Rather than a straightforward literary analysis, some teachers assign persuasive essays that use A Tale of Two Cities as evidence for a broader argument, such as whether revolutionary violence can ever be justified, or whether personal redemption is possible after a wasted life. These essays require a different grading lens than pure literary analysis.

In this format, the novel functions as one piece of evidence among potentially several, rather than the sole object of analysis. Grading should account for whether the student integrates evidence from the text smoothly into a larger persuasive argument, rather than expecting the kind of close reading depth a pure analysis essay would require.

It is worth watching for essays that drift from persuasive argument back into literary analysis without realizing it, since the two modes require different structural approaches. A persuasive essay needs to address counterarguments directly, which is often the piece students forget to include.

Strong persuasive essays on this topic tend to draw on both Carton's arc and Defarge's, using the contrast between redemption and destruction to support a nuanced position rather than a simplistic one. Essays that only draw on a single character often end up with a thinner argument overall.

What Persuasive Essay Rubrics Should Prioritize

Unlike a literary analysis rubric, a persuasive essay rubric should weight counterargument handling and rhetorical structure more heavily, while still requiring accurate and relevant use of textual evidence from the novel to ground the argument in specifics rather than pure abstraction.

• Uses the novel as supporting evidence rather than the sole subject of analysis
• Addresses a genuine counterargument rather than ignoring opposing views
• Integrates textual evidence smoothly into a broader persuasive structure
• Maintains a consistent, focused claim throughout rather than drifting into pure summary
• Draws on more than one character or scene to support a nuanced position

Common Missteps in This Format

The most frequent issue is essays that read almost identically to a literary analysis essay with a persuasive-sounding thesis bolted on at the start. If the body paragraphs never return to the broader claim, the essay has not actually fulfilled the persuasive assignment.

Another common issue is oversimplified counterarguments, presented only to be dismissed quickly rather than genuinely engaged with. Encouraging students to state the counterargument as strongly as its actual proponents would tends to produce more convincing rebuttals.

Preparing Students for This Essay Type

A short in-class debate before the essay is assigned, structured around the same broader question students will eventually write about, helps them practice articulating and responding to counterarguments before committing them to paper.

Reviewing a model persuasive essay that uses a different novel as evidence can also help students see the structural difference from literary analysis without simply copying an example built around the same text they are writing about.

Grading Efficiently for This Format

Because persuasive essays vary more in structure than literary analysis essays, a slightly more flexible rubric, focused on whether key persuasive elements are present rather than a rigid paragraph-by-paragraph template, tends to grade more fairly across a diverse set of approaches.

Tracking which students consistently skip the counterargument section can flag a specific, addressable skill gap that a quick mini-lesson can resolve before the next persuasive assignment comes due.