English 3202: Essay #1 Assignment For this essay, Id like you to write on the topic of poetry.

Choose one of the following approaches, and write an essay of 500 to 600 words (about 2 to 3 typed, double-spaced pages). Remember, an essay has an identifiable thesis and related paragraphs that support that thesis through reasons, logic, examples, and explanations. 1) Formalist approach With this approach, you will focus on one or more of the elements of one or more poems. In particular, you might want to show how the elements interact. For example, you might show how a particular image supports or establishes a particular tone. The same could be said of word choice, metaphor, simile, symbol, or rhythm. You could also discuss why a particular element is successful or unsuccessful, and explain why you think so. In this essay, you cold focus on a single poem, a single element (such as metaphor) and many poems that use that element, or compare and contrast (show similarities and differences between) two poems. Make sure you include a description or definition of the elements you discuss. 2) Biographical approach With this approach, you will need to learn something about the author to make connections between the authors life and the authors poem(s). Your essay will attempt to explain that connection, but there doesnt have to be a direct connection. The link or connection could be suggestive, rather than explicit. With this approach you will have to do some research, in which you use other sources of information to support your essay. Remember, to avoid plagiarism, you must document any source that you use. If you quote a text, use quotation marks and indicate who said it and where you found it. If you paraphrase or summarize someones ideas, you have to give the author and source of your ideas. 3) Sociological approach With this approach, you are concerned more with a poems meaning, rather than its form. In particular, this approach looks at art (poetry in this case) as an opportunity to comment on (often criticize) society, from social, economic or political perspectives. A sociological approach often assumes that society has an ideal form, but that most societies fall short of that ideal. Topics related to this approach include culture, social classes, race or ethnicity, power, and injustice. This approach might also involve the use of secondary sources of information. If you do research and use it, make sure you document it to avoid plagiarism. Writing Process and Due Dates First, you should do some brainstorming and prewriting to develop your thesis. Remember, a thesis is not a statement of fact or the self-evident, and it is not a question. A thesis is an assertion (often an opinion) about a topic. A thesis is usually a generalization, but it cant be too general. Next, write a draft. Take your draft to the writing center for help with revising and editing. Make sure the writing center tutor signs your draft. After working with the tutor, make the changes and improvements and save your revision with a new name ([Essay#1Title] Revision). The draft and revision are due March 4. Please send me by email the draft and revision as separate, labeled documents with different file names.