Analyze two different stories assigned in Modules 1 or 2, which share a common theme or topic. This theme could be one of many that we see developed in stories by Moore, Munroe, O’Brien, Alexie, or Lahiri: loneliness, redemption, family strife, personal identity, loss, disappointment, confusion, sexuality, the passage of time, and so on. Identify and describe a particular thematic concern that connects the two stories. Explore how this theme is developed in each of the stories. Make points of comparison and contrast, making sure to discuss specific examples from both stories.
Assume that your audience is comprised of your fellow classmates and your instructor. Since they are already familiar with the stories (and poems and plays), you do not need to provide excessive plot summary. Instead, your emphasis should be on analysis, interpretation, and argument.
Regardless of the option you choose, your critical essay should accomplish the following:
Include a strong thesis statement articulating your point of view about the stories you are analyzing.
Include a specific discussion of genre conventions (figurative language, dialogue, plot, description, humor, characterization, setting, narrative devices, etc.) that help convey the particular theme that you have chosen to write about.
Cite specific examples and details in your discussion of each story to support your thesis/point of view.
Quote effectively (not too much and not too little). Three to four apt quotations should suffice for this purpose. Introduce the quoted passages and explain their significance for you and for the readers sake as well.
Clearly organize, present, and develop your points in well-constructed paragraphs. A paragraph is a unit of composition that develops a stage in your analysis, exposition, or argument. Ideally, each paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence and relate to every other paragraph in order to form a coherent whole.
Make effective transitions between the various stages and ideas in your essay.
Keep your introductory and concluding paragraphs concise and succinct.
Be direct and to the point in your writingtry to avoid wordiness.
Use the present tense whenever possible when writing about a story or any work of fiction. Use the first-person voice (“I” or “me”) only to help convey your own writerly voice.
Include a Works Cited page. Even though you are just citing a few sources for this assignment, you need to cite them accurately and correctly. For this task and other matters of style, formatting, and documentation, you should consult the most recent edition of The MLA Handbook. It is an indispensable resource for students of literature.
Length and Format: This is a four-page, double-spaced, except for block quotations, which should be single-spaced.
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