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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.”
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
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.