English 273: Art of Fiction
Date: October 8, 2010
PAPER #2:
WRITING WITH CRITICISM
Important Tasks and Due Dates:
1. In-class Workshop: Wednesday, October 13, 2010
2. Final Paper Due: Friday, October 15, 2010- 10:30a.m in the English Department
mailbox marked “O’Berry”
Length:
4-5 Pages (at least 4 full pages)
Format:
Double-spaced, 1-inch margins, page numbers, 12 point Times font. MLA formatting.
Texts:
Walker, “Everyday Use” AND two critical writings:
Showalter, “Quilt as Metaphor in ‘Everyday Use’”
Baker, “Stylish vs. Sacred in ‘Everyday Use’”
Christian, “‘Everyday Use’ and the Black Power Movement”
Ferrell, “Fight vs. Flight: a re-evaluation of Dee in Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’”
(on class website*. You need to print it, read it, and bring it to class)
5. Tuten, “Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’” (on class website*. You need to print it,
read it, and bring to class)
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*class website: www.artoffiction.wikispaces.com
Assignment: You will be creating an argument regarding Walker’s “Everyday’s Use” that
incorporates scholarly criticism.
Tasks:
During the first several weeks of class we have been reading short stories and observing
how literary elements assist authors in creating fiction.
Part I: Working with Walker- create your own argument
Sound familiar? You’ve done this already! Re-read your response to the handout out called
“Working with Walker.” Look at the feedback from your peers and myself and see if you can
add to your response and make changes.
(1) Read closely “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. Highlight words, phrases and/or
passages that you believe are being used by the author to convey something
significant to the story being told.
(2) Extract these textual references and apply your knowledge of literary elements to
focus on one particular theme. Using these textual references, formulate your
argument or thesis. Ask yourself: How does Alice Walker use literary elements
to weave a particular theme in “Everyday Use?”
Part II: (Guess what? You’ve already started Part 2 by working in your groups today!)
Scholars have also written literary criticism on Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use”.
They have their own theses (arguments) on how certain literary elements are significant
in presenting a particular theme.
(1) Integrate at least two of these critical writings into your analysis from Part I. It
is perfectly acceptable to be in agreement, or have contrary arguments to a
published scholar, as long as you can support your position logically using as
evidence textual references from the story and from the chosen critical writings.
Using quotes and parenthetical citations from both story and critical writings
can help sharpen your own thesis and your written presentation in support of
this thesis.
(2) You must bring to class on Wed. October 13, 2010:
a. 3-page typed rough draft of your paper (3 copies). The more work you put
into the rough draft, the more feedback you will get from your peers and the
less work you will have to do for Friday.
b. The critical writings you are working with (printed out).
Questions and ideas to get you started:
1.) Discuss the meaning of “heritage” in the story. Are there conflicting definitions?
Which does the narrator seem to ascribe to? How do you know?
2.) What is the narrator’s attitude toward Dee/Wangero? Does it differ from her
relationship with Maggie? What is the purpose of the narrator’s daydream at the
beginning of the story? Does it convey something about the relationship between
Dee/Wangero and Mama?
3.) Consider Maggie’s development over the course of the story. Does she change?
What is the significance of her “real smile” at the end of the story? Does Baker’s
conception of Maggie as the “arisen goddess” in “Stylish vs. Sacred in ‘Everyday Use’”
capture Maggie’s character? Does it change the way you conceive of her role in the
story?
You may come up with different questions as you think toward your own thesis
and main argument for the paper.