MLT 750 words 8 hrs

ENG 350 – Advanced Composition

Essay Assignment: Interpreting Visual Text

Overview and Instructions

WD due date: ________________________ FD due date: ______________________

This assignment requires you to analyze visual texts, interpreting them and comparing them to

one another. It involves description, interpretation, analysis, and evaluation. Most student essays

average 4 to 6 pages in length. No Works Cited page is required unless you quote from outside

sources (and this is not mandatory for this assignment).

Directions:

1) Closely examine the packet of visual texts. Select one (1) set as the basis for your essay.

Note: The set based on McDonald’s ads appears here for purposes of example and cannot

be used for this essay (we will discuss this set during class to clarify how students should

proceed with their selected set of visuals). Each set consists of an original image and is

followed by four re-workings or parodies.

A) Set A – The Statue of Liberty

B) Set B – Nike ad campaign: “Just Do It”

C) Set C – Iconic Photo: The Battle of Iwa Jima

D) Set D – Iconic Photo: “American Gothic”

2) In small groups, with fellow students who have selected the same set of visuals as you,

analyze and interpret each image, collaborating to determine meaning. Take copious

notes that will prepare you for the WD. You may need to do some research to enhance

your understanding of these images.

Structure of Essay:

1) Begin with a thorough discussion of the original image. Provide orientation: historical

context, occasion, and any other relevant information. Describe the image in detail: its

visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other text. Characterize the artist’s

attitude(s) and interpret the meaning of this visual. What is the artist’s intent and

purpose? What appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade

viewers? What does the image symbolize? Why is this iconic original image so widely

known and celebrated?

2) Next, consider the first re-mediation or parody image (you may discuss the four imitative

pieces in any order that you wish – but be deliberate in the order you arrange them).

Describe the image in detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other

text. How does this image differ from the original? Characterize the artist’s attitude(s)

and interpret the meaning of this visual. What is the artist’s intent and purpose? What

appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What

does the image symbolize? Evaluate: How effective is this re-mediation or parody?

Explain.

3) Now consider the second re-mediation or parody image. Describe the image in detail: its

visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other text. How does this image differ

from the original? Characterize the artist’s attitude(s) and interpret the meaning of this

visual. What is this artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to viewers? Of

what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What does this image symbolize? Evaluate:

How effective is this re-mediation or parody? Explain.

4) After this, transition to an examination of the third re-mediation or parody image.

Describe the image in detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other
text. How does this image differ from the original? Characterize the artist’s attitude(s)
and interpret the meaning of this visual. What is the artist’s intent and purpose? What
appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What
does the image symbolize? Evaluate: How effective is this re-mediation or parody?
Explain.

5) Conclude by analyzing the fourth re-mediation or parody in the set. Describe the image in

detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other text. How does this image

differ from the original? Characterize the artist’s attitude(s) and interpret the meaning of

this visual. What is this artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to

viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What does this image symbolize?

Evaluate: How effective is this re-mediation or parody? Explain.

ENG 350 Essay 6 – Interpretation

Scoring Guide

Key

5 = Outstanding

4 = Good (effective but not quite exemplary)

3 = Average (adequate but needs improvement)

2 = Weak (deficient and needs substantial improvement)

1 = Poor (severely deficient)

0 = Missing/Omitted

• The essay is scored holistically. The numbers above are used to indicate the relative

strengths and weaknesses in each area below.

_______ 1. Format: The essay is typed using size 12 Times New Roman font; it is formatted

according to MLA requirements (see Purdue Online Writing Lab), with last name and page

number at the top right corner of each page, and an appropriate heading (name, professor’s name,

course title, and date – e.g., 9 November 2020) at the upper left corner of the first page.

_______ 2. Title: The essay has an appropriate title that helps readers know that this is an essay

of Interpretation. Examples: Interpreting Images that Parody the Statue of Liberty; McDonald’s

Ads Interpreted; Remediations of Nike’s “Just Do It” Ad Campaign; Interpreting Images

Imitating Grant Woods’ “American Gothic” Portrait; Deconstructing Images Derived from the

Iconic World War II Iwa Jima Photograph.

_______ 3. The essay begins with a thorough discussion of the original image. It provides

historical context, identifies the occasion, and orients the reader with any other relevant

information. The image is described in detail using precise adjectives characterizing the visuals

(colors, sizes, shapes, etc.) and explaining captions or other text. The writer characterizes the

artist’s attitude(s) and interprets the meaning(s) of this visual. This section of the essay addresses

the

following questions: What is the artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to

viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What does the image symbolize? What

values does it promote? Why is this iconic original image so widely known and celebrated?

______ 4. The essay continues with a detailed consideration of the first re-mediation or parody

image. It describes this image in detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other

text. The essay explains how this image differs from the original, characterizes the artist’s

attitude(s), and interprets the meaning of this visual. This section of the essay addresses the

following questions: What is the artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to
viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers? What does the image symbolize? What

values does it promote?

Evaluate: How effective is this

remediation or parody? Explain.

______ 5. The next section of the essay focuses on the second re-mediation or parody image. It

describes this image in detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other text. The

essay explains how this image differs from the original, characterizes the artist’s attitude(s), and

interprets the meaning of this visual. This section of the essay addresses the following questions:

What is the artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it

attempting to persuade viewers? What does the image symbolize? What values does it promote?

Evaluate:

How effective is this remediation or parody? Explain.

______ 6. The essay now interprets the third re-mediation or parody image. It describes the

image in detail: its visuals (colors, sizes, shapes, etc.), captions, or other text. The essay explains

how this image differs from the original, characterizes the artist’s attitude(s), and interprets the

meaning of this visual. The following questions are addressed: What is the artist’s intent and

purpose? What appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it attempting to persuade viewers?

What does the image symbolize? What values does it promote? Evaluate: How effective is this

remediation or parody? Explain.

______ 7. The final section of the essay interprets the fourth re-mediation or parody image. It

describes the image in detail: its visuals (colors, shapes, sizes, etc.), captions, or other text. The

essay explains how this image differs from the original, characterizes the artist’s attitude(s), and

interprets the meaning of this visual. The essay responds to the following questions: What is the

artist’s intent and purpose? What appeals does it make to viewers? Of what is it attempting to

persuade viewers? What does the image symbolize? What values does it promote? Evaluate:

How effective is this remediation or parody? Explain.

______ 8. Verbs: The essay uses a variety of rich verbs appropriate for interpretation of an

image: it suggests, hints, implies, indicates, infers, insinuates, intimates, signifies, symbolizes,

seems, reveals, represents, appears, etc. Whenever possible, the writer uses present-tense verbs

when interpreting visual images.

______ 9. Writing Quality: The essay is composed in formal academic English. There are no

comma splices, run-on sentences, or sentence fragments. The essay uses no contractions; it does

not use the informal “you” and uses the personal pronoun “I” sparingly (the essay does not

require the writer to reflect personally or to use personal experiences). The essay is free of errors

in grammar, usage, and mechanics. The writer has carefully proofread the essay and has

eliminated “typos” and other careless errors.

______ 10. The writer submitted a completed working draft (WD) and participated in a peer

review session, including feedback supplied to a classmate’s essay. The finalized essay (FD) is

submitted on time.

____________ Overall grade