Writing III: Rhetoric and Senior Thesis

OFFERED 2024-25

  • Time & Tuition for the 2024-2025 Academic Year
    • Wednesdays, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Eastern
    • Seminar with writing tutorial: $80 per student per month (10 months; August – May) – Tuition includes materials for book-binding (leather, tooling implements, wood, rope, paper, etc.); however, students should plan to use their own writing/drawing/painting tools for their illuminations.
  • Location: Signal Mountain, Tennessee
  • Credit: 1 full credit in English
  • Grades: High school juniors and seniors only; Senior Thesis is optional for all non-Diploma Program students but is required for all seniors graduating from the Humane Letters Diploma Program. 
  • Prerequisites: Writing II or equivalent writing skills and at least two Scriptorium courses in history, literature, writing, AND/OR philosophy; students examine four books and must choose one book from at least three of the four historical eras (ancient, medieval, U.S., and modern)
  • Books Needed:
    • The Lost Tools of Writing Level III workbook from the CiRCE Institute
    • Aristotle – Rhetoric and Poetics of Aristotle (ISBN: 978-0075546023, Modern Library College Editions; Translated by W. Rhys Roberts and P.J. Corbett)
    • Lewis – Abolition of Man (ISBN: 9780060652944, HarperCollins)
    • The core primary sources for the course are primary sources the student has read for previous Scriptorium courses.
    • In addition, students need to be able to access a wide variety of sources related to their topic, primarily via the internet but optionally through libraries and bookstores.
  • Description: This course, taken in the senior year (or if necessary in the junior year), guides students through the process of writing a thesis of roughly 10-15 pages. This course allows students to review their previous studies while presenting an argument relating their previous studies to an aspect of modern American culture. Further details are explained below. Note: Students taking Modern History and Literature with writing tutorials at the same time may write their essays using the books studied for Senior Thesis. This allows the students to work more efficiently and to gain greater insight into the books.

TOPIC

All senior theses respond to the question: “Of the primary source works you have read for your previous Scriptorium courses, what passages are most important for modern Americans to study? Why?” Students must examine a total of four books/primary sources, one book from at least three of the historical eras (ancient, medieval, U.S., modern).

In answering these questions, students must assume a hostile audience – that is, they must assume that a person reading the thesis (1) does not believe there is any benefit to studying the past and (2) does not believe there are ultimate standards of morality or truth. This does not – and should not – preclude students from developing arguments based on Scripture, but it does allow students to gain practice in thoughtfully considering and courteously addressing people who would disagree with their own views. This mindset is essential for living in today’s culture.

PROCESS

The senior thesis is not an abstract academic piece. It requires students to carefully examine their own culture as well as the cultures of previous historical eras. Students choose a set of primary sources that they have already read for their previous Scriptorium courses. After re-reading those works, students identify an area of modern American culture that could be addressed by the works they have studied. Students choose key passages from those works, explicate the passages, and write an argument demonstrating how modern Americans can learn from those passages and why they should. Students conclude by addressing objections from potential opponents.

THESIS PROJECT

In addition to writing the thesis, students illuminate the passages from the great books they have chosen to focus on in their paper. They then bind these illuminations in a hand-bound book that they create using modified medieval techniques – without using power tools.

SKILLS DEVELOPED

In writing the senior thesis and creating their senior thesis projects, students will practice:

  • organizing and scheduling work for a complex year-long project;
  • finding reliable sources;
  • evaluating bias in sources;
  • reviewing, reflecting on, and explicating primary sources from past historical eras;
  • making connections between the past and the present while avoiding logical fallacies such as presentism and the sweeping generalization;
  • addressing potential opponents;
  • citation and documentation;
  • handcraft skills.

WORKLOAD AND STUDENT CHARACTER

Thesis work is completed in addition to the student’s senior year coursework. Because of this, students considering undertaking the senior thesis need a great deal of self-discipline, diligence, and determination. They must already have developed habits of thoughtfulness as well as strong writing skills.

DEFENSE DAY

Students undertaking the senior thesis present on their thesis work during the December and May Defense Days. They summarize their arguments, explain how they evaluated their sources, and describe the things they have learned during their studies. By taking questions from the audience during the December Defense Day, students gain new perspectives about aspects of their work they may consider addressing before completing their theses.

PRIZE OPPORTUNITIES

Completed theses are considered for the King Alfred the Great Prize, awarded to the student who has composed the best senior thesis, and for the Michelangelo Thesis Prize, awarded for the best craftsmanship and illumination.

Students undertaking Senior Thesis are strongly encouraged to choose their topic and primary sources to re-read in the summer before their senior year. After students have been registered for the course, they may contact the tutor with questions and confirm their primary sources and passages before the school year begins.

EXAMPLE TOPICS

What can modern Americans learn from:

  • …passages from Shakespeare’s Henry V on heroism? courage? justice? grace? law? taking counsel?
  • …passages from Homer’s Odyssey on leadership? loyalty? honesty? obedience? family?
  • …passages from Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment on love? responsibility? beauty? self-government? unintended consequences? family?
  • …passages from Franklin’s Autobiography on language? community? diligence? perseverance?
  • …passages from Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian Wars on justice? manipulation of words? truth? heroism? piety?
  • …passages from Froissart’s Chronicle on taking counsel? heroism? loyalty? piety? justice? family?
  • …passages from Lewis’ That Hideous Strength on education? truth? beauty? piety? family?