Short Story Paper
In English 1302, through careful analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of a story, you are arguing for a critical interpretation of a literary text. You must write about one of the stories in your 1302 short story anthology listed below. To avoid a failing grade, you must meet the minimum length requirement of two correctly-formatted full pages. You will not consult secondary sources for this paper; it will be yours and yours alone; therefore, you will only use parenthetical citations when quoting from the primary source (your story). Attach a Works Cited page with the full bibliographical information for your textbook. Like the sample essay, your essay cant possibly cover all the elements of fiction utilized in the story. Choose one or two and develop fully and carefully. Read the sample student paper for an excellent example of how to write a close analysis of two literary elements in a story.
The central focus and plan of your essay should be clear in the thesis sentence, which should appear as the last sentence in your introductory paragraph. The body paragraphs of your essay should take the form of a standard argument, containing an assertion as the topic sentence and support, which will include relevant material from the primary source. Remember, you are analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting the primary text, not simply retelling the story. Use transitional phrases in your second and subsequent developmental paragraph topic sentences to move smoothly from one idea to the next and establish logical connections between ideas. Make sure that the topic sentence matches the elements of your thesis. Use transitions within paragraphs as you compound evidence. Remember that every quotation from the text must be introduced and explained within the context of your argument. You must finish your essay with a concise conclusion, which is not merely a restatement of the thesis statement but which convinces your reader that your analysis is convincing and relevant to present-day readers. Please be aware that for written work to be considered acceptable at this level, it should be thoughtful, clear, and carefully crafted. Furthermore, it must be free of glaring mechanical errors that distract and confuse. Remember that we are using Aristotles definition of opinion in this class: a reasoned conclusion based on facts and evidence. Unless your opinion can be supported by textual evidence, do not include it in your paper.
You must write in the third person (no I or you). All papers must be word-processed, double-spaced from top to bottom, and include the appropriate heading and headers. Use a one-inch margin all around, Times New Roman 12 pt. font. You must have an original title. The title of the short story may not be used as the title of your essay. Short story titles must appear in quotations.
Use the Writing Workshops instructions to help you revise and edit your paper so you are turning in your best possible work. Remember to proofread and edit a printed copy; you cant see all of your errors on the screen.
Submit your paper in the D2L drop box in a .docx or .rtf format. Make sure to save your work with your last name as the first word in the file name: Jones Paper 2
How to fail this assignment:
Do not address the assignment.
Do not submit two complete, correctly formatted pages of text.
Plagiarize.
Write a plot summary.
Submit a paper that is so poorly proofread and edited that it is nonsensical.
Do not submit a digital copy in the correct format.
Choose one of the following stories:
Carver Cathedral p. 77
Cather Pauls Case p. 107
Fitzgerald Babylon Revisited p. 247
Garca Mrquez A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings p. 289
Hurston Sweat p. 378
Faulkner Barn Burning p. 238
Joyce Araby p. 430
Hawthorne Young Goodman Brown p. 348
Mansfield The Garden Party p. 565
Wharton Roman Fever p. 832
