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Overview Literature is a reflection of real life that can help us broaden our own perspectives

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Overview

Literature is a reflection of real life that can help us broaden our own perspectives. The ability to read, analyze and write about literature is an important skill for everyday life. You may never be asked to analyze literature in the workplace, but understanding literature will help you better understand the people—and the world—around you.

Directions

This Project is an in-depth exploration of memoir and autobiography. As you make your way through the Project, you will read excerpts from various autobiographical texts, including memoirs and poems. Then, you will do some writing of your own both to analyze the texts you have read and to create your own autobiographical work.

Producing your best writing is a process of receiving feedback and making revisions. Even the world’s most accomplished professional writers need to make revisions in their work; it’s just a part of the process for writers. As you submit your written deliverables for this Project, be open to the idea of receiving critical feedback. In the end, it will improve your writing.      

Part 1 - Start Reading: Read (and where possible) listen to the following memoir excerpts and poems:

• This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed
• The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
• The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
• “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden
• “My Father’s Hat” by Mark Irwin
• “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

Read through each of these texts closely. Reread or re-listen to sections of each text that confuse you or that you find particularly interesting.

Part 2 - Reading Journal: As you read, keep notes of your questions and reactions in the Reading Journal. Use the Reading Journal to reflect on the different works. Using appropriate terminology from the "Literary Terms" resource, answer all questions for each memoir and poem.

Part 3 - Narrative Essay: Write a five-paragraph narrative essay of your own about the most influential person or event in your life. Before you start writing, take some time to think about the person or event you would like to write about. Once you have decided on your topic, begin writing by following these steps:

1. Use your first paragraph to introduce yourself and the most influential event or person in your life.
2. Use the second, third and fourth paragraphs to show why the event/person is influential. Provide specific details to support your paragraphs.
3. Use the final paragraph to synthesize the information you presented in the previous paragraphs by succinctly restating and summarizing the main points from your essay.

Part 4 - Compare and Contrast: Write an extended compare and contrast essay (750-word minimum) in which you discuss the theme of motherhood in two of the texts you have read. Compare and contrast the ways that each author portrays the role of motherhood and the relationship between mothers and their children. Select one of the following pairs of memoirs to compare and contrast in your essay:

?This Boy’s Life and The Other Wes Moore

Wild and The Woman Warrior

Once you have selected the pair of texts you will analyze in your essay, follow these steps:

1. Begin your essay with a paragraph that introduces what you plan to show in your essay and includes a thesis statement. Be sure that your thesis statement presents a debatable argument rather than simply restating facts about your chosen texts. Consult the "Literary Analysis" resource for tips on writing an effective thesis.
2. Use the following body paragraphs of your essay to discuss the similarities and differences in the ways mothers are portrayed by the authors of the two works you have chosen. Throughout the body of your essay, provide observations and evidence from the texts that support your thesis statement.
3. Use your final paragraph to synthesize the information you presented in the previous paragraphs and conclude your essay.

Note: You do not need to do research for this essay, but all sources, quotations and paraphrases from the texts must be cited using APA format.

 

DELIVERABLES