Literary analysis discussion and literary analysis essay
Two parts of this
Literary Analysis Discussion
1. Read up on the expectations for college writing and argument
2. Analyze the writing in Brittany Cooper’s “Maybe I’ll Be a Poet, Rapper: Hip Hop Feminism in Push”.
3. Answer the questions below, using examples from Cooper’s article to support your answers.
a. How does Cooper organize her argument? Is this effective? Why or why not?
b. What techniques does Cooper use to persuade the reader to agree with her?
c. What can you learn from Cooper about writing about literature? What techniques can you use in your own Analysis Essay?
Literary Analysis Essay (1500 words essay)
Purpose
This essay continues the work we’ve been doing on critical thinking and composition by asking you to analyze a novel using the facts and ideas you find in your secondary research. Imagine you are writing to an audience similar to Brittany Cooper’s – educated and probably familiar with the novel. You can summarize the theory and/or novel, but only briefly: focus quickly on the analysis.
Questions
Choose ONE of the following prompts. Write a 1500-word essay in MLA format that uses examples and support from the primary text (Jitterbug Perfume) and secondary research (critical texts and theories) to defend a thesis. Use at least three (3) scholarly secondary sources to frame and support your argument.
Research Tom Robbins’ life and identity. Present and defend an argument that answers the following question: To what extent do Robbins’ experiences, values, and beliefs influence the plot, characters, setting, and style of Jitterbug Perfume? Use evidence about Robbins’ identity as a lens through which you analyze the novel. OR
Research the classical traits of the god Pan. Present and defend an argument that answers the following questions: What is the significance of Pan to the plot and meaning of Jitterbug Perfume? Why is he the appropriate Greek god to play this role in the novel? Use evidence about the classical traits and mythological characteristics of Pan as a lens through which you analyze the novel. OR
Research the values and literary aesthetic of the Beat Generation. Present and defend an argument that answers the following question: how does Jitterbug Perfume exhibit aspects of the Beat values and aesthetic. Argue how the beat movement might have influenced Robbins. Use the principles of the Beat Generation as a lens through which you analyze the novel.
Note: Your secondary sources will not necessarily be about Jitterbug Perfume. You have to do the critical thinking to figure out how the facts and ideas you find in your research relate to the novel.
Writing Instructions
Use specific pages references, passages, and quotations from the novel to defend your thesis.
Refer to at least 3 scholarly secondary sources to defend your thesis
Review and meet the expectations of college-level writing set out at the start of this class.
Include a title that indicates what the essay is actually about (e.g. not Analysis Essay).
Underline your thesis statement.
Format your document according to MLA standards: headers, spacing, titles, etc. Use section 34 of A Pocket Style Manual if you need help.
Use MLA format for in-text citations. Use sections 31, 33, and 34 of A Pocket Style Manual if you need help.
Include a Works Cited page in MLA format with at least 4 entries, including the novel.
Use a font like Helvetica, Calibri, or Arial in 12pt.
