English 3H
Mr. Phelan
CASS (Critical Analysis with SECONDARY SOURCES) Paper
Jane Eyre
A TYPED outline: Due: Wednesday, April 15th, 2015(1B) and Thursday, April 16th (5A)
Final Paper Due: Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 (1B) Friday, April 24th, 2015 (5A)
Length: Min. 3 Pages/Max. 4 Pages
Topics:
Religion
“Throughout the novel, Jane struggles to find the right balance between moral duty and earthly pleasure,
between obligation to her spirit and attention to her body. She encounters three main religious figures:
Mr. Brocklehurst, Helen Burns, and St. John Rivers. Each represents a model of religion that Jane
ultimately rejects as she forms her own ideas about faith and principle, and their practical consequences.”
What is Charlotte Bronte saying about religion? Write a research paper that explores the theme of
religion in Jane Eyre.
Autonomy
“Jane Eyre is very much the story of a quest to be loved. Jane searches, not just for romantic love, but also
for a sense of being valued, of belonging. Thus Jane says to Helen Burns: “to gain some real affection from
you, or Miss Temple, or any other whom I truly love, I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm
broken, or to let a bull toss me, or to stand behind a kicking horse, and let it dash its hoof at my chest”
(Chapter 8). Yet, over the course of the book, Jane must learn how to gain love without sacrificing and
harming herself in the process.” What is Charlotte Bronte saying about female agency in Jane Eyre? Write
a research paper that explores the theme of female agency in Jane Eyre.
Social Class
“Jane Eyre is critical of Victorian England’s strict social hierarchy. Brontë’s exploration of the complicated
social position of governesses is perhaps the novel’s most important treatment of this theme.” What is
Charlotte Bronte saying about England’s social structure? Write a research paper that explores the theme
of social structure/hierarchy.”
Gender Relations
“Jane struggles continually to achieve equality and to overcome oppression. In addition to class hierarchy,
she must fight against patriarchal domination—against those who believe women to be inferior to men
and try to treat them as such. Three central male figures threaten her desire for equality and dignity: Mr.
Brocklehurst, Edward Rochester, and St. John Rivers. All three are misogynistic on some level. Each tries to
keep Jane in a submissive position, where she is unable to express her own thoughts and feelings.” Write
a research paper that explores misogyny in Jane Eyre.
Other
Choose one interesting aspect of the novel as the focus of your paper. Find at least three sources that
examine this central idea and reference them in your analysis. The following ideas represent some
research possibilities:
A.
Motifs or symbols
B.
Character foils
C.
Autobiographical elements
Using both quotes from the text, two OUTSIDE SOURCES, and your own words, write a welldeveloped research paper that proves your thesis statement.
Format for Paper
Paragraph 1:
Paragraphs 2 - ?:
Closing Paragraph:
Include thesis, author/playwright, title
Uses unity and coherence to prove thesis
Restatement of thesis/connect to new thought/wrap-up paper
with a clincher
Helpful/Mandatory Hints
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Never use the following words: I, me, mine, you, your, yours
Mention the author or playwright and the piece of work within the first paragraph
Use one short quotation in each body paragraph (no more than one)
The definition of a thesis: what you are going to talk about and how you are going to
prove it=thesis
Use transitional words and phrases
Check for unity and coherence
Proofread your paper
Book titles should be italicized
Place short works in quotes
Criteria Required
1. A TYPED outline (Due: Wednesday, April 15th, 2015(1B) and Thursday, April 16th (5A)
2. Works Cited Page = A minimum of three properly cited entries (Including Jane Eyre)
3. Two reasonable length quotes from each outside source for each “proof” [aka major
point of body paragraph]
4. One short quote from TEXT for each “proof”
5. Submission to turnitin.com
6. Final copy which is typed using the following format:
o size 12 font
o times new roman
o double spaced
Note: Any paper not submitted to turnitin.com will NOT be accepted. There will be a 5 point
deduction for EACH above element not followed.
Citing an author:
Follow the following examples:
(A)
“After breakfast, Adele and [Jane] withdrew to the library” to study (Bronte 151).
Note that there are times when it may be necessary to insert words into an author’s
quote. This is done for clarity. However, those words and/or group of words must have
hard brackets around it/them in order that they may be set apart from the author’s
words.
(B)
After leaving Thornfield, Jane’s journey was “very tedious: fifty miles one day, a night
spent at an inn . . . [with] an evening arrival at the great town” (Bronte 361-2).
Note that ellipses are used when there are words removed from an author. This will tell
your audience that, while you are directly quoting an author, the quote is incomplete.
Note that none of the above quotes are written EXACTLY as they are in the text.
Oftentimes it is unnecessary and even awkward to use an entire line from the text.
Therefore, use only those words that will support your thesis and correspond with your
writing style.
Note: Ten points will be deducted for each day your assignment is late. You may only hand in an
assignment for three days after the due date. It then becomes a zero. Example:
Tuesday – Full credit
Wednesday – 10 point deduction
Thursday – 20 point deduction
Friday – 30 point deduction
Saturday – no credit received
Rubric: Each element is worth up to 10 points for a total of 170 points
(6 points for completion/4 points for quality of execution).
Opening Paragraph
___________ Developed Introduction that provides sufficient context for topic and
argument
___________ Thesis Statement Included (Provides trajectory for Paper)
___________ Introduces Author and Title
Body Paragraphs 2 – ?
___________ Includes Transitional/Topic Sentence
___________ All Quotes Support Thesis and Maintain Unity and
Coherence (quotes are integrated with sufficient context and explanation)
___________ At least three outside source citations and three in-text citations of reasonable
length are used to support proofs of thesis.
___________ Each piece of evidence is analyzed and explained. Information used is
correct.
___________ Proper Citations Are Used
___________ Includes Transitional/Clincher Sentence
Closing Paragraph
__________ Transitional Sentence
__________ Thesis is Re-Stated in interesting way
__________ Conclusions Re-State Support from Body Paragraphs in
__________ Conclusions provides bigger picture/New Support/New Context/ So what? for
Thesis
__________
Conclusion/Clincher Sentence
Overall Content
__________ Proper Length (Minimum 3 Pages, Maximum 4 Pages)
_________ Unity and Coherence Maintained
__________ Correct Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation
Sample Analytical Sentence Outline- Literary Analysis Paper
The first steps are to create essential questions, then gather evidence to help support your answers
to the questions. Try to focus on 4-5 questions and then decide one to focus on as your main
topic. Each question may become a body paragraph. Once you’ve settled on a topic, you can list
categorical subtopics (body paragraphs) that will support your thesis. Your thesis is also a
working thesis, where you will need to revise or update as your write.
Thesis: To truly show the corruption of the Medieval society of England, Chaucer gives voice to
various characters from different social classes using a satirical and sometimes critical tone.
Paragraph 1: Wife of Bath
Topic Sentence: The Wife of Bath’s Tale shows the corruption of knights and the
underlying problems of the chivalric code.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Knight raped a girl
-Woman has power and sends out knight on a quest- reversal
-The knight gets what he wants in the end with a loyal and beautiful wife- hyperbole
Paragraph 2: Knight’s Tale
Topic Sentence: The Knight’s Tale displays the skewed focus of the society, who care
more about money and victory in battle than true love or individuals’ desires.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Theseus builds giant arena for the battle
-Arcite prays to Mars for victory (ironically wins but does not get the girl)
-Emily doesn’t get her wish for chastity and is told to marry
Paragraph 3: Merchant’s Tale
Topic Sentence: The Merchant’s Tale displays the lack of respect in marriage due to the
societal practice of arranged marriages built on status instead of love.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-May cheats on January in a Pear Tree
-January is “blind” to see May’s true nature because he picks her for her looks
-Damien does not respect his elders due to the forced marriage of May and January
Paragraph 4: The Summoner’s Tale
Topic Sentence: In the Summoner’s Tale, the church is a target due to the corruption of
the friar, supposedly working for the church, but really working for money for himself.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Friar preaches about greed and anger to a man who shows neither characteristic
-Friar is not intelligent, trying to share a fart amongst multiple other friars
-Friar commands wife to feed him and take care of him in a selfish manner
You get the idea? Nah'msayin?
Note: You will most likely need to add transitional words to your topic sentences once the order
of the body paragraphs is set.