Critical Essay # 3 Directions and Reminders
Essay # 3: UNIT 3 – Power/Powerlessness
Stories/Poems:
“I, Too” (p. 926);“ If We Must Die” p. 1015;“We Real Cool” p732’ “Desiree’s Baby” – online short story ;
“A Worn Path”
Instructions:
Construct a well-organized, clearly supported, unified, grammatically correct critical essay with a minimum of two typed pages about one or more of the Unit 3 stories or poems. Topic ideas are listed below.
– You must find two articles (one from a Literary Database like Literary Reference Center or EbscoHost and another from the source of your choice) and use it within your paper.
– Remember to use good judgment as far as websites and sources and choose a reliable source.
– Remember, a critical literary article is not just a google search, but it is an article written by an expert in the field who is adding understanding and importance to the work.
NOTE: Submitting an outline with the final draft will earn you five bonus points.(The outline form is in Canvas.)
Topics:
1. Compare and Contrast two poems from Unit 3 and explain any social significance each one holds both in the
past and in the present.
2. Analyze one character in “Desiree’s Baby” and the conflict he or she faces by examining his or her
development over the course of the story.
3. Compare and Contrast the author’s voice and intent in 2 or more poems in Unit 3.
4. Compare and Contrast issues of race in “Desiree’s Baby” and “A Worn Path.”
5. Discuss the significance of symbolism or the significance of the journeyin “A Worn Path.”
Reminders:
Use MLA format—size 12 standard font, double-spaced, 1inch margins.
Give your paper a title. It should not be the title of the story, but it may include the story title.
Create a clear thesis, and use it as a guide for your body paragraphs, citing evidence from the text to support your points of discussion. Develop each point of discussion in a separate paragraph with a clear topic sentence that relates to the thesis. (Use the outline guide from Unit 1.)
Consult your textbook for proper insertion and documentation of quotes.See Chapters 6-7. Include a Works Cited page. For help with Poetry, see Chapter 23.
You must use at least 3-4 direct quotes from the story or poem/s and 3-4 direct quotes from your other literary sources. Be sure to include correct documentation. Do not use long quotations, but make your point and be concise. Remember, the source is made to back you up, not create your argument for you.
See your Critical Essay # 1 directions and reminders for reference.
Due Dates:
The final copy is due ________________________.