CALENDAR:
Literary Analysis Argument Essay Using a Lens
Goal for this unit: Write a literary analysis argument paper using a critical lens.

You will write in response to one of the three texts we study.
o Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Tell Tale Heart”
o Susan Glaspell’s short play “Trifles”
o Jonathan Safran Foer’s short story “A Primer for the Punctuation of Heart Disease”
Or, an advanced option is to use one lens to write a comparison of two different stories.

Possible lenses: New Historicism, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, Deconstruction (or with permission only, Formalism)

Details: 3-5 pages, MLA format (including a Works Cited entry at the end of your essay), 3 rd person point of view. For more details,
consult the attached rubric.
Monday 2/24
DUE (optional) final
version of your research
paper & works cited.
Room 20
“Lessmore”
Timed Write
HW: If you did not turn in
your Research Paper today,
your Research Paper is due
Tuesday.
Tuesday 2/25
Due: Final Research Paper
Text #1 Edgar Allen Poe’s
“The Tell Tale Heart”
Whole class & small group:
analysis of the main
character’s sanity.
Mini-lesson: Introduction
to Psychoanalytical Lens
Wednesday 2/26
LATE START
Thursday 2/27
Sign up: “Lessmore” conference.
Lens: Psychoanalytical
Criticism & analysis of “The
Tell Tale Heart.”
Poe group work.
Practicing: Analysis and
complexity of evidence.
Advanced - Sane or Insane
in regards to
psychoanalytical theory.
Your group’s work is due at
the end of class.
HW: Using your Reading
Guide, read the short play
“Trifles” and answer the
reading guide questions.
Again, you can write all over
this text. Make sure you read
carefully, because you have a
quiz on Monday. The quiz is
open note and open story,
but you will only have 12
minutes.
Friday 2/28
DUE: If you conferenced the
Research Paper Monday or
Tuesday, your RP is due
TODAY!
1) Prepare for your
“Lessmore” conference.
2) Work Time: Reading
“Trifles”
Tuesday 3/4
Wednesday 3/5
Thursday 3/6
HW: Using your Reading
Guide, read the short play
“Trifles” and answer the
reading guide questions.
Again, you can write all over
this text. Make sure you read
carefully, because you have a
quiz on Monday. The quiz is
open note and open story,
but you will only have 12
minutes.
Friday 3/7
“Trifles”
“Trifles”
“Trifles”
TBD
Monday 3/10
Tuesday 3/11
Wednesday 3/12
LATE START
Thursday 3/13
Friday 3/14
“Primer”
“Primer”
“Primer”
Begin Pre-writing
No School
End of Q3
One more to go!!
Monday 3/24
Tuesday 3/25
SPRING
BREAK
Wednesday 3/26
Thursday 3/27
Friday 3/28
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
TBD
Read: Edgar Allen Poe’s
“The Tell Tale Heart” and
answer the discussion
questions on p.1 of the
handout. YOU CAN ALSO,
AND I WOULD SUGGEST
THAT YOU DO, WRITE ALL
OVER THE TEXT as you
read.
Monday 3/3
HW: Complete the notes
on id, ego, superego for
“The Tell Tale Heart”
HW: Re-read “The TellTale Heart” one more time.
12 minute quiz on
“Trifles”
“Trifles”
Monday 3/31 Your Paper is Due for conference.
Notice: This calendar only has a detailed overview of this week. I will give you an updated weekly
calendar each week. If you are absent for some reason, you can find the updated calendar on my
website.
ABSENCES: It has come to my attention that there will be a lot of absences in the near future. As a
reminder, you are responsible for what you miss when you are absent. I would highly suggest that you
have a friend whom you trust that you can have take notes and update you when you are gone. IF
something is due when you are missing, I will accept that work the day you return. I will assign credit to
students who have their absences excused.