Writing Project 1: Story Analysis

Write a 1000-1200 word-analysis essay based on one of the assigned stories that you have read for this
class. You must choose one of the following stories to analyze for your essay: “A Pair of Silk Stockings,”
“Salvation,” “Puppy,” “The School,” “Sonny’s Blues,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “To Build a Fire,” “The
Displaced Person,” “The Things They Carried,” and “A Room of One’s Own.” You may analyze a
character, showing how the author develops the character and his/her motivations. Or you may interpret a
theme of the story, or discuss how the author uses symbols or description to help readers understand the
meaning of the story. You can use Critical Theory Today, by Lois Tyson (link located in CANVAS).
Review the Types of Literary Criticism (located in Week 2) and consider using one of these approaches to
help you focus your essay, for example focusing on your response as a reader (reader response) or analyzing
what a story shows us about society (sociological criticism). See the Online Writing Lab (OWL) for more
tips on writing about fiction.

Focus your essay with a strong central idea (thesis), and use examples from the text to support your
analysis. Use quotes or paraphrase from the text or other sources where appropriate. Use MLA format for
your works cited page. To receive full credit, your essay must have a minimum of 1000-1200 words (not
including the works cited page).

You must use proper in-text citations and have a works cited pages that corresponds to your in-text citations.
If you are not using proper in-text citations then it is considered plagiarism, which will result in a zero for
the assignment. Consult the links for MLA formatting located on the top section of our course shell in
CANVAS.

*Draft 1 is due on Sept. 23, 2018. You must submit it to the Dropbox in CANVAS and to Turnitin.com

*The Final Draft is due on Sept. 30, 2018. You must make revisions, and changes to your final draft.
Do not just resubmit your rough draft twice. If you do, your final grade may be reduced 1-2 full letter
grades. You must submit it to the Dropbox in CANVAS and to Turnitin.com

Process suggestions:
1) Review: Reread the text you’ve chosen, your reading journal (if you have one), and your own or others’
comments on the story (from the forums).

2) Brainstorm: Try composing a cluster or freewrite on a response to the story. Don’t censor. Let your ideas
and reactions flow.

3) Identify major themes or ideas in this story and look back at the parts of the story that deal with these
themes.

4) Question: Compose three or more questions about the text that help you think critically and address the
story’s complexities.

5) Make Connections: Connect this story to something you already know (another story, a text of any kind,
a picture, an idea, a movie, a personal experience) and briefly reflect on this connection.

6) Reflection on a major theme: Reflect in more detail on one of the themes you’ve identified in the story.
Where else has this theme appeared in your experience? What new understanding have you gained in
reading this text?

7) Personal integration and application: How do the values represented in this reading confirm or conflict
with your own values? In what ways can the ideas and values in this text be applied to situations that you
face?

8) Formulate a strong thesis. This is the most critical part of your essay as it gives the whole paper focus,
clarity, and unity. "Thesis" means main idea, an argument stated in sentence form. It should be narrow
enough for you to prove it within the scope of the essay. See OWL for more about how to formulate a thesis
in literature papers.

9) Discuss: At any point in the process, share your questions, reactions, and ideas with another person—
classmate, friend, family member, teacher, or tutor in the campus Reading Writing Center. Expressing your
ideas through discussion may help you see the story from new angles and clarify your own response.

9) Revise: Reread your paper to ensure you have a strong thesis, clarity, flow/organization, transitions,
effective introduction and conclusion, and integration of quotes and examples. Post your rough draft to our
class for comments. Rewrite as needed.

10) Edit: Check your paper and correct any spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Check the works
cited page for proper MLA format. Ensure that your paper conforms to the required format (eg. name, date,
margins & page numbers). See a good handbook or the Online Writing Lab (OWL) for additional
information on drafting, revising, proofreading, and citing sources using MLA format.

8th Edition MLA Format Guidelines

For: A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection
(such as a story, essay, or poem published in an anthology)

The basic format for this sort of citation is as follows:

Last name, First name. "Title of Essay or Story." Title of Collection. Ed. Editor's
Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry.

Some examples:

Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping
Writers One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. 24-34.

Swanson, Gunnar. "Graphic Design Education as a Liberal Art: Design and Knowledge
in the University and The 'Real World.'" The Education of a Graphic Designer. Ed.
Steven Heller. New York: Allworth Press, 1998. 13-24.

From: Purdue Online Writing Lab, “MLA Works Cited Page: Books”
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/06/