THEMES:
2010. Palestinian American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward
Said has written that “Exile is strangely compelling to think about but
terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human
being and a native place, between the self and its true home: its
essential sadness can never be surmounted.” Yet Said has also said that
exile can become “a potent, even enriching” experience. Select a novel,
play, or epic in which a character experiences such a rift and becomes
cut off from “home,” whether that home is the character’s birthplace,
family, homeland, or other special place. Then write an essay in which
you analyze how the character’s experience with exile is both alienating
and enriching, and how this experience illuminates the meaning of the
work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Go here
Nature vs. Human Law
Nature of Evil
Sin vs. Forgiveness or Punishment vs. Forgiveness
Individual vs. Society
Exile
Public Guilt vs. Private Guilt
Civilization vs. Wilderness or Town vs. Woods
Good vs. Evil
Analysis Essay:
Students will need to analysis
some aspect of The Scarlet Letter and connected it to a theme. Things
that can be explored include symbolism, tone, diction, characters and
events. I expect students to use their didactical journals for focus on
examples. I also expect all students to choose something small to
concentrate on. I would rather you spend three pages examining one
paragraph in relation to a theme, than to try and examine something like
Pearl’s role as Savior and Chillingworth’s role as the devil (unless
you view these roles from looking at one paragraph or one page). This
would be too large. You couldn’t examine it in enough detail in three
pages. Remember I’m looking for precise thesis statements and evidence
that is analyzed.
Remember - thesis statement.
Connect the symbol, character or literary element to a theme. Then
present an order of development or list of things you will cover in your
essay.
Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement directs all of the ideas,
quote selection, and commentary in your essay. Therefore, a muddled or
imprecise thesis statement will lead to an unclear or meaningless essay.
A thesis statement is NOT:
1. An abstract concept. For example, “Greed” is not a thesis statement.
2.
A general “universal” truth. For example, the following sentence is not
a thesis statement: “For thousands of years, man has been greedy.”
A
thesis statement IS a statement that provides direction for the
analysis of a theme or idea presented by a particular text. Therefore,
in order to construct an effective thesis statement, you must first
determine what a text is suggesting about an abstract concept (like
greed, for example).
Your thesis statement will address an abstract concept PLUS the evaluation of that concept through a particular text.
A
thesis statement for “The Pardoner’s Tale” might address the abstract
concept of greed as it is handled in the story. The first two examples
are NOT thesis statements. The third one is a complete thesis statement:
a.
Greed is something that man has struggled with for centuries, as
demonstrated in “The Pardoner’s Tale” by Chaucer. (Abstract Concept
Only)
b. “The Pardoner’s Tale,” written by Chaucer, is a story
about how three men kill one another while looking for Death. (Plot
Summary)
c. “The Pardoner’s Tale,” written by Chaucer, suggests
that the “deadly” sin of greed is stronger than any oath of friendship,
and will ultimately lead those who give into its allure to their own
destruction.
EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE THESIS STATEMENTS:
In the Scarlet Letter, the theme of exile transforms the characters of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth.
In the Scarlet Letter, the "A" on Hester's chest represents Hester,
herself, and reflect her transformation - from Adulterer to Able to
Absolution. The "A" is Hester's soul.
In the Scarlet Letter, Pearl represents the theme of forgiveness. She
is the force sent - like a female Christ figure - to allow Hester and
Dimmesdale to be saved from their sin.
