Researched paper
Select from the following short stories and write a paper on one or more, using library databases to find
three secondary sources appropriate for college-level academic work.
Black River
The Shawl
St. Lucys Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Dolans Cadillac
Any of the assigned poems
Note that you can write about The Cask of Amontillado in conjunction with another story, but please
dont focus on that only as its not strictly speaking a contemporary piece.
For your topic, choose something that interests you and something on which you can find good
secondary sources (a secondary source is a piece written about the story) in the databases.
Suggestions for topicsyou can come up with your own, too. Obviously, do not choose a topic you
used for Paper 1.
Postmodern elements in any of these stories
Irony in any of these stories
Point of view and perspective and their impact on the readers experience in any of these storiDo your research early to be sure you can find enough secondary sources on your topic. See the
Your Paper Assignments, Library Resources and Support module for help.
Other selected literary elements in any of these stories
A character study of the major characters in any of these stories
Hulses treatment of the myth of the American West in Black River.
A comparison of Hulses treatment of the myth of the American West with Proulxs treatment of
the myth (this will work as long as you didnt write about Proulxs treatment of the myth for
your first paper)
Compare a classic Western film to Hulses work.
The elements of magical realism in St. Lucys Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
How an understanding of Ojibwe spirituality and beliefs informs your understanding of The
Shawl
How Dolans Cadillac reflects Poes The Cask of Amontillado.
How the conventions of the horror genre are followed or disrupted in Dolans Cadillac
A comparison of Kings novella with its film version (caution: this is rated R)I think you can see
this on Amazon if you have a Prime account; do not attempt this topic unless you can talk
intelligently about film as an art form. Simply pointing out changes in plot structure between the
film and novella will not be adequate. You will need to discuss which accomplishes the theme,
symbolism, character development, etc. more effectively; which point of view is more effective
and why; which follows the conventions of literary/film horror genres more closely, etc.
Imagery in any of the poems
A comparison of literary elements in two or more poems
You dont have to find a secondary source about your specific story. For example, you can find
a source about the typical symbolism of water and argue that your story uses the symbol in that
way, or that your story twists the typical symbolism even if the source doesnt mention your
story. You can find a source on Postmodernism and show the postmodern elements of your
story, even if the source doesnt mention your story. You can find sources on the myth of the
American West and use that to discuss Hulses treatment of the myth even if the source doesnt
mention the novel.
