ENGL 2110 ~ World Literature: Globalization, Immigration, and Culture
3rd Essay Assignment ~ Summer 2009
Magoulick
Similar to the 1st two essays, you should analyze to make a point about the text according to your insights about message, characterizations, themes, symbols, allusions, etc. So you should choose a few key quotes from the reading that will help you answer one of the questions/topics below, and work with those quotes IN DEPTH (interpreting what the words of the quote say, mean, and or imply – though all interpretations must be clearly PROVED in your analysis). Remember that ANALYSIS means taking something apart and studying it in order to better understand both the parts and the whole. For each sentence in your quotation, in general you want to give 2 sentences of your writing explaining what that quotes means and how it is helping to make your point.
Reference all quotations from the texts used in class with the authors' name and page number. Compose your answers yourself and be sure to include what you think. Feel free to use the word “I.” But make sure your reading does not stray from the text or make huge leaps that are hard to prove. Go back to the actual words of your quote to show how they mean what you say those words mean. This is not about intuitive leaps so much of clear persuasive work at interpretation.
Be sure to number your pages and reference all quotations (with proper citations). I encourage the use of gender inclusive language. Proven cases of plagiarism will result in an F in the course.
You may work on these essays in advance to departure for Italy (assuming you have done the reading), though you may want to revise your essay based on feedback from the first assignment and our class discussion in Italy. The due date for the 3rd paper is 27 July, 2009.
Essays should be about 1000-1400 words. Please include a word count.
Compose your essay as a response to one of the following topics:
1. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir. Demonstrate how the text and images work together to make the points and leave an impression on the reader. Analyze specific graphic images to show how they influence and enhance the text. You must take into account such visual elements as shading, line, composition, and allusion (for instance to Persian miniatures) in your discussion. Keep your focus on using the visual analysis to enhance and deepen your textual analysis.
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2. Unlike some of our previous readings, Marji’s immigration (in Persepolis) is not one of choice, but due to force of circumstance. Discuss how this different social impetus influences her story in comparison with any of our other readings this semester.
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3. Consider the overall themes of globalization and immigration demonstrated in all of our readings. Each reading examines the nature of cross-cultural encounters and the growing importance, yet also confusion, of globalization. Choose a few particularly poignant scenes from at least two of our readings to show how they best capture what you consider to be the most important aspects of these themes (try to prove your passages show this best).