Topic: Discuss one of the stories by Poe, Bierce, Chekhov, Joyce, Mansfield, or Woolf, offering an interpretation that draws on style, point of view, narrator, or structure, as appropriate. (2000 words; worth 40%)
In effect, this requires you to design your own topic, within the constraints described. Four aspects of the short story are proposed, but it is up to you to choose which ones are relevant for your topic; you could discuss from one to four, depending on which aspect is significant in your view of the story you choose.
Probably the best procedure will be:
- first choose the story that interests you most;
- second, after several readings sketch out an interpretation;
- third, zoom in on the details of the story that best support your interpretation, considering as you do so whether these represent style, point of view, narrator, or structure (details that cannot be described under one of these headings should be omitted);
- in the revision process, tighten up the essay by making sure the details you describe support the interpretation; add pointers to the connection if this isn't yet clear.
There is no standard style or structure of essay, except for the following general points:
- your first paragraph should contain the thesis, i.e., the overall argument of the essay;
- you can, and probably should, write in the first person where relevant (e.g., "I will argue that. . .");
- critical reading is not necessary for this topic, which will largely be a close reading of one story, although some further reading might assist you if you have time;
- you can refer to analyses of your chosen story that we have made in class, but such comments should be limited to no more than two or three sentences (you can, of course, disagree with such an analysis if you wish to argue a different view from the one we took in class);
- avoid retelling or outlining what happens in the story; concentrate on analysis, and make sure you focus in on the details of the story that will best support your interpretation;
- the essay will probably begin and end with your interpretation of the story (its point, theme, significance); middle paragraphs will refer to aspects of your interpretation by reference to details in the story
- keep the word limit in mind; essays that depart by more than 100 words or so from this limit will lose marks; use your word processor's word counter to check
Format. Papers should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point regular type (e.g., Times Roman); provide margins of 1.25 inches on both sides; the pages stapled at the top left; your name and the course name and number, and title of essay at the top; a cover page isn't necessary. Do not use a binder. Follow MLA style in formatting the essay. If you are unclear what this is, see this website. For this essay, references to pages in your chosen story from the Geddes anthology will be sufficient: e.g., Chopin's doomed wife feels "a monstrous joy" (75). Footnotes are not required. Unless you are referring to other sources a bibliography won't be required. If you do need a bibliography, it should be printed on a separate page at the end of the essay, with items alphabetized by author (for format: see Works Cited Page on MLA-format website).
Document prepared September 4th 2002