ENGL 151-13: English II
Spring 2022
Dr. Grayson
Essay 1: Critical Analysis of Fiction
The Assignment:
For this essay, I ask that you select
a text by one of the authors we have read by Monday, February 14. The paper
will be a thesis-driven critical analysis.
In order to write a good analysis, you
will want to make use of a strategy called close reading, which asks you
to focus your critical eye on one or more short passages of a text in order to
better appreciate the whole. You will present your interpretation of the text
in the form of a cohesive, narrowly-focused, and unifying thesis statement. In
order to effectively draw such whole-text conclusions from the examination of
shorter excerpts, close readings ask you to identify, “unpack,” and explain
patterns in the text so that your reader will better appreciate the work you
examine.
The
first stage in doing a close reading is to carefully read and re-read your
selected text with the goal of annotating it. Start by underlining,
highlighting, or copying the words and phrases that you find to be particularly
important or that encourage you to ask questions about the text. Take notes,
either in the margin or on a separate sheet of paper. The second stage is
evaluating and interpreting your notes and highlighted passages. Look for
patterns and connections in your notes and ask yourself what they reveal about
the text you are examining. Do you notice any repetitions, contradictions,
parallels, inconsistencies, or stylistic shifts? The third stage in a close
reading is to ask yourself questions about the patterns you have identified,
especially how
and why. How does the author explore a theme, for instance? Why does he
or she choose to treat the subject in this way? Pay attention to patterns in
the following areas: figurative language, diction, structure, style,
characterization, and tone. Observe the context of each passage and text you
analyze. How does it fit in the larger work?
Things to Consider:
Figurative language: Locate symbols,
metaphors, similes, metonymy, synecdoche, imagery, etc. Consider all the
possible literal and figurative connotations of each.
Diction: Examine the non-figurative
language and investigate the various meanings and connotations of other key
words.
Structure: Look at how the author
chooses to shape his or her work. How does the form of the text contribute to
its overall meaning?
Style: Look for patterns and
disruptions in the author’s style. What might they reveal about his or her
intent in writing the work?
Characterization: How does the author
depict his or her subjects? How do they relate to one another? What do their
relationships and interactions reveal about each other?
Specifications:
Minimum length: 750-1000 words (or 3-4 pages)
Due date: Thursday, February 17 on Blackboard.
Header: Include your name, the due date, my name, and the course
in your header. You do not need a title
page or page numbers.
Other requirements: Your paper must be written in double-spaced 12-point
Times New Roman font, have one-inch margins, and follow MLA formatting.
Online Resources Worth Consulting:
The Literary Link’s guide to close reading: http://theliterarylink.com/closereading.html
Harvard
University’s guide: http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-do-close-reading
Reed College’s guide: http://academic.reed.edu/writing/paper_help/close-reading.html
Purdue
University’s guide to MLA style: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/