For this directed literary analysis, you will write an essay in response to one of the following
prompt questions. As you can see, two of the prompts involve fiction, and two involve poetry.
For your single essay, you are expected to include an introduction, thesis statement, 3-4 major
points, and a conclusion.
1. Modernist fiction is often characterized by innovative style and themes of disillusionment, alienation , and economic, social and moral collapse.
Discuss your choice of two of the following stories in terms of their modernist characteristics: “Araby,” “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” or “A Rose for Emily.”
2. A “Simple” or “Classic” story plot is often characterized by a central character having an epiphany—a realization of a fundamental change in character. Discuss the epiphany of your choice of two of the following characters: Mama in “Everyday Use,” the narrator in “Cathedral,” or title character in “Young Goodman Brown.”
3. The Romantic Poets were political activists and philosophers concerned with social issues such as the French Revolution, corruption in monarchies, child labor, and Industrialization. Using examples from “London,” “The World is Too Much with Us,” and “Ozymandias,” analyze and explain how this group of poets made their concerns
known.
4. “My Mistress’ Eyes” and “How Do I Love Thee?” are both sonnets and may be considered love poems; however, the poets of these two respective poems chose to express love very differently. Using specific evidence from the poems, compare and contrast these two pieces, making sure to discuss both content and form.
