Paper 3 Assignment Guidelines:

For Paper 3, you will write a Literary Cause and Effect Research Essay based on Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild”. When writing Literary Cause and Effect Essays, writers determine how certain scenarios, character’s actions, or event conflicts caused certain outcomes AND what the author may be implying about society outside of the text because of these certain outcomes. This type of essay allows us to identify patterns and explain why things turned out the way they did.

When incorporating the research element, find an outside source that proves an outcome exists in society as it is sumbolized does in the text.

When outlining, first, determine the outcome (minor outcomes from minor plot scenarios, or major outcome from major plot scenario). Then, select two-three causes of this outcome. Then, determine what the author may be inferring about society by using this outcome symbolize what in society]. Then, find an outside source that reflects a similar outcome existing in society outside of the text. Finally, determine what society thinks/thought about this outcome/did about this outcome, and connect the author’s inference to reality.

An important step to consider when writing cause and effect essays: make a clear and logical connection between each cause and their subsequent outcome. Technically, one cause leads to another cause, which leads to another cause, which leads to an outcome. While clearly explaining the causes, you must also clearly explain how the causes lead to the next.

It is incredibly important not to end your essay with “this is the effect (outcome)”; but instead, make it clear what the author might be saying about society by ending their text with this outcome. Consider, what causes in society lead to similar outcomes? What outcome have we experienced in society that may be similar to the one in the text?

When you find a similar outcome existing in society, do not end it with just “this is the outcome”. But connect what society thinks about the outcome to what the author might be implying about society.