ENGL 100W

Dr. A. Eastwood

Take-Home Essay: Critical Perspective

For your final formal essay in 100W, I would like you to write a paper in which you apply one of the critical perspectives we have studied to a text we have read for the class.  For example, you might wish to do a feminist reading of The Merchant of Venice, or a queer reading of The Metamorphosis.  You may use any text we read this semester, and you may choose from the following theoretical approaches:

Feminism

New Historicism

Queer Studies

Psychoanalytic Theory

Post Colonialism

Marxism

Deconstruction

Remember that any critical reading is, in fact, an argument about the text.  Make sure your essay indicates your position with a clearly written, compelling thesis statement.

This assignment will be broken up into two parts: a draft essay in which you outline your argument (5-6 pages, due April 24^th), and a final version in which you add a discussion of current scholarship in the area and position your argument in relation to it (7-8 pages, due May 16th).   You will receive feedback on the draft version of your essay from myself and two of your classmates; therefore, you must bring three copies of your paper to class on April 24^th.  All of these marked-up versions must be kept and turned in with your final draft on May 16^th.  Failure to participate in any phase of this assignment will result in a serious lowering of your grade.

Essays must be typed, double spaced, and in correct MLA format. 

PART ONE DUE APRIL 24^th  (Bring three copies).

FINAL DRAFT DUE MAY 16^th (Turn in with all edited versions)