Fourth Paper Assignment

Papers should address one of the following topics. (The questions posed in numbers one and two below are meant to get you thinking; as your thesis becomes more specific, you do not necessarily need to provide specific answers to these questions.)

1. Students recently presented on a variety of critical perspectives (Marxist criticism, gender criticism, reader-response criticism, and psychoanalytic criticism) on the novel The Turn of the Screw. For your final paper, take one of these critical perspectives and apply it to another work that was read in the class. For example, your paper might discuss gender relationships in "A Rose for Emily," a psychoanalytic reading of one of Carver's stories, etc. Students are not limited to the critical perspectives that they themselves presented on. (Note: with respect to Section AE (Monday nights), this option is not available to those presenting on Henry James.)

2. A topic of your own choosing. I welcome you to develop your own research paper topic, but you mustspeak with me or email me about your idea in order to get approval, and you must do so before Monday, December 5th. Otherwise, points will be deducted from the final grade. Topics should relate to themes and ideas we have discussed in class, and the paper must be argumentative in nature. Please do speak to me if you need help forming your idea, as I would be happy to help.

For your final paper, write a 5-7 page research paper on one of the topics below. This paper should be argumentative in form, witha concise thesis, aiming to persuade the reader of your position. In order to defend your thesis, research your topic using some of the strategies that have been discussed this semester and, in the course of your paper, integrate supporting quotes from two or moreoutside scholarly sources in order to support your claims.

• Your paper should include a Works Cited page.(However, it does not count towards the page total.)

• The paper should be in MLA format.

• Your sources should be current.

• You may use scholarly material already read in class, but these sources do not count towards your two outside sources mentioned above.

• You may write about a work that you've addressed in a previous paper, but you are expected to bring fresh language and ideas to your discussion of the work.

• No late papers can be accepted,or extensions granted, for this paper.

• This paper should be turned in electronically via the assignment link on the class Blackboard page by December 16th by 6 p.m.

• In all other respects, the paper should follow the general guidelines for paper format outlined on the syllabus.