Due Date: Week 2 

Instructions  
Write a four to five-page typed essay analyzing a literary motif (element) in "from ‘Three Dirges"' selected from one of the following topics: 

a) the development of theme  
b) use of time  
c) point of view  
d) foreshadowing  
e) image/symbol patterns 

Structure of the Essay
The paper should be organized as a traditional thesis-support essay. The thesis should identify the key points that you plan to discuss.

Development of the Essay
For "C" credit, the essay must be a full three pages long.  For "A" credit, the paper must be a full five pages long and include references to the introductions found in the text and to outside (online) resources, each appropriately cited according to the MLA Style Sheet conventions.  You do not need a formal "Works Cited" page.

Content of the Essay 
1) Begin the body of your essay with a brief introduction to the selections in our text or other relevant outside information.  Draw upon notes from your introduction, citing your editor(s) as the author.  

2) Use short quotations worked into the text of your own analytical sentences to provide support for the paragraphs. You may also bring into the discussion any relevant outside information as long as you cite the source within your paragraphs. 

3) Each topic sentence should be a claim that adds support to your thesis.

Stylistic Standards
Avoid using "I," "you," and any references to "the reader."  These terms create wordiness and misdirection.  Use present tense and active voice verbs when referring to the author's contributions (like this: "Hawthorne notes," "Douglass claims," "Franklin suggests").

Format of the Essay 
Key-in the essay into the computer and save it to your floppy disk or hard drive. Each line should be double- spaced with only a single double space between each paragraph. Block only those quotations longer than four lines of your text.

Criteria for Grading
Your paper will be graded according to the following standards:

1) Development - Does the essay satisfactorily develop the thesis and meet the minimum page requirement? 
2) Organization - Does the essay reflect the thesis-support format? 
3) Use of Source - Does the essay make use of important supporting passages in the short story? Are all references to the store correctly documented?
4) Style - Does the essay reflect diction and syntax appropriate to a literary analysis? 
5) Correctness - Does the essay reflect mastery of basic writing conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage)?

Sample Essay
You will find in this site a sample essay to give you a better idea about how to organize and develop your paper. Click here to go to the sample essay.

Submission of the Paper
Using your first initial and last name, name and save your file exactly like this:

ggrimes-Ex1

E-mail your essay as an attachment to Dr. Grimes at gagrimes@dcccd.edu.

How to Send  Emails to me
When sending emails, always include the following information in your message window (the space where you write your comments):

1) Your first and last name (ex. Geoffrey Grimes)
2) Your course name, course number, course section number (ENGL 2327:section number)
3) The date
4) The file name of the exercise you are attaching

Example:
Geoffrey Grimes (Use your own name, of course!)
Engl 2327:6426
June 20, 200X
GGrimes-Ex1

Sending Assignments to me
When sending me your exercises, place the following information in the subject line:
Your first initial/last name-file name of the exercise

Example: GGrimes-Ex1

Sending  Questions to me
When sending me a question about your work or the course,  place the following information in the subject line:
Your first initial/last name-Question

Example: GGrimes-Question

Do NOT attach any exercise to a question.  I will delete it and ask you to resend it to me.

Sending Comments to me
When sending me a comment about your work or the course, place the following information in the subject line:
Your first initial/last name-Comment

Example: GGrimes-Comment

Do NOT attach any exercise to a question.  I will delete it and ask you to resend it to me.

Sending Urgent Messages to me

When sending an urgent message to me about your work or the course, place the following information in the subject line:
Your first initial/last name-Urgent

Example: GGrimes-Urgent

Do NOT attach any exercise to a question.  I will delete it and ask you to resend it to me.

Evaluation of the Paper
Your paper will be evaluated on the basis of 
1) organization, 
2) level of development, 
3) insight into the work, 
4) spelling, mechanics, punctuation, and grammar, and 
5) level of sophistication of the poem selected.

Grades
Each submission will receive a numerical grade and commentary, if appropriate.. 

This page was last modified on August 24, 2008,
and is maintained by Dr. Geoffrey A. Grimes.