Overview

The assignment asks you to compare and contrast the themes of betrayal and competition (talk of these two terms separately in your discussion) in relation to another major topic, social media, in The Social Network (The Movie).

Learning Outcomes

  • Evaluate a text using the appropriate rhetorical modes of classification
  • Use appropriate rhetorical modes of expository writing
  • Use critical thinking skills in reading and writing an evaluation-based paper

Getting Started

As partially illustrated in the above Venn diagram, making a comparison and a contrast between two objects or more assumes that there are similarities or differences between these products. You are evaluating an object or an idea whenever you begin to compare or contrast it with something else, be it of the same genus (class) or another. Re-read the “Compare and Contrast” handout, specifically, “Sample Compare and Contrast Essay: Large Leap.”  If needs be (and I would recommend this to refresh your memory, gain additional ideas), re-watch the entire movie The Social Network again:

 

Here is an internet link (also on Blackboard) to the Netflix. If you don’t have an account, you may sign-up for a free 30-day trial version

Here are other suggestions on how to go about accessing the movie if you do not have a Netflix account.

 

  • Rent movie from a Redbox near you (see website for more information)

https://www.redbox.com/

  • Borrow a copy of the movie at your local library (If you live in the Palatine or Schaumburg area or suburb that is near to the library)

https://www.schaumburglibrary.org/

  • Purchase or rent the DVD on Amazon or borrow DVD from a friend

 

  • Email me ASAP if none of these options above will work for you.

 

Assignment Specifications

While there are many ways to categorize items to show there are similarities and differences between two products, for this assignment you need only do that in form of a summary. You may, however, choose to be creative (or sophisticated) and show case the comparison and contrast via a Venn diagram or any other classification tools. But this will ONLY complement your summary.  In your essay, you should integrate quotes from the movie, relevant notes if applicable, you took while you watched the movie.  Whatever method or means you choose to showcase to your audience that you have a good understanding of compare and contrast, your main goal is to write an essay in which you compare and contrast the themes of betrayal and competition in relation to Social Media in The Social Network. Your essay must incorporate the following:

  • A creative title for your essay that is relevant to the themes (see “overview”)
  • A thesis or position you hold about that the themes you are comparing and contrasting (this should show up somewhere in your opening remarks/introduction)
  • Summary with appropriate attributions to the characters from the movie (Who said what/ the name(s) of the character(s))
  • Direct quotes and indirect quotations from the movie
  • A conclusion that ties your main points in the essay together

Resources and Materials

You have at your disposal materials and activities from week 1 and 2 (the compare and contrast handout is a very good one) and the book, They Say, I Say should you still not be clear on what you are supposed to be doing (see “assignment specification”) or how to begin or structure your essay.

 

Here are some memorable quotes from the movie characters for you to consider or possibly incorporate into your essay:

Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg): “Users are fickle. Friendster has proved that. Even a few people leaving would reverberate through the entire use base. The users are interconnected. That is the whole point. College kids are online because their friends are online. and if one domino goes, the other dominos go. Don’t you get that? I’m not going back to the Caribbean Night at A-E-Pi!”

Denise Grayson (Gretchen): “And what was your ownership share diluted down to?”

Andrew Garfield (Eduardo Saverin): “.03 percent.”

***

Andrew Garfield (Eduardo Saverin): “And I’ll bet what you hated the most is that they identified me as a co-founder of Facebook Which I am. You better lawyer up, asshole. ‘Cause I’m not coming back for 30%. I’m coming back for everything.”

Format

  • This assignment is to be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman Font. Word document, no PDFs (For more details, see “assignment submission” in the syllabus.)
  • Page limit: 3 ½- 4 (You are welcome to go beyond the limit should you feel inspired to do so)

 

Grading Criteria

  • This assignment is worth 110 points of your final grade.

The assignment specifications provided on this sheet will be used to evaluate your essay