Fiction essay
Now you’ll write an essay examining one of the short stories in the chapter entitled €œStories for Further Reading.€ This is Chapter 10 in the 6th edition and Chapter 11 in the 7th edition.
Select any story that appeals to you.
You will write a five-paragraph essay examining three literary elements in your story. The word count should be between 500 and 750 words. This is not a research paper. You will write about your opinion of these elements. The entire paper must be in your own words. Although you may quote from the story to back up your opinion, you will not quote any references. I want to know what YOU think.
Remember, the structure of a five-paragraph essay is as follows.
1. Introduction€“in this paragraph you explain the purpose of your paper. This paragraph includes your thesis statement.
2. Body paragraph€“in this paragraph, you will explore the first literary element. For instance, you might want to examine the plot of your story.
3. Body paragraph€“in this paragraph, you will explore the second literary element. For instance, you might want to examine the theme of your story.
4. Body paragraph€“in this paragraph, you will explore the third literary element. For instance, you might want to examine the characterization in your story.
5. Conclusion€“in this paragraph, you will restate your thesis and summarize your paper.
Let€„¢s examine some guidelines for your essay. The literary elements from which you may choose include the elements we€„¢ve explored in these lectures:
* Plot
* Characterization
* Point of View
* Theme
* Setting
* Tone and Style
* Symbol
Select three of these elements to explore in relation to your story. Pick the elements you feel are the strongest in your story.
Your essay must follow MLA format. Example essays that use this format appear in your book.
Finally, let’s explore some tips to help you write your essay.
Essay Tips
Here are some points to keep in mind as you’re writing your fiction essay:
* Write about the story in present tense. When you explore literature, you do so in the present.
* Write the essay in third person.
* Incorporate quotes from the story to prove your point.
* State your opinion as a given, and don€„¢t include phrases such as €œI believe€ or €œI think.€
* Explain only the relevant details of the story. Don’t retell the plot