English Composition II: ENGL 112Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Plan for Today

Section 1 (5:15-6:45)

– Week 2 Quiz

– Discuss setting, point of view, style and tone

Section 2 (7:00-8:30)

– Small group activity about readings

– Individual work on theme

Section 3 (8:45-10:15)

– Discuss Essay 1

– Brainstorming and Prewriting for Essay 1

– Assign Homework

Week 2 Quiz

Literary TermsSetting, Point of View, Style and Tone

Setting (305)

Can contribute both to the construction of a story’s plot and theme

Establishes a work’s historical, geographical, and physical location

Where/when a work is set influences our interpretation of the story’s events and characters.

More than just the approximate time and place in which the work is set

Encompasses a wide variety of physical and cultural elements

Setting: Time Period (305-306)

Knowing the approximate year or historical period during which the story takes place

– can explain forces that act on characters

– help to account for their behavior

– clarify circumstances that influence the story’s action

– help to justify a writer’s use of plot devices that might otherwise seem improbable

Example: “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Knowing where a story is set can can help to explain anything from

– why the language and customs are unfamiliar to us

– why characters act in ways we find improbable

Applies to qualities unique to different

– cities/towns (small or large)

– regions within the US

– nations

Can also be a universal/generic location

Example: “The Storm,” “Barn Burning”

Setting: Geographical Location (306-307)

Setting: Physical (307-308)

Can relate to

– the time of day a story is set

– whether the story is set inside or outdoors

– the weather conditions

Often important in understanding the theme of a work.

Also contributes to creating a story’s atmosphere and mood. Pgs. 279

Examples:

– “The Storm”

– “The Cask of Amontillado”

Point of View (354)

Vantage point from which events are presented

Narrator

– Person telling the story

– Determines what details are included, how they are arranged

– Unreliable Narrator: misrepresents events or misdirects readers (can be on purpose or not)

Importance of separating Narrator and Author

Point of View (354-358)

First-Person: story told from the perspective of one of the characters

Third-Person Omniscient: story told from an all-knowing perspective outside of the story; can include views from a variety of characters; narrator still has an opinion/position

Third-Person Limited Omniscient: from the perspective of one character; only see, hear, feel, think what that character does

Third-Person Objective: story told completely outside of all characters minds; does not reveal any positions on the story

Irony (355)

Irony: discrepancy between what is said and what readers believe to be true

– Dramatic Irony: when narrator/character knows less than readers do

– Situational Irony: what happens is different from what readers expect

– Verbal Irony: when narrator/character says one thing and means another

Style and Tone (417)

Style: way a writer uses language

– Diction: word choice

– Syntax: sentence length and structure

– Imagery and Figures of Speech

Tone: attitude of narrator OR author toward

– subject matter

– characters

– audience

Language (417-421)

Stream-of-consciousness: follows thought patterns running from one topic to the next

Formal vs. Informal Diction

– Formal: elaborate, complex sentences; elevated vocabulary; distanced tone

– Informal: more like everyday speech; can be contemporary language or regional dialect

Imagery: describes what is experienced through the five senses (seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched)

Figures of Speech (421-422)

Similes and Metaphors: compare two dissimilar items

– Simile: using like or as

– Metaphor: without using like or as; basically says one thing is the other

Personification: endows inanimate objects or abstract ideas with life or with human characteristics

Allusions: references to familiar historical, cultural, literary, or biblical texts, figures, or events

Group Activity

For your group’s assigned story, propose a film adaptation that addresses

– Setting

– Plot (and the stages of plot)

– Order and Sequence

– Conflict

– Irony

– Title

Groups: [1] Chopin, “The Storm”; [2] Olsen, “I Stand Here Ironing”; [3] Faulkner, “Barn Burning”; [4] Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”; [5] Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado”

Potential for Changes to Course

Replace two plays in weeks 4 & 5 with Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun

– Original Reading: 61 pages (pp 1319-1330, 1961-2009)

– Revised Reading: 70 pages (pp 1331-1400); read at least 9 pages in class to cover extra reading

Revise Essay 2 (Literary Terms) to be a Film Adaptation Essay with same length requirements

Theme (551-554)

Theme

– its central or dominant idea

– not just a plot summary

– conveys the values and ideas expressed by the story

– general idea that extends beyond the story and applies to the world outside fiction

– revealed through titles, symbols, conflicts, and character statements and changes

Thinking about Theme

Write what you see as the THEME of each of the following stories

– Chopin, “The Story of an Hour”

– Chopin, “The Storm”

– Olsen, “I Stand Here Ironing”

– Faulkner, “Barn Burning”

– Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”

– Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado”

Paper 1 - ThemeIntroductions, Thesis, The Assignment

Introductions [based on The Everyday Writer]

The introduction is a key paragraph for both readers and writers. First impressions matter. The reader is more inclined to read a paper and consider a position if the initial paragraph is clear, organized, and engaging. For the writer, a carefully crafted first paragraph acts as the springboard, establishing the order and direction for the entire paper.

The form and content of an introduction depend upon many factors including:

– Specifics of the assignment

– Intended audience

– Conventions of the discipline

Introductions

General Things the Introduction Should Do

– Capture the reader’s attention

– Reflect the questions raised by the assignment

– Provide essential context

– Define key terms

What the Introduction Must Do

– Convey the pattern of organization you will follow in the paper

– Build to the thesis sentence: a clear, concise statement of the specific position you will explore in your paper

Introductions

Start Focused

– Avoid broad openers. Start your discussion right away.

– DO NOT open with empty fillers i.e., “Since the beginning of time” or “For thousands of years . . .”

– DO start with a sentence that launches your position i.e., “JM Coetzee’s The Barbarians explores the latent meanings of deformity.”

Introductions Cont.

As your Introduction Continues

– Each sentence should contribute to the development of your discussion/position

– Avoid “fact-only” statements about the subject.

– Incorporate facts into substantive statements.• I.e., Avoid: “Jane Austin uses letters to reveal important information”

• I.e., Alternative: “Austin’s use of letters allows her to relay key narrative information in a concise and engaging way.”

Revise the Introduction

After you’ve completed the draft of the paper, go back and revise the introduction to make sure it still reflects what you’ve discovered after writing the complete draft.

The act of writing actually helps one learn, so the way one views information at the beginning of a project and at the end of the project might change.

Thesis Statements

What is a Thesis?

– A thesis is a clear, concise statement of the specific position you will explore in your paper, containing 2 parts• the argument as an arguable statement

• the roadmap – the means by which you will direct you readers, the points you will be examining

– A thesis should state a position and NOT summarize information.

Thesis Statements

When Composing a Thesis,

– Make sure your thesis reflects the full scope of your argument/position

– Avoid using a thesis that is too broad and too narrow

– Argue as conceptually rich as you can support (ask how and why to enrich your thesis)

– Make sure your readers can identify your thesis

– Do not just reword the assignment, claim your own position.

The Assignment

For this assignment, you are asked to compare and contrast the themes of two works assigned in the first three weeks of the course. There are a few things you should consider while writing this paper:

– Establish your dominant idea (thesis) in the opening paragraph.

– Use quotes from each text to strengthen your claims.

– It is important to remember that the theme of a story is not just a mere plot summary; it conveys the values and ideas expressed by the story. Simply conveying the plots of the stories will not result in a passing grade.

– Also, keep in mind that titles, settings, symbols, conflicts, and character statements and changes can all reveal the theme of a story and help you prove your point.

Essay 1: Theme

Assignment: We have discussed the significance of theme, the central or dominant idea, in works of short fiction. For this first paper you are asked to compare and contrast the themes of two works assigned for the first three weeks of the course.

Possible texts: Chopin, “The Story of an Hour”; Chopin, “The Storm”; Olsen, “I Stand Here Ironing”; Faulkner, “Barn Burning”; Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”; Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado”; O'Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”; Walker, “Everyday Use”; Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown”; Welty, “A Worn Path”

Essay 1: Theme

There are a few things you should consider while writing this paper (in addition to reviewing Chapters 2-5 in your textbook):

– Establish your dominant idea (thesis statement) in the opening paragraph, i.e. how you believe each theme compares and/or contrast and what you hope to prove in your essay.

– Use quotes from each text to strengthen your claims. Remember that according to MLA guidelines page numbers should follow these quotes.

– It is important to remember that the theme of a story is not just a mere plot summary; it conveys the values and ideas expressed by the story. Simply conveying the plots of the stories will not result in a passing grade for this assignment.

Essay 1: Theme

Also, keep in mind that titles, settings, symbols, conflicts, and character statements and changes can all reveal the theme of a story and help you prove you point.

Guidelines: This first essay should be at least three pages in length, double-spaced, typed, and in 12pt font. Also, you should follow MLA guidelines for quoting sources and paper format.

Due Dates

– Week 3: rough draft with a question in email by noon if you want feedback; 2 hard copies for class

– Week 4: hard copy at beginning of class; digital copy uploaded to turnitin.com before class

Thinking about Theme

Which stories have related/similar themes?

Which have contrasting themes?

Choose one of the comparisons/contrasts to elaborate on

Why do you think the themes of these two stories are connected?

Why is that connection interesting to you?

Identify 3 examples from each story (literary elements, quotes, characters, etc.) to demonstrate its theme

Homework

Reading (always including textual introductions):

– O'Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”

– Walker, “Everyday Use”

– Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown”

– Welty, "A Worn Path”

– "Symbol, Allegory, and Myth," 487-491

– "Interpreting Theme," 552-555

Assignments:

– Email digital copy with question by noon if you want feedback from me

– Bring 2 copies of Essay 1 (first draft) to class for Writing Workshop