As an optometric device, the phoropter provides different lenses through which you test your vision. Similarly, the schools of literary theory that we have covered in class—psychoanalysis, Marxism, gender studies, and postcolonialism and critical race theory—enable you to see texts through different thematic lenses. To further practice these deductive reasoning skills for the upcoming end-of-semester research project, you will write a phoropter paper (3-4 pages, 200 points) that analyze Zamora’s memoir through the lens of one of our major theories.
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Your audience is incoming 201 students, and they have not read the theory (major premise) or Zamora’s memoir and its literary devices (minor premise), so you will have to explain both clearly and specifically.
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The theory and the text do not have to agree for you to analyze the latter through the lens of the former.
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To persuasively argue your point, focus on body paragraph development:
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Claim = argue a connection between a major and minor premise
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Evidence = quotes/paraphrases representing both major and minor premises
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Warrant = analysis of why the connection between major and minor premises are important to the audience.
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Thesis: Fully answers question in the prompt by connecting a literary theory (major premises) and literary devices (minor
premises) to make an argument about the text’s theme.)
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Claims: Clearly and concisely synthesize specific major and minor premises to make focused, distinct arguments in each body
paragraph.)
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Evidence:Provides relevant, MLA-integrated quotes to exemplify both the major and minor premise addressed in the claim.
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Warrant: Analyzes how the evidence of major and minor premises connects, as well as connects the theme to the audience in a relevant, meaningful way.
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Conclusion: Reflects, rather than summarizes, upon the importance of the theme(s) to the audience and the world in which
they live.
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