Unlike the mini-essays, the essay should have a full introduction and conclusion. Thesis should be at the end of the introduction. Papers should be 4-6 pages in length, typed and double-spaced. Use one inch margins on all sides; do not use right hand justification. Use Times New Roman 12 pt. or similar font.
Topics:
1) Choose a minor character (the more minor the better). How does this character add to our understanding of the author’s theme?
2) Discuss the idea of the divine in one of the works. How does the author depict the character of or the role of god(s)?
3) Discuss the idea of the hero in one of the works. What qualities are necessary for heroism in the author’s opinion? (Note: I’m not talking about the characteristics of an epic or chivalric hero, but how would the author define heroism?)
4) Discuss the depiction of women in one of the works. How does the author depict the character of or the role of women in society?
5) Write a short story in which you take a character from one work we have read and place her/him into a different work. For example, place Oedipus in the position of Sir Lanval. If you choose a long work, your short story could focus on only a portion of the original, such as Rama’s final confrontation with the Ravana. You cannot take a character from one lai, Arabian Nights or fairy tale and use him/her in a different one from the same collection. Your story should reflect the changes that the character’s traits would make to the plot and theme of the original story. (How would Oedipus respond if in the position of the third brother in “The Golden Bird.”) Sometimes only the beginning of the story would resemble the original because the different character would necessitate an entire different direction for the tale. Your final story may have little resemblance to the original. Note: You are not taking plot elements from one story and using them in the other story. Changes should be made based on what a different character would do in the situation. Interesting changes can be made by placing a female character into a male role or vice versa—Helen as Sir Lanval, Gilgamesh as Sita. However, gender change isn’t necessary. Avoid substitutions that would make little to no difference. Your goal is to demonstrate that you have an understanding of the original character by placing him/her in a different context, but keeping the traits of the original character. You will need to include a page to a page-and-a-half introduction, in which you explain why you have made the changes you have and how these changes are in keeping with the theme and traits of the original character. If useful, you can use portions of the original story without making changes or citing your source in the text of your story. In a rewriting, such as I am requesting, this is not considered plagiarism, if proper credit is given in your introduction. Grade will be based primarily on how well your story and its introduction demonstrate your understanding of works and character you have chosen, not on the literary merit of your story.
6) Come with a topic of your own. Discuss it with me before proceeding.
With any of the topics, try to go beyond or deeper than the most obvious answer. Remember innovation is an important factor in determining your grade. Your paper should have a thesis and argue that thesis. This is the “so what” portion of your paper. Present your assertion about the text and then prove you are right using evidence from the text.
Don’t do mere plot summary–in other words don’t just tell your readers what happens in the text. Use your essay to explain why the events happen as they do or to explain what the text “means.” Also, remember that in talking about literary texts we use the historical present tense.
The books that the essay is referring to are as follows:
The Three Little Men in the Woods – http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm013.html
Cinderella – http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm021.html
The Girl without Hands – http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm031.html
Little Brier-RoseLinks – http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm050.html
The Knapsack – https://auburn.instructure.com/courses/1554500/files/235019109/download
The Golden Bird – https://auburn.instructure.com/courses/1554500/files/235019117/download
puss in boots – https://auburn.instructure.com/courses/1554500/files/235019101/download
Arabian Nights – https://auburn.instructure.com/courses/1554500/pages/arabian-nights
Merchant of Venice
