In this third essay, you will show that:

You know how to write an interpretive argument about multiple pieces of literature and their connection to one another.--Your essay will have a clear thesis that makes a claim about the overall meaning of the pieces you have chosen as they relate to one another.

You will support that thesis with evidence from close reading and from research throughout your paper. Your thesis will be a truly arguable, interpretive statement, not an observation or statement of fact.

You know how to conduct critical research to enhance and support your claims.--You will use at least three academic, peer-reviewed sources from the library to support your interpretive thesis. Information from research will be used to support your claims; it will not take over your paper or be your only source of evidence.

You know how to conduct a close reading.--You will not present a biographical or reader-response interpretation. Your essay must focus on the words on the page. Even though you are conducting outside research for this paper, you will not be focusing on the authors' lives or the feelings of readers. Your claim still has to be about the meaning of the text on the page.

You know and can use correct terminology for discussing and interpreting prose, poetry, and other written works.--For this essay, you may choose to write about any type of text, including poetry, prose, drama, literary non-fiction, etc. Whatever you choose to write about, though, you need to use correct terminology, even if that means you have to conduct additional research in order to educate yourself.

You know how to create a correct works cited page, use in-text citations, and format your papers using MLA 8 guidelines.--You will create a works cited page, use in-text citations, and format your paper (including headings, page numbers, spacing, margins, and font sizes) according to MLA guidelines. In addition to citing your sources, you must also cite the texts that you're discussing.

To complete this assignment:

Choose at least one piece that was assigned for this class and at least one piece that was not assigned.

Both pieces must have been written by American writers, but only one must have been written between 1865 and the present (the other could be an earlier work that you are familiar with). Your choices must be approved by your instructor.

Use close reading strategies, correct citations, and correct terminology to write an argument about the overall meaning of the pieces you've chosen as they relate to one another.

Use at least three academic, peer-reviewed sources to support your claims.

Write an essay of at least six full pages (not including works cited) in which you present your argument.