Essay Topic
Read closely the Ancient Egyptian "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor" and then write an essay
interpreting the story and explaining its possible significance and implications. Begin by
ascertaining as clearly as possible the literal level of meaning so it is clear to you what is
happening in the story. Then proceed to interpret the story on deeper levels. Make sure your
essay is primarily devoted to interpretation and analysis rather than just paraphrasing the story.
Establishing the literal events should be done upfront but should not take more than one
paragraph. Keep in mind this exercise is asking you to demonstrate your understanding of and
ability to apply the ideas and techniques of reading that you are learning in the class. While you
are welcome to consult outside sources, the point of the essay is for you to develop your own
understanding of the story in terms that are relevant to the concerns of the class. Any ideas,
facts, language, or other materials borrowed from outside sources have to be acknowledged
precisely where they occur in the essay and in a list of Works Cited at the end of the essay. The
list of Works Cited must contain at least the reference to the source of the text indicated below.
Notice again that ideas, facts and language gathered from any sources should not take up large
portions of the essay. The bulk of the writing has to be your own analysis and reflection on the
story, not the retelling of the literal events or reporting on the ideas of others.
Notes:
The tale comes from the so-called Middle Kingdom period of Egyptian history, around 2000-
1700 BC
The Egyptian word KA means the spirit, the soul, the living essence of a person. The KA was
also understood as as a spiritual double of the self.
A colophon is a note at the end of a manuscript giving information on the person who wrote it
and the sources.
Text Source: Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1973), Vol. 1, pp. 212-215.
Length:
Approximately 750-1000 words (it can be longer if the discussion is substantial, i.e. no filler,
wordiness, or just repetition)
Due:
OCTOBER 3, BY 8:00 PM
Formatting Instructions:
• Write name, course, instructor and date on top left of the first page
• Make sure the essay has a meaningful title (see Writing Guidelines)
• 1-inch margin on all sides
• Single-space entire document
• Separate paragraphs with a blank line
• FONT: Times New Roman 12
• Do not use boldface type anywhere in the essay
• Italicize the titles of books, e.g. Homer's Odyssey
• Number all pages at the top right corner
• Any ideas, facts, language or observations borrowed from sources have to be explicitly and
precisely acknowledged where they occur in the essay and in a list of Works Cited or
Bibliography at the end of the essay (see Writing Guidelines for details of how to cite your
sources inline and at the end of the essay)
• Consult the Writing Guidelines for further details and writing tips
Notice this essay is a draft that I will be commenting on after you submit it on October 7. After you get my feedback you will be rewriting the essay for final submission later in the semester, on November 18.
adnan albeshri
eng_220_topic.docx
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