Writing essay

n this paper, you will choose a passage from Moby Dick, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, or The Great Gatsby, and write an in-depth close-reading on that passage. Use the Assignment Description from our first Close-Reading Paper to help you get started. Take a look at my feedback from your first paper to help sharpen your thinking. Remember, I am not looking for you simply to summarize what is happening in a passage. I want you to analyze it. Don’t waste space summarizing. You can assume that I know what is happening in these texts. Just jump right in to your analysis! Summary v. Analysis When you are summarizing, you are answering questions like What? Who? When? and Where? “What is Ahab talking about in this passage?” can be a good starting point to help you understand the language and the plot, but it is not the finishing line. When you are analyzing, you are thinking at the level of authorship. Even answering “What is Fitzgerald trying to get at in this passage?” can lead you quickly into the trap of summary. Try answering “Why?” or “How?” rather than “What?” Thinking ahead These close-reading papers can become the basis for your midterm paper. You should start thinking now about what you might be interesting in digging into more deeply for that paper. Is there an issue you’ve seen recurring in both the texts we have read so far? As we move further into the twentieth century literature, keep thinking about these questions. Look for patterns and recurring words, situations, or themes in those plays, novels, and films, always keeping in mind “What is the significance?” What does it say about the text as a whole? What might it indicate about American identity or culture or personality -- about any of the larger themes we’re exploring in this class? Requirements: Length: 500 words (~2 pages), double-spaced Font: 12 point Times New Roman Format: MLA formatting for citations