Write a paper comparing and contrasting the way in which two or more of the stories we have read for this class use literary techniques OR develop a theme or an idea. For instance, you might write an essay comparing/contrasting the way that arranged marriages are depicted in “The Arrangers of Marriage” and “Hell-Heaven.” Or you might explore the way that queer identity is presented in the context of social/societal problems in “America” and “He Has Gone to Be with the Women.” Or you might compare and contrast the use of first person narration in “And of Clay We Are Created” and “The Arrangers of Marriage” (You may analyze any of these stories: “The Embassy of Cambodia” “The Art of Translation,” “And of Clay We Are Created,” “Conduction,” “The Arrangers of Marriage,” “Hell-Heaven,” “America,” “He Has Gone to Be with the Women,” “The Shivering,” and “A Flawless Silence.”)
Criteria for Success: When I grade your essay, I will be considering the following:
1. Your essay should have a clear thesis (or main idea) that responds to the essay question.
2. Your essay should be well organized, with a title, an introduction (one that states your thesis), unified and coherent body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Try not to write a five-paragraph essay with a three-part thesis and exactly three body paragraphs. Try to do something more interesting that shows deeper, more complex thinking.
3. Your essay should analyze the stories! Do not write an essay giving your opinion about, say, arranged marriages, using two of the stories as evidence to support your ideas. You might write about how the stories develop themes about arranged marriages, but you should make sure that this essay is literary analysis. Don’t try to use all of the fiction terms that we have discussed in class. Only use the fiction terms if they help you develop your thesis.
4. Your essay should be well developed with plenty of specific evidence from the stories you are analyzing and clear explanations of your ideas. Use quotations from the stories, demonstrating that you have learned to integrate quotations smoothly. Use at least three quotations from each of the stories you analyze.
5. It should be clearly written. Consider the needs of an audience that doesn’t know everything you know. Integrate quotations smoothly, in keeping with the “Principles for Using Quotations Effectively” that we have discussed in this class. Proofread your essay carefully and try to eliminate as many errors as you can. At the very least, make sure you are correcting obvious errors (missing words, etc.), the kind of errors that you would notice if you re-read your paper before submitting it.
Length: 1200-1400 words.