Draft 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Pgs Thursday June 3 At 1:00 Pm EST
Draft 2 3 4 Pgsthursday June 3 At 100 Pm Estfinal 5 6 Pgs
Draft 2 (3-4 pgs.)—Thursday, June 3, at 1:00 p.m. EST Final (5-6 pgs.)—Thursday, June 11, at 1:00 p.m. EST · Length: 5-6 pages (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins, not including list of Works Cited) · Format: MLA or APA style (including in-text citations and list of Works Cited/References) · Submit to: Moodle and Taskstream (as .doc or .docx files) · Prompt: Use one of the critical reading strategies we are studying this semester (psychological, biographical, or gender) to analyze a literary work by one of the authors listed below. Suggested texts are indicated in parentheses next to each author’s name. It is imperative that you work on this assignment consistently throughout the term. · Organize your essay around a thesis that is clear, specific, and debatable.
There is information about thesis development here: . · When doing research to learn more about the author and text, be sure to use scholarly sources. There is information about distinguishing between scholarly and popular sources here: . A good database to begin your research with is the Literary Reference Center Plus (access available through TU’s library website). Here is a link to the library’s website: .
Paper For Above instruction
Analysis of Literary Works Using Gender Critical Reading Strategies: A Comparative Approach
The assignment requires crafting a 5-6 page analytical essay using a critical reading strategy—psychological, biographical, or gender—to analyze a literary work by an author listed in the prompt. This essay must be organized around a clear, specific, and debatable thesis and adhere to MLA or APA formatting, including proper in-text citations and a Works Cited or References page. The paper should demonstrate consistent engagement throughout the semester, utilizing scholarly sources, especially from academic databases such as Literary Reference Center Plus, accessible through Tu’s library website.
In this context, the focus will be on applying the gender critical reading strategy to explore how gender influences the themes, character development, and narrative structure of the selected literary work. For instance, if analyzing Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening,” a gender-critical approach might examine how societal constructions of femininity and gender roles impact the protagonist’s identity and choices. Similarly, when looking at works by authors such as Virginia Woolf, a gender analysis might explore how gender representations reflect broader cultural norms and challenge conventional narratives.
The importance of choosing a compelling thesis cannot be overstated. For example, a thesis might state: “In Kate Chopin’s ‘The Awakening,’ societal gender expectations constrain the protagonist’s pursuit of independence, illustrating how gender norms shape personal identity within the patriarchal framework of 19th-century America.” Such a thesis provides a focused lens for analyzing the text, guiding the discussion of characters, themes, and symbols.
Researching the author and the text is essential for a nuanced analysis. Scholarly sources, such as journal articles and books, offer critical insights into the gender dynamics within the work. It is vital to distinguish scholarly sources from popular or non-academic sources to ensure the credibility and scholarly rigor of the essay.
In constructing the essay, the introduction should introduce the key themes and thesis. The body paragraphs should systematically analyze elements of the text—characterization, symbolism, narrative voice—through the gender lens, supported by scholarly evidence. The conclusion should synthesize the findings and reflect on the broader implications regarding gender and society.
References
- Bloom, Harold. The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages. Harcourt, 1994.
- Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press, 1979.
- Showalter, Elaine. Sister’s Choice: Tradition, Individualism, and Gender in Northern New England. Oxford University Press, 1984.
- Showalter, Elaine. “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 8, no. 2, 1981, pp. 179–195.
- Showalter, Elaine. A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Brontë to Woolf. Princeton University Press, 1977.
- Schneider, Rebecca. The Contemporary Gothic. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.
- Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One’s Own. Harcourt, 1929.
- Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press, 1979.
- McRobbie, Angela. The Aftermath of Feminism: Gender, Culture and Social Change. Sage Publications, 2008.
- Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge, 1990.