Assignment 1 Diagnostic Essay Introduction: Your First Essay

Assignment 1 Diagnostic Essayintroductionyour First Essay Contributes

Write a brief essay of no more than 500 words on the central characteristics that, in your view, contribute to a successful or satisfying story. Use any or all of the Module 1 stories as examples to illustrate your ideas. You may refer to other short stories you’re familiar with, but be sure to include at least one story from the Required readings. Your essay should have three parts: an introductory paragraph, a body with fully developed paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.

The introductory paragraph should: Clearly identify a minimum of two, but not more than four, story features that you believe are essential to an enjoyable story. Provide the main reasons why these features are indispensable to a good story. The body should: Discuss each feature separately in its own paragraph, supporting your points with evidence from one or more stories. The conclusion should: Summarize the importance of the selected features for a story’s success.

Paper For Above instruction

A compelling story captivates its audience through various features that forge an emotional and intellectual connection. Among these features, characterization and plot development stand out as fundamental to the success of a story. These elements not only create engagement but also foster a deeper understanding of the themes, making the story memorable and meaningful.

Firstly, characterization is vital because it allows readers to relate to, understand, and emotionally invest in the characters. Well-developed characters evoke empathy, sympathy, or even antagonism, which drives the reader's interest. For instance, in Shirley Jackson’s "The Lottery," the villagers' characters and their collective acceptance of the ritual reveal the cultural and psychological underpinnings of the narrative, prompting readers to reflect on societal norms. Jackson’s nuanced depiction of diverse characters underscores their motivations and moral dilemmas, thus making the story resonate emotionally.

Secondly, plot development is crucial because it provides a structure that sustains curiosity and suspense. A coherent, well-paced plot ensures that the story progresses logically, engaging the reader’s attention from beginning to end. For example, in Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Tell-Tale Heart," the suspense escalates through the narrator’s obsessive guilt, gradually revealing the story's psychological depth. The plot’s rhythm, with its rising tension and eventual climax, maintains reader engagement and emphasizes the story’s themes of guilt and madness.

These features are indispensable because they collectively forge a narrative that is compelling and relatable. Characterization transforms abstract ideas into tangible experiences, while plot development ensures that the story unfolds in an engaging manner. Together, they create a cohesive experience that invites readers to reflect on human nature, morality, and society. Stories lacking in these elements often feel superficial or disconnected, reducing their impact.

In conclusion, characterization and plot development are essential features in crafting successful stories. They work synergistically to evoke emotion, provoke thought, and sustain engagement. As demonstrated through examples from various stories, these features are at the core of stories’ ability to entertain, enlighten, and endure over time.

References

• Jackson, S. (1948). The Lottery. The New Yorker.
• Poe, E. A. (1843). The Tell-Tale Heart. The Pioneer.
• Gibaldi, J. (2009). MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Modern Language Association.
• Herman, D. (2009). Storytelling and the Sciences of the Mind. Harvard University Press.
• Polkinghorne, D. (1988). Narrative Knowing and the Human Condition. State University of New York Press.
• Kermode, F. (2000). The Genesis of Secrecy. Harvard University Press.
• Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of Meaning. Harvard University Press.
• Abbott, H. P. (2008). The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative. Cambridge University Press.
• Bal, M. (1997). Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative. University of Toronto Press.
• Leitch, V. B. (2001). What Stories Can Do: The Political Function of Narrative. Johns Hopkins University Press.