These stories

Quick Overview

Topic: We've read a selection of stories that are frequently part of the required reading in American secondary and post-secondary classrooms. Choose three of these stories and analyze why you think these stories are so frequently part of the curriculum and if you think they should continue to be included (more details below). 

Length: 1000-1500 words (about 4-6 pages, double-spaced)

Format: This is a formal academic essay. It should include an introduction with thesis statement, body paragraphs to demonstrate your understanding of the stories and the prompt (see below), and a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes your main points (one sentence about each story is probably good). I know that many of you are coming back to school after a break in your studies. For more information on how to structure an academic essay  consider reading this.Links to an external site.

Style: All papers must be double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman. Please follow MLA or APA style, whichever you are more comfortable with. You need to include both in-text citations and a works cited or reference page. If you have trouble with these formats, I have added templates and descriptions of both styles in the " Helpful Information " module. You can also request online assistance from  UMSL's writing center.Links to an external site.  Documents must be .docx, PDF, .doc, or .rtf--I am not able to open .gdocs or .pages documents. 

Detailed Description

Choose three of the examples of required reading that we've read so far and tell me why you think they have been taught and whether you think they should continue to be taught in high school and undergraduate classrooms. There are no right or wrong answers here. These are your opinions based on your analysis. These are stories that are memorable to me, but memorable isn't always good. You are not going to hurt my feelings. Make sure to include specific details and properly cited quotes from the stories to support your reasoning.

Think of the stories that we have been discussing. Why do you think they are part of the curriculum?

Consider the following:

· Does the story tell us something about the "universal condition," aspects of life that apply to nearly all humans--think love, fear, aging (coming of age or getting older), loneliness, etc.? 

· Is the author "important" in some way? Why? (you'll need outside sources for this one)

· Think about the themes. Is there some sort of cautionary or inspirational message? 

· Does the story have some sort of lasting legacy? Has it inspired or does it seem to have inspired other works?

· Did the story make you think?

You'll also need to evaluate whether you think the story should continue to be taught in classrooms. Consider using the list of criteria you made in Week Three's writing group discussion. 

In addition to your own criteria, you may want to think about the following questions:

· Do you think the story is appealing to young adult readers?

· Did you enjoy the story? Why or Why not?

· If you didn't like the story, do you think it still has merit or value?

· How old do you think the reader has to be to understand the story?

· What makes the story difficult to read?

· Are there aspects of the story that make it feel dated? Is it offensive or out of touch? Do the time-specific elements make it too hard to understand?

Don't feel like you need to answer all or any of these questions. These are just to point you in the right direction and get you started. As long as your essay shows me your analysis of why these stories are currently being taught and whether the stories should continue to be taught, you are good. You may have already answered these questions in one of your discussion posts--it's okay to use that reasoning again. You will likely need to expand on those ideas, but whatever you already wrote is probably a good place to start.

Keep in mind that this essay is 20% of your final grade. The effort you put into it should reflect its importance to your grade. I do allow revised resubmissions, so don't stress out too much. If there is a significant problem, I'll give you feedback about how to fix it. However, I want to stress the importance of proofreading and following the prompt.