Essay 1 Requirements & Suggested Topics

Essay 1 R E Q U I R E M E N T S & S U G G E S T E D TO P I C S

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Requirements Your first essay should focus on one of the short stories you have read for class—”Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel García Márquez. You can choose your own topic or choose from one of the suggested topics listed on the following pages. Just remember that your essay should have a clear thesis; make a compelling, analytic assertion; and NOT BE A SIMPLE BOOK REPORT. Also, if you choose one of my suggested topics, you are more than welcome to tweak it however you would like.

–ALW

SPECIFIC ESSAY REQUIREMENTS 1. Your essay should be typed in MLA style and uploaded to Blackboard on or before 11:59 p.m. on 1 November 2020.

2. It must be at least 750 words.

3. You should save and submit your essay in one of the following file formats: .doc, .docx, .docm, .odt, .rtf, or .pdf. Any other types of files (including Google Docs and Pages) will NOT be accepted and could result in a 0% F. 4. This essay should not include any sources other than the short story you write about itself. All ideas and information included in the essay should be your own.

5. Even though the short story you are writing about should be your only source, your essay MUST end with a MLA-style works-cited page containing the citation of the short story the essay covers. Example citations of all six short stories can be found on Page 6 of this document.

6. Your essay should be your original work and contain no plagiarism. Plagiarized essays will automatically receive a 0% F. 7. If you have any questions about the essay, you should text me at 501-912-7272.

Loibner-Waitkus >> Composition II >> Essay 1 Requirements & Suggested Topics >> Page 2 of 7

Suggested Topics “A ROSE FOR EMILY” by WILLIAM FAULKNER

>>Bizarre is a common word used to describe Miss Emily Grierson, but given her her behavior and actions in “A Rose for Emily,” she clearly suffers from a mental illness and is not simply bizarre. Using what you know about modern psychology, diagnose Miss Emily. Using the text to support your findings, what does she say or do that led you to your specific diagnosis. What happens in Miss Emily’s personal life that could be contributing factors to her mental issues?

>>Most stories are told in chronological order. “A Rose for Emily,” however, jumps around in time. Clearly, Faulkner does this intentionally. Explain the order Faulkner chooses, and using the order to support your reasoning, explain why you think Faulkner chose it and how it adds to the effectiveness of the narrative.

>>The Old South versus the New South is an obvious theme in “A Rose for Emily,” with Miss Emily representing the Old South. What are some examples of events, people’s actions, and people’s attitudes used to represent this change in the South? How is it clear that Miss Emily epitomizes the Old South? What do you think Faulkner is trying to convey with this theme?

“A VERY OLD MAN WITH ENORMOUS WINGS” by GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ

>>“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is a textbook example of Magical Realism (see the handout in the “Audio & Video Lecture & Notes” section on Blackboard. Using what you know about Magical Realism, use specific examples from the text to prove the story should be considered Magical Realism.

>>One of the most common elements of Magical Realism is satire, and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” incarnates satire. What do you think García Márquez is satirizing? How does he accomplish this in the story?

“HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS” by ERNEST HEMINGWAY >>What does this story seem to say about the role of communication in relationships?

Loibner-Waitkus >> Composition II >> Essay 1 Requirements & Suggested Topics >> Page 3 of 7

>>The setting of “Hills Like White Elephants” is very intentional on Hemingway’s part. What is the narrative function of setting this story at a train station in Spain?

How would the story be different if it took place in Mexico? Greece? China? How would the story be different if it took place in a bar? A hotel? A kitchen?

>>If you ask anyone who has ever read “Hills Like White Elephants” to describe it, the word symbolism is going to be uttered. What are some of most important symbols used in the story? What do they symbolize? What are Hemingway’s intentions by including them?

“THE GIFT OF THE MAGI” by O. HENRY

>>Why does O. Henry spend so much time developing Della in the story while Jim is introduced only near the very end? Is her perspective more or less important than his? Is this intentional on Henry’s part? If so, to what end?

>>Norman Mailer, like many modern authors, complained that writers do not use irony well. “The Gift of the Magi” is possibly the most famous use in short fiction of situational irony. Knowing what you know about the ending of the story, what instances can you find before the ending that sets the story up with such an ironic ending?

>>What is important about the title? Does it suggest that the story has a religious lesson or just that Christmas will figure in the plot somehow? Use specific examples from the text to support your opinion.

“THE LOTTERY” by SHIRLEY JACKSON >>Why does Jackson choose common people for her characters in “The Lottery”?

Could she use characters from other levels of sophistication with the same effect?

What is the irony of the tone of this story and what role do the characters play in that?

>>Some critics insist that “The Lottery” has an added symbolic meaning. Do you agree? If so, what is Shirley Jackson trying to tell us about ourselves? (Hint: Consider that this story was written during the height of the rise of Communism and the Soviet Union.)

Loibner-Waitkus >> Composition II >> Essay 1 Requirements & Suggested Topics >> Page 4 of 7

“A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND” by FLANNERY O’CONNOR

>>First, look up grace in a dictionary so you know the exact definition. Do you think the grandmother’s moment of grace in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is an authentic moment of grace? Why or why not? How does the story change if it isn’t? If the grandmother’s moment of grace isn’t actually a true moment of grace, what is it?

You may also want to include how the Misfit reacts and why.

>>After a close reading of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” ask yourself what kind of person the grandmother truly is. Is she a manipulative genius? A superficial and selfish woman? A rather average grandmother with her share of human faults? A positively lovely lady? Be sure to quote heavily from the text to support your view.

>>Is O’Connor making a statement about her feelings concerning religion in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”? If so, what statement do you think she is attempting to make? If not, why do so many people think O’Connor is addressing religion in the story?

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Sample Works-Cited Page Stankworthy 4 Works Cited Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 598-608.

García Márquez, Gabriel. “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 629-636.

Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 570-575.

Henry, O. “The Gift of the Magi.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 637-642.

Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 542-551.

O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek, Norton Custom, 2020, pp. 580-596.

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