ENG 125 Week 5

ENG 125 Final Paper

Write an eight- to ten-page paper, in which you compare and contrast twoliterary works from this course that share the same theme (using the Themes & Corresponding Works list, below, as a guide).

The paper should be organized around your thesis (argument), which is the main point of the entire essay. When developing a thesis for a comparative paper, consider how a comparison of the works provides deeper insight into the topic of your paper (i.e., think about why you have chosen to look at these particular works in relation to one another). In your analysis, consider the relationships among the following elements:

?Content

?Form (e.g., short story vs. poem)

?Style

Assignment Requirements

?Topic: Must address one of the topics in the guidelines

?Length: Your draft should be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference page)

?Sources: Utilize at least six scholarly sources to support your thesis (including the course text and at least two sources from the Ashford Online Library).

?APA: Your draft must be formatted to APA (6th edition) style.

?Separate Title Page: Must include an original title

?Separate Reference Page

?Proper Citations: All sources must be properly cited, both within the text and in a separate reference page.

?Elements of Academic Writing: All academic papers should include these elements.

?Introduction with a thesis statement

?Supporting paragraphs

?Conclusion

Themes & Corresponding Works

Choose only two of the works within your selected theme.

Symbolism of the Journey

?The Road Not Taken (Frost)

?A Worn Path (Welty)

?I Used to Live Here Once (Rhys)

Discussion Questions

Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms.

Throughout this course we have explored the similarities and differences between the literary forms of the short story, the poem, and drama. For example, one major difference is that both poetry and drama frequently place a strong emphasis on performance before an audience that is physically present, while the short story is more commonly intended for individual reading.

With that said, it is important to remember that all literary works cannot always be easily classified into a single genre. Moreover, literary works which might be classified as belonging to one genre might possess many qualities more typical of other genres. For example, Shakespeares Macbeth is classified as drama, but in many respects takes the form of poetry. In other words, sometimes the differences between categories like drama, poetry, and the short story are not so easily defined. Often a short story might contain poetic or dramatic qualities, or a poem might include narrative and dramatic features.

Performance in Drama and Poetry.

All literature involves some kind of performance which is intended for an audience. Sometimes, however, the performative quality of a work (i.e., the fact that it is being presented to an audience) is more obvious than at others. Drama and poetry, for example, tend to emphasize overt performance more than do short stories, which more often are read silently and in solitude.

How is the more direct performative aspect of drama and/or poetry reflected in these forms? (Consider for example, each genres uses of literary structure, language, technique, and style.) How do these literary elements affect your reading experience?