Choose two texts from the Victorian unit of the course & a cultural and/or historical lens through which to analyze those texts. Find compelling passages to close read that illuminate how the texts speak to, nuance, and/or complicate the cultural/historical issue youve chosen. Consider how those passages help you devise an argument about the texts. Offer an argument/thesis about how the texts together speak to, nuance, and/or complicate your cultural/historical issue. o Your thesis should not simply compare and contrast: Text A and Text B are similar in X ways and different in Y ways is a weak thesis. o Instead, your thesis should say something about what we gain by reading your two texts together. In other words, what would we miss if we only analyzed one of the texts? What does analyzing them in conjunction illuminate about your chosen cultural/historical issue? Prove your argument by providing textual evidence and analysis. Organize your paper effectively in order to convince your reader of your argument. Focus points/grading criteria: Introduction & thesis: Provide an argumentative, provocative, and focused thesis statement that makes a claim about the texts in relation to the cultural/historical lens youve chosen. Use the introduction to set up the foundation for your thesis. Evidence & analysis: Support your argument with thoughtfully chosen evidence and compelling analysis. Do not merely summarize the plot. Close read your evidence by paying attention to the language; then, clearly explain how your evidence helps you prove your thesis. Quote and re-quote particular words and phrases that you find especially significant to serve as evidence. Organization: Build an argumentative arc with the structure of your essay, and make the logic of that structure apparent through clear topic sentences, concluding sentences, and transitions. Think about what steps you need to take to prove your thesis. Focus each body paragraph on one of those steps, and determine the order in which you will arrange those steps to construct the most convincing argument. Conclusion: End your essay by briefly summarizing your main ideas. Then, open up your essay by gesturing toward the larger impacts of your argument. Writing mechanics: Write clear, direct prose; be deliberate with your word choice. Also, watch out for typos, spelling errors, grammar mistakes, etc. Paper formatting: Follow MLA style, which includes appropriate citations, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spacing, one-inch margins, and a proper heading.
Hide
