Tenn/ Fall 09/ Eng 4
Essay #3
… the Dreaded English 4 Research Paper!
OK, it’s not that bad. Really. For your last out-of-class essay you’re going to write a
paper analyzing some aspect of a literary text (what you’ve been doing all along).
The only difference is that now you’re going to see what other critics have to say about
the text and you’re going to connect their ideas to yours (if/where they match up), and
contrast their ideas with yours (if/where you feel that they’ve misinterpreted something).
As part of your research, you can also investigate specific topics that you feel are
important to understanding The Bell Jar.
Possible research approaches:
1) Character analysis: Throughout the book, Esther presents herself as an internallyconflicted character, but over what? What seem to be her competing or conflicting
emotions? Going further, do you see her struggle as related to her age, gender, social, or
economic status? Is her struggle universal?
2) Gender-based critical approach: What does this novel have to teach us about the
expectations, opportunities, or restrictions on American women in the 1950’s? Consider
Esther’s dreams and goals. Consider how her mother, friends, ex-boyfriend, mentors, and
employers influence her. What has and hasn’t changed about the pressures and
expectations put on career-focused women in America today?
3) Psychological/ biographical perspective: (a twist on topic #1) Which specific events
contribute to Esther’s psychological crisis in the book? How do you assess her,
psychologically? You can bring in information about clinical depression or other mental
illnesses that you see as relevant. Also, since we know that Esther Greenwood is a veiled
representation of Plath, herself, feel free to research Plath’s own life and struggle with
“the bell jar”.
4) Inter-textual analysis: (A twist on topic #2?) Consider Ibsen’s Dollhouse (from the
1870s) v. The Bell Jar of the 1950s. How are the main characters’ situations alike? How
does a reading of one help inform a reading of the other? **As an added challenge, you
might bring in a third, more contemporary film or text and continue the comparison.**
The film Thelma and Louise? A poem by June Jordan, Audre Lorde, Sandra Cisneros, or
Marge Piercy? (I can recommend a few poems if you’re interested.)
Tenn/ Fall 09/ Eng 4
Once you’ve chosen your research approach, you’ll want to finish reading (and
annotating) your text with your focus area in mind.
You’ll also want to brainstorm search terms and hit the library catalog and
databases to find useful, quality sources on your topic. Books and non-fiction films are
great. Published articles from journals, magazines and newspapers are good. Websites are
much more risky. Don’t take info from a website unless you have GOOD reason to trust
the information provider. (See class handout). If I don’t find your sources credible for
academic research, I will grade accordingly.
Requirements:
8 full pages MINIMUM, plus a Works Cited list.
In addition to your primary text, The Bell Jar, at least 5 QUALITY sources
appropriate for an academic paper: NO WIKIPEDIA, no iffy websites, at least 2
sources from library databases
Depth of thought
Clear essay organization
Good proofreading
Deadlines/ All steps MANDATORY or I won’t read your essay:
At LEAST a page of pre-writing/brainstorming and an annotated list of at least 3
potentially useful sources due: M 11/23
4 page min. rough draft due for peer review:
Final draft due: W 12/16
M 12/7
(You’ll turn in your essay and take your final)
Tips:
Remember that I’m HAPPY to work with you in office hours. Make an
appointment, or just come by, at any stage of your writing process.
Chabot librarians can also be IMMENSELY helpful, particularly with tips on
navigating the databases, choosing good search terms, etc.