Essay Help.

In Strawberry Fields, the greatest of Beatles songs, John Lennon sings "Nothing is real." Such is the case, as we've already noted, with The DaVinci Code. The major premise, that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene cannot be substantiated by any known evidence. Basically it's bunk, but if you get beyond this simple inaccuracy, the book is truly entertaining. Next year, the film, by Director Ron Howard may be equally intriguing.

Your grade forgiveness essay asks that you pull apart the verisimilitude of any major work and discuss its validity. Is the work based on fact? Is it far-fetched? Is it based on lies that readers or viewers merely accept as true (like The DaVinci Code lie)? Here's another example:

Although it's essentially a "guy" film, Mel Gibson's The Patriot, is an intriguing look at the American Revolution. Many of the events portrayed are indeed based on fact and the film's style, look and visual verisimilitude are fascinating. Unfortunately, Mel Gibson completely fabricates the main character's dark past. Gibson's character Benjamin Martin has witnessed the bloody massacres at Fort Wilderness during the French and Indian Wars. Although the character is based on the real life exploits of Francis Marion, there are many serious flaws here, particularly these: 1) Francis Marion was a known racist and a questionable choice as a hero, but it's 2) that really nixes the believability factor: The only Fort Wilderness is the one in DisneyWorld. Fort wilderness is a made up place, with the exception of the one in the Magic Kingdom, it does not exist! And so, once again, the audience must buy into this lie in order for the film to work. It's a great movie, by the way, except for the fact that it just plain didn't happen. Well, that's the idea behind fiction, isn't it? But when you pass yourself off as truth is when the Verisimilitude Police step in.

In your essays, you're merely pointing out whether the details are realistic. They don't have to be true, but are they believable? Pick apart the work and make this determination.