M4: Essay Topics<>

M4: Essay Topics<< Choose one of the topics below >>

1. Write an essay in which you compare the use of setting in any two stories assigned in Module 1. You might compare the re-creation of two similar settings, such as landscapes far from home, foreign cities, or stifling suburbs; or you might contrast the treatment of different kinds of settings. Be sure to consider not only the authors’ descriptive techniques but also the way the authors use setting to shape plot, point of view, and character.
2. Write an essay comparing the way any two of the stories assigned from Module 1 handle the traditional elements of plot: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion. Consider especially how plot elements contribute to the overall artistic effect.
3. Write an essay that explores the central conflict in any one of the stories in Module 1. What is the nature of the conflict? When, where, and how does it develop or become more complicated as the story unfolds? How is it resolved at the end of the story? Why and how is that resolution satisfying?

M4: Essay Requirements<< Instructions >>

1. Fully address the prompt within 500 – 800 words.
2. Essays must have the proper structure. This includes an introduction paragraph, a minimum of three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The first page of the essay must include the page number, heading and a title in MLA format. The introduction must begin with a hook/attention grabber, proceed with general background information on the topic, and the ONE SENTENCE thesis is the LAST sentence in the introduction.
3. Use your own ideas and quotations from the literature to support your thesis. When using quotations, remember to introduce the quote with a signal phrase and follow each quote with an interpretation in your words (review the quote sandwich). Do not use any secondary sources. Your textbook is the only approved source.
4. Use MLA parenthetical citations immediately following each quotation and/or paraphrase. Please consult Chapter 34 in the textbook.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/06/04/black-box

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/06/11/wildwood