Assignment: Write a thesis-driven essay that examines how the author of “Staying,” reveals the stigma associated with mental illness. I have already included the thesis and 3 body topic sentences to be used.

Additional Guidelines: For this essay, you will demonstrate the various ways the author of your selected text reveals the stigma associated with mental illness. You will explain how and why these elements within the text illuminate the stigma by incorporating clear, strong analysis of textual evidence in each of the supporting paragraphs. Your thoughtful discussion of this evidence will fully develop topic sentence claims and advance the thesis. Body paragraphs must be controlled by topic sentence claims that force analysis. Your thesis should be developed by three to four supporting paragraphs.

Begin your essay with an introductory section that establishes a context for your discussion. As part of this background material, introduce your selected text and compose an extended definition of the stigma associated with mental illness. To develop the definition, integrate information from three of assigned resources: “Stigma and Mental Illness: Impact on Access to Treatment,” the OED, “Choose Your Words,” “The Inescapable Reality of Self-Stigma,” “To My Future Providers: I Am More Than My Diagnosis,” and/or “Reducing Stigma by Meeting and Learning from People with Mental Illness.” Place your thesis claim at the end of your introductory section. The thesis statement must respond to the prompt’s demands and establish what, how, and why.

In the conclusion of your essay, briefly explain why the discussion of stigma matters.