Ms. HeschEnglish 9H

Literary Analysis:
Analyzing Theme in To Kill a Mockingbird

Task:

Using the knowledge of analysis we talked about in the short story unit, your assignment is to write a literary analysis of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. For this specific analysis, you will choose onetheme from the novel to focus on (based on class discussion). Your paper will follow the outline included on the back of this assignment sheet.

Due Dates and Specifications:

Due Dates:

The final due date for this paper is Wednesday, April 10th. All papers received after this date will lose 10% off the final grade each class period the paper is late.

If you would like me to look at your rough draft, I am MORE than happy to do so – just be sure to get it to be me by Thursday, April 4th. I will not edit your draft for you, but I will provide feedback on your content and how you can improve it for your final draft. I can also write you a pass to the Learning Lab so you can go there during your study hall for help from another English teacher.

Specifications:

1.5-2 pages, typed, double spaced, 1” margins

12-point Times New Roman font

Last name and page number in the upper right hand corner (except for the first page) Example: Hesch 2

Use the following double-spaced heading in the upper left hand corner of your paper:

Your Name

Ms. Hesch

English 9H – Block #

Due Date (in the format of DAY MONTH YEAR Ex: 9 April 2013)

Grading:

This paper is worth 50 points. The rubric below will be used:

Voice: Maintains a formal and academic tone through the paper, seen mostly through word choice. (10 points)

Style/Flow: Writing is structured in a logical, effective manner. Writing demonstrates

clear transitions (between paragraphs and within paragraphs) and is easy to comprehend and follow. Writing shows a natural sophistication. (10 points)

Content: Thesis statement is evident in the first paragraph. Examples and quotes from the novel are included. Evidence is directly connected to the thesis statement (20 points)

Mechanics/Usage/In-text Citations: Writing is relatively free of mechanics and usage errors. In-text citations are properly formatted (i.e., using page numbers when quoting from the novel). (10 points)

I will post two exemplary examples of literary analyses that were done by your peers for Of Mice and Men. I suggest looking at these to get an idea of what an “A” paper looks like, but keep in mind that these papers are not necessarily perfect.

Outline to Follow:

I.Introduction paragraph: Here you will introduce your thesis statement (similar to “so-what” statement we wrote for short stories), or your main point of the paper. Build up to the thesis statement by providing a brief synopsis of the novel, focusing on the characters and plot points that are directly related to your thesis statement. You may also want to include general background information about the setting of the novel. Your thesis statement will be the last sentence of your first paragraph, and will look something like this:

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee emphasizes the theme of ______through ______, ______, and ______.

II. Evidence#1: Think of a broad way that Lee emphasizes your theme (i.e., characterization, certain plot points, the climax, suspense, etc.). Then find 1 or 2 specific examples from the novel. You must have at least one quote per piece of evidence. Remember to relate your evidence back to the thesis statement. This is the most important part to remember – if you use quotes without explaining how they support your thesis statement, then your support will ultimately fail.

III. Evidence #2: Think of a broad way that Lee emphasizes your theme (i.e., characterization, certain plot points, the climax, suspense, etc.). Then find 1 or 2 specific examples from the novel. You must have at least one quote per piece of evidence. Remember to relate your evidence back to the thesis statement. This is the most important part to remember – if you use quotes without explaining how they support your thesis statement, then your support will ultimately fail.

IV. Evidence #3: Think of a broad way that Lee emphasizes your theme (i.e., characterization, certain plot points, the climax, suspense, etc.). Then find 1 or 2 specific examples from the novel. You must have at least one quote per piece of evidence. Remember to relate your evidence back to the thesis statement. This is the most important part to remember – if you use quotes without explaining how they support your thesis statement, then your support will ultimately fail.

V. Conclusion: Tie everything up in a solid conclusion paragraph. Remember to restate your thesis and provide one final argument about how your evidence supports the thesis. Leave the reader thinking about the strength of your argument and how you may have opened his or her eyes up to new ideas about the novel.