Recalling that a summary is a condensed version of other material in your words, write a one paragraph summary of Charlotte E. Howell’s “‘Tricky’ Connotations: Wonder Woman as DC’s Brand Disruptor.” Some important points to keep in mind: 1) Make sure the summary is in your words and focuses on what you deem is important in the article; 2) Do not simply repeat everything Howell has to say—she covers a lot of ground, but you need only focus on her main ideas; 3) Your summary must be different from any abstract associated with the article (but that can serve as a kind of model); 4) Stay in the objective, third person point of view; save your opinion for the analytical response of the article.
For the response, offer an opinion about the article and its theory of representation in popular culture. You do not need to write exclusively about film or Wonder Woman, but your discussion should focus on some aspect of popular media (film, television, literature, comics, music, etc.) and representation of a particular idea or identity. You can reasonably expect your audience’s familiarity with the popular culture references, and so consider them “common knowledge,” not requiring citation. Try to use specific examples as part of your support, and make sure your response has a thesis of its own to focus narrowly on the point selected. Try to narrow your topic as much as you can.You must cite or paraphrase at least twice from the Howell article and include an MLA-style Works Cited page. You may use up to two additional sources beyond the Howell article for support. Also, be sure you continue to use the objective third person point of view throughout the response.
Your response essay should stay focused on supporting your thesis, a personal response to the essay that you prove with three main reasons (key ideas associated with body paragraphs) that are in-turn supported by specific evidence and examples.
