Description
I’m working on a english report and need a sample draft to help me understand better.
For our first assignment, you are to select a passage from the Odyssey (between 10 and 25 lines long) and undertake a close reading of it. A close reading is a mode of analysis that begins in observation and then move to a conclusion based on those ob- servations. This is not a thematic essay; it is, instead, a close and careful reading of a small passage, and a convincing argument about how the details of that passage con- nect to the concerns of the larger work.
Roadmap for a close reading:
1. The close-up view: Observe the passage in detail and take notes on what you find. What is striking about the word choice or imagery? Is the language literal, or figura- tive? Are there any repetitions, contradictions, or similarities in the passage? Do you
see any figures of speech or moments of character development in your passage?
2. The big picture- or “so what?”: Relate the passage to the work as a whole. How does it engage broader themes, like the relationship between gods and mortals, home- coming, hospitality, or gender dynamics? What does this passage tell us about the whole epic? If it seems unusual, what does it tell us about the rest of the narrative by contrast?
Thesis model for close reading: By looking at x, we can see y. This is important be- cause z.
Your paper must include a clear thesis statement. This is an assertion, grounded in specific evidence from your passage, about what your passage tells us about the whole poem. This thesis must be based on evidence from the text and analysis of your specif- ic passage.
