The Joy Luck Club/All the Pretty Horses:  A Classic?

Contemporary Literary Criticism: Research Project Culminating in a Persuasive Paper 

Classic: something with lasting significance or worth; that which will endure time; something that adheres or conforms to  established standards or principles; having historical or literary associations; a work recognized as definitive in its field.

Task: Write a persuasive paper about The Joy Luck Club or All the Pretty Horses addressing whether or not the novel will become a classic.  Base your response on the definition of a classic given above. You must use your research to support your ideas, and you must follow the appropriate persuasive structure.

Part I: Research

Using the resources available from LMC web page and shelves, find the following information:

Biographical Information

Using Worksheet #1 , record information about the author's life.  Pay close attention to the information you feel is related to the novel he/she wrote.

Literary Criticism

Using the sources shown to you, find five pieces of contemporary literary criticism and complete a form (Worksheet #2) for each one.  These criticisms must be from valid sources.  For each piece, you must record a minimum of three direct statements from the critic. The form will also ask you to record the critic, publication information, and a brief summary of the article or piece.  You may find four of the five from Internet resources, but at least one must come from the criticism collection in our library media center.  When you are completing the form for this one, have me initial it.

Personal Criticism

Complete Worksheet #3 that ask you to write your own literary criticism of the novel.  DO NOT complete this section until you have read other criticism and completed the forms.  Structure your comments in the same manner as the "experts". 

PART II:  Persuasive Paper

Framework:

Introduction
  • Attention Grabber
  • Background
  • Statement of Opinion
Body
  • Reason 1 with explanation and evidence; Emotional appeals if appropriate
  • Reason 2 with explanation and evidence; Emotional appeals if appropriate
  • Reason 3 with explanation and evidence; Emotional appeals if appropriate
  • More reasons with explanation and evidence (if necessary); More emotional appeals if appropriate
  • Reasons and evidence to refute audience's opposing arguments
Conclusion
  • Restatement of opinion
  • Call to action (possibly)

 

Using the information you have gathered in the research portion of the project, write a persuasive paper on the topic: Will the novel be a classic?

Following steps:

Worksheet #1 (This is only an example of the components on the worksheet - much space is given between sections for students to take notes.)

Author I am researching:

Sources of information: (record all necessary bibliographic information including title, author, publication information and URL + date of access if on the Internet)

Information about the author:

Worksheet #2

Literary Criticism Article #_____

Source: (If from a book have Mrs. Wilson or Mrs. Corrick initial here)

Critic's Name:

 Publication Information:

Summary of Criticism:

Three main points made by the critic (write these verbatim from the text, do not summarize here)

Worksheet #3:

Personal Literary Criticism

Directions: Keep in mind that criticism in the literary fashion does not mean that you are necessarily criticizing a work.  Instead,  you are evaluating the work in a specific manner.  Feel free to use examples from the book as you compose these thoughts.

Part I: Author's Style

Comment on the following by writing a minimum of three statements for each area. YOU MUST USE SPECIFIC STATEMENTS.  General statements such as "the author used a good style" are not going to cut it here.  Use the experts criticisms as guides.

USE OF LANGUAGE (FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, DIALECT, DICTION/WORD CHOICE)

1.

2.

3.

DEVELOPMENT OF AND BELIEVABILITY/ABILITY TO RELATE TO CHARACTERS

1.

2.

3.

PACING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLOT

1.

2.

3.

OVERALL EFFECT/INTENDED MESSAGE FOR READERS

1.

2.

3.

Worksheet #4

Task: Using your research from Worksheet 1 and 2 and your own ideas from Worksheet 3, begin drafting your paper addressing the prompt:  Will the novel become a classic?

Review the definition of classic given at the beginning of the project:

Classic: something with lasting significance or worth; that which will endure time; something that adheres or conforms to  established standards or principles; having historical or literary associations; a work recognized as definitive in its field.

Determine your responses to the prompt and begin formulating three reasons why the novel will or will not become a classic based on this definition.  One possible way to attack this would be to address three of the definition strands.  Another would be to use one strand and formulate three points around it.  It is your choice.

You must use your research along with your own ideas ideas in your paper.  I will look for a minimum of five research references in your paper. 

Review the format for a persuasive paper.  All of these things must be included in your paper.  This outline will be collected for points.  Please complete it before drafting your papers.

Outline . . .

Bibliography ...

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