Paper One: Short Story Formal Essay

Compare/Contrast two of the stories that we have read in terms of theme & the authors’ use of the elements of fiction in order to convey that theme. You will explore the elements of fiction: plot (end orientation, foreshadowing, elements of plot), irony, setting, symbolism, characterization (methods of characterization, round/flat, static/dynamic, tragic flaw), or point of view (first/third, major/minor, omniscient/limited omniscient/objective, reliable/unreliable). The authors should explore similar themes & use similar elements to convey the theme, but they do not have to use the elements in the same way (setting to symbolize vs. setting to create mood). You must include at least one piece of literary criticism from a library database, a volume of literary criticism, or our text (NO OPEN INTERNET).

Tips:

• Do not summarize the story and then give your opinion of it. Support a thesis re: shared theme & the use of the elements of lit. to convey it.

• Do not use the first person pronoun “I” anywhere in your paper.

• Although you are exploring the elements, don’t use the words “element” or “theme” in your analysis. In place of these words, use the ACTUAL theme and element.

Ex: Hughes underscores the negative impact of [peer pressure]¹ using [situational irony]².

1. Theme
2. Element

• Take great care with verb tense; write about both the action in the literature and the act of writing in the present tense.

(Ex: Chopin portrays…; Sylvia resists…)

Suggested Format:

Intro: --Brief introduction to both stories; make sure you include authors, titles, and dates (Dates go directly after the title of a work in parentheses: “Salvation” (1940).)

--Thesis re: shared theme and the use of the elements of fiction to convey it:

Hughes & Bambara address the inevitability of the loss of innocence using setting, turning point, and characterization.

Body: Main points that support your claim; give each its own ¶, topic sentence, support from the story, quotes from criticism, and explication/analysis on your part.

Remember: IDENTIFY; EXPLAIN; SUPPORT; ANALYZE. You may choose to address each main point in one ¶ or to split each main point into two ¶s (by story). Your main points will be focused around the elements you select.

Conclusion: Develop a ¶ that makes the purpose and relevance of the analysis clear.

Schedule of Due Dates

Wednesday, Mar 4: Works Cited and Outline Due (10 points each)

• Create a Works Cited page that includes the stories and the piece of criticism.

(Sample Works Cited on 1801; sample entries on page 4 of this prompt)

• Fill in the outline on page 6 of this prompt and submit it.

Monday, Mar 9: Workshop Draft Due (50pts):

• 4+ pp. + a Works Cited page; follow MLA guidelines. (See page 3 of this prompt.)
• Cite and document your sources correctly. (See page 4 of this prompt.)
• Bring three copies. (one to submit and two for the workshop)

Monday, Mar 16: Final Draft due (graded out of 100 pts):

• Submit in folder with evaluation sheet; make sure that all of the information for the diagnostic is filled in and up-to-date.
• Include your workshopped draft, peer review materials, and a copy of your literary criticism (unless it is from the book).

Important Information regarding grading:

• If your draft is not workshopped, the final draft will be dropped a full letter grade.
• If your paper has more than 4 errors per page, it will not receive a passing grade.
• If your final draft is late, it will be dropped one full letter grade.
• If your final draft contains any plagiarism, it will receive a zero.

MLA FORMATTING GUIDELINES

· No separate cover sheet or title page

· 12 point font; 1 inch margins all around; justify left

· Place your name, your instructor’s name, the course title, and the date in the upper left hand corner.

· The entire paper, including heading and title, is double-spaced; never hit “enter” twice.

· Center title under the date; capitalize all appropriate words. No underline or boldface. Do not use all caps, place it between quotation marks, or end it with a period.

· Begin the essay directly below the title.

· Number your first page and all subsequent pages one-half inch from the top, one inch from the right margin. Put your last name before the page number.

· Indent the first line of each paragraph using your tab key (5 spaces).

Example:

Juncker 1

Margaret Juncker

Professor Varbel

English 1A

15 March 2008

No More Jury Duty

Are you sick and tired of jury duty? Does your heart sink every time you open the mailbox and see the words “Superior Court” ominously glaring at you from the front of an official–looking envelope? Well, despair no more. You can turn those frustrating mailbox moments into moments filled with diabolical chuckling. What will you need? Read on.

Help with Source Material

Works Cited Citations:

Reference Book (Book featuring reprinted articles):

Lawson, Brent. “The Irony in the Cask of Amontillado.” The Literary Giant. 22

February 2004: 82. Rpt. In Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jonathan

Malke. Vol. 33. Detroit: Gale Research, 2005. 153.

Database Article (Article accessed using a library database):

Rosenberg, Debra, Lynn Waddell, and Suzanne Smalley. "A Troubled Teenager's Tragic

Final Flight Plan." Newsweek 21 Jan 2002: 40. Academic Universe.

Lexis—Nexis. Mission College Library, Santa Clara, CA. 16 Jan. 2002.

Quick Guide to Incorporating Quotes/Source Material:

1. Correctly attribute to author, scholar, character, or editor:

· Textbook material: Charters

· Article: Scholar

· Third Person Narration: Author (Chopin)

· First Person Narration or Dialogue: Character

2. Lead into quotes with your own words. Credit/identify the source of the material.

3. If your lead in is a complete sentence, use a colon, not a comma. If your quote is entirely integrated, do not use any punctuation:

· Paley emphasizes the unique, irreplaceable nature of each of us: “[N]ever again will a boy exactly like Samuel be known” (5).

· Paley emphasizes the irreplaceable nature of each of us, stating, “[N]ever again will a boy […] like Samuel be known” (5).

· Paley emphasizes our irreplaceable nature by asserting that there will “never again [be] a boy […] like Samuel” (5).

4. Correctly use brackets/ellipses to alter/remove bits of quotes.

5. Use single quotes w/i quotes for titles w/i titles and dialogue w/i a quote:

· In Gilbert and Gubar’s “A Femininst Reading of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper,’” they...

· Montresor says, “‘[Y]ou will be ill, and I cannot be held responsible’” (Poe 492).

Blank Page for Brainstorming

Outline

I. Intro

A. *(Optional) Attention-getter

B. Brief intro to the work(s): Author, title, year, & main idea of each piece

· May be more than one ¶, depending on how much info. you need to give the reader in order for him/her to appreciate your thesis.

C. Thesis statement: Specific, focused claim about the piece(s) of literature you are exploring: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

II. Body

A. Topic sentence that identifies main point:

_______________________________________________________.

1. Support (specific): _______________________________________________________

2. Support (specific): _______________________________________________________

B. Topic sentence that identifies main point:

_______________________________________________________.

1. Support (specific): _______________________________________________________

2. Support (specific): _______________________________________________________

C. Topic sentence:

_______________________________________________________.

1. Support: _______________________________________________________

2. Support: _______________________________________________________

III. Conclusion

Relate the message of the stories to the reader. Leave him/her thinking without introducing new ideas.

*You may have fewer or more main points than the spaces above account for. If you have more main points, add them on the back. If fewer, simply leave the bottom spaces blank.

*If you have subpoints, treat the spaces labeled "Support" as spaces for your subtopic sentences.