The goal of this assignment is to tell a story from your own life (or the life of someone
familiar to you) through the lens of the looking glass self. You will
want to choose a story in which you develop or change in accordance with others
impressions or expectations of you, and describe how that occurred.
This essay will follow a standard five-paragraph format. Write as if your audience is
intelligent and literate, but not knowledgeable about micro sociology. This means you
need to explain all theories and concepts clearly, and also put any class terms in boldface.
The essay should be 3-5 pages double spaced.
In the first paragraph, give a brief overview of the story you will tell. Describe how you
thought and acted before your transition, the others whose perceptions influenced you,
and how you adapted to their expectations. End this paragraph with a thesis statement
that makes an argument summarizing the way the looking glass self applies to the story you’ve just told.
In each of the body paragraphs, develop a different aspect of how micro sociological
understandings of the self apply to the incident you describe. Be sure to use at least three
terms or readings from class, boldface them.
If you use terms, you need to briefly define them. If you use readings, refer directly to them and put the name of the reading or author’s name in boldface. You do not need to use quotes, but are welcome to. Attribute quotes parenthetically (author’s last name, year published). You do not need a bibliography unless you are using readings from outside this class (which is not required).
Conclude by describing whether and how the completion of this assignment has affected your sense of self. Did you previously believe that the self is formed through social interaction? Why or why not?
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