Hedrick 1 Passing + A Story Research Essay Guidelines The purpose of this paper is to master an approach to literary analysis and then use that approach to arrive at a greater understanding of Passing and one of the stories (or the graphic novel you read!). You could also use the concept of passing itself as your lens! Through your discussion boards and peer review activities, you will also deepen the class’s understanding of these fictional works and their larger social implications. 5+ pages, three outside sources. Topic Suggestions: • Analyzing the presentation of social class in Passing and the story (Marxist, Historicist) • Discuss how characters like Bruce (Fun Home) and Clare pass to attain social advantage, and the consequences they face (Passing lens/gender/race) • Discussing the extent to which Larsen and the other author challenge gender roles (Feminist) • Selecting, describing, and analyzing historical occurrences that are portrayed in the novel (i.e., prohibition) (Historicist) • The inner workings of the ID, Ego, and Superego in Irene, Clare, or a couple of the other characters (Psychoanalysis) • How repression functions with Irene, Bruce, and other characters from these texts • You can also select your own! Note that some of these topics are actually quite broad and may not be sufficiently covered in a five+ page paper. You may need to narrow them down further. Or, you might do a close look at two characters, like Irene and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis), and discuss the various aspects of her personality, actions, and appearance, and see to what extent she embodies gender roles and/or challenges feminist values. What you gotta do In addition to the work of fiction itself, you must use at least three outside sources. One could be quotes from a credible website establishing your critical approach to analysis. Others could be sources that analyze the work of literature itself. Library Databases include a section on Literature & Criticism. Click that link and scroll down past “General” and other sections. Literature Resource Center is excellent, as are the other two literature databases. • • • • • A developed essay on the theme of passing, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, etc that contributes to the discussion of these principles Body paragraphs that support the thesis, which include well-integrated quotations and outside sources. Follow AXES. Transitions that connect paragraphs and sentences together. 5+ pages, not including the Works Cited page Three outside sources (not including the two texts from this class) minimum, more if needed Hedrick 2 • • • MLA format Do your own work; don’t plagiarize. Cite all sources you use. Edit and proofread. This is a college-level essay.