| ENG 294: Introduction to Modernism |
Professor: Suzanne Churchill |
| Paper #1 | 2-page analysis of a poem or passage |
| Due | Tuesday, Sept. 4th, at the beginning of class. |
You may write about a poem or passage from any text we've covered so far. If you write about a text we discussed in class, your analysis should move significantly beyond the territory we covered. Your paper should not offer a line-by-line reading or interpretive paraphrase. Instead, I am looking for a precise, coherent, surprising argument about a text. This argument should center on a clear, specific, controversial thesis. One way to evaluate a thesis is to try to imagine a counter-argument--would any reasonable reader disagree with you? Is your thesis specific enough to anchor your argument?
| Weak thesis | Loy uses diction, tone, and visual effects to mock conventional marital relations. | Leads to list of examples. No one would disagree. Same basic sentence could be used for any number of papers. |
| Weak thesis | Her deconstruction of architectural and linguistic structures serves as a commentary about the role of women in society. | Too general. What exactly is she commenting about the role of women in society? And what is that role? |
| Strong thesis | Loy implies that conventional marriage ideals are mad, yet her writing, which willfully disregards the norms of syntax, grammar, and punctuation, seems to be infected with a madness of its own. | Identifies a problem or apparent contradiction that requires explanation, analysis, and resolution. |
| Strong thesis | Nothing appears sacred to Loy, as she simultaneously ridicules both marital and religious conventions. | Thesis is clear and precise, drawing attention to a religious dimension of the poem that is not immediately obvious. |
Although you may notice lots of interesting things about the passage, your close reading should analyze only the features relevant to your thesis. For example, you may discover a fascinating metaphor, but if it doesnít support your thesis, donít include it in your paper. Don't list themes and devices. Do present a sustained, coherent analysis of the text, showing how specific themes or devices support your reading. If you are writing about a passage, explain why this particular passage is important to our understanding of the text as a whole. Avoid generalities about poetry, culture, or humanity: remember that every sentence should belong in this paper and no other.
To get started, read my handout on reading and writing about poetry. Read the poem or passage aloud several times. If your roommate kicks you out of the room, read it to someone down the hall. Do a line-by-line analysis of the poem or a paraphrase of the passage so that you fully understand it and know what NOT to do in the paper. Do some exploratory or "free" writing to loosen up, establish your own voice, and identify the core or crux of your argument.
| Your final draft should meet these specifications: | |
| Typed, double spaced, & stapled. | |
| MLA style for all citations, including the poem. | |
| Title (Choose a title that reflects your theme or thesis: "Whitman's 'To a Noiseless Patient Spider'" is not a good title; "Why a Fly? Insects and Metaphysics in Dickinsonís ['I heard a Fly buzz--when I died--']" is better.) | |
| Proofread ALOUD. | |
| Pledged. (You may exchange papers with any class member, but must briefly indicate with your pledge who helped you and how.) |