Unit #3 In-Class Essay Exam, ENGL 252, Spring 16

Format: In-Class Essay, Wed., April 27, last day of class.

Supplies: Bring a pen or pencil and your cheat sheet. Paper will be provided.
Cheat sheet: One 4 inch by 6 inch notecard or piece of paper. Write notes on one side only.
Do not use micro-style handwriting (smaller than what you see here) or full sentences and
paragraphs. If you do not follow these directions, your grade will be penalized. This cheat
sheet will be turned in with your essay.
Purpose: To write a literary analysis that makes an argument about two works of literature on
our syllabus from Unit #3. See the handout Components of a Literary Analysis for a
description of this type of essay. Please also see the handout of strong thesis statements,
supporting reasons, and a sample concluding paragraph. It is also helpful to look over the
feedback and rubric from the first two exams.
What to write about: For this essay, select two works of literature (short story, poems,
narrative) by two different authors on our syllabus from Unit #3. These works should
offer different perspectives or points of view about the same topic. Do not select
more than two works or two authors.
Thesis statement: Your thesis statement will make an argument about the two different
perspectives about the same topic. What might these two points of view show us?
How do we make sense of these different reactions or interpretations?
Audience: Remember that your audience has read the literary works. Use plot points
and details as support for your argument; avoid summary and using plot points as topic
sentences.
Literary and Cultural Terms and Concepts: Use as appropriate for the literature you
are writing about.
Possible topics:

Effects of Colonization: How does each text depict the effects of being colonized?
What point of view is expressed? Is an argument made about what to do with this
influence? Does the language the text is written in demonstrate that a people cant
reverse the effects of colonization?
War Literature: How does each text depict war or try to communicate something about
war? How does the text get its message across to you, the reader? How do you make
sense of these two different perspectives? What is the social purpose of war literature?
Expressionism/Realism/Surrealism/Magical Realism: Select two of these literary
styles to compare. Consider imagery, the way the text is written (narrative, real-life
description vs. abstract symbols or dream-like), and the use of personal point of view vs.
objective, uninvolved narrator. What are the advantages of each style? Which one is
more accessible to a general reader? Why?