Essay 2 Guidelines
Essay 2 Guidelines – Choose 1 Prompt - EITHER Compare/Contrast OR Critical Approach:
Compare/Contrast:
Choose two stories that we have read this semester to compare and contrast. You might, for example choose texts that treat a similar theme. How does the plot, point of view, character, symbol, or setting relate to the theme you have chosen?
Here is a list of suggested themes from texts we have read or viewed so far this semester:
Marriage: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman & “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
Coming of Age: “A&P” by John Updike “Greasy Lake” by T.C. Boyle
OR:
You might choose to compare characters in a story or play:
Louise Mallard from "The Story of an Hour" Jane in "The Yellow Wallpaper"
OR Sammy from “A&P The narrator in “Greasy Lake”
Remember, that when comparing and contrasting you must do more than just note what is similar and different. You need to analyze the texts for what is significant about the comparison. Use one text as a lens to better see the other and explain how the differences or similarities work together to create new meaning. View C/C PPT for help crafting a thesis.
OR –
Critical Approach:
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” is about a woman who receives some shocking news. Read the story. How do the details in the story reveal the attitudes of society regarding women’s roles in the 1800”s?
OR
Write an essay about “The Yellow Wallpaper,” describing the aptness of wallpaper as a symbol of the life of the narrator. Look at the adjectives that Gilman uses to develop the wallpaper as a symbol and notice how the character of the narrator is tied to the descriptions of the wallpaper. How does the description of the paper reflect the narrator’s changing character?
Requirements:
Paper should be 500 words, MLA formatted with a header & title, be double spaced in 12pt Times New Roman. Make a debatable claim and provide reasons and textual evidence to support points you make. Be sure to include in-text citations as well as a Works Cited page.