Research Paper Prompt
Examining Features of Genre and Movement
This semester, we’ve covered the literary periods of Realism, Modernism, and Contemporary. Within each of those periods, we have also studied specific genres or movements. For each of these, we examined a particular story considered to be representative of the genre/movement in some way. Look back at the chapter introductions in your book and your class notes to refresh yourself on those. **Scroll to the bottom of the page for a reminder on those**
Choose one of the stories we’ve studied so far this semester to write about.
Now write at least 750 words examining how this piece of literature exhibits features of the literary genre/movement in relation to which we studied it. Put another way, what makes this piece representative of this genre or movement?
In order to accomplish this, think of this paper as having 2 major components: textual analysis and literary genre knowledge.
You will need to perform a close textual analysis of the work, but ALSO make sure you have a handle on the features of the genre or movement in which you’re working. The point is to show how the two are intertwined. DO NOT simply give facts about the literary genre and then separately address the piece itself. This will require a review of the historical intro in your textbook and your class notes.
Research: Finally, this short essay has a research component. Your final paper must incorporate two research sources retrieved from the library database/GALILEO. Check out the helpful tutorial resources in the GALILEO Research Help folder if you have not used GALILEO before. You may also use your textbook as ONE of your sources. Use the publication on the textbook’s cover page to build your citations.
Here are some suggestions for how you can incorporate your research:
To explain the major features of the genre you’re discussing
To give historical information
To give biographical information about the author or his/her work
To provide supporting interpretations of the text from other literary scholars
Paper Requirements
Is clearly organized as an essay, not an informal free-form paragraph like your Discussion posts. It should include:
An introduction that introduces what piece and movement/time period you will be exploring
Supporting material that contains your analysis
A conclusion that brings your essay to a close
Must be in MLA format. If you are not familiar with MLA format, check out the resources in the unit folder. They include a handy template!
Contains literary analysis using direct quotations from the primary text (always with an in-text citation in MLA format)
Gives information on the features of the genre and where they appear in the story
Effectively incorporates 2 outside research sources (always with an in-text citation in MLA format)
Contains a complete Works Cited page in MLA Format. **In addition to citing your outside research source, you must also include a citation for whatever short story/poem you are discussing from the book. Follow the instructions for “Citing a Work from an Anthology or Collection” on Purdue OWL. You may use the Cite tool on GALILEO (right side menu), but double-check that it is accurate by checking the rules on Purdue OWL
Be sure to thoroughly proofread for grammatical errors and typos. Points will be deducted for writing that does not meet this standard. It is a good idea to take advantage of SmartThinking (online tutoring) for a second pair of eyes if you feel you need it. There is a link on your lefthand menu.
Here is a handy list of what literature goes with what genre or movement. You can find complete information about that movement in the chapter intros in your textbook (pages included).
Realism: Ch 2 & 3
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” – Realism (pg 52-55)
“A White Heron” – Regionalism and Local Color (pg 54-56)
“To Build a Fire” – Naturalism (pg 206-208)
Modernism: Ch 5
“The Red Wheelbarrow” (575), “In a Station of the Metro” (576), “Autumn” (link in folder) – Imagism/Low Modernism (pg 564)
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” – Modernism and Expatriate literature (pg 561-565)
“Sweat” – Harlem Renaissance (pg 686-687)
Contemporary: Ch 6
“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” – Southern Renaissance-Second Wave (pg 723-725)
“Everyday Use” – Contemporary and Postmodernism (pg 730-733)
“This Is Water” – Postmodernism (pg 730-733)
