english 142

ENG 142

Explication Assignment Sheet

Rough draft due: Friday, October 16th

Final draft due: Friday, October 23rd

Eligible Reading(s):

Shakespeare, William. Othello (text version)

--OR--

Select ONE of the poems found between pages 581 and 605 of your textbook (6^th edition text)

Purpose:

An explication is an extended discussion of one particular theme, issue, or literary element within a text. Explications are persuasive (i.e. you need a thesis statement that articulates a specific, debatable claim), and are intended to argue your particular interpretation of a text within the framework of your selected theme, issue, or element. Please locate the “Key Literary Terms” document in week 6 of Moodle for some definitions of literary elements that will assist you in selecting a talking point (or points) for this essay. You will need to provide quoted or paraphrased support for your discussion points within this essay; please be sure to cite your sources with in-text citations and Works Cited page entries. “Outside” sources are not required for this paper, but are encouraged.

How Do I Do This?

1) Read your chosen text carefully, and select an issue, theme, or literary element(s) at work in the text, and discuss the significance of it.

2) You should write approximately 5 pages, not including the Works Cited page.

Tips:

1)    Remember that an explication is an extended, persuasive discussion: tell your readers how a certain element (theme, issue, etc.) functions in the text.

2)    Begin with a clear, debatable thesis statement and organize your talking points from there.

3)    Use MLA style for your essay formatting and citations.