This assignment focuses on your ability to: learn how to interpret the literary device of setting
and how it affects the character of the story/poem.
The purpose of completing this assignment is: as a student, in your career, and individual
lives, you will often need to look beyond the plot and summary of what you are reading and put
a different spin on it. An example of this might be interpreting data and the varying components
of how that data was created, as well as what to do with the data as you move forward.
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Prompt (What are you writing about):
Choose one of the readings from this unit and in a well-crafted 2-page essay, respond to the
following prompt:
Choose one of the stories/poems in Units One or Two. Analyze the setting place and setting
mood and how this setting and mood shape the story?
Instructions (how to get it done):
Read through all of the instructions of this assignment.
Read all of the unit 1 and 2 resources.
Select one of stories or poems to write about.
Your audience for this essay is people who have read the stories/poems.
Use text examples to support your answer.
Your essay will have the following components:
o A title page
o An Introduction
o A thesis at the end of the introduction that clearly states how setting shapes the
story.
o At least two supporting sections that defend your thesis/focus of the essay
o Text support with properly cited in-text citations
o A concluding paragraph
o A reference page with the short story citation
Requirements:
• Length and format: At least 2 pages.
• The title page and reference page are also required, but they should not be factored into
the 2-page length of the essay.
• The paper should be double spaced with 1-inch margins. Choice of fonts: 11-point
Calibri, 11-point Arial,12-point Times New Roman. Essay should conform to APA
formatting and citation style.
• Use the third-person, objective voice, avoiding personal pronouns such as “I,” “you,”
“we,” etc.
• Please use the short story sources and any outside sources you need to create a
properly formatted APA reference page.
• Use APA format for in-text citations and references when using outside sources and
textual evidence.
• Skills to be assessed with this assignment: creating effective thesis statements,
incorporating text, responding to literature.
• Please be cautious about plagiarism. Make sure to use in-text citations for direct
quotes, paraphrases, and new information.
Mini lesson on thesis statements:
• Questions to ask yourself:
o What is the setting of my chosen story? What is the place? What
is the mood created by the author? How do the place and mood
affect the story for the reader?
o For example, it is apparent that in Whitman’s “I Hear America
Singing” you would devote a supporting section to the locations of
his poem and a supporting section to the mood he creates through
the setting.
• Translate that into a thesis:
o After you have made connections to these two areas of setting
you will then form your thesis.
o Here is a example template for your thesis. You are welcome to
use this template for your essay:
▪ In Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing”, it is
apparent that the setting place and location shape the poem
through the obvious American workers’ locations and the
tone of triumph and hopefulness.
Readings and Resources unit 1
Topic One: Plot is a Personal Thing:
What is Plot? Prep Scholar offers this interesting article on the components of a Plot. You will need to be familiar with plot points to complete your Unit 1 Literary Response
Muniz, H. (2019, Dec. 3). What is the plot of a story. The five points of a narrative. Prep Scholar.
The selections below are in the genre of “short-short stories”. These stories are fewer than 1,500 words and can have traditional or experimental plot arcs. Short-short stories can do in a page what a novel does in two hundred. In the selections below, you will notice that these compelling stories are intensely personal and ask the reader to think beyond the words on the page. Enjoy!
Gullick, C. (2020, October 27). The invisible string. American Short Fiction
Anderson, S. (2020, October 20). Swan of the gods. American Short Fiction.
Fairy Tales and children’s stories are a wonderful way to learn about Plot. Many of these stories were written as cautionary tales to parents and their children, which is why so many fairy tales are dark in nature. The following stories are brief and to the point but they have a definite plotline with a defined beginning, middle, and end.
Anderson, H.C. (1845). The little matchgirl. American Literature.com
Grimm Bros. (n.d.) Little red riding hood. American Literature.com
Author Deborah Feldman discusses her personal connection to her novel, Unorthodox:
Watch Video
Unorthodox: Deborah Feldman’s escape from Brooklyn to Berlin | DW Interview
Duration: 11:59
User: n/a – Added: 7/29/16
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvxzIXSAPyw
Topic Two: APA 7th edition:
For more in-depth answers to formatting and style questions, look at the resources in the “APA 7th Edition” module on your menu.
Use this template for all of your courses at Post. In different classes, you will need to use a different dept. name and course name.
APA 7th edition Title Page and Reference Page Template APA 7th edition Title Page and Reference Page Template – Alternative Formats
APA student title page information from APA style
What significant changes have changed from 6th to 7th editions? Scribbr gives this concise overview.
Watch Video
APA Manual 7th Edition: 17 Most Notable Changes | Scribbr
Duration: 4:55
User: n/a – Added: 11/26/19
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeSIXD6y3WQ
Topic Three: How to Be an Active Reader:
It is just as important to fine-tune how to read as seek out what to read. Learning how to be an active reader can reduce time spent rereading and refocusing. It also enhances understanding of the text and of your assignments. Please be sure to use the source below and incorporate the skills into your reading techniques.
Princeton University explores how to take active reading into a Science classroom
Active reading strategies: Remember and analyze what you read. (2018). Princeton University.
Readings and Resources unit 2
Topic One: When setting matters:
Even though we are all reading the same texts, our views and experiences can be poignantly varied because of our own experiences. Think about what your experiences bring to these stories and poems as you read them. Enjoy!
Bradbury, R. (2010). All summer in a day. Read, 59(16), 14–19
Whitman, W. (2017). I hear America singing. Poetry Foundation.
Hughes, L. (2020/1926). I, Too. American Literature.
Ce, C. (2015). Money the least of his worries. African Short Stories: Vol 2. Handel Books.
Topic Two: Setting as a Literary Device:
Setting in this video is defined as location, time, and limitations. The author provides some great suggestions for being an active reader while analyzing the setting.
Watch Video
Power in Literature, Short Stories Part 2: Setting
Duration: 4:32
User: n/a – Added: 3/25/15
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYQOql_Gm88
Supplemental Resources: Plagiarism and Citation Review:
Plagiarism has more than likely been reviewed in each of your courses up until now. A good portion of plagiarism occurs because the writer does not understand the parameters and formatting of quotes, paraphrases, and researched information. You should have begun the course by reading the announcement that discusses plagiarism. Please, also be sure to read the University Policy on Academic Dishonesty that is linked in the left-hand menu of this course.
Although blogs are not commonly used in a college course, this one by a Grammarly writer offers great insight to avoiding plagiarism. Be sure to use Grammarly as a plagiarism tool.
Calonia, J. (2020). How to avoid plagiarism. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-plagiarism/
Purdue University is a fabulous resource for all of your APA formatting needs:
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (1995-2020). Purdue Online Writing Lab.
In-text citations: The basics. (1995-2016). Purdue Online Writing Lab.
