English 1A ? Tamara Fritzchle ? Five-page Literary Analysis
May 8 Draft due for peer review
May 15 Final paper due
THE BASICS:
? 1,600-word literary analysis of Heart of Darkness.
? Analyze the treatment of one of the following themes or motifs in order to come to a conclusion about the meaning the text intends to impart: gender roles; landscape; sentimentality and/or romanticism; immigrants; art. If you have another idea, run it by me for approval.
? Use at least three secondary articles you found during your research time that backs up and/or further explains your analysis, cite all three in your text (for a quotation, paraphrase, or summary), and include them in the works cited page in MLA style.
? Avoid logical fallacies.

Successful papers will demonstrate powerful reading and analytical skill, close attention to the primary text, good judgment selecting and using secondary sources, original thinking, clarity of thought and purpose, and commitment in the defense of your argument. They will consider the novel as a whole and how it creates context around the themes and passages you discuss.
ESSAY STRUCTURE: Your first paragraph is your introduction. Make your thesis the last sentence in your introduction. Prove your thesis in the body. Body paragraphs should open with a topic sentence that supports your thesis. A body paragraph should prove its topic sentence with evidence and examples. Your concluding paragraph should not simply repeat the body; it should go with your introduction and body, but take a step out somehow.
TITLE: Title your paper to help your reader anticipate your subject. A good title is one that cannot be used for every paper on your topic; it goes with your paper exactly.
GENERATING IDEAS:
1. Research: Reread the novel and your notes on the novel. Brainstorm topics. Select and read secondary sources.
2. Planning: Write a working thesis and topic sentences. Next, mine your sources for support or evidence and also for counterarguments against your thesis, which will help you expose the weaknesses of the other point of view. A well-written thesis will suggest the organization of the essay.
INFORM AND PERSUADE by including some of these patterns of development:
? Definition: How do you define this? How does the dictionary define it? What is the history of this term? Does everyone agree on its definition, and why or why not? If not, what points are in dispute?
? Illustration: What examples of this are particularly helpful in explaining it?
? Process: How does this work? How do you do this?
? Cause and Effect: What causes this? How often does it happen? What might prevent it from happening? What are its effects? What may happen because of it in the short term? What may happen as a result of it over time?
? Comparison and Contrast: What is similar to this, and how? Is this more or less desirable than the similar thing?
? Classification and Division: Of what larger group is this a member? Or, what are its parts? How can this be subdivided? Are there certain types or kinds of this?
GRADING:
The A essay has a strong and refreshing thesis that the whole text works to support. The introduction creates interest and establishes common ground with the audience. The body has clear, logical paragraphs, each with one claim and supporting evidence and argument for the claim. Transitions guide the reader effortlessly. The conclusion expands on the relevance of the evidence and links it to the thesis. The essay relies upon logos and ethos, but also makes an effective pathos appeal. The A essay uses multiple types of relevant, trusted evidence: analysis of the primary text; testimony of secondary texts; and relevant testimony of tertiary texts such as history, philosophy, Cather?s other fiction, essays, or letters. There are no errors in fact, nor logical fallacies. Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries come from all cited sources and are relevant, accurate, fair, and brief. There is sentence variety, an even tone, and appropriate word choices. Wordiness, awkwardness, repetitions, and distractions are avoided. The writing, in-text citations, and works cited page are error-free or nearly so. The requirements for word count, sources, and citations are met.
The B essay has a good thesis, introduction, body, and conclusion. Each body paragraph includes just one point and does some work to support the thesis. Transitions generally guide the reader between points. Various types of evidence are used to support most claims. All sources are quoted, paraphrased, or summarized to support main points. There may be one error in fact or one logical fallacy, neither of which is located in the thesis statement. The writing is clear, having only a few sentence-boundary errors, word-level errors, or awkward expressions. The works cited page for the B paper cites only sources used in the essay, and each citation contains all required publications details. Also, the points are sufficiently developed to meet the word count. Alternatively, the essay might be an A, but the works cited page lacks some publication or electronic details, is formatted incorrectly, or has mechanical errors. The requirements for word count, sources, and citations are met.
The C essay has a thesis, introduction, body, and conclusion that together convey a sense of unity. It may have weak content, structure, paragraphing or transitions. It may have distractions, lack quotations or have unexplained quotations, have weak mechanics that interfere with meaning, one or two errors in fact, or one or two logical fallacies (not in the thesis statement). Alternatively, the essay might be a B, but the works cited page is badly formatted, is inaccurate, is missing details, or has many mechanical errors. The requirements for word count, sources, and citations are met.
The D essay has an introduction, body and conclusion, and a sense of related purpose. It may lack a thesis or quotations and paraphrases. Or, it has at least two major flaws in content, structure, paragraphing or transitions. It may be so weak mechanically that it does not make meaning, or contain many errors in fact or logical fallacies. Alternatively, the essay might be a C, but the works cited page contains the wrong sources, is missing much information, or has severe mechanical errors. Or, the paper may be under word count or ?fluffed? to meet word count.
The F essay is incomplete, drastically misunderstands sources or the assignment, or is filled with errors in fact or logical fallacies.
Zero is for essays that lack a works cited page or plagiarize a source.

What kind of novel is Heart of Darkness? About genre, form, purpose, message
? On Novels?Realism, Naturalism, Modernism
? Heart of Darkness Making and Reception (Media driven)
? On Colonialism
? Feminism
? Psychoanalytical
? Deconstructionist
? Historicism

Does Joseph Conrad?s life experiences bear upon his writing?
? Imperialism during that period of time
? Conrad?s place in Literature
? Cather?s Masculine Point of View

Point of view
? Conrad?s view of colonialism, racism, savagery versus civilization
? Conrad?s Layered Perspective

How does the novel treat the natural world? Is it subject to human use? Does it dominate human existence, shaping how we understand our place in the world? Is the land valued for its own sake, or for the sake of what it can produce for human use?
? The Significance of the Congo in History
? Analysis of Marlow, Kurtz, The accountant
? Kurtz connection to the land, river, native population
? Africa History of Landscape
? Kurtz presence in the Congo

What is the literary purpose of sentimentality in the novel?
? Narrator Remember Time
? Marlow Memory and Migration
? On Imperialism

How does Kurtz view the natives? Is there a particular reason his family name is ?Kurtz?? Does the novel do anything to undermine Kurtz?s view of the natives? If so, in what way?
? Kurtz as a God
? Kurtz, Madness, and Sickness
? Kurtz the Hero
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