What is my purpose?
State an arguable thesis. Your purpose is to give your readers (a general audience that, in this case, includes the Instructor and your classmates) an arguable thesis and supportable interpretation that demonstrates that you have closely read the short story. (Yes, which means you should read it more than once!)
How do I support my thesis and interpretation?
Provide as much relevant evidence as possible. You must show that your thesis and interpretation are supported by evidence from the text. Cite precise passages from the work and refer to specific details. Note: You do not have to use secondary sources in addition to the text. All your evidence should come from the text and your interpretation of elements of the story.
Try to answer fascinating, challenging and thought-provoking questions as you analyze the story.
What does it mean? What human problems does it portray? Is there an imbalance of power evident between the relationships of characters–especially between men and women? Is the work attempting to make a statement about American culture? Is the work attempting to make a religious statement, a political statement, a cultural statement? Does the work attempt to make a statement about our basic nature? What image of humankind emerges from the short story? Do the characters have any control over their lives? Do characters make choices in complete freedom or are they driven by forces beyond their control? Are there any moral conflicts in the work? Are they clear cut or are they ambiguous? That is, is it clear to us exactly what is right and exactly what is wrong?
Should I give a plot summary?
Avoid plot summaries! One more time: Avoid plot summaries! Assume your readers are familiar with the short story. Some students give plot summaries to enhance the page length of their essays. Please note that doing so will reflect negatively on your essay. Remember a plot summary is not an interpretation nor is it an arguable thesis.
Choose a topic that you care about!
Your paper will require close multiple readings of the short story. Make sure you are interested in your topic and feel that you have something to say about it.
Write a descriptive title.
The title of your Interpretive Essay should provide clues as to your overall topic and thesis. Please devote some time to choosing the best title you can for your essay.
Evaluate and revise your thesis.
Make sure your thesis is specific and significant. If you identify a pattern but say nothing about why it is important, your reader (and your instructor) will ask “So what?” What does the pattern contribute to an overall interpretation?
Select your evidence and examples with an eye on your thesis.
Make sure your evidence and examples are relevant to your thesis. Explain the significance of the evidence for your thesis.
Use the present tense.
In writing about literature, refer to events in the present tense.
Document carefully.
You will be quoting from the short stories you read in TSMG and any I supplied via link, so be sure to carefully document your sources. MLA style format requires that you cite page numbers, however please cite paragraph numbers for this assignment. For example: “He never looked save with love upon her” (para. 13). Note the period after the shortened form of paragraph and outside the parentheses. Also note that in order to cite paragraph numbers, you will have to count the paragraphs if they are not numbered.
Number of pages.
Your essay should be a minimum of three (3) pages and a maximum of (4) pages!