This assignment gives you the opportunity to reflect on the scope of the course and evaluate your own learning. Pick 6 works by 6 different writers from the
course readings (SLO 1) that stand out to you. The writers you choose should reflect a diversity of perspectives in gender, race, historical time period, and
genre. In doing so you must address at least one work of drama, one poem and one piece of short fiction. However, you need to address six works in total. In
other words, do not pick all female writers, or all short stories, or all poetry, etc. but rather show the span of the course in your selections. Essay should be
750 words minimum (this is about 3-4 pages) though you may go over the minimum word count of 750. Be sure to double space and use MLA format (12 –
point font; Times New Roman; 1” margins; proper MLA heading, and page numbers with your last name in front of them). This assignment covers all the
required SLOs.
First:
Your essay should begin with a short introduction paragraph that gives context for your experience in the course and introduces the works and their authors
you will discuss. As a reflection you may use “I” but do not just address the essay to me as an instructor. Rather, think of your audience as yourself (as in a
journal or letter you might look back on later, possibly written to your future self) or as well as others who might take the class in the future.
Second:
After the introduction paragraph, in the body of the essay, you will write at least one paragraph for each of your chosen selections. For each piece of
literature, develop a paragraph or two in which you first comment on what you see as the most important aspect of the work. Think about the context of the
work as well as how the subject matter and themes of each work is relevant to everyday life outside of the literature classroom. Be sure to include a
memorable quote from each selection and why you consider it important.
DO NOT GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE WORK!
You might want to discuss to what extent each work challenged your thinking or helped you consider alternate perspectives? Or, in what way did it express an
idea or feeling you already held in a new way? Did it affect your viewpoint of a piece of history or culture in any way? Did the diction or word choice and the
context of some of your selections have any influence on your experience as the reader?
Did the genre, narrator’s voice, or the point of view of any of your choices influence your preference for this selection?
Did any of the author’s various literary devices appeal to you in any way in your chosen selections? Explain how and why please. These are just suggestions
to help guide you with what to say about each selection according to your personal views.
Remember in answering for each, you can refer to the literary works themselves for textual evidence as well as class notes and discussion to support your
response with specifics. As we have been doing throughout the class, point to specific lines or passages and explain their significance as reasons for your
opinions. You may also refer to your notes, other
assignments, analysis, literary devices, class discussion, etc. No formal works cited are needed. This is your personal view and not another’s viewpoint!
Please use good critical thinking in your responses. (This covers Interpretation SLO 2 and Analysis SLO 3)
Next:
Give an argument for the value of each of the works to others in your life. In other words, why is it worth reading and studying and possibly remembering for
the future? Or what did you get from reading this work? This will be written within the paragraph for each of the works.
Final Paragraph:
After you have written your introduction and discussed all six of your chosen selections then write a concluding paragraph to tie it all together. Thus, you
conclude your essay with a short paragraph that summarizes what you believe you have gained OVERALL from reading the literature assigned in this course.
How might you apply the ideas, perspectives, or ways of expression personally or professionally in the future? (Evaluation SLO 4):
*Bonus +2: Exemplify at least one poem/play/short story or critical theory with a meme and/or reaction gif. Think about how it connects to the work in some
way and why it is important in what it represents (possibly the theme, an idea, an argument, etc.). Add the visual to the document or insert a link to it on the
web (whichever is easier). For a song connection, you can link out to either the lyrics or a video if you can find the YouTube link etc