Eng 203 Critical/Literary Analysis Research Paper
The Literary Analysis essay will introduce you to using secondary sources when writing an analytical essay. You will also need to use the close-analysis and critical thinking skills you’ve developed so far this semester.
For this assignment, you will offer a Literary Analysis of Sunjata. You will use two outside sources to support your analysis. The Outside sources are provided for you in Week 11 Module.
Using Joseph Campbells stages of the Heros Journey, pick one prompt for your literary analysis paper:
A. A character from Sunjata this semester you consider to be heroic.
B. Two stages of the heroic journey as listed in the Heros Journey.
If you choose A, make sure you:
- Identify two heroic character traits you admire from Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey.”
- Identify the same two heroic traits in a hero from Sunjata and defend your reasoning using cited evidence from the primary text and from the secondary sources provided for you.
- Create an outline with examples of each trait and an explanation of how they contribute to the theme of the work.
- Write a well-organized 2 to 3 page (500 to 750 words) essay that includes a clear thesis.
Model Thesis: Calpurnia in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird shows the characteristics of a hero when she demonstrates physical bravery, civic-mindedness, and wisdom.
If you choose B, make sure you:
- Identify two steps from Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” that appear in Sunjata.
- Comment on the significance of each step and its purpose in advancing the plot and them of the story using cited evidence from the primary text and your secondary sources.
- Create an outline with an explanation of how they contribute to the theme of the work.
- Write a well-organized 2 to 3 page (500 to 750 word) essay that includes a clear thesis.
Model Thesis: In Homers Odyssey, the call to adventure and the ordeal are two crucial stages that bring profound meaning to the reader.
Instructions
- Analyze Sunjata based on The Heros Journey using either option A or option B.
- Write 500 to 750 words (2 to 3 pages).
- Include a thesis statement at the end of the introduction paragraph.
- Include Topic sentences at the beginning of each body paragraph.
- Essay must be formal and written in 3rd person.
- Essay must include information from the Secondary sources provided for you.
- Essay must include multiple quotes from Primary (the literary work) and Secondary sources (the research or outside source).
- Essay must include in-text citations and a Works Cited page to document primary and secondary sources.
MLA formatting requirements:
- Use MLA headings (See example below)
- Essay must be double-spaced
- Font must be 12-point; Font must be Times New Roman or Courier New
- Margins must be set at 1″ on all sides
- Indent each paragraph (use a Tab) and only double-space between paragraphs
- Do not add extra returns between paragraphs
What should the headings look like?
Your Name
Deborah Karahalis
Eng 203 – 70
April 21, 2024
Key Features of a Literary Analysis
- An arguable thesis A literary analysis is a form of argument; you are arguing that your analysis of a literary work is valid. Your thesis, then, should be arguable, or at the very least, persuasive.
- Careful attention to the language of the text The key to analyzing a text is looking carefully at the language, which is the foundation of its meaning. Specific words, images, metaphorsthese are where analysis begins. You may also bring in contextual information, such as cultural, historical, or biographical facts, or you may refer to similar texts. But the words, phrases, and sentences that make up the text you are analyzing are your primary source when dealing with texts. Thats what literature teachers mean by close reading: reading with the assumption that every word of a text is meaningful.
- Attention to patterns or themes Literary analyses are usually built on evidence of meaningful patterns or themes within a text or among several texts. These patterns and themes reveal meaning.
- A clear interpretation A literary analysis demonstrates the plausibility of its thesis by using evidence from the text and, sometimes, relevant contextual evidence to explain how the language and patterns found there support a particular interpretation. When you write a literary analysis, you show readers one way the text may be read and understood; that is your interpretation
- ______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Reader Response essay gives you the opportunity to explore one text and explain your reaction to the work.
Instructions
- Choose one work:
- The Epic of Gilgamesh
- The story of Noah and the Flood
- The Tower of Babel
- The Iliad
- Write a short essay (500 to 1000 words or two to three typed, double spaced pages) and respond to the work.
- Write a thesis statement which states your unified theme or idea. (For example, God’s wrath, Humanity’s Obedience, Miscommunication, Crazy Gods, etc)
- Focus on the details of the story and how they impact your reaction or understanding.
- Use at least 3 quotes to support your ideas.
- Can be written in 1st person or 3rd person.
- Essay should have multiple paragraphsan Introduction paragraph, Body paragraphs, a Conclusion paragraph.
- Set up essay using MLA formatting.
How do I set up my essay?
- Use MLA headings
- Essay must be double-spaced
- Font must be 12-point
- Font must be Times New Roman or Courier New
- Adjust your font setting because Word uses 11 point Calibri as the default font
- Margins must be set at 1″ on all sides.
- Double-check your margins; most word processing software uses 1.25 as a default margin.
- Indent each paragraph (use a Tab)and only double-space between paragraphs
- Do not add extra returns between paragraphs
What should the headings look like?
Your Name
Deborah Karahalis
Eng 203-03
Sept 18, 2026
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