ENGL 301 (Section 004, Schedule #12391)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Fall 2014
TR 12:30-1:45pm :: 440 Hibbs
Prof. David Golumbia
Office: 324D Hibbs Hall
Fall 2014 Office Hours: TR 2-3:30pm

Introduction to the English Major

PAPER ASSIGNMENT 2

Write a 5-6 page (1500 words) paper on one of the following topics. Your paper should stick closely to the language of the work you are analyzing.

• Compare and contrast the narrative point of view in "The Turn of the Screw" and Heart of Darkness. Both works have "frame" narrators whose reliability is not absolutely clear. What is similar and different about how they function? How do they differently affect each work?
• There are unexpected similarities in plot structure between "The Turn of the Screw" and Heart of Darkness. Describe what one of these is and explain how viewing each work in light of the other can illuminate each.
• Compare the strategy for portraying imagery in the Wallace Stevens poem "Anecdote of the Jar" and the William Carlos Williams poem "The Red Wheelbarrow." What is similar and different in the way each poem presents its central image? What does this say about the way each poet sees the construction of poetic menacing, and the function of poetry (and art) itself?
• Compare and contrast the "colloquial" language used in "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks and "The Day Lady Died" by Frank O'Hara. How does each of them use "ordinary" language to write poetry? Note: you may choose different poems by one or both of these poets for this assignment.
  

General paper instructions

The essay should be 5 to 6 pages in length, but please use your word processor to count the number of words; word count and not page length is the official metric for the assignment. An English paper should include quotations from the work you are analyzing, and short quotations DO count toward the total word count for the essay. Long quotations (of 50 or more words) should not generally be counted toward the 1500 word total for the assignment.

This is not a research paper, and you are not expected to consult outside sources except for the primary book or piece of media you choose to interpret. Any sources, including that primary source, should be properly cited in your paper, using any acceptable bibliographic citation format. One very simple format is to use a list of Works Cited at the end of the paper, and indicate by author, work and page number in parentheses the exact quotations within the paper itself. Refer to assignment 1 for information on some correct ways to cite material for the paper.

Speaking of plagiarism, all work for this assignment and the rest of this course is expected to be your own, and should not include elements from other sources (such as online commentaries on the works you write about), unless you also put them in quotation marks and clearly indicate your sources as described above.

Last updated October 9, 2014.