For this essay, you’ll need to write 500-750 words on one of the following prompts. Please use the MLA template I’ve e-mailed to you (and is available in the files section) in order to format your paper properly.
“A symbol is a person, object, action, place, or event, that in addition to its literal meaning, suggests a more complex meaning or range of meanings” (Kirszner and Mandell 328). Strangers figure prominently in some of the stories you’ve read so far this term. Write an essay in which you discuss the possible symbolic significance of strangers in a particular story. They may have one particular meaning or many differing levels of meaning. You could consider “A&P”, “Young Goodman Brown”, or “A Good Man is Hard to Find”; however, these are not the only stories that feature strangers. You should discuss three different strangers (one for each body paragraph). The strangers do not have to come from the same story.
Do a “close reading” of a poem – preferable one we have examined this semester so far. Since a close reading is a formalist way of examining a piece of literature, you want to pay “attention to organization and structure, to verbal nuances (suggested by word choice and figurative language), and to multiple meanings (often created through the writer’s use of paradox and irony). Formalist critics try to reconcile the tensions and oppositions inherent in the text in order to develop a unified reading” (Kirszner and Mandell 1332). Discuss language and figures of speech, and why this poet chose those particular words. How is the poem organized and does that have relevance to the meaning? Examine other critical theories/critics on what they have to say about this poem. There are many more questions that can be asked, but these may get you started. If you choose a poem that we did not study, please attach it as an addendum to your paper (after the Works Cited). You do not have to tell me it’s there; if you have written about a poem I didn’t assign, I’ll know to look for it.
Remember, when writing about literature, use quality evidence directly from the texts to support an argumentative thesis in order to persuade your readers. Make sure you use literary terms correctly and be sure you proofread your work. Additionally, you must find additional support using the databases from Valencia’s online library system. Remember that you need to cite properly any sources you find using MLA citation style (both in-text and Works Cited).
This essay is due Sunday, November 13.
