The first assignment is a formal, analytical paper on two contemporary creative works (of two different genres – one work must be written and made available by me. If you would like to use a different text, please run it by me first for approval). You can choose the second work from the following genres: fiction book (maybe one chapter), short story, poem(s) by a single author, play, film, TV show, song, game or video game, visual artwork, architectural work/design or your own suggestion (again, please get approval from me first).
An analysis asks you to go beyond summary and to think about various elements that make up a text: the essay’s central idea, how the writer or creator crafts that idea (evidence, stories, metaphors, etc.), the audience, the purpose, the political and historical context for the text, and the conclusions you can draw from these.
The text and artifact should share an idea, theme or issue, although they may differ in the way that they treat it. As you approach the text and artifact, consider the following: what arguments do the writer/creators ask about your chosen theme, how do they support these arguments, who are their audiences, and what was their purpose in writing the text or creating this artifact? These elements will help you develop your own argument (analysis) about the significance of the two artifacts on which you’ll focus.
The first work is an excerpt from The Family Hour by Joann Beard from pages 111-132.
