Paired Genre Assignment
Following is an assignment sheet for a paired-genre project with guidelines similar to
those given to Kim. See our analysis of this assignment in Chapter 3.
Critical Analysis of Frankenstein: A Two-Part Writing Assignment
Part I: Three to Five-Page Essay on Any Topic Related to Frankenstein
For the first part of this assignment, you must
•
Make a specific, argumentative point about Frankenstein, which you explicitly state
in your introduction.
•
Construct a critical essay in which you support your significant, argumentative point
with a close reading of the texts involved.
•
Support that point with quotations from the novel plus a minimum of two outside
sources from our Norton Critical Edition.
•
Use MLA style correctly.
Possible Topics (you are not limited to the following):
1. Compare any one film version of Frankenstein with the novel.
2. Read the 19th-century reviews of Frankenstein that are included in the Norton edition,
and formulate an argument about them.
3. Write about women and Frankenstein.
4. Write a paper comparing Percy Shelley with Victor.
5. Write about the theme of the double.
6. Write about incest, mothering and parenting, education
Part II: Companion "Creative" or "Genre" Piece
Write a one-page "creative piece" in a genre of your choice (letter, diary, poem,
monologue, etc). Write in the "voice" of one of the characters or in the author's voice. In
this piece establish a link to your critical essay and deepen the discussion. For example,
you could have Clerval write a letter to readers of the novel, saying you're so grateful to
the writer of this critical essay for finally telling the world your true importance. Or, for a
paper on a film, you could have Shelley write a letter to the film director, saying, "What
were you thinking? You've entirely missed the point!"
<A> Preliminary and Supporting Assignments
Prospectus: you will need to explain and identify your major claim and supporting
points, identify the two outside sources and give a one-paragraph synopsis for each
(establishing how you will use them to support your argument), and identify the
"creative" genre and explain how you might create a link with your critical essay.
Reader's Critique: you will read and respond to someone else's draft in class
Self-Assessment: you will evaluate your own work and explain how this paired-genre
paper affected your reading and understanding of Frankenstein.