Assignment #1, which is due on July 2, will be a short analytical essay, worth 15% of your course mark (1000-1500 words). It must be submitted through Brightspace by the start of class (-5% per day late penalties will be applied). • Alistair MacLeod: “The Boat”

Critical sources aren’t required for this assignment, so your original analysis is crucial. You must develop your own strong argumentative thesis and find evidence within the text to support it. I am not providing you with a specific thesis, but here are some questions and issues to consider that might get you started forming your own argument (feel free to answer and adapt from these prompts): Alistair MacLeod: “The Boat” (1968) 1. The relationship between the narrator’s memories of childhood events and his gradual understanding of them. To what extent does he gain full understanding of his past? In the course of remembering does he achieve any resolution of the conflicts he is experiencing in his life? 2. The family member’s different attitudes toward “the chains of tradition” have shaped their lives. Why, at the end of the story, is the mother the only one remaining at home? 3. The boat as a contextual symbol, acquiring more complex meanings during the course of the narrative. 4. The significance of reading and literature to the characters in the story. An essay with no direct quotes from the story to back up its assertions will automatically fail. You absolutely must quote, cite, and reference the story in detail to prove your points. Use MLA 8 format and please use it correctly. As with all assignments in this class, you must always cite your sources with in-text citations (from the short story or from critics or other sources), and you must always provide a Works Cited page, even if it has only one entry. Essays without proper MLA in-text citations, or without a Works Cited page (listing the short story and any other sources used), will automatically fail. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_an d_style_guide.html While striving for contrast is understandable, resist the urge to make sweeping stereotypes and false universal statements. If your essay starts with “Since the dawn of time,” “throughout human history,” any similar generalization, or a dictionary definition, delete everything up to the point where you start actually addressing and analyzing the specific issue at hand. Introductions are always worth rewriting after your paper is complete. You are analyzing a short story for an English class, not summarizing history. Do NOT talk about yourself: no “I think” or “in my opinion” statements, please. The text is always your focus, rather than any larger social, philosophical, or political issues that it may address. For this essay only, you will not be required to use any secondary sources (scholarly articles or books to support your argument). This short exercise in writing critically about literature is intended to prepare us for the upcoming major research assignment. Please computer-type your essay in 12 point Times New Roman or Garamond font and doublespace. Make the essay single-sided, with no cover page. You must give the word count at the end. If you are notably under or over the 1000-1500 word range (max. 100 words leeway), you will lose marks. YOUR ESSAY MUST BE SUBMITTED IN MS WORD OR PDF FORMAT. Evaluation criteria: Essays are generally marked for Content (30%), Organization (30%), Language (30%), and Handling (10%). ~Content: The information must be relevant, accurate, ethically obtained, and complete for the circumstances. Scholarly published sources have been used for your evidence. Borrowed information is correctly documented in MLA style. ~Organization: The organization and layout follow the research essay conventions studied in class. Good sequencing makes your research essay easy to read. Your argument is clear and easy to follow. ~Language Use: The language use in the research essay is your own. Borrowed wording has been summarized or paraphrased and has been documented as in-text citations, as are direct quotes. Sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary are correct. Language is suitable for a university paper. ~Handling: Appropriate improvements have been made from drafts and proofreading. A professional or original style adds to the interest, value and credibility of your essay. Read your text over to ensure it flows smoothly.