Essay 51 - ...what? This one needs some big corrections, but I don't even know where to start. It's like trying to guide someone through putting up shelves with a kipper.
Essay 52 - Terrible writing. Brilliant ideas. And sadly, despite something one of my students once told me as evidence for why I should change his grade, in the real world it does indeed matter where the commas go.
Essay 53 - Passionately and eloquently argues for two contradictory ideas. You're messing with me, aren't you?
Essay 54 - similar to essay 51. Earned the glorious honour of getting listed on the second-marking grade sheet (all our essays being exchanged with another member of staff and checked for grade consistency before going back to the students) as 'HELP!'
Essay 55 - This was absolutely brilliant. I hope it's the student I think it is.
Essay 56 - Not quite brilliant, but still fairly shiny.
Essay 57 - Best grade of the whole batch so far. These creative responses can really, really work sometimes.
Essay 58 - Good analysis, but slightly worrying in terms of student's future life choices, viz. responding to early modern love poetry of the woe-is-me-life-is-as-nothing-until-my-love-looks-my-way variety as a) obviously a sign of deep, suicidal depression from the speaker and b) clearly proving that his love is real and genuine. (One of my fellow TAs suggested 'FYI - beware of angsty boys bearing mix-tapes, because BELIEVE ME it gets old fast' as an additional comment, but we decided against it.)
Essay 59 - Ah, the many tactful ways I have learnt to say 'You have some good ideas but have totally misread the question' over the years.
Essay 60 - Why is this one printed in blue? It clashes with my marking pen.
AND THEY ARE DONE! O frabjous day, callooh callay!
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