Discussion
Spring 2025 EN 201 Literary Analysis Paper Assignment
Deadlines:
February 21 by 11:59 PM: Brainstorming Discussion –via Canvas Discussion Board
March 5 by 11:59 PM: “Shitty First Draft”—via Canvas Assignment Submission
March 26 by 11:59 PM: ‘Official’ First Draft—via Canvas Assignment Submission
May 4 by 1159 PM: Final draft—via Canvas Assignment Submission
Formatting:
Suggested length—at least 8 pages
Spacing—double-spaced
Sizing—12 pt.
Font— Times New Roman, Garamond, or any elegant, professional font. (Use your discretion.)
Style—Any professional style, as long as you are consistent within the style you choose (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)
Prompt:
In at least 8 pages (double-spaced), write an essay in which you discuss any
two major literary works we’ve read this semester. (i.e., Make an original claim for how any two books/poems/stories/etc. we’ve read this semester speak to each other/are connected in one way or another.) You must choose at least two texts (they must be from different authors, and they must be texts we’ve studied in our class). For this paper, you could consider themes, motifs, tropes, and/or any other kinds of literary/poetic devices present in the works you choose, and you’ll want to think about how the texts you’re analyzing are connected thematically, stylistically, historically, etc. Remember to quote and cite directly from whichever texts you choose to analyze. Your ultimate goal for the paper should be to communicate an original argument about the works you’re analyzing. In order to achieve this originality, you’ll need to rely on a number of secondary sources (at least 5). [I will discuss how to find and incorporate these sources in one of our bi-weekly lecture videos.]
Pro Tips:
*In general, it would be most helpful to have at least three examples for every point of your analysis. For instance, if, at some point in your paper, you are analyzing an author’s use of a particular motif, in that section of your paper, you should be able to identify and explain
at least three examples of that motif appearing in the text.
*Additionally, you should be sure that your examples are very thoroughly explained. Simply following a quote or reference with “this is an example of [insert theme/motif/literary mechanism/etc.]” is not enough. You must also thoroughly explain
why you feel that the example you’ve chosen is, in fact, an example of the element you claim it to be and
how that element helps you prove your argument.
*Be sure you thoroughly introduce your texts in the introduction, and avoid summarization elsewhere. Remember, this is an
analysis assignment. Paraphrase when necessary to orient your reader, but leave the plot summary for the introduction.
*Create a section of your essay (most likely before your analyses of your primary texts) in which you summarize your secondary sources and establish an existing scholarly conversation based on these sources. And explain how your work contributes to this conversation.
*Be sure to reach a claim of ultimate significance. In other words, answer the big “So what?” question. Why should people care about what you’ve written? Why is it important to place these texts you’ve chosen in conversation with one another and to analyze them for the specific elements you’ve chosen to analyze? This should be the last part of your essay—the final sucker punch, but you should also hint at it in the beginning of your essay.
*Communicate! I am available to help. Ask questions when you have them, and, if you can, send me a draft of your work and conference with me for feedback before submitting the final draft.
