Overview: We have spent time examining the conventions of literary texts, from poetry to the news, as well as the analyzing the significance behind how literary devices are used in different genres. Our previous essay assignment focused on academic literary analysis, so for this major assignment, we will be looking at the creative side of literature and ensuring that we understand the various genres that are part of the literary world so that we can compose a horror story or romance tailored towards a specific audience.
One of the interesting things about this project is that it will allow you to critically think about genres, art, and making meaning when you write. I realize that some of you might not describe yourselves as “the creative type,” but keep in mind that I will not be expecting you to write like a published writer here. I simply want you to explore the various genres and see what you unearth along the way.
Assignment:
For this assignment, you will need to select a text from the following list as your primary source. You will then adapt this primary source into either a horror or a romance, based on the options found below in “assignment options.”Selected Piece for this Assignment: https://www.one-act-plays.com/dramas/trifles.html
Additionally, you will need one CURRENT and CREDIBLE secondary source (either a news article or a TED Radio Hour podcast) that explores a RELEVANT topic or issue that is also part of the story, play, or poem that you compose.
Selected Research Article for this Assignment: https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/AFJ/article/download/12929/9293
*** My own Words***** The objective of this assignment is to recreate the play i have chosen into a poem. The poem must match the structure of a credited poem published by a famous poet. The genre selected for this poem is Horror. I informed my professor, the poem will surround around the ideas of Mrs. Wright (character in play), and her emotions and feelings felt that led her to kill her husband (assuming that she did). This will make sense once you read the play. The poem must highlight the theme of the play, which is gender roles in a relationship. Ultimately, the poem needs to preface the play, describing the night and emotions felt that lead her to kill her husband. (Assuming she did) Next objective for this assignment is listed below within my professors instructions:
****Professors Instructions*****The thing that is going to make this option different is that it is going to require that you have the original short story, graphic novel, or play to restructure into a poem AND you must also have a published poem that you are going to use as a model for your poem. You cannot simply create a poem written in your own style; you must create a poem that mimics the major characteristics (structure, rhythm, rhyme (if present), and literary devices) of a poem published by a website like Poetry Foundation (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/browse#page=1&sort_by=recently_added ) or a similar site. This DOES NOT have to be a poem that we have read.
You must recreate an idea from the short story, graphic novel, or play as much as possible, but you should feel comfortable altering things, as well as adding, deleting, or emphasizing different parts, in order to fit your purpose for your horror or romance themed poem. For a good example of a horror themed poem, see Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” or “Annabel Lee.”
You must submit a short document (about 500 words or more – this one will need to be a bit longer due to what you need to include in it) that explains the theme of the original play or short story, as well as the choices you made when changing the short story or play into a poem. In this document, you should ALSO include a brief summary of the major characteristics (structure, rhythm, rhyme (if present), and literary devices) of the original poem you used as your model. Finally, this is where you will connect the poem that you composed to your researched source. How does your poem respond to something that is happening in modern day society? Based on this, who is the specific audience you are attempting to address? Be very specific about who your audience is and why you chose this group as your audience.
1. Summarize the major characteristics of a published poem that you are using as the model for your own poem.
2. Choose a short story or play and change it into a poem based off the poem you chose for number 1 above.
3. In a document of 500 words or more, explain the major characteristics of the poem you chose. You must also explain the choices you made when changing the play or short story into the poetic style of the poem that you selected. Finally, consider how your poem responds to something that you researched in modern news? Who is the specific audience that you hope reads your poem? What effect do you want to have on that audience?
Grading Criteria:
There is no length requirement; instead, your writing will be evaluated on how well you understood the theme and purpose of the short story/ play and recreated it in the form of a specific poem (basically imitating the major characteristics of the poem you chose).
Be careful with this “no length issue.” You must fully develop your work in a way that is appropriate for a college classroom.
It is not a question of how “accurate” your rendition is; instead, it is important that you show how well you understood characteristics of the original poem and the point of the short story or play, and managed to communicate the play/ short story as a horror or romance-themed poem.
Your poem should be obviously modeled off of the major characteristics of the poetic style of the poem you chose, including the literary devices that we have studied thus far.
Your accompanying document should clearly present the information requested.
