Each paper is to be a work of literary analysis on a particular text. The original thesis of that analysis, much like the text you write on, is up to you (in fact, the invention of an interesting and compelling argument is part of the assignment). It should be a paper driven by a thesis that takes roughly 4 pages (double-spaced) to prove. This means you will want to avoid theses that are decidedly too large or too small. Writing about the whole of the Odyssey will simply not do. Pick a short scene, a brief exchange of dialogue, one epic simile, etc. In order to write an excellent paper, many things have to occur. (1) Your thesis must be strong and of consequence. A thesis that is vague or generic forces you to have an unfocused and uninteresting paper. If you are not intrigued by what you’re trying to prove, you can be sure that your paper will suffer. (2) You use appropriate evidence to prove the thesis. This will come from the language and structure of the text you are analyzing. (3) Concise, clear explanation of how your evidence proves your thesis. If you quote Odysseus as saying, “How I long for Penelope,” and then state this proves your thesis that Odysseus is first and foremost a liar, then something is missing. You still need to explain how your evidence is proving what you are claiming. (4) Clear precise language in your writing with no awkwardness in sentence and paragraph construction. This includes grammatical errors, which often confuse the clarity of your argument and call into question your credibility. (5) A logical organization to your argument. (6) Meeting all the necessary MLA requirements. The general rule will be to write more about less.
