Classic Novel Literary Criticism Outlines

1. Classic Novel Literary Criticism Outlines Common Problems, Example, & New Assignment

2. Common Problems • Formatting • Assignment clearly asked for an outline in MLA format, with a works cited (of just your novel! So easy!) • Messing up the formatting was between – 5 and – 10 • How should it look? • Works cited: http://citationmachine.net/index2.php • IT should be typed/Double Spaced/Times New Roman 12pt font. • Thesis • Idea I • 3-4 sentence explanation of Idea I • “Quote Support Idea I” (Twain 1) • 1-2 sentence explanation of quote’s connection to idea • “Quote Support Idea I” (Hawthorne 21) • 1-2 sentence explanation of quote’s connection to idea • “Quote Support Idea I” (Melville 43) • 1-2 sentence explanation of quote’s connection to idea • Idea II • Idea III

3. Common Problems • Thesis • Not an argument at all! (- 15) • “In Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, water and the ocean played an integral role.” or “In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Pearl and the scarlet letter are both representative of Hester’s sin.” • The beginning of an argument, but isn’t fully clear or an argument. (- 8) • “In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, nature is a place of escape from the community, showing Hawthorne’s ideas on society.” (WHAT are his ideas!?!?) • Too broad • What does a good example look like? • “In Moby Dick, Melville argues that fate and free will both contribute to the outcomes of human events, but that fate is the dominant force in play; humans make choices that yield inevitable outcomes, yet their choices were known from the outset.” • “Mark Twain creates a character, Huckleberry Finn, who, having believed all his life that African Americans were lesser than “white folks” decides to make a drastic moral change in freeing a slave he has befriended. However, despite his decision to change, Twain has Huck continue to act much in the same way in the beginning of the novel in order to show that it’s very difficult for people to make drastic moral changes, and after deciding to morally reform any change is made slowly and progressively thereafter.”

4. Common Problems • Main Ideas • Your explanation of your main ideas cannot just be plot summary, but must be sub-groups of your thesis. Explanation must tie idea back to thesis. • Quotes • Explanation and summary are not the same! • Summary rewords the quote and explains what is happening in the novel at that point • Explanation explains what is happening in the novel AND ties it back to the thesis, making a greater point about why the author uses that scene/quote to further his bigger goal. • Simply adding “Huck said…” or “as Mark Twain pointed out…” do not analyze. You need to explain WHY you NEED those specific words to support your point. • Limit them – There is no need to quote an entire paragraph when 3-4 words would suffice. Carefully choose the portions of the novel which best support YOUR argument, but remember YOUR argument should be the majority of the essay.

5. Common Problems • Basic writing problems – remember this is an academic paper • NO contractions – it is not don’t it is do not, it is not can’t it is cannot, and so on • NO first person!!! No “I”, “we”, “you”. JUST STOP THIS • This is not the place for sarcasm!! • Make sure you know the plot!! You better know that Jim is the slave, Huck is white, Scarlet Letter takes place in Boston, and that Ahab never gets to kill the whale. • Titles of books go in italics!!! That means it is: The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and NOTHING ELSE! • Words of Vaguery (“get”, “that”, “things”, “stuff”) -- use your “KD” vocabulary and find a better way to express your thoughts. Often you can simply remove the word “that” from the sentence. • “it is” – this phrase tends to indicate a lack of analysis. Instead of TELLING your reader what something “is,” SHOW them through the use of analysis. • Double Adjectives – (“hardworking and focused,” “poor and underprivileged,” “intelligent and intellectual”) – instead of doubling up on adjectives (which is redundant) focus on choosing the BEST word to convey your meaning.

6. Mr. Sands shows you the right way with “The Birthmark”

7. So what’s your new assignment? • Re-write your outline, fixing the problems • If you are happy with your grade you may turn it in anytime between now and the due date (December 9th). • On December 9th, your old copy plus your re-write is due. • ANY essays not turned in at the beginning of your first class period (if you are absent/late, that means EMAILED by the time the period starts) are -20 points every day. This means if you got a 100 on the first copy, but don’t re-turn it in until December 11, you get a 60, no exceptions, no questions asked. • On your new copy, all the changes need to be highlighted. If you re-did the whole thing (like from essay to outline), please note that at the top of your new one instead of highlighting the new one completely. • Your original already graded copy must be attached if you want credit for the re-write. • You may sign up for times during lunches to meet with the teacher who graded your essay for any feed back. You mustcome in with specific questions like you have looked at your essay – do not expect them to reread it with you. • This is not the time to haggle over your first grade – that grade stands. • Who graded mine? • Scarlet Letter – Bailey • Moby Dick - Sands • 0/1 & 5/6 Huck Finn– Sands the elder • 2/3 Huck Finn- Jones • The re-write is due Monday, Dec. 9th at the beginning of class, and the new outline (!!!!) will be 1 test grade.