Select one other form of popular entertainment that you consume that you think provides its own strange kind of enjoyment. Like King, write an essay in which you analyze the causes of people’s enjoyment of it.

Midterm: Identifying causes of a strange phenomenon

The Prompt: In his essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” Stephen King argues that horror movies involve “a very peculiar sort of fun.”

Select one other form of popular entertainment that you consume that you think provides its own strange kind of enjoyment. Like King, write an essay in which you analyze the causes of people’s enjoyment of it. Bring in evidence from one outside source  that gives insight and/or perspective on the topic of your essay.

Purpose: To develop an argument about causes of a particular phenomenon and to support your thesis with engaging, detailed examples and thoughtful, sustained analysis that helps readers think more deeply about your topic.
Format: An essay of five paragraphs.

1) Introduction paragraph —

with clear, detailed argument. Remember to pull the reader in with an interesting, specific introduction

2) Body paragraphs —

you will need three body paragraphs, each with a focused topic sentence that introduces one major reason people like this form of entertainment, detailed examples, analysis of those examples, and a concluding sentence that wraps up the main point.

3) Concluding paragraph

instead of just summing up your essay, tie your discussion to a larger issue relevant in today’s society. Beyond your experience, why does your discussion matter?

Preparing for the Midterm What’s the form of entertainment you will be writing about? Make some observations regarding this entertainment.

What are some simple, more obvious reasons people like it? List three.

Think of some deeper, more complex reasons. Again, list three.

Think of objections. Why do some people not like this form of entertainment? What are their complaints? (this could help with an intro or a conclusion)

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