Directions: The objective of our 3rd Response Paper is to be a standard five-paragraph essay (introduction paragraph + 3 body paragraphs + conclusion paragraph) recalling an event/instance in your own life when you either WERE or WERE NOT a "good student" of Seneca's philosophy. Keeping in mind Botton's summary of Seneca's belief: "It is no less unreasonable to accept something as necessary when it isn't as a rebel against something when it is" (109), recount/retell a story from your experiences
Introductory Paragraph & Thesis Statement: Aside from providing a general introduction paragraph, opening with reflections on the topic (Seneca or Stoical beliefs or acceptance vs. rebellion, etc.), your opening paragraph should contain a clear thesis statement directing the reader towards what the rest of the paper will elaborate on - what event from your life do you plan to use to show you as a "good" or "not good" student of Seneca's philosophy [i.e. when I was sixteen years old, my girlfriend (or boyfriend) broke up with me, and I allowed my emotions to get the better of me as I tried to keep the relationship together, proving that I was not a good student of Seneca at that time.]
Body Paragraphs: The bulk of your paper should be spent in telling me the story you've chosen and making it clear how the events of the story demonstrate how you ARE or ARE NOT following Seneca's advice - remember, in retelling a story, your job as story-teller is to make me "see" the story as it happened (stress the importance of details and imagery/sensory specifics).
Conclusion & Closing Remarks: Be sure to recap and sum-up your story in a closing paragraph, making it clear that your intentions in telling it to me were to show yourself as either a "good" or "not-so-good" student of Seneca's philosophy.