Writing About Literature

Topic Specific Questions

Does my story have to be finished? (yes)

Do I have to analyze my own story?  Yes!  After writing your story, I would like you to write a two page analysis of your story.  Please discuss your story as though you are a literary critic.  Describe the elements of fiction.  Are they used conventionally?  If not, why not?  Do you notice any connections between various elements of fiction and how they are used in this story and how they are used in other stories that we’ve read?  Which elements of fiction seem to be most significant to this story and an interpretation of this story?  Are there any connections you can make to/insights you can provide on Calvino’s discussion of levels of reality in fiction that you should mention in your discussion of your story?

For those working on Professor Rosen’s “Retelling the Story” assignment, here are a few guidelines for your critical analysis of your retelling:  Please discuss how writing the story from the perspective you’ve chosen changes the story.  What new insights into the story does a reader attain from re-telling it from this new perspective?  If possible, and if appropriate, please compare one specific passage from the original story and one from your re-telling of the story.  Compare and contrast these two passages.

Description, Analysis, Interpretation

Writing Process

What is an Exploratory Draft?

An exploratory draft is basically a structured free writing exercise.  Before you start this, you will want to consult your brainstorming exercise, some of your Writing Journals, assignments  for our class, and/or other materials  that we have read.  Having thought about the literary response essay as genre and what you may want to write about, please spend forty five minutes to an hour writing.  This is structured free writing.  Please do not be concerned about grammar or punctuation or structure.  Just write and keep writing and see where the writing takes you!