General guidelines and paper organization:
Your paper should be presented in MLA format with section headings as opposed to paragraph transitions. Use the boldfaced headings below.
Format
- Introduction: An introductory paragraph that provides a brief overview and historical context for the book.
- Author Biography: Relevant background information on the author--be sure to cite any secondary sources!
- Summary: Summary or presentation of major points of the text--use literary terms related to setting, plot, character, conflict, etc.
- Author's Craft: Analysis of major techniques used by the writer--apply at least 5 terms, one of which MUST be TONE. An effective strategy for managing this section is to present a longer quotation and parse it out in terms of multiple literary devices. You may also subdivide the section with headers by device.
- Narrative Structure: Structure and organization of the text and how it helps the author achieve his or her purpose.
- Themes: Major arguments and purposes presented or implied in the text--what is the author's comment on the human condition and how do we know? This also needs to include textual evidence.
- Scholarship: Academic criticism of author's work--cite at least 3 secondary sources of recognized merit. You should endeavor to locate a broad range of scholarship, both in time and in attitude. Find scholars who disagree; find out how the text was received upon publication and how it is regarded now.
- Critique: Personal response and critique of the text.
* Sections 3-7 MUST provide ample textual support. Section 4 in particular should include at least one example for each of the five literary devices
Be sure to use in-text citations and include an ANNOTATED Works Cited at the end.