Academic Writing

Critics Essay on ‘story of an hour” Paper Length: 3-5 pages (typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins) (CONTENTS OF THE ESSAY SHOULD BE FULL 3 PAGES AND ABOVE DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY TITLE PAGE OR NAME PAGE) The Assignment: read some secondary criticism about the text, “Story of an Hour”. Our goal this week is to read what literary critics have written about these narratives, be able to assess and understand the argument(s) they present, and respond with your own reasoning and assessment of how the text works. This skill will be central to writing a successful research essay. As you look to complete this assignment, be sure to: 1. Re-read the original text “Story of an Hour”. It will be useful to have the particulars of the narrative fresh in your mind before you read the article. 2. Read and annotate the article. You should read the material closely, look up words that are unfamiliar to you, underline, highlight, etc. 3. Identify and articulate the main argument/idea being made by the critic. What particular aspect of the narrative are they focusing on? What, in particular, are they saying about it. 4. Understand clearly how the literary critic supports his/her argument. This is what you will be responding to. For example, If the literary critic is arguing that the characters’ alcohol consumption in “Hills Like White Elephants” is symbolic of internal conflict, then you should understand how they support that argument. What passages do they refer to make their point? How are they interpreting the text? You must think along these lines. 5. Respond to the critics’ argument. Do you agree or disagree with their particular argument about the text? Why or why not? **Note: Although this essay requires you to respond to literary criticism, you should begin practicing not using 1st person in your essays. Organization: For all essays, you should include both an introduction and conclusion. The final sentence of your introduction should be a clear, strong and concise thesis statement. Each of your paragraphs should be well-organized with a strong topic sentence and adequate supporting details. Remember to use quotations/paraphrases from the short story you are writing about to support your thesis. Cite examples, then explain how the examples you have chosen support your thesis. Also, remember to provide smooth transitions between paragraphs.