How First-Person Perspective Shapes "Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story"

Remember: every element you write about in your essays is tied directly to Central Idea. This is what the basis and support of your essays should be. Solely. The author has a thousand choices to make and has made the decision to use these particular elements based on what he or she is trying to say in the short story, what the theme is.

“Rules”

Do not refer to the author by first name only. Use a mixture of:

Last name only

Full name

“the author”

“the writer”

When writing about fiction, the actions in the story are always written about in present tense. I will not point out every instance of it done incorrectly in your essay.

Try to avoid first and second person whenever possible.

In your introduction must be the title, the author, a brief brief synopsis of the main points of the story and the central idea. Later on, the elements of fiction being discussed may also be included.

Short story titles are put in quotation marks. Thus, when referring to “The School” or other stories it is punctuated like this.

Essay 1………………. Tuesday, September 13th on one of the following stories:

“Pig” ………………………………………………..by Roald Dahl

"Painted Ocean, Painted Ship" …………by Rebecca Makkai

“The Husband Stitch” ………………………by Carmen Maria Machado

“The Knowers” ………………………………..by Helen Phillips



For the central idea part:



Central Idea paper --- 300 – 500 words (+ / - 50) and at least two paragraphs: an intro and a body paragraph. Your introduction will include the author’s name, the title of the story, and a very brief synopsis of the story in which only the main points are covered. The last sentence of the first paragraph is a good place to identify the story’s central idea. The words “central idea” would be helpful if used.

A second paragraph will use textual evidence from the story usually in the form of quotations and paraphrasing in order to support your central idea. ***This is the main point of the essay and all the subsequent essays. Support what you claim is the central idea.

Use MLA format and cite the work at the end of the essay.



For the point of view part:



Essay 3………………. Friday, October 14th on one of the following stories:

Russell Banks’……………………………….“Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story”

Philip Roth’s…………………………………“Conversion of the Jews”

Lisa Taddeo’s……………………………….“Forty-Two”



Point of View --- 500 words. Will include everything you did for the Central Idea essay along with identification of the story’s point of view. Use textual evidence. Explain why the particular point of view is especially effective for the story. This will take some real thought and effort in many cases. Don’t forget the MLA format and cite the work at the end of the essay.