Write an analysis of one of the significant heroes or anti-heroes from
one or more of the texts in the class so far. You can also compare and contrast two heroes/ anti-he-
roes. Some ways to approach the topic: What is the significance of this hero to the text, audience,
and culture of the time and today? What kind of example does this hero give the reader and what
kind of values does this hero represent? Does the hero change through the course of the story? Are
the hero’s actions still laudable? Why or why not? How is the hero presented differently in different
stories? What is the significance of the structure of the hero’s quest? What do the challenges (and
the way the hero responds to those challenges) say about the hero? Relate to a present time Hero/
Anti-hero and find some similarities.
AVAILABLE TEXTS TO CHOOSE FROM:
Odyssey
Iliad
Citations must conform to MLA 9 th Edition Style for in-text citations and works cited.
• Two scholarly sources are required for this paper, but not more than 3 (just be careful they do not over-
whelm your own writing/observations).
• You must use at least one literary term covered in the class to enhance your analysis of a specific mo-
ment in the text (allegory, metaphors, symbolism, …)
Rubric:
Content – 30 p ( 10 p each)
The paper…
Addresses the topic or question
Accurately presents assigned authors’ viewpoints
Provides sufficient textual evidence to support the
argument
Structure – 30 p ( 3 p each)
The introduction…
Is present in the paper
Includes a clearly stated thesis
Indicates how the paper is organized
The body…
Contains a complete discussion and support
Each paragraph…
Includes a topic sentence
Develops one main idea
Has a transition sentence linking it to the next
paragraph
The conclusion…
Recaps the thesis statement and the essay’s main
points
Presents a closing statement of the writer’s position
Organization and Development – 20 p (5 p
each)
The entire composition
Is logically organized
Has a solid argument with supporting
evidence
Main points
Are relevant to the thesis statement
Are discussed without too much
repetition
Style -20 p ( 2 p each)
Is concise and precise
Is free of misspellings
Is free of grammatical mistakes
Lacks incomplete sentences
Uses correct punctuation
Includes subject/verb agreement
Uses pronouns correctly
Is free of jargon and cliches
Cites references correctly
