ENC 1102
Essay Assignment #1
Requirements:
1. Type of writing expected – Comparison and Contrast and Analysis
2. length requirements – 500 words
3. formatting requirements – MLA format
4. documentation format – Citations necessary
5. amount or type of research expected – Only from Textbook
Objective: The focus of this first essay will be on analysis. You have two options
regarding the subject matter:
Option #1
Write a comparison and contrast essay focusing on the setting of Joyce’s “Araby” and
Updike’s “A & P.” How do these setting influence the plot? How do they capture and
illuminate the theme? Some things you might want to think about:
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What are the differences between the locations?
At what points in the lives of the narrators do the events occur?
Who were the other people involved in this story?
What can we assume about their lives after the end of the narrative?
Option #2
Write an analytical essay about the characters in “Cathedral”. How do their personalities
affect the plot? How does the tension in the plot reveal the important themes? Some
things you might want to think about:
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How do they behave towards each other?
What kind of language do they use?
How do they develop as characters?
What is the final message of the story?
Objectives:
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Students will practice different types of analytical strategies.
Students will use specific examples from the pieces of literature.
Students will write effective introductions.
Students will analyze the figurative language (including metaphor and simile)
present in the work of literature.
Evaluation Criteria
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The most important thing is that you fully use your analytical skills to examine
the works of literature.
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I will be looking to see how well you use the primary texts themselves in your
essay.
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The style will be formal, so I do not want to see the use of the first person
pronoun “I”.
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I will be looking to see how well you incorporate and analyze figurative language
in your essay.
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I will focus on the quality of your introduction.
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I am not looking for grammatical perfection, but the essay must be readable and
free of mechanical errors that distract your reader.
All these criteria will be considered in light of the Gordon Rule Rubric.