Assignment 1: Story Analysis

Write a five- to seven-page analysis of one of the assigned stories from Spider Woman's Granddaughters. You may analyze a character, showing how the author develops the character and his/her motivations. Or you may interpret a theme of the story, or discuss how the author uses symbols or description to help readers understand the meaning of the story. You may consider comparing the texts by Mary TallMountain and reflecting on how they approach a central experience from different angles. Review the types of literary criticism and consider using one of these approaches to help you focus your essay, for example focusing on your response as a reader (reader response) or analyzing what a story shows us about society (sociological criticism). See the Online Writing Lab (OWL) for more tips on writing about fiction.

Focus your essay with a strong central idea (thesis), and use examples from the text to support your analysis. Use quotes or paraphrase from the text or other sources where appropriate. Use MLA format for your works cited page. To receive full credit, your essay must be a minimum of five pages (not including the works cited page).

Process suggestions:

1) Review: Reread the text you’ve chosen, your reading journal (if you have one), and your own or others’ comments on the story (from the forums).

2) Brainstorm: Try composing a cluster or freewrite on a response to the story. Don’t censor. Let your ideas and reactions flow.

3) Identify major themes or ideas in this story and look back at the parts of the story that deal with these themes.

4) Question: Compose three or more questions about the text that help you think critically and address the story’s complexities.

5) Make Connections: Connect this story to something you already know (another story, a text of any kind, a picture, an idea, a movie, a personal experience) and briefly reflect on this connection.

6) Reflection on a major theme: Reflect in more detail on one of the themes you’ve identified in the story. Where else has this theme appeared in your experience? What new understanding have you gained in reading this text?

7) Personal integration and application: How do the values represented in this reading confirm or conflict with your own values? In what ways can the ideas and values in this text be applied to situations that you face?

8) Formulate a strong thesis. This is the most critical part of your essay as it gives the whole paper focus, clarity, and unity. "Thesis" means main idea, an argument stated in sentence form. It should be narrow enough for you to prove it within the scope of the essay. See OWL for more about how to formulate a thesis in literature papers.

9) Discuss: At any point in the process, share your questions, reactions, and ideas with another person—classmate, friend, family member, teacher, or tutor in the campus Writing Center. Expressing your ideas through discussion may help you see the story from new angles and clarify your own response.

9) Revise: Reread your paper to ensure you have a strong thesis, clarity, flow/organization, transitions, effective introduction and conclusion, and integration of quotes and examples. Post your rough draft to our class for comments. Rewrite as needed.

10) Edit: Check your paper and correct any spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Check the works cited page for proper MLA format. Ensure that your paper conforms to the required format (eg. name, date, margins & page numbers). See a good handbook or the Online Writing Lab (OWL) for additional information on drafting, revising, proofreading, and citing sources using MLA format.

2009 MLA Format Guidelines

For: A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection

(such as a story, essay, or poem published in an anthology)

The basic format for this sort of citation is as follows:

Last name, First name. "Title of Essay or Story." Title of Collection. Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry. Medium of Publication.

Some examples:

Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. 24-34. Print.

Swanson, Gunnar. "Graphic Design Education as a Liberal Art: Design and Knowledge in the University and The 'Real World.'" The Education of a Graphic Designer. Ed. Steven Heller. New York: Allworth Press, 1998. 13-24. Print.

From: Purdue Online Writing Lab, “MLA Works Cited Page: Books”

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/06/