EWRT 1C Class 16

AGENDA

• Essay #2 Prompt

• Writing about Literature

• Review: Crane and Ratinov

• Basic Features

• Analyzing your story

• Annotating your story

• Writing your thesis

• Outlining your essay

Essay #2: Prompt

The Writing Assignment

In a thesis driven essay of 4-7 pages, analyze one or more aspects of one of the

stories we have read this quarter. Aim to convince readers that your

interpretation adds to the conversation among those who read stories and write

about them. Back up your analysis with reasons and support from the story. Use

the critical strategies or lenses that we have practiced this quarter.

“Araby” by James Joyce

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel García Márquez

“The Bet” by Anton Chekhov

I encourage you to read the complete assignment on our website under “Essay Prompts,” and “Essay 2.”

Group Discussion:

Responses to “Araby”

Spend five

minutes

discussing the

homework

questions

1. Examine the way Crane’s thesis includes a forecasting statement and how the forecast is fulfilled. Then write down her topic sentences and key terms. Do they effectively link her supporting paragraphs to her thesis statement?

2. Examine Crane’s paragraph five in her essay. Explain her strategy in the organization of the paragraph. Is it effective?

3. Look at Crane’s paragraphs 6-8. What is her goal? Is she successful? How and why?

4. Does Ratinov’s thesis meet the standards of a well-written interpretive thesis statement? Is it interesting, arguable, clear, and appropriately qualified?

5. What reasons does Ratinov offer for his interpretation of the story’s ending?

1. Compare essays to argue which is stronger. Consider introductions, theses statements, support, analysis, and the conclusion.

Hybrid Hour Homework Questions:

Crane and Ratinov

Basic Features:

Interpreting Stories

For a more complete explanation, see the document on Basic Features

from Axelrod and Cooper. You can find the document on the website

under “Course Readings,” “Secondary Texts,” and “Basic Features and

Invention Strategies”

Basic Features

1. An Appropriately Presented

Subject.

2. An Interesting and Clearly

Stated Interpretation.

3. A Plausible Chain of

Reasons with Convincing

Support.

Basic Features1. An Appropriately Presented Subject.

a. A directed Summary: Provides information about the story that

the reader needs to understand your argument

2. An Interesting and Clearly Stated Interpretation.

a. Interesting

b. Arguable

c. Clear

d. Appropriately qualified

3. A Plausible Chain of Reasons with Convincing Support.

a. Textual evidence: quote, summarize, and paraphrase from the

story.

b. Explain the meaning of the passage and its relevance to the

thesis.

c. Combine evidence and explanation to support and develop your

thesis

Analyzing Your story

Analyzing Your storyPsychoanalytic Criticism

Analyzing Your story

Feminist Criticism

Analyzing Your story

NEW Criticism

How does this piece work?

Annotating your story

Ratinov’s Annotation

Annotating your Story:

An In-Class exercise

• Read your story again

• Look for key words to define or

explain

• Look for figures of speech to

explain

• Identify paradox, irony, ambiguity,

and tension

• Look for themes, ideas, scenes, or

dialogue that might support a

feminist or psychoanalytic reading.

Write a Tentative Thesis

One basic feature of a response to literature essay is an interesting and clearly stated interpretation.

Try to write one now. Remember, it must have the following characteristics:

a. Interesting

b. Arguable

c. Clear

d. Appropriately qualified

Outlining your essay

• Consider the key words in your thesis and jot down

the information you will need to have in your essay

to make your points.

• Write down points you intend to make; now look at

your thesis to see if you need to include any other

key words to help clarify your argument.

• Reread and analyze your story

• Post #15: Tentative thesis and essay outline

• Bring a hardcopy or your device to class as we will be

working on essay # 2