Machado de Assis, Joaquim Maria. Dom Casmurro. New York: University of Oxford Press, 1977 (orig. pub., 1899). Ebook version, pp 3-244.
First paragraph of essay.
In one sentence, explain what the novel is about and be sure to include place, time frame, and other meaningful details.
Second sentence, discuss what you believe to be the plot of the novel.
Third sentence, explain how the novel is organized… 148 chapters and narrated in a non-chronological order from three different perspectives: Dom Casmurro, Bentinho, and Santiago. Although the same person, their life’s views where all different.
Fourth sentence, describe how Machado de Assis supports his novel. Since it’s fiction, the reader may surmise that it may be based on his or someone else’s personal experiences. If not, maybe it’s Machado de Assis’s attempt to recast Shakespeare’s “Othello” tragedy in a Brazilian context.
Last sentence of the first paragraph: state a specific argument for the reader. For example, “For the purpose of this essay, the reader will explore in more detail Santiago’s jealous nature toward his spouse Capitu Padua to suggest that the protagonist leads the reader to believe that she was guilty of infidelity.”
In your next three paragraphs, provide examples to support your argument, citing page numbers in parenthesis for specific reference.
In your conclusion, state what you believe as a reader are the strengths and weaknesses of the novel.
