Be sure to include ALL pages of this project (including the directions and the assignment) when you send the project to your teacher for grading. Don’t forget to put your name and I.D. number at the top of this page!
This project consists of two parts, each worth 50 points for a total of 100 points. Note that grammar, spelling, and proper citation of sources are important for this project. Refer to the appendix in this course for guidelines on writing conventions.
Part A
This portion of the assignment will be a character analysis essay. You are to select one character from any story that you have read in Unit 1 to use as the focus of your essay. One of the most important elements of literature is character development. Examine how your character changes over the course of the story.
Remember that when an author creates a character, he or she uses several methods to help the reader create a mental image of the character. Sometimes an author uses direct statement to give the reader information about a character. A writer will simply tell the reader that the character is mean or brave or honest. As readers, we do not have to guess because we are told the information.
Another method of revealing a character’s traits is indirect characterization. This method allows the reader to take pieces of information and put them together to draw a conclusion (make an inference) about a character.
There are five ways that an author uses indirect characterization:
- Describing the character’s appearance.
- Showing the character’s actions.
- Allowing the reader to hear the character speak.
- Revealing the character’s thoughts and feelings.
- Showing how others react to the character.
Once you have chosen a character to analyze, find examples of each kind of indirect characterization in the story. This information will be the basis of your essay.
Your essay will have three parts. The introduction will include general comments about the character and the story. (Be sure to identify the author and title of the story, as well as the character’s name.) These statements will lead you to your thesis statement. Some questions to address in your introduction might include:
Why did you select the character?
What do you like or dislike about this character?
Analyze how the character changes over the course of the story.
Do you identify with this character on any level?
What does the author want the reader to feel for this character?
You will develop a thesis statement that is directly related to the traits of your character to be proven throughout the body paragraphs in the essay.
A thesis statement is a sentence or two that tells the reader what the rest of the essay is about. A good thesis statement does not simply announce a topic; it says something about the topic, and it provides the framework for your paper. Never start a paper with, “In this paper, I will discuss . . .” An example of a good thesis statement is:
In the story “Ripe Figs” by Kate Chopin, as the figs ripen, Babette changes from an impatient, immature little girl into a young lady with a goal and purpose.
Each body paragraph will start with a topic sentence that includes one character trait that you choose to describe for your character. Follow the topic sentence with evidence from the story to support your topic sentence. Use at least one direct quotation form the story in each body paragraph to support your ideas. These quotations must be correctly documented according to the MLA guidelines.
The following is an example of a topic sentence with a quotation from “Ripe Figs” by Kate Chopin:
Babette’s actions show that she has matured when she learned patience as she waited for the figs to ripen. “But each time she came away disconsolate again. What she saw there finally was something that made her sing and dance the whole day long” (Chopin 7).
Next, explain how your examples support your topic. Conclude each paragraph with a closing sentence that will naturally lead to the next topic. You will have at least three to five body paragraphs.
Your final paragraph will be your conclusion. Restate your thesis statement in a fresh manner and provide closure by adding your final thoughts about the character and the story.
The paper will be at least 600 words in length (two typed, double-spaced pages) and will be worth 50 points. The essay will be scored according to the criteria in the following rubrics.
Begin typing Part A on the blank page after the rubrics.
[Begin typing Part A here.]
Part B
Choose one of the following options:
Option 1:
Write a sequel to “Snapshots of a Wedding” in which Mathata is the narrator. Try to imagine what her feelings are on the marriage of Neo and Kegoletile. Try to use details from the story to create a character for Mathata by expanding on the information given in the original story. Be sure write a complete story that includes a setting, character descriptions, and a plot with a conflict.
Option 2:
Write a sequel to “The Beautiful Soul of Don Damian” in which the character of Don Damian awakens from his coma. He will have the knowledge that his soul gathered about his friends and family by observing them while they presumed that he would die. Pick up the story from that point and write the next chapter. Be sure to write a complete story that includes a setting, character descriptions, and a plot with a conflict.
Write your story from a first-person point of view. There will be a lot of dialogue because the character will concentrate on sharing his/her ideas with the reader. Be sure to include dialogue from the other characters as well. At the end of your story, note whether the main character is happy with his/her situation or not. It is up to you to decide the ending.
You will need to write dialogue in your story, which must appear in quotation marks. Be sure to use punctuation and quotation marks correctly. Use the following examples, and refer to a grammar textbook or website for additional assistance:
- Use a comma to offset dialogue, and capitalize dialogue if it forms a complete sentence:
Joe said, “We can stop in the next town.”
“We can stop in the next town,” Joe said.
- You may use an exclamation point to offset dialogue for emphasis, but do so sparingly:
“I can’t believe we lost!” the coach yelled.
The coach yelled, “I can’t believe we lost!”
- Place a question mark after dialogue that asks a question:
“Where are we going?” Jo asked.
Jo asked, “Where are we going?”
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