Select one of the following essay topics for the paper:
A.) The lead heroes of Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons are not only mostly male but stereotypically masculine, even exaggeratively so. Female characters are present in both stories, but their roles are relatively minor. Interpret the deeper meaning of gender in these stories or perhaps specifically masculinity and its role with and effects on heroism in these two works.
B.) Super heroes are often traditionally portrayed as vigilantes who are fighting criminals even as they themselves break the law. Though older comics often show heroes working alongside law enforcement, we see a much more hostile relationship between government and super heroes in the works of Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, even to the point where heroes who are outlawed fight heroes who are government sanctioned. Analyzing both texts, interpret the deeper meaning of vigilantism in these super hero comics and what it seems to say about our cultural views of justice, law, and government.
Whichever topic you choose, you must:
Use both texts of Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen. Quote both texts extensively as your main evidence for your interpretation.
Analyze the two texts in detail–that is, look for deeper connections and meanings behind the literal characters and stories
.Ultimately form an interpretive thesis, something bold and insightful (meaning not at all obvious) that you can nonetheless back up with text and analysis. Your thesis forms a unified, cohesive claim that your body paragraphs proceed to describe, explain, and support in depth. The thesis ideally adds your opinion, not just a theme.
Use and quote at least two outside sources other than Miller and Moore (and no more than seven). Whatever the sources are, they should provide helpful ideas that inform your interpretation. You may use no more than seven different sources, though, other than Miller and Moore.
.Have a formal introduction, at least five body paragraphs, and a formal conclusion.
Guidelines for How to Draft This Paper:
Work through your favorite topic above. Re-read/ re-skim the texts to look for key scenes, panels, and characters. Assemble your favorite evidence and describe what you see in notes. Apply art details from McCloud (Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art), like color, shape, and so on.
Analyze what youve described. Look at your own description list and brainstorm for creative associations. Add your intuition, impressions, and loose thoughts. Look for parallels between these examples and anything else you know (other books or movies, for example). Let your imagination flow, and make note of your ideas.
From your analysis, form an interpretation that clearly addresses the topic youve chosen. Take your favorite brainstormed ideas and try to pull them together for one main, central, focused claim. Make sure that claim is NOT obvious; it should feel fresh, bold, interesting, or insightful. This forms your tentative thesis.
With your tentative thesis in mind, figure out a way to present your argument. Come up with a structure of body paragraphs that serves your main thesis claim. You may wish to devote certain body paragraphs to character analysis or scene analysis, for example. You may wish to spend other body paragraphs on your main premises, spending one paragraph per premise.
Do not summarize your paper; seek out the deeper, larger implications of your thesis and explore them thoughtfully.
Once the conclusion is drafted, go back and write your intro. Be direct–no hooks. Introduce the main books (book titles are italicized). Name the authors and artists. Summarize each book briefly (three sentences or less each). Introduce your paper topic. Present that thesis interpretation you came up with
.As you revise, double check the topic sentences of each body paragraph. Are they previewing specifically the claim of that body paragraph?
If the paper feels thin or short, go back to the texts. Find new examples to add.
Creativity is rewarded, as long as you can back it up and explain it. Be bold. These are works of fiction. Your goal is to find meaning that the average reader dont notice or expect.
Remember what I always grade for: DETAIL; CLARITY; SUPPORT; INSIGHT.
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