The Monster Essay and MLA Format Ms. Lewis and Ms. Housley NGA 2011 Due Date: April 26, 2011 (Washington, D.C. Trip is April 27-30)

What is the Monster Essay? The Monster Essay is an essay that you will write to identify monsters in all of the literature we read this year.

How do I write this essay? We will write the essay a little at a time. Today, you will begin to think about what you are writing and how the MLA format for each work is written.

What is the definition of a “monster” as we will use it for this assignment? A “monster” is any obstacle that creates a problem for a character. Monsters are in all selections of literature. The monster may be literal, like those in Greek Mythology, or the monster may be figurative.

What is an example of a literal monster? A “literal monster” is something like the Banshee we studied in World Mythology or the Hydra from Greek Mythology.

What is an example of a figurative monster? A “figurative monster” is something like prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird or parental rules in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

So where do I begin? Using the handout you have been given, make a list of the literal and figurative monsters in everything we have read so far.

After that, what do I need to do? Use the back of the handout to record the MLA information for everything we have read.

Am I finished? No. Now you need to begin to write the essay. Start with the introduction to the essay. It should be 5-10 sentences in length and explain what you think about monsters in literature.

I don’t understand. Can you give me an example? Sure. Take a look at the paragraph on the next slide. It is just one example of an effective way to structure this essay.

During English 9, we have read many different types of literature. The literary selections contain numerous examples of literal and figurative monsters. For the purpose of this essay, a monster is defined as any obstacle that presents a complication for the characters. After making a list of all the selections we have read, it is apparent that every selection developed around particular monsters. The genres of literature we have studied include short stories, novels, poetry, essays, myths, and non- fiction. The goal of this essay is to examine the monsters in each genre beginning with mythology.

What steps do I take in writing the introduction to the Monster Essay? 1.Restate the prompt 2.Refer to the fact that we have read a variety of literature 3.Define what you mean by “monsters” 4.Discuss how you plan to approach the topic of Monsters in Literature in the essay 5.Write your topic sentence (place it at the end of the paragraph)

Now it is time to “grow” your essay. Get started and keep everything you do today. The first day in the lab to work on this is Wednesday!