English 110 Essay 1 Assignment Sheet
Outline Due: by 11:59pm Wednesday 4/5 (Submit on Blackboard)
Rough Draft Due: by 11:59pm Sunday 4/9 (Submit on Blackboard)
Final Draft Due: by 11:59pm Thursday 4/12 (Submit on Blackboard)
Length: 6-7 pages (The works cited page does not count towards the page count.)
Quotes and Citation: Minimum of 4 fairytale quotes. Minimum of 4 critical quotes. A formal works cited page.
Essay 2 Texts: Choose 1 fairytale variant to work with in your essay and any of the relevant critical works.
1. Stephen T. Asma: On Monsters: “Introduction,” “Freud,” and “Torture Porn.”
2. Maria Tatar: “Bluebeard” criticism, “Hansel and Gretel” criticism, and “Intro to Fairytales I and II”
3. One Fairy tale: “Little Red Riding Hood” version, “Bluebeard” version, or “Hansel and Gretel” version posted in (Unit 1)
Summary of Assignment: This assignment asks you to analyze the monster or monsters in either a “Bluebeard” variant or a “Hansel and Gretel” variant or a “Little Red Riding Hood” variant. The essay will include the two sections with 2 points for each section.
Section 1: Monsters as Fears and Anxieties
Since monsters are symbolic of a culture’s fears and anxieties, this section of the paper needs to look at the monsters metaphorically. What are the fears and anxieties that the monster/s in your fairytale represent? Of course, there are far too many metaphorical fears and anxieties to cover in one section of the paper. Choose 2 main fears/anxieties and analyze what they are and how they are apparent in the text. Use specific quotes from the fairytale in order to prove your points and use Asma to help explain your discussion.
The first section of the essay needs to discuss and explain the fears and anxieties the monster in the story represents. These fears and anxieties could be based on the original audience or on a more modern audience. Since fairytales have been cultural touchstones for hundreds if not thousands of years, it’s fair to consider the fears and anxieties of any relevant group.
Section 2: Benefits to Monsters
Reading about or watching monsters has benefits to the audience beyond a fun scare. The popularity of monsters is attributed to more than just the frights. Watching and reading about monsters offers the audience different ways to work with and out their fears and anxieties as well as practice challenging situations. The goal for the final section of the essay is to explain and discuss what the benefits to the audience are for reading about the monsters in your fairytale, so choose 2 benefits (one per point).
The second section of the body needs to focus on what the audience gets from reading or viewing the monster. There are a variety of psychological benefits to reading through a story with a monster. Your job in this section is to choose 2 main benefits (one per point) and prove how the story offers those benefits to the audience.
Structural Requirements: Below are the required elements of the essay in outline form. You will be completing an outline that will give you a more specific set of elements, but the following list gives a good overview.
Introduction Paragraph: You are required to include an introduction paragraph with the thesis as the last sentence. (.5-1 page) The introduction will include the following elements:
1. A hook
2. The introduction to the conversation about monsters—monsters as representation and as benefit
3. The introduction to the primary source—the version of the fairytale you are working with. You will not need to introduce any critical sources.
4. Thesis—answer the following two questions to create your thesis:
a. What are the 2 fears or anxieties that the monster in the text represents?
b. What are the 2 benefits (to the audience) that come from reading about this monster?
Body of the Essay: The body of the essay requires 2 sections. Each section will be broken into 2 points. Each point will be broken into 2 paragraphs. Each point will require 1 critical quote and 1 fairytale quote minimum. Use the following outline as a checklist to make sure that you have included all of the required elements in your essay.
Section 1—The Monster Represents Fears and Anxieties
I. Point 1—The first fear or anxiety that the monster represents
A. Paragraph 1—your first fear or anxiety that this monster represents
a. State the first way that this monster represents fears or anxieties of the writer
b. Explain this fear or anxiety and how representation works here
c. Use one quote from Asma or Tatar to help you explain your criteria point
B. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with the fairytale)
a. Explain how and why the monster is a representation of this fear or anxiety
b. Bring in a quote from your fairytale to illustrate your discussion.
c. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
II. Point 2—The second fear or anxiety that the monster represents
A. Paragraph 1—your second fear or anxiety that this monster represents
a. State the first way that this monster represents fears or anxieties of the writer.
b. Explain this fear or anxiety and how representation works here.
c. Use one quote from Asma or Tatar to help you explain your criteria point.
B. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with the fairytale)
a. Explain how and why the monster is a representation of this fear or anxiety
b. Bring in a quote from your fairytale to illustrate your discussion.
c. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
Section 2—The Benefits of Monsters to the Reader
III. Point 1—The first benefit for the reader from reading about monster
A. Paragraph 1—your first benefit for the reader that comes from reading about your monster
a. State the first way that this monster benefits the reader
b. Explain this benefit and how it works for the reader
c. Use one quote from Asma or Tatar to help you explain your criteria point (I recommend Asma’s “Torture Porn” here).
B. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with the fairytale)
a. State why this monster is beneficial.
b. Explain how and why the actions of the monster and the responses of the hero are beneficial to the reader.
c. Bring in a quote from your fairytale to illustrate your discussion.
d. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
IV. Point 2—The second benefit for the reader
A. Paragraph 1—your first benefit for the reader that comes from reading about your monster
a. State the first way that this monster benefits the reader
b. Explain this benefit and how it works for the reader
c. Use one quote from Asma or Tatar to help you explain your criteria point (I recommend Asma’s “Torture Porn” here).
B. Paragraph 2—apply the discussion (illustrate the discussion with the fairytale)
a. State why this monster is beneficial.
b. Explain how and why the actions of the monster and the responses of the hero are beneficial to the reader.
c. Bring in a quote from your fairytale to illustrate your discussion.
d. You are welcome to use a quote from Asma or Tatar here if it is relevant, but it is not required.
Conclusion Paragraph: Bring the two criteria sections together and explain how they fit together to explain why reading about monsters is valuable. This is where you will answer the question: so what? Why should the reader care about this issue? (.5 page minimum)
English 110 Essay 1 Assignment Sheet
Formatting:
• Heading—name, date, class, assignment (upper right corner)
• Headers—in the top right margin last name and page number
• Title (12pt, no underline or bold)
• Times New Roman
• 12pt size
• Double space
• Use paragraphs
• Indent paragraphs
• Title your sections
• 1” margins