ENG111 -- Introduction to Literature
Prof. Eileen Joy
Spring 2004
CRITICAL ESSAY #2
Before this essay is due, be sure to reacquaint yourself with the following:
"Writing About Literature" (pp. 2091-115 in Kennedy's & Gioia's Literature)
"Writing About Literature" (pp. 929-59 in Beaty's and Hunter's New World of Literature)
The above readings are always ESSENTIAL to your success in writing papers, as I will evaluate your papers based upon the criteria and techniques set forth in these pages, particularly as regards MLA-style citation and the proper quotation of unique literary texts (i.e., poetry and drama).
You should also consider utilizing the following links when working on this essay assignment:
Papers: Expectations, Guidelines, Advice, & Grading (DeLombard & White)
A S S I G N M E N T
For your second critical essay, which is a comparative analysis, choose TWO of the works we have viewed/read from Romeo + Juliet through Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown," and write a paper in which you compare and contrast the two works in order to illustrate (or, prove) a thesis (an arguable statement) about some idea or concept that you believe ties together the two different pieces.
G U I D E L I N E S
As with the first essay, you are being asked to defend your understanding (or, interpretation) of literary works (in this case, through a comparison of two works in relation to an idea you have about how they might be connected). This is a standard expository/argumentative essay, in which you need to announce a thesis (your statement of what you see as an interesting connection between the two works as a whole, or between two or more characters or relationships in the two works, or between an idea or theme that you see as connecting the two works, etc.), and then you defend that thesis using logical argumentation and evidence--in this case, quotation from the two texts and/or reference to specific actions/events within the two plots.
NEVER provide plot summary; assume that your audience is a group of your peers who have read/viewed the same material you have, but have not necessarily thought about or analyzed it as completely as you have. NEVER provide biographical information about the author unless it's directly relevant to your interpretation of the work. Do NOT incorporate any outside research into your paper, which should only reflect YOUR ideas.
Finally, keep in mind that when you do a close reading of literary texts in order to interpret their possible messages, that you do not read to magically discover the ONE correct meaning the author has supposedly hidden between the lines. The "meaning" or "theme" of a literary work is created by the interaction between a text and its readers, and therefore, most works of literature can convey many different meanings to different readers. Do not assume, however that a work can mean whatever you want it to mean; ultimately, your interpretation must be consistent with the stylistic signals, thematic suggestions, and patterns of imagery in the text. Therefore, in a close reading, whatever observation you want to to make about what you think the author/text is doing/saying, be sure to ALWAYS support your interpretation with direct reference to the text itself.
F O R M A T
The final paper should be 4-5 pages long, typed on a word processor, double-spaced with 1"-margins, and stapled. A cover sheet is not necessary, nor do I want papers in binders. The paper must follow MLA-style citation and documentation and should have a creative title. For an example of what the final paper should look like, format-wise, consult pages 2136-140 in Kennedy's and Gioia's Literature.
D U E D A T E
Wednesday, April 28th