Fiction Essay Assignment
English 102
Analysis/Comparison
For our short story writing assignment you need to choose one of the elements of craft we have studied so far and compare its use in two of our stories. Remember, when you do a comparison there must be a reason that you are making the comparison; for example, the two items must have something similar about them even though you may be doing the comparison in order to show their differences. For example you may choose to compare the character of the Misfit in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” with Miss Emily in “A Rose for Emily.
Your choice for doing so might be to describe the differences or similarities between these two characters, but the reason you can successfully compare these two is because they do have “like” qualities. You should not compare the setting of “Girl” and the setting of “A&P” because those two stories have very little in common and certainly nothing about the setting is really similar.
Also, to me, less is more. I would prefer it if you gave specific details and clear, concise analysis of one or two pages or even paragraphs of each story rather than a vague generalization of each story as a whole. Write a lot about a little, not a little about a lot. I would like you to discuss specific aspects of the text and show, don’t tell me, how you see each author manipulating the text and even the reader. Give me specific quotations from the text along with close readings of that text.
Elements of Craft We Have Studied:
Plot
Point of View
Setting
Characterization
Tone and Style
Theme
Symbolism
Irony
Story choices:
“A &P”
“A Rose for Emily”
“Sonny’s Blues”
“Girl”
“A Good Man is Hard to Find”
“The Black Cat”
Requirements:
1. You must have a working thesis that clearly makes an assertion and in some way
presents the comparison.
You must use textual citations properly quoted MLA style.
You must use 12 point font, double-space, and at least two to three typed pages.
You must post your rough draft and do two responses to other students and participate or your essay will be marked down one full grade.
The Final Draft must include an outline, internal citations, and a works cited page
Please Title Your Essay.
A few ideas for comparisons; you may choose a different element of craft:
For Setting
What are similarities in the setting of both stories?
How does the setting function as a character in each story?
What are specific scenes in each story that you find compelling or significant?
Does the setting change within each story? Where do you see this happening, and why do you think the author made the choice to do so?
Or, if you choose to analyze the point of view in both stories:
1. Why did the author choose the point of view he or she did?
How and where do you see point of view working specifically in the text?
How does the point of view help to create a specific “tone” or “voice” in each story?
Does the point of view change within the story? Where do you see this happening, and why do you think the author made the choice to do so?
