ENGL 461: Senior Seminar
Professor E. Derek Taylor
Instructions for In-class Essay 1 (Friday, September 11, 2015)
Chose one (possibly two) of the literary critics we have encountered thus far and imagine that he has read "The Lives of the Dead" by Tim O’Brien. Then, allow the critic to respond to the story in a “letter” addressed to Tim O’Brien (roughly 500 words in length—four or five paragraphs). What would this critic admire, or dislike, about the story? What would he find valuable, or puzzling, or frustrating, or fascinating? What questions would he have for O’Brien? What advice? You need not address all (or even any) of these particular questions to write a compelling essay, but something along these lines will likely prove useful to you as you seek to frame your response.
OR--a second version of the same basic approach--allow two of these critics to exchange letters, and thus to argue about the story as they understand it.
This is indeed an open book, open note assignment—indeed, the critic in question should not be embarrassed about quoting either his own work or O’Brien’s story in the course of his letter. I would encourage you to approach your "letter" with creativity and imagination—just don’t lose sight of your primary responsibility.
Grading Rubric:
A: Cleanly written, logically argued, thoroughly supported, carefully organized
B: Falls short on one or more points.
C: Falls short on two or more points.
D: Falls short on three or more points.
F: Falls short on all points.
Professor E. Derek Taylor
Instructions for In-class Essay 1 (Friday, September 11, 2015)
Chose one (possibly two) of the literary critics we have encountered thus far and imagine that he has read "The Lives of the Dead" by Tim O’Brien. Then, allow the critic to respond to the story in a “letter” addressed to Tim O’Brien (roughly 500 words in length—four or five paragraphs). What would this critic admire, or dislike, about the story? What would he find valuable, or puzzling, or frustrating, or fascinating? What questions would he have for O’Brien? What advice? You need not address all (or even any) of these particular questions to write a compelling essay, but something along these lines will likely prove useful to you as you seek to frame your response.
OR--a second version of the same basic approach--allow two of these critics to exchange letters, and thus to argue about the story as they understand it.
This is indeed an open book, open note assignment—indeed, the critic in question should not be embarrassed about quoting either his own work or O’Brien’s story in the course of his letter. I would encourage you to approach your "letter" with creativity and imagination—just don’t lose sight of your primary responsibility.
Grading Rubric:
A: Cleanly written, logically argued, thoroughly supported, carefully organized
B: Falls short on one or more points.
C: Falls short on two or more points.
D: Falls short on three or more points.
F: Falls short on all points.