Instruction
Introduction to Literature Midterm Essay
For our Midterm, you will write an essay, which takes one of the Master Narratives we’ve discussed in class and examine how the Modernist literature we’ve read subverts this tradition.
For example, maybe for my essay I want to discuss the issue of class. Then I’d take the Capitalist Narrative and look at our readings to showcase what the work is saying about the issue. You’d interpret at least three pieces of textual evidence from the point of view of class issues, and then explain how it subverts the master narrative and therefore what the work is saying as a whole about class.
You could pick three pieces of textual evidence from one work, to show the multiple ways the piece examines the issue from different perspective (or throughout). Or you could pick moments from three different pieces of literature in a compare and contrast—show again the multiple ways of view the same idea from various Modernist sources. Either way, you need a single thesis that focuses on one Master Narrative, and preferably one specific angle on that Narrative.
In other words, instead of writing a general thesis, such as: “Modernist literature subverts class issues in different ways”, which is vague and rather broad, try to be more specific.
Instead, maybe revise it to: “In The Great Gatsby, the Capitalist Narrative reveals how financial power gives way to cultural privilege, subverting traditional notions of morality, ethics, and the law. Ultimately, by exposing how principles can be bought and sold, it reveals that such ideals are not only corrupted but unsustainable in the Modern world.”
And then you’d use textual evidence to support these three different angle (morality, ethics, and law), and explain not only why and how they’re corrupted, but why and how they’re unstainable overall in the era.
It should be double spaced, use MLA formatting (including works cited list), and be at least five pages.
Master Narratives:
Personal Narrative (explores psychoanalytic theory, identity, alienation/existentialism)
Religious Narrative (explores secularism and existentialism)
Courtship Narrative (explores feminist theory, queer theory romance/marriage, sexuality, gender)
National Narrative (explore disillusionment of patriotism, war, and national identity)
Capitalist Narrative (explores Marxist theory and class issues)
Legal Narrative (explores mistrust of legal systems and their implementation of justice)