Description
In this homework assignment, you will analyze and annotate the short story that you will use as the basis for Paper 2. Please note that the story you choose should be from among the list from Week 2 but it should not be the same one you used for the Week 2 Annotation Homework assignment and Paper 1.
Applying close reading strategies, you will first explain the setting, plot, and characters that are critical to understanding your new story. Next, locate keywords that signal the literary element of theme, as you identify it, in your chosen short story. Identify at least 10 keywords, making sure to narrow your focus to one word or a simple phrase, rather than citing entire lines from the story. You should read closely and carefully, noting words or synonyms that repeatedly draw the reader’s attention to the theme.
In a print/paper version of the story, you may have underlined or highlighted them. You may also have written notes to yourself in the margins. In a PDF text, you may be using the markup tools or comment features.
There is no exact, “right way” of annotating a particular story; like the writing process, the close reading process is yours to individualize. If you prefer to print out the story on paper, annotate it by hand, and then upload a picture or scan of the paper, that submission would be perfectly fine as well.
In short, by reading the story more than once and annotating it, you are engaging in critical reading, which will inform your literary analysis and writing about literature.
DIRECTIONS:
- In a separate document, identify the setting, characters, and plot as we did in Week 2. Then, identify the theme of the story and explain how you identified it. You should be able to identify all 4 elements of the story: setting, plot, characters, and theme.
- Next, write 10 keywords that support your understanding of the theme. List them in the same document. Save your document, and upload it under this assignment.
- Annotate the sections of the story (e.g., keywords, phrases, and/or passages) that elucidate the theme.
- Finally, take screenshots or pictures of your annotated story. Save your file as a PDF or JPG, and upload it to the Assignments area.
