Final Draft Paper 1

Assignment Overview

You have spent the last week reading short stories, learning about fiction, and refining your knowledge of the structure of a literary analysis essay, including the all-important critical evaluative thesis. Now it’s time to try it! You will write an essay of 800 – 950 words analyzing and evaluating Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado or James Baldwins Sonnys Blues.” Do not just summarize. Your essay is of course expected to have a critical evaluative thesis towards which the rest of the essay argues. Make a main argumentative point (thesis) which will express a judgement (the thesis) of quality, and then argue towards it by supplying analyzed textual evidence from the story to support your evaluative point. Is the use of literary techniques effective or not, skillful or not? Why or why not? Is it a good story or not? Create a direct and clear evaluative thesis, and then argue why it’s right. Do not just summarize what the story “does.” Judge the quality of literary technique.

Learning Goal

You will demonstrate progress of critical thinking by analyzing literature and creating and supporting your own evaluative thesis. Make sure your analysis logically argues towards and demonstrates why your thesis is reasonable and correct. This will be our shortest literary analysis essay. It will help you build confidence as we work towards our longer papers.

Instructions

• You will write an essay of 800-950 words analyzing Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado or James Baldwins Sonnys Blues” using the specific prompt below.
• Follow REQUIRED MLA format. Please double-space your essay, use Times New Roman (12 point font), and include 1-inch margins all around.
• Include at least one direct quote from your primary source (whichever story you choose), and include a Works Cited page. Use proper in-text citations.
• Do not submit one giant paragraph. You should have at least 4 paragraphs.

Please choose one of the following prompts to focus on.

• Write a 800-950 word essay examining how the use of an unreliable narrator in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado shapes the storys meaning. How do you know the narrator is unreliable? What details are left out? What effect does the unreliable narrator have on the meaning and impact of the story? Of course, you must define what you mean by “meaning and impact” for the story… What is your evaluative judgement of the use of the unreliable narrator in the story? Does it make for a high-quality literary story or not?
• Write a 800-950 word essay analyzing how the use of flashback in James Baldwins Sonnys Blues shapes the storys meaning. How are shifts in time used to establish mood and conflict? How are flashbacks tied to how the narrator characterizes others? In what ways do flashbacks impact the meaning of the story? Of course, you must define what you mean by “meaning and impact” for the story… What is your evaluative judgement of the use of flashbacks in the story? Does it make for a high-quality literary story or not?

Essay Evaluation

I will grade your essay using the , and I will be looking for the following things:

• There should be a clear EVALUATIVE thesis that makes one clear and specific specific argumentative judgment about the topic you have chosen (the literary quality of the influence of Baldwins flashbacks or the effects of Poes narrator).
• Do not merely state your opinion throughout the essay; be sure to include textual analysis throughout that effectively supports your thesis through evidence. Cite direct details as evidence. Show why the evidentiary details “add up” and lead to the thesis.
• Do not use I and avoid the generic “you” and “we.”
• You must follow essay structure, which means putting your essay into at least 4 paragraphs. It must also be in MLA format, of course.

Sample Essay

For an example, you can read this paper written by a previous student:

Additional Resources

Los Angeles Mission College has a number of services that can help you brainstorm ideas for your story or revise it. You can use tutoring services to help you brainstorm for or revise your story.

LAMC Writing Lab

The Writing Lab has gone virtual but also has in-person hours. You can add the lab to your Canvas dashboard by

Then, you can access the

This will take you to the Zoom room where tutors will be available for established hours to help you with any of your writing assignments. Just enter the Zoom room and tell them what you need help with either using your microphone or the chat in Zoom..

NetTutor

Click on NetTutor in the white navigation sidebar. After accepting the user agreement, click on “Live Writing Tutor and Paper Center (Submit Papers Here).” Click the green button that says “Upload a Paper to NetTutor.” Fill out the required information about the story, upload, and submit. Usually NetTutor responds within 2 business days… so work in advance as always, but there are no guarantees; submit well in advance of the deadline to ensure that you get feedback returned in time. Do NOT wait until the last minute. Work in advance.

You may not get an email when your paper is ready for pick up, so check back each day. To pick up your paper, go back to “Live Writing Tutor and Paper Center (Submit Papers Here)” and click on your “Paper Locker.”

You can also use the Drop In and Meet with a Live Tutor to talk to someone immediately. You can then copy and paste parts of your paper into the whiteboard that appears.