Reality and Truth in the Film Shutter Island
For this assignment you will be asked to decide which ONE Metaphysical Theory best describes “Reality” in the film Shutter Island.
Topics:
- Materialism
- Idealism
In an 800-1000 word position paper, you must defend the position you have taken. You must present a well-written and coherent series of arguments to support your position. Your paper must include one counter-argument of your position as well as your rebuttal(s) to the theory.
Your final draft of this assignment should be typed, double spaced and in 12-point font.
Please format your paper and citations according to the Modern Languages Association. A WORKS CITED list is required.
Essay
A. Introduction:
- Introduce the film Shutter Island by offering a brief synopsis of the story line.
- Introduce the theory of metaphysics that you are focusing on and provide a brief background on the topic
- Assert your position on the issue (AKA your THESIS)
B. Your Arguments/Defense of your position
In this section you will:
- Use three points/examples/moments from the film to defend your thesis
- You are required to use at least 1 source outside of the textbook/lessons to support your paper.
- Consider reading the works (Primary Sources) of theorists/philosophers who support your theory, rather than articles that summarize support for your position (Secondary Sources).
C. Counter Arguments and Respective Rebuttals
In this section you will:
- Identify ONE other theory of metaphysics that is in contrast to your position
- This means, find a theory that is weak/fails to explain “reality” in Shutter Island”
- Summarize the theory very briefly (what does this theory say is ‘real’)
- Then refute the theory and explain why your argument is superior.
****In addition, you can generate counterarguments by asking yourself what someone who disagrees with you might say about each of the points you have made or about your position as a whole. Once you have thought up some counter arguments, consider how you will respond to them. Remember, you will want to leave your reader with a sense that your argument is stronger than opposing arguments.
D. Conclusion
Restate your argument and discuss some of the implications that arise from your position. In the conclusion, you may also answer the question “so what?”. That is, you may want to offer a suggestion of how your position changes/has an impact on humanity, human action, or human thought.