Write a thesis-driven essay that presents a single interpretation of the chosen poem. Look to analyze your chosen poem by reading critically (annotations and notes) and considering various poetry elements such as speaker, situation, setting, tone, theme, language, visual imagery, or sound. Use this analysis as evidence to support your interpretation; however, be sure to stay focused on your thesis throughout the essay. Only include evidence that supports the interpretation you present in your thesis. In addition, you must bring in at least one outside source beyond the chosen poem to assist in persuading your audience of your thesis.
Interpretation, Thesis, and Support: Present a thesis that offers an interpretation of the poem. An Interpretation answers questions about the use of literary elements (speaker, situation, tone, theme, word choice, etc.), social context (time and culture in which a work was written), or both. Your thesis should offer your readers an interesting insight into the poem rather than one that states the obvious. Include several supporting ideas to focus your supporting paragraphs that directly support your interpretation of the poem. You are required to use at least one outside source to help support your interpretation, but you are free to use as many as you would like. Check out the Literary Reference Center Plus and the Academic Search Complete Databases in our library for potential outside sources. Use the MLA system of citation to cite your sources within the essay, and include a correctly-formatted Works Cited page as well.
Audience, Purpose, and Tone: Your audience for this essay will be the class: an academic audience with some experience in reading literature and some familiarity with literary terminology. Assume that your readers have read your poem, but have not done an extensive analysis of it. Your purpose is to persuade multiple readers with differing outlooks and opinions to see the text your way. Your tone should be serious and straightforward, respectful toward your readers and the literary work. Your approach and vocabulary should be formal enough for academic writing but should also be lively enough to capture and hold the interest of busy distracted readers.
