English essay (High school) 800-1000 words Submit as a PDF with a proper 'Works Cited' page and a brief acknowledgements section MLA in text citation Do a close reading of a single story

English essay (High school)

800-1000 words

Submit as a PDF with a proper 'Works Cited' page and a brief acknowledgements section

MLA in text citation

Do a close reading of a single story.  

Write an essay that appreciates the storytelling of that single story. That is, DO NOT look at context. Do not look at Wikipedia about the author. Just take the story on its own terms, and you do that by reading and rereading it, opening yourself up to the story. When we then write about the tale, we do so as listeners who, in our own manner, continue the story—not to do violence to it, not to coopt it—but to honor it. And we most fully honor it, here, by treating it with the elevated respect of the literary and by attending to the craft of the tale. In this way, I can show a humble respect for cultures, while also extending the appreciation for the artistry. So, in the end, the goal is not expertise or authority in any one Native American culture, and instead it is to show that I’ve given my full attention to this one story.

Requirement of the essay:

• Have a claim about the tale(s) or something within it.
• Support that claim with a logical sequence of reasons to say why that claim matters, how it affects our reading of the tale.
• Incorporate evidence to support the reasoning (most often in the form of quotations, but with an eye toward style or artistic elements)
• Make sure to support claims with STRONG reasons and evidence. 
• Avoid any and all generalizations.
• Show an intellectual exuberance and curiosity, a care for its own creation: voice, proofreading, attention to detail.
• Anything pulling away our attention from the story or resulting in sweeping generalizations will WEAKEN the piece.