The Value of Life: Writing Prompt 

Directions: ​Read the prompt ​thoroughly​. Then, complete the activities below.

ERWC Module 4 Essay Prompt: What is the value of a human life?

Over the past several weeks, we have analyzed a number of different voices giving insights into the
value of life. Hamlet’s soliloquy offers an emotional, metaphor-laden glimpse into the thinking of a young
man contemplating suicide. Chris Jones’s interview with Roger Ebert uses first-hand observations and
excerpts from Ebert’s blog and movie reviews to convey how the film critic thinks about life. Amanda
Ripley’s article from ​Time ​magazine provides insight into the problems involved in translating the concept
of valuing life from abstract terms into actual dollars and cents. The budgetary information you have
gathered through your personal finance project establishes specific criteria and dollar amounts for
affording all of the necessities and luxuries that make a person’s life comfortable. Other previous
readings from the Transcendentalists also address the value of life.

Where do your ideas fit into the terrain mapped by the other texts we have read? Is it right to
assign dollar values to a person’s life? Do suffering and illness impact how we should value life?
How should a human life be valued?

You might not fully agree or disagree with any of the texts’ essential claims about the value of life. This
makes your voice an important contribution to this discussion about how we should value human life.
Assume that the audience for your piece consists of intelligent citizens interested in this issue—the same
types of people, for instance, who would read ​Time ​magazine. As you write your essay, think about the
different ways the authors we have read make their points about valuing life. Depending on the points
you are trying to make, you might want to emulate the style and techniques of the texts we have read
and analyzed together. As you construct your essay, make conscious choices about the ways you can
represent your ideas to your reader about how society should assign value to human life.

Be sure to refer to and ​cite evidence from the three readings we studied in class​. You may also use
examples from outside readings and previous research articles you have examined regarding this topic.

Preparing to Write Activities

1. ​Do/What Chart
Directions: ​Find the verbs in the prompt and list them in the "do" column. Then, in the "what" column, write
what the prompt wants you to do with that verb.

DO WHAT

i.e. write  essay detailing your perspective on the value of life 

refer  three texts we used in class 

cite  three texts we used in class 

assume  intelligent citizens interested in this issue 

Document Content Source: ERWC Module 4; LeCren/Maycock/Raulston, LJHS

 think  That it was about the techniques that the 
authors used 

Make conclusions  the way you can represent your ideas to the 
audience 

represent   Your ideas to the audience 

emulate  The style of writing in the texts 

2. ​Taking a Stance
Directions:​ Post your stance regarding which article you most agreed with in the space below.

Your Stance:
I agree most with the ideas in ​Roger Ebert The Essential Man ​ because ​it was talking about 
how you should live your life happy. ​• I agree least with the ideas in ​Hamlet by William 
Shakespeare ​because ​when reading this was talking about how ... 

3. ​Formulating a Working Thesis

Directions:​ Your essay's thesis is the primary claim that you will be making about valuing life. There are
several attributes of claims that form the basis of successful essays. A good claim is clear, compelling,
complex, and contestable. When you try writing some draft claims for your essay, it might be helpful to
think of your claim as a response to a specific question whose answer matters to the essay's audience.
Your claim should try to answer the question, "How should people value life in contemporary American
society?" Your claim could take the form of a sentence that combines both an assertion–a statement of
your opinion– and a rationale–a generalized reason in support of the assertion.

Example working thesis statement/claim:

• Schools should put more money into academics rather than into athletics because the primary goal of a
school is to educate students, not to train athletes.
• The rule of law is more important than anyone's personal feelings because it's the only way to ensure that
everyone has the same rights in court.

Now, put your claim into this assertion-rationale form, and you will be ready to begin drafting ideas for your
essay.

Your working thesis statement/claim:

My thesis statement would be that some people believe money can bring value because they can 
live a happy life with the money they have. Others feel that money don’t bring value for who they 
are . A person’s worth or value cannot be measured by money. Instead, it should be measured by 
their care of others because helping others also helps yourself, all around the world, there are 
people who need help, and without caring people, society would be chaotic.  

4. ​Generating Evidence to Support Your Claims

Document Content Source: ERWC Module 4; LeCren/Maycock/Raulston, LJHS

 Directions:​ Revisit the warmups, the texts, and all of the annotations that you have completed during this
unit. As you review the evidence you've already generated through your warm-ups, annotations, and chart,
think about the following questions:

1. How closely does this piece of evidence relate to the claim it is supposed to support?
2. Is this piece of evidence a fact or an opinion? Is it an example?
3. If this evidence is a fact, what kind of fact is it (statistic, experimental result, quotation)?
4. If it is an opinion, what makes the opinion credible?
5. What makes this evidence persuasive?
6. How supportive will this evidence be to your claim?

Now, select 4 to 5 pieces of evidence to analyze for your essay:

Charting the Evidence:

Evidence/ Article Title/ How closely is Is this a fact, What makes How supportive
Quotation/ Source it related to the opinion, or this evidence will this
Sentence article’s claim? example? What persuasive? evidence be to
kind is it? (see your claim?
questions 3 & 4,
above)

“​To make  Roger  This related to  When are the  a good one  This will help 
ourselves  Ebert The  the article’s  facts that I  because he  my queen on 
unhappy is  Essential  claim by  chose was the  didn't know all  my face 
where all  saying that It  evidence on  the things  because I'm 
Man  
crime starts.  doesn't matter  We're also  you've been  talking about 
We must try  how you your  crime starts we  through he  how you 
to contribute  license even  must try to  understands  should help 
joy to the  though makes  enjoy to the  my life would  others and also 
world.”  you upset it's  world with one  be make of it  love yourself 
how do you  of the  even though.   and how that 
make of it.   evidence​.   will make you 
feel. 

“To make  “Roger  The author  This is talking  This evidence  I think this will 
ourselves  Ebert: The  claim is that  about how he  makes her  help my claim 
unhappy is  Essential  what is life  felt and his  know that it's  on what I'm 
where all  Man”  and why we  personal  how life is and  writing about 
crime starts.  because it's 
are here or  feeling life and  everyone has 
We must try to  saying that even 
contribute joy  why do we  asking  this at some  though you have 
to the world.  have to suffer  questions  point but  ups and downs 
That is true no  and how the  about it.  understand  you know what 
matter what  feelings and    how to get  right for you 
our problems,  everything.    through it.  you know how 
our problems,        you can 
our health, our        Understand 
circumstances.        yourself.  
We must try.” 
 

Document Content Source: ERWC Module 4; LeCren/Maycock/Raulston, LJHS

“After all isn’t  “What Is a This is one of This was talking persuasive This will help me
it degrading to  Life Worth?” the articles I about all the The because it gives by telling them
presume that  read and it was auction for an opinion on the how money is
money can  mostly talking people have their worth of a life. worth but also
make a family  about What is life or what to do how you should
whole again?”  life War the when. understand it .
meaning of
comparing and .
other Ways.

“The  “What Is a It’s that the way How this was The government The ways of the
government  Life Worth?” in the talking about the on the value of a human life.
for the first  government to compensating person’s life.
time ever, has  gives mostly the families of
agreed to  everyone of the the victims of the
write large  value on their 9/11 attacks,
checks to the  life
victims 
families’ 
without any 
ligation. The 
checks will 
arrive within 
four months 
after a claim is 
filed-no legal 
fees, no 
agonizing 10- 
year lawsuit. 
But every 
award will be 
based on a old 
calculus, much 
the way the 
courts handle 
wrongful-deat
h cases. 

5. ​Getting Ready to Write

Directions:​ You are now ready to add relevant ideas and observations from your own research and
outside reading to the evidence you have gathered:
● What observations and/or insights from outside reading or other sources can you add to the
evidence you generated from the reading selections in this unit? You may want to use some of the
following writing strategies: brainstorming, freewriting, informal outlines, clustering/mapping. At
this point, you are ready to compose the first draft of your essay.

Document Content Source: ERWC Module 4; LeCren/Maycock/Raulston, LJHS