Fiction Essay Instructions
In Module/Week 3, you will write a 750-word (about 3–4-pages) essay that compares and contrasts 2 stories from the Fiction Unit. Before you begin writing the essay, carefully read the guidelines for developing your paper topic that are given below. Review the Fiction Essay Grading Rubric to see how your submission will be graded. Gather all of your information, plan the direction of your essay, and organize your ideas by developing a 1-page thesis statement and outline for your essay. Format the thesis statement and the outline in a single Word document using current MLA, APA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program). You have the opportunity to submit your thesis and outline by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 2 for instructor feedback.
The essay is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 3 and must include a title page (see the General Writing Requirements), a thesis/outline page, and the essay itself followed by a works cited/references page of any primary or secondary texts cited in the essay.
Guidelines for Developing Your Paper Topic
Chapter 39 in your textbook provides some helpful pointers for reading actively, taking notes, brainstorming, developing a clearly-defined thesis statement, preparing an outline, and writing a cogent fiction essay. Be sure that you have read the chapter before doing any further work for this assignment.
Choose 2 of the following short stories to compare and contrast in your essay:
· “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
· “The Destructors” by Graham Greene
· “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence
· “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
· “The Child by Tiger” by Thomas Wolfe
· “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
Also, make at least 1 of these elements of fiction the focus of your essay:
· Conflict/Plot/Structure
· Characterization
· Setting
· Theme/Authors’ Purposes
· Point of View
· Tone/Style/Irony/Symbol/Imagery
If you need help focusing your essay, ask yourself questions that correspond to your chosen element(s).
Conflict/Plot/Structure (This is not a summary of the stories)
· What are the basic conflicts, and how do these build tension, leading to major complicated incidents and climactic moment(s)?
· How are the conflicts resolved? Do the protagonists succeed in achieving their goals?
· Who receives your deepest sympathy and why?
Characterization
Setting
Theme/Authors’ Purposes
Tone/Style/Irony/Symbol
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