Close Reading Paper

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Close Reading Paper

• When Good Introductions and Theses Go Bad

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The Elements of A Good Introduction

• Includes the name of the author and the work
• Quickly introduces the topics and themes of the
  essay
• Relates the topics of the essay to the features
  that will be analyzed in the essay

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The Elements of a Good Thesis

• Flows smoothly from the introduction
• Includes specific textual observations (literary
  terms and devices) to be discussed
• Relates the use of the devices to the argument,
  which is an assertion about the way the devices
  contribute to the development of a theme,
  character, or other key feature of the text
• Provides a roadmap for the essay

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Lets evaluate some theses.

• In fact, women in Theogony and Works and Days
  were placed on this earth in the first place as
  Zeus punishment to man.
• Crisis! How can we help this thesis?

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Thesis 2

• Through their language and vulnerability, Wilde
  makes Sibyl and Alan sympathetic characters so
  the reader can relate to them better.
• Yikes! How is the readers ability to relate to
  characters in any way an argument about the
  text?! How can we fix it?

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What about thesis 3?

• This passage presents a reflection of the novel
  as a whole and can be analyzed to show the
  different aspects of Victors character.
• Jeepers! What should we do to help this writer?

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Another thesis to evaluatewhat do you think?

• Aeneas struggle during his time of fruitless
  pain is framed by visitations from the ghosts of
  Hector and Creusa, who serve as symbols of his
  civil and familial ties to Troy. The elements of
  presentation, interaction, and context in the
  visitations demarcate the removal of Aeneas
  mortal connections to Troy, while at the same
  time introducing his divine role in an
  overarching design of the gods.

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Introducing introductions

• The Good
• War has powerful effects on the actions and
  conflicts of soldiers, who easily confuse the
  original mission of the war with a desire for
  glory. In Stephen Cranes The Red Badge of
  Courage, the grave internal conflicts of war
  become apparent as they take over Henrys mind
  and body

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The Bad

• Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray is an
  interesting novel full of conflicts. One
  conflict is between Lord Henry and Dorian.
  Another is between Basil and Dorian. The biggest
  conflict is between Dorian and himself
• What should we fix?

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And the ugly

• When I went to the movies, I didnt expect to be
  so intrigued by the characters that I would want
  to read about them individually. The League of
  Extraordinary Gentlemen had many interesting
  characters Mena the vampire, Alan Quartermain
  the hunter, Skinner the invisible man, Nemo the
  pirate, Dr. Jekyll the scientist, Tom Sawyer of
  the CIA, and Dorian Gray the immortal. Out of all
  the characters, Dorian Gray seemed to have the
  most interesting story to tell. I didnt know
  anything about the book, but when I went to the
  book store, I asked for anything about Dorian
  Gray that they might have. I was both embarrassed
  and surprised when the lady picked out several
  books and asked which one I wanted. The Picture
  of Dorian Gray was the story of a man who starts
  out as an innocent, loving boy, but then he made
  the Devils Bargain-- the exchange of ones
  external soul for extreme

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Now, to help a friend

• Give your introduction and thesis to the person
  in front of you.
• Read the intro you have been given.
• Based on our discussion, make one constructively
  critical comment and one complimentary comment.
  Sign your name.
• Pass the paper on and start with the next one
  handed to you.