ENG 203; Ms.

Tharp
Essay 1: Argument and AnalysisClose Reading
Thus far this semester, we have discussed the value of close reading when reading literature. By close reading we
have meant taking a small portion of text and breaking it apartto see what it does, how it does it, and what it says. In short, we
have been engaging in analysis of literature. You have practiced this in group and class discussions.
Your first essay for this course asks you to do just thisanalyze a piece of literature by really breaking apart a small
chunk of text. This essay must make an argumentthat is, it must be driven by a thesis statement. In short, you must make an
argument about a textand this argument can be whatever you want to say, be it about character, theme, literary devices, etc.
and prove your argument through a close reading of the text itself.
For the purposes of this assignment, your close reading must focus on no more than one scenethat is, a specific
moment in the text, a specific instance of dialogue exchange, a single passage, etc. The more focused you are, the more
successful you will be. You must choose one of the three short stories weve read.
To complete this assignment you will need to:
1) Give a brief synopsis of what occurs in the scene. This will be a maximum of 2-3 sentences. This is to ensure that you
understood what happened in the scene on the surface level. You cannot begin to dig deeper unless you have an understanding of
what is actually taking place.
2) You will briefly describe what happens immediately before and after the scene. Think 1 sentence for each. The purpose for
this is to contextualize the scene within the text. This is important because it gives the scene a space to exist. It can also give
glimpses into potential cause-and-effect relationships.
3) You will present a thesis statement about the scene itself. Remember, a thesis statement is neither a statement of fact (Sleep
involves a woman with insomnia), nor is it a statement of opinion (Sleep was a confusing story). In order to make an
argument, you must say something that someone else could logically disagree with.
4) Heres where the close reading comes in. You will, essentially, interpret the scene. You will dig below the surface, and
construct an argumentative interpretation of the scene that proves your thesis. While you should use the text to back up your
claims, excessive quotations will not win you points.
Putting it together:
This is a short assignmentonly 750 words. Thus, you may only focus on ONE text, with NO outside sources. Organization is
up to you, but an introduction is necessary, in which you will introduce the scene, contextualize the scene, and provide your
thesis statement. How you organize the rest of the paper is up to you. You should also have a conclusion in which you restate
your main point(s), but also wrap things up nicely for your reader.
Checklist:
Introduction of scene and contextualization of scene
Thesis statement
Close reading
Use of quotes (though not excessive)
Proper MLA citationauthors last name and page number (Chaon 1)
Works Cited Page
At least 750 words, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, double spaced, with word count posted at the end of the essay
Upload to turnitin the day it is due, and turn in a hard copy in class
DUE February 20TH