In the Critical Literary Theories handout, four different kinds of critical approaches are presented. Consider which of the four theories you find most interesting as a means for understanding literature.

Discussion 1

In the Critical Literary Theories handout, four different kinds of critical approaches are presented. Consider which of the four theories you find most interesting as a means for understanding literature.
Write Icon Write: Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. The minimum word count does not include references.Choose two of those critical approaches and address the points below.

  • Describe each critical approach in detail.
  • Compare and/or contrast the two critical approaches. How are they different and similar?
  • Determine which critical approach you find most useful for examining the conflicts and meaning in literature.
  • Explain why you chose this particular approach as the most useful. Why does it appeal to you?
Discuss Icon Respond to Peers: Respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial posts. Each response should be at least 75 words in length and should address two or more of the following points:

  • Do you agree with your classmates’ perspectives? Why, or why not? Be specific.
  • Ask a specific question to encourage further discussion on the topic.
  • Challenge your classmates’ interpretation of literature and/or point of view.
  • Do a small amount of research and share what you learn with your peers about the topic discussed in this post.

Discussion 2

Prior to beginning your initial post, read the handout, How to Ask an Open-Ended Question. In addition, review your initial response to the Clugston (2014) quote from Week One: “There’s a powerful curiosity about human relationships and how to cope in the world in which we find ourselves.” (Section 1.1, para. 2).
Reflect Icon Reflect: In this discussion, you will reflect on what you learned in the course by practicing the skill of asking an open ended academic question. This exercise will allow you to engage in a discussion you create with your peers. It also helps you to ask your own questions about literature, which can serve as a gateway to initiating critical analysis. Think of an open-ended question about literature that you would like to ask in order to challenge your classmates to reflect more deeply. Also, reflect on your initial response to the Clugston quote in Week 1 Discussion 1.  How have your feelings about literature changed or remained the same?
Write Icon Write: Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. The minimum word count does not include references.

  • Construct an open-ended question (see How to Ask an Open-Ended Question handout) to ask your peers about the literature you read in the class. Avoid asking closed-end questions that require a “yes” or “no” answer. The question should not be overly broad or too general, but focus on specific literary conflicts, techniques, or themes.
  • Share what you learned by reading your peers’ posts throughout the class.
  • Discuss your initial response to the Clugston (2014) quote from Week One. Based on what you learned about literature, what has changed? How will these changes impact your perspective on literature?
Discuss Icon Respond to Peers: Respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial posts by Day 7. Each response should be at least 75 words in length and you should attempt to answer the questions posed by your classmates. Additionally, reflect on how you and your classmates have progressed throughout the course. Also note similarities or differences you see between how you and your classmates respond to the Clugston quote now versus at the beginning of the course.

Final paper

 

Week 5 Assignment: Literary Analysis

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Why Write a Literary Analysis?
Literature teaches us about the value of conflict. We experience conflict in our personal relationships and in our interactions with society. A literary analysis helps us recognize the conflict at work in literature; this gives us greater insight into the personal conflicts that we face. In addition, learning how to closely read, analyze, and critique a text is beneficial beyond a literature course in that it improves our writing, reading, and critiquing abilities overall.
How to Write a Literary Analysis
It is important to understand that some conflicts in literature might not always be obvious. Considering how an author addresses conflict via literary techniques can reveal other more complex conflicts or different kinds of conflicts that interact in multiple ways. Analyzing those more complicated elements can help you discover what literature represents about the human experience and condition. With this in mind, consider that your thesis might be a claim about how conflict is represented in a work, whether through character, setting, or tone. This is not a personal reflection on conflict in general or a conflict you face but an analysis of how literary elements are used to express a conflict in a given literary work—in this case, a short story.

The literary analysis should be organized around your rough draft and thesis statement. Your thesis is the controlling idea of the entire essay. In the Week One assignment you submitted a proposal in which you chose a topic based on the List of Writing Prompts. You also identified a short story to analyze from the List of Literary Works. In Week Two you compiled an annotated bibliography in which you identified your primary and secondary sources. In Week Three, you created a rough draft and revised your working thesis. You also incorporated research into this draft.

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