Consider:
- You should write on two of the stories or poems we read that you are interested in, and feel strongly about that have some connective threads (commonalities/differences)
- Literary criticisms are your friend: (Feminist, Queer/Gender, Historicism, CRT, Marxism, or Postmodernism) These lenses can be very useful.
- You will compile evidence to help you develop and make your point through comparing and contrasting elements from and between two pieces we read. You will explore the content from the two pieces you chose from our Anthology to develop a strong stance/point of view through comparing and contrasting them. Relative support through research will effectively help you come to an educated position on your chosen pieces.
- Don’t forget literary and rhetorical devices: metaphor, symbolism, tone, topic, character, style, literary lenses, allegory, and so on…
Again, the goal of this paper is to find two pieces that have connective “threads,” through either comparison or contrast, or both, and thoroughly explore those connections. You must use stories, plays, or poems we read over the course of the semester. You may use literary devices such as symbolism, metaphor, theme, irony, tone, style, perspective, etc., to help support your assertion. Try to balance your research through the effective use of logos, ethos, and pathos.
Your paper will follow this specific format: (The entire paper MUST be written in 3rd person perspective)
- ~An introduction—that includes a hook, general information about the pieces you are writing about, explains why the connections/differences are important, and any other relevant expository information, and then end the paragraph with your thesis statement.
- ~Thesis statement—a specific, complex thesis statement with a compare/contrast structure.
- ~Supporting Paragraphs—that explains/supports your thesis. (as many paragraphs needed to support your claim(s) and to show the commonalities and/or differences)
- ~Conclusion—that restates the claim(thesis), summarizes the support used for the claim, and offers a fresh perspective on the topic.
I will be paying particular attention to your thesis statement, as well as your ability to stay focused on the argument set forth in your thesis. Concomitantly, I will be looking at your individual paragraph organization, making sure that each paragraph is focused on one idea, one aspect of the essay’s argument. I will be looking at how you apply compare/contrast analysis to support your claim(s). Finally, I will be paying particular attention to your essay organization, checking to see that it flows naturally, specifically within the parameters of the assignment. See grading rubric in Canvas for specific grading criteria.
SPECS:
- 2000 words (8 pages), typed, double-spaced, 12 font, 1-inch margins. MLA format!
- Works cited page, not included in the page count. Must have at least 4 sources, 1 of these sources must be a peer-reviewed, academic paper. At least two sources must come from our anthology (the two pieces you choose to compare/contrast)
- The thesis statement must be in BOLD!
- Avoid using contractions, and slang/colloquialisms.
- Must be written from 3rd person’s perspective.