1121 Essay Assignment #2

Compare and contrast two poems from our book, The Literary Experience– if you have poems that you would like to write about that are not in our book, reach out to me for approval. You may do an in-depth analysis of the way one device functions in each poem (i.e. how sound is important/not important, used/not used, etc in either piece), or you may opt for a more comprehensive analysis of the two poems, focusing on the devices and topics we have discussed at length in class.

Questions you might ask yourself as you write:

What devices are seen in each work? Rhythm? Narrative? Images? Figurative language? Are the lines long or short? Is there rhyme? Is the poem more sincere or dominated by irony? How are the craft choices meaningful for the reader (how do they create the end result and experience of the reader, and what is that end result/experience)?

Minimum 1000 words. MLA format.

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1121 Essay Assignment #1

Choose one work of art of your choosing (i.e. short story, film, song/album, play, poem, video game, sculpture). In your analysis, isolate one element of the piece and develop an argument as to how it contributes to/produces a particular effect of that work.

For example: imagine a panoramic photograph of a rock climber on a mountain range. Why would the photographer choose to take a panorama? How does the panoramic view affect how you feel about the rock climber? Does it make him seem lonely? Does it make the climb look impossibly difficult? Does it make the mountains look like they go on forever?

In your paper you must explain HOW and WHY the element is important. Try to make your argument as focused and specific as possible.

THIS CANNOT BE A PAPER YOU’VE ALREADY WRITTEN.

*Note: We will be working on both our outlines and our drafts in class. For our drafting workshop as well as the day the final essay is due, you must bring a printed copy.

Format: double-spaced, MLA Format. 750-1000 words. No need for additional sources.