Personal Essay: What is your food ethic?

Ethic:
a​ ​:​ a set of moral principles ​:​ a theory or system of moral values <the
present-day materialistic ​ethic​> <an old-fashioned work ​ethic​> —often used in
plural but singular or plural in construction <an elaborate ​ethics​> <Christian
ethics> ​
b​ ​plural but sing or plural in constr​ ​:​ the principles of conduct governing an
individual or a group <professional ​ethics> ​
c​ ​:​ a guiding philosophy
d​ ​:​ a consciousness of moral importance <forge a conservation ​ethic​>

TASK: ​ Write ​a reflective personal essay that exposes your own emerging food ethic as an eater in American
society. The goal is ​to develop an essay that articulates ​a well-defined, thoughtful perspective​ that
describes your “guiding philosophy” or the “principles of conduct” governing your relationship with food and
eating.
● As with any essay, it should be driven by a ​thesis or unifying idea​ and developed with ​supporting
details​ that illuminate that idea and answer the larger question “​What is your food ethic?​”
● A personal essay is a vehicle for your ​authentic voice​. Please be you in this essay!
● Additionally, you should think about the ​communal relevance​ of your piece; that is to say, in some way
you should be connecting your own ethic to the larger human community. (Why should your reader
care?)
● As always, you should be striving for ​beauty and refinement​ in your writing craft. Write paragraphs
that work. Make beautiful sentences. Choose words with intention. Let your diction be concise and
clean.
***Remember Wendell Berry’s “​The Pleasures of Eating​”? This is a perfect example of a personal
essay that represents a very thoughtful and eloquently written food ethic.

MODEL ESSAYS:
Alma Wolf “Food for Thought”
Sadie Vance, “Much Ado About What I Chew”
Cecilia Compton, “The Way I Peel”

Some of the​ questions​ below may help you to think through your statement. You do not have to answer all of
them, obviously.
● How would you characterize your personal “FOOD ETHIC”?
● What factors influence this ethic (ie. financial, health, environmental, cultural, moral?)
● How would you characterize your relationship with food?
● What do you eat and how and why do you eat it?
● What principles govern your eating habits/decisions?
● How does your personal relationship with food impact your happiness and well being?
● What is the food culture of your family? Your friends?
● How are you influenced by the media and food marketing?
● What does the experience of eating mean to you?
● What kind of eater are you?
● To what degree do you participate in your own food chain? Actively or passively? How does this
influence your ethic?
● How are you navigating your own “omnivore’s dilemma”?
● Other relevant questions???
DUE DATES
Draft due for peer critique: ​Monday, April 15th​ (or before)
Final draft due: ​Friday, April 19th

RUBRIC (100 pts)

Content
Perspective/Thesis/Unifying Idea (10)
● Essay articulates a clear and focused food ethic
● You have communicated a thoughtful perspective that represents your guiding philosophy about food
and eating
Development/Supporting Details (20)
● Your food ethic is communicated with supporting details, anecdotes, and personal experiences
● All of the supporting details are working to illuminate your essay’s overall perspective
Authentic Voice (10)
● Your essay is written in the first person and speaks your truth
● You reveal true experiences, moments of relevance, and/or lessons learned
● Your personality comes through clearly in your writing and represents your “eater” self
Communal Relevance (10)
● Your essay connects to larger truths about eating to which the audience can relate
● Your reader can ask “So what?” and get an answer from your essay
● Your essay draws conclusions about the human relationship with food

Writing Craft
Style/Tone/Descriptive Language (10)
● Your essay integrates narrative elements (anecdotes, personal experiences) and commentary
● You “show” your reader instead of just “telling”
● You have crafted beautiful prose with intentional word choice and descriptive language
● Writing is refined with attention to form, force, and beauty
Organization/Coherence (10)
● Essay has an engaging lead and an impactful conclusion
● Your essay is constructed in a way that flows logically and makes sense to your reader
● Everything in the essay belongs: the beginning goes with the end and the middle:)
Paragraphs (10)
● Paragraphs are tightly constructed and cohesive; everything in each paragraph goes together
● You have avoided long-winded paragraphs that are trying to do too much
Sentences (10)
● Your sentences are grammatically correct and the meaning is clear and easy to follow
● You have used simple and complex sentences for a varied effect, avoiding comma splices and run-ons
● Your writing is streamlined to be concise and descriptive (active verbs! Avoid too much “to be”)
Proofreading (10)
● Your writing has been proofread and is free of errors in mechanics, spelling, and punctuation