Analytical

AnalyticalPaper-GettingStarted.docx

Analytical Paper – Getting Started

This week, we will begin working on our analytical paper, which will be a comparative analysis of two of the literary works that we’ve read so far in class. This week’s assignment is an outline for that paper, but here’s a preview of the general requirements of the final paper so that you have a good idea of where you’re headed:

• All papers must be six paragraphs long, including an introduction paragraph, four body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.

• The introduction should provide basic background info on the author(s) and the story/stories and end with your thesis statement (the principal argument you’re making about the literature in your analysis).

• The four body paragraphs should delve deeply into the inferential/interpretive level by analyzing specific passages from the story/stories.

• The paper must include a minimum of three references from reliable, academic sources, all of which are cited at least once in the paper, but we’ll talk about this more in a future week. You won’t need any research at all for the outline that’s due this week.

• The conclusion is the place to address the literature on an evaluative level (zooming out of the story and looking at how the ideas are relevant in the real world). The first sentence of the conclusion, though, should be a restatement of the thesis (though expressed in different words).

• Formatting, citations, and references must all adhere to APA style.

Below are your two prompt options. Pick whichever one seems most interesting to you for your analytical paper.

Prompt Option 1

You’ve read two short stories by Kate Chopin – Story of an Hour and Desiree’s Baby. Identify four common elements – one for each body paragraph – that the two stories share, and demonstrate how they work similarly in both stories. These can be elements like themes, tone, and/or use of literary devices.

Provide multiple quotes from the stories in each body paragraph to support your points, make sure to analyze passages on an inferential/interpretive level, and don’t forget to “read between the lines.”

Prompt Option 2

You’ve read two short stories by Kate Chopin – Story of an Hour and Desiree’s Baby. Compare and contrast the two main characters – Louise Mallard and Desiree. For this option, you will need to come up with four ways in which the characters are similar and/or different, so you can come up with two similarities and two differences between Louise Mallard and Désirée Aubigny for the four body paragraphs.

Provide multiple quotes from the stories in each body paragraph to support your points, make sure to analyze passages on an inferential/interpretive level, and don’t forget to “read between the lines.” Once you’ve decided on your prompt, you can begin work on your outline for this week. The template is provided within the Canvas instructions.

_analyticalpaperinstructions.pdf

This week, you will begin working on your second paper for the course – an analytical paper. You will develop an outline and a thesis statement for your analytical paper.

Using the critical reading skills practiced during this course, you will formulate a thesis statement that presents a unique and specific interpretation of a literary text. In order to analyze effectively, you will need to engage in close reading, or reading “between the lines.” This means that you will be choosing representative passages and carefully deconstructing them, highlighting connotations that may not be immediately obvious to fellow readers.

This week's assignment:

1. Develop a thesis statement in which you present your interpretation of a literary text. Note: Your instructor will provide further details on your text options and other requirements in announcements.

2. Develop an outline using the provided template to help you organize your points to support your thesis statement. Think of it as a skeleton that you will “flesh out” when you write your paper. You must write full sentences for the thesis statement, the topic/transition sentences, the passages, and the restatement of thesis.

● Note: The passages will be direct quotes from the text, so include quotation marks and a citation in APA style.

● Do not include any information from research yet. You first want to make sure that you have enough evidence from the text itself to defend your thesis.

Analytical Paper: Outline

Criteri a

Ratings Pts

This criterio n is linked to a Learnin g Outcom e Conten t

37.5 to >33.38 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe thesis statement provides a clear, compelling analysis on the assigned or chosen text. The outline includes several high-quality, thought-provoking ideas/points which are skillfully used to creatively and completely support the thesis, adding new insight to the discussion. The introduction and conclusion sections demonstrate that the writer has thoughtfully considered how to develop the paper. Subtopics are distinct and of equal significance. Passages for each subtopic are well-chosen, and interpretations demonstrate thorough thought on the topic. 33.38 to >29.63 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe thesis statement provides an analysis on the assigned or chosen text. The outline includes some thought provoking ideas/points that support the thesis. The introduction and conclusion sections are adequately developed. Subtopics are mostly distinct and of equal significance. Passages for each subtopic are well-chosen, and interpretations demonstrate thought on the topic. 29.63 to >27.0 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe thesis statement may be overly broad or unclearly expressed. The outline includes relevant ideas/points that support the thesis, but they are overly broad or lack originality. The introduction, conclusion, and/or one or more subtopics may be underdeveloped. Subtopics demonstrate a limited amount of thought on the topic. 27 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe outline illustrates little thought or insight into a thesis. Subtopics indicate a singular or a cursory approach to the analysis. Subtopics are general or insignificant toward supporting the topic. The writer presents minimal thought on the topic.

37.5 pts

This criterio n is linked to a Learnin g Outcom e Organi zation

22.5 to >20.02 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe order of subtopics, order of supporting points and passages/ interpretations, and thoughtful transitions demonstrate careful forethought regarding how best to develop the analysis. 20.02 to >17.78 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe order of subtopics, order of supporting points and passages/ interpretations, and transitions demonstrate some forethought regarding how best to develop the argument. 17.78 to >16.2 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe order of subtopics and of supporting points and passages/ interpretations demonstrate little forethought regarding how best to develop the argument. Attempts to transition are weak. 16.2 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe order of subtopics and order of supporting points and passages/ interpretations appear random, and transitions are missing.

22.5 pts

This criterio n is linked to a Learnin g Outcom e Format, APA, and Mechan ics

15 to >13.35 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe writer uses the outline template required. The outline format is accurate and follows the directions, including font, style, spacing, and headers. All passages are cited correctly. Full sentences are written clearly, concisely, and in the third person with minimal (if any) errors in sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation. 13.35 to >11.85 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe writer uses the outline template required. The outline format is mostly accurate and follows most of the directions, including font, style, spacing, and headers. Passages are cited correctly most of the time. The writer may make occasional errors in sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation. 11.85 to >10.8 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe writer uses the outline template required, but the outline suffers from one of the following problems:- Outline format is incorrect or has many errors in font, style, spacing, and headers.- Many passages are cited incorrectly. - The writer makes frequent errors in sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation. 10.8 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe writer does not use the outline template required, passages are not cited, and/or significant problems with language and/or mechanics hinder comprehension.

thestoryofanhour.pdf

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” originally published 1894.

The Story of an Hour

Kate Chopin

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break

to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.

It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in

half concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been

in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently

Mallard's name leading the list of "killed." He had only taken the time to assure himself of its

truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in

bearing the sad message.

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to

accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms.

When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no

one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank,

pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with

the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was

crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly,

and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and

piled one above the other in the west facing her window.

She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except

when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep

continues to sob in its dreams.

She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain

strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on

one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a

suspension of intelligent thought.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” originally published 1894.

There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She

did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky,

reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.

Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that

was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless

as her two white slender hands would have been.

When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She

said it over and over under her breath: "free, free, free!" The vacant stare and the look of terror

that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and

the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.

She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and

exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial.

She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death;

the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw

beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her

absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.

There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself.

There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and

women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind

intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief

moment of illumination.

And yet she had loved him—sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could

love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she

suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!

"Free! Body and soul free!" she kept whispering.

Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole, imploring for

admission. "Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door—you will make yourself ill. What are

you doing, Louise? For heaven's sake open the door."

"Go away. I am not making myself ill." No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through

that open window.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” originally published 1894.

Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days,

and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.

It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.

She arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a feverish

triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped

her sister's waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the

bottom.

Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a

little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the

scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's

piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.

But Richards was too late.

When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills.