Assignment Overview

Case 1: Reader-Response Literary Analysis

Length: no less than 700 words, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font size

This essay is to consist of your own thoughts, words, and ideas. No secondary

sources are to be used in this essay.

This first essay may be written in the first-person point of view using “I.”

Case Assignment

Case 1 is a first experience writing a literary analysis. It is the first and only essay

this session that may be written in the first person, “I.” It is a first opportunity to

present your own observations and interpretations as a close reader of select texts.

Write a literary analysis in which you find “connections” between three of the

readings from the list below. Specifically, for this first essay, focus on your impression

of the voice of the speaker and their themes. A theme is an author’s message, or

“lesson,” to the reader. It is often a general truth about life or mankind and

represents universal and timeless ideas that are relevant in most people’s lives.

Some might call it the “take-away” of the writing. For example, at the end of a fairy

tale we might close the book and say, “Wow, honesty is the best policy!” Or after

viewing a romantic comedy we might say, “The nice guy always gets the girl in the

end.” Though simple examples, these are “messages,” or themes.

For this first essay, only your interpretation is to be included. No “research” or

secondary sources are to be used in the process of writing this first essay; it is

to be entirely written based on your point of view and supported with body points and

details from the texts. There is no “correct” answer here.

Please note that uploaded student essays are scanned by Turnitin. As such,

please be sure that your essay includes your own thoughts, words, and ideas.

Essays must be double-spaced in Times or Times New Roman font (12 cpi) with

standard one-inch margins and no less than 700 words of text