Writing Literature Papers I Writing the Paper ENG 142

Do Not Retell the Story! Retelling the story seems as if you are trying to take up space. Retelling the story seems as if you are trying to take up space. The instructor has read the story and does not need to be told what happens in it. The instructor has read the story and does not need to be told what happens in it. Use relevant parts of the story to support your theme. Use relevant parts of the story to support your theme.

Organization Introduction (contains thesis statement) Introduction (contains thesis statement) Thesis = Your stance in an argument. Thesis = Your stance in an argument. A Thesis Statement is not: A Thesis Statement is not: Vague Vague An accepted fact An accepted fact Ambivalent = Stating both sides of argument. Ambivalent = Stating both sides of argument. In the form of a question In the form of a question A broad topic A broad topic Body Body Support Support Interpret, don't summarize the work of literature. Interpret, don't summarize the work of literature. Avoid digressions and irrelevant references to personal experiences or beliefs. Avoid digressions and irrelevant references to personal experiences or beliefs. Avoid clichés and unsupportable generalizations. Avoid clichés and unsupportable generalizations. Use quotations wisely to support your discussion. Use quotations wisely to support your discussion. Conclusion Conclusion

Developing a Thesis What is the overall theme of the book/story? What is the overall theme of the book/story? Avoid the cliché and obvious. Avoid the cliché and obvious. What other stories (in myth, literature, etc.) does this remind you of? What other stories (in myth, literature, etc.) does this remind you of? What deeper meaning can you find in the piece? What deeper meaning can you find in the piece? How can you see it differently from others? How can you see it differently from others? What symbols do you see and how do they make their point? What symbols do you see and how do they make their point? Is there support in the text for your idea? Is there support in the text for your idea? It’s not necessary to announce your thesis with such expressions as "This paper will argue" or "In this paper I will show that." Just state your argument. It’s not necessary to announce your thesis with such expressions as "This paper will argue" or "In this paper I will show that." Just state your argument. Sometimes it helps to say, “This paper will show….”, state your thesis, then go back and eliminate the introductory phrase of “This paper will show.” Sometimes it helps to say, “This paper will show….”, state your thesis, then go back and eliminate the introductory phrase of “This paper will show.”

Using Quotes Use quotations to support your argument. Use quotations to support your argument. Keep quotations short (try to avoid long, block quotes). Keep quotations short (try to avoid long, block quotes). Provide context for the quote. Having a quote by itself with no explanation of why it is there is pointless and will not be counted as part of your paper. Provide context for the quote. Having a quote by itself with no explanation of why it is there is pointless and will not be counted as part of your paper. Make sure the quote is relevant. Make sure the quote is relevant. Cite quotes. Cite quotes.

Using Theory Do not say, Lawrence uses Psychoanalytic Theory in “The Rocking Horse Winner” or The story has feminist theory in it. Say, When examined from a psychoanalytic perspective..., or Campbell's theories show that the story is about coming of age. Stick to only one theory per paper.

Documenting Sources in the MLA Format for Literature Papers English and other humanities (art, philosophy, language) use the MLA format. Refer to Keys for Writers, the MLA Handbook, on- line sources such ashttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/74 7/01/ and the MLA Documentation Powerpoint. 7/01/ 7/01/

The Conclusion The conclusion is more than restating the thesis. The conclusion is more than restating the thesis. The conclusion's primary function is to summarize concisely a paper's major points, The conclusion's primary function is to summarize concisely a paper's major points, And it should take the paper's main idea a step further. And it should take the paper's main idea a step further. It should look beyond the paper's limitations and extend its insights It should look beyond the paper's limitations and extend its insights Don't use such phrases as "in conclusion" or "to sum up” Don't use such phrases as "in conclusion" or "to sum up” Don't try to be profound and claim too much. Don't try to be profound and claim too much. Don't undermine your own argument by contradicting yourself or pointing out that you could be wrong or that it’s just your opinion. Save humility for other times in your life. Don't undermine your own argument by contradicting yourself or pointing out that you could be wrong or that it’s just your opinion. Save humility for other times in your life.

Use Academic/Formal Tone Avoid second person and first person. Avoid second person and first person. Do not use contractions. Do not use contractions. Do not use slang, regional dialect, or swear words. Do not use slang, regional dialect, or swear words. In writing about stories, present tense is used, as if the story is still happening. In writing about stories, present tense is used, as if the story is still happening. Use gender neutral pronouns and make sure the pronoun cases match (pronoun/antecedent). Use gender neutral pronouns and make sure the pronoun cases match (pronoun/antecedent). Use correct grammar and punctuation. Avoid exclamation points. Use correct grammar and punctuation. Avoid exclamation points. Refer to people by last names, not first. In fiction, there is more flexibility to this as characters are often thought of by their first names. When discussing people outside of the story, use last names. Refer to people by last names, not first. In fiction, there is more flexibility to this as characters are often thought of by their first names. When discussing people outside of the story, use last names. Don’t define terms using the dictionary—doing so seems as if you are trying to take up space and are talking down to the reader. Don’t define terms using the dictionary—doing so seems as if you are trying to take up space and are talking down to the reader. Remember, the titles of stories, poems, songs, articles, and other short pieces are in quotation marks. Put the titles of books, magazines, movies, and other long pieces in italics. Remember, the titles of stories, poems, songs, articles, and other short pieces are in quotation marks. Put the titles of books, magazines, movies, and other long pieces in italics.

Revise! Revise! Revise! One of the main problems people have with their papers is that they don’t bother to proofread or edit. One of the main problems people have with their papers is that they don’t bother to proofread or edit. Revising can often raise the grade by one or two full grades. Revising can often raise the grade by one or two full grades. When revising, look for grammatical, spelling, word choice, and punctuation mistakes. When revising, look for grammatical, spelling, word choice, and punctuation mistakes. Look for contradictions, digressions, generalizations, irrelevant quotes, and weaknesses in style and presentation. Look for contradictions, digressions, generalizations, irrelevant quotes, and weaknesses in style and presentation.

Sample Paper A. Student [Name] [Date] Introduction to Literature[Class] A Closer Look at “Araby” [Title of paper, not merely the assignment] James Joyce’s “Araby” uses romantic irony to show how a person’s romantic view of the world can be shattered by reality. A teenage boy is in love with his friend’s sister. He watches her from a distance and then one day finally talks to her and promises to bring her a gift from the bazaar. Joyce uses symbolism and irony to show a strong relationship between religion and the boy's psycho-sexual development. [Thesis statement is in first paragraph and states an opinion you are going to support.] James Joyce’s “Araby” uses romantic irony to show how a person’s romantic view of the world can be shattered by reality. A teenage boy is in love with his friend’s sister. He watches her from a distance and then one day finally talks to her and promises to bring her a gift from the bazaar. Joyce uses symbolism and irony to show a strong relationship between religion and the boy's psycho-sexual development. [Thesis statement is in first paragraph and states an opinion you are going to support.] First Joyce creates a guilt-filled atmosphere through the use of personification to bring the street and other objects to life. He describes the “houses of the street, conscious of the decent lives within them, gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces” (Joyce 140). [Quotations are in the MLA style. The quote is within quotation marks and punctuation comes after the parentheses, which only contain the author’s last name and the page number of the quotation.] By this he shows that the town is more alive than the people living in it, saying, “The space of sky above us was the colour of ever-changing violet and towards it the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns” (140). [After the first use of the author’s last name, all that is needed is the page number of the quotation, unless another author is used, then return to using the last name and page number to avoid confusion.] This use of personification gives Joyce the ability to animate the town without using the people. First Joyce creates a guilt-filled atmosphere through the use of personification to bring the street and other objects to life. He describes the “houses of the street, conscious of the decent lives within them, gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces” (Joyce 140). [Quotations are in the MLA style. The quote is within quotation marks and punctuation comes after the parentheses, which only contain the author’s last name and the page number of the quotation.] By this he shows that the town is more alive than the people living in it, saying, “The space of sky above us was the colour of ever-changing violet and towards it the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns” (140). [After the first use of the author’s last name, all that is needed is the page number of the quotation, unless another author is used, then return to using the last name and page number to avoid confusion.] This use of personification gives Joyce the ability to animate the town without using the people.

Resources 01/ 01/ 01/ 01/ The Owl at Purdue has a few tips on how to write a literature paper. The Owl at Purdue has a few tips on how to write a literature paper. 01/ 01/ 01/ 01/