Essay

Choose either a poem or short story from the “Associating” section of The Civically Engaged Reader. Write a literary analysis that clearly communicates the main idea or “message” of the text. Collect specific quotes from the text that support your thesis statement. Your essay should include a thorough analysis of textual evidence that explains how each quote you chose supports the main idea. Be sure to correctly cite any quotes, including page numbers.  

Your essay should include the following:

1. a clear introductory paragraph, including an attention grabber, the author and title of your chosen text, and a complete thesis statement that communicates the author’s “message;”
2. focused, relevant, and thorough body paragraphs that explain how specific quotes support your thesis; and
3. a strong, relevant conclusion paragraph that summarizes your argument and provokes further thought.