Directions:
Write a 7-8
page literary interpretation paper, in 12 point standard font with one inch
margins, using at least FIVE of the
selected readings throughout the semester.
**You need to come up with
a theme related to the class topic of
THE HERO that you feel exists in your chosen works.
For instance, you should
use your assigned literary analysis text, The
Hero’s Quest and the Cycles of Nature: An Ecological Interpretation of World
Mythology, as an example of what I am looking for. This book defined many
of the characters we read in class as “botanical heroes” as they were
interpreted as personifications of nature.
First, I would like you to come up with a catch phrase, like
“Botanical Hero”, that is all your own: for example, “The Failed Hero”, “The
Tough Hero”, “The Sacrificial Hero”, “The Cowardly Hero”, “The Hero Who is not
Heroic”, “The Hero of the People”, etc.
Then, I would like you to define your type of hero in a formal
introduction in your paper. Also, have a
multicultural purpose that ties
your definition of a hero to other cultures.
Next, I would like you to choose five heroes from class that ALL
meet your definition of a hero, and analysis their texts, discussing how they
are the type of hero you mention. Be
sure to be specific; each of the 5 texts you discuss should have at least 1
full page devoted to it. You should only
discuss the specific element that portray your character as the type of hero
you define – do not provide a plot summary of the text. **Two of your works may be
ancient works, but at least 3 must be Modern or Contemporary works. **You also
must choose works from at least 3 different cultures.
Finally, finish with a formal conclusion. (The full paper should be
7-8 pages of text – title pages and references pages are not part of the 7-8
page total).
*You also need to include at least three researched literary
interpretation sources. You can find
these on the online academic journals or you can
obtain them from general online sources, as long as I have approved their
credibility. I suggest you know your
personal interpretations intimately before you start looking at other critics’
interpretations, so that you won’t be swayed by their opinions.
You should use these
interpretations throughout your paper to either support a point that you are
making, or to show how a critic’s interpretation is short-sighted, and how
yours is superior.
