In Imaginary Homelands, Salman Rushdie argues:
Very often, subjectivity emerges when an individual reacts to something
in the world around them. This is the primary human response. However,
sometimes subjectivity can occur as the result of a group’s reaction to a
force or set of circumstances that present themselves. This subjective
response (whether from an individual or a group) can be linked to the
conflict between conformity and non-conformity. The individual response
to the conflict between conformity and non-conformity is a key concept
to grasp, as it dictates how an individual reacts to ideology. The second,
or group response is characterized as collective subjectivity, and
characterizes how a group might embrace a particular ethos. Both are key
to developing a fuller understanding of the process of critical thinking.
As you assemble your essay, please pay careful attention to structure (introduction, body,
conclusion), critical thinking (the relationship between the texts and your argument) and
formatting (MLA).
Introduction:
1.) Introduce the argument—use the rule of attribution.
2.) Explain the logic of the argument. Be specific—focus on the
language of the argument
3.) Respond to the argument: Do the secondary texts offer clear and
compelling evidence of the logic of the primary argument? If so,
how? If not, why not? Finally, how are the relationships between the
texts significant to developing an understanding of the logic of
collective subjectivity?
Body:
Develop your ideas about how the texts in question relate to the
argument that you are presenting. Remember to use topic sentences
that state subjective opinion, cite relevant textual details in support of
this topic sentence, and discuss how these two things relate to your
argument (critical thinking).
Body Paragraphs—You should write one body paragraph per secondary text. Please use the
Body Paragraph Template as you develop your support paragraphs:
1. Topic Sentence
This must be a subjective statement of opinion.
2. Textual Evidence
Direct Quote; Summary; Paraphrase
3. Explication (make obvious—show that you understand the text)
Explanation of the literal meaning of the textual evidence you have chosen (critical
thinking)
4. Connection
How does the evidence relate to the topic sentence? (critical thinking)
5. Contextualization
How does the evidence relate to the thesis? (critical thinking)
Conclusion:
Consider the following questions:
1.) Summarize your basic argument (3-4 sentences)
2.) What is the relationship between collective subjectivity and critical
thinking? (3-4 sentences)
3.) How does an understanding of collective subjectivity help you
understand critical thinking? (3-4 sentences)
