, or local history; the community that shapes one’s youth; international travel; meeting new people; religious belief/understanding (or a rejection of religious belief); reading; talking to people; learning how to be a writer.
Sample Solution