Essay 2: Evaluative essay on a poem or short story
In Essay 2, you will use the argumentative and research skills you practiced in ENGL 1020 or its
transfer equivalent.
Evaluative writing about literature is an argumentative form of writing supported by your
informed views on the quality of a poem or short story. Personal tastes may inform ones
evaluation, but you should also use established criteria to make your argument. Such criteria
are provided with the two literary genres below, and you should provide cited examples from
your poem or short story to support your claims.
Here are the tasks for Essay 2:
1. Choose one example of either poetry or short fiction in The Norton Anthology of
American Literature from the list below.
2. Review the evaluative criteria for your chosen genre (poetry or short fiction) below.
3. Read the literary work.
4. Write down your initial impressions about the quality of the literary work.
5. Re-read the literary work, taking additional notes to support your argument.
6. Write an essay of at least 1000 words in which you attempt to persuade your readers
about the quality of the literary work using the provided evaluative criteria.
You must quote from and cite the literary work, and the literary work should be listed on a
Works Cited (MLA) or References (APA) page at the end of the essay. See the document titled
Sample bibliographic listings and citations for your ENGL 2580 essays in the Essays module for
information about bibliographies and citations. Additional information can be found in Purdue
OWL; a link is in the Student Resources module.
Essays will be graded following the guidelines given in the How Essays Are Graded document
in the Essays module in Canvas.
These are the only acceptable choices for Essay 2. You may read a brief summary online to help
you make your selection, but your evaluation should be based on the text in the anthology. You
can use the anthologys index to locate these works.
Your claims should only be supported with evidence from the poem or short story you choose.
Secondary sources are not permitted for this assignment.
I chose Emma Lazarus “1492” because it left a strong impression on me because it forces the reader to sit with an uncomfortable truth about history. Instead of glorifying Columbus, the poem challenges that familiar story and asks us to think about who actually paid the price for his discovery. I think the poem is effective because of its serious and almost mournful tone, which matches the weight of the subject. While the poem can feel heavy, that heaviness feels necessary rather than excessive. It made me pause and reflect instead of just moving on. Overall, 1492 succeeds as a powerful and meaningful poem because it encourages readers to question traditional historical narratives and consider perspectives that are often ignored. My professor wants me to expand on these ideas in the paper.
Requirements: 1000 words
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