Try to make your responses text-based (your primary evidence should come from close textual analysis/response to one of the texts we’d looked at in class). There may be a research element in your response (if so you are encouraged to explore and demonstrate some knowledge of prevailing criticism, and cite all your sources), but the essay must be individual and personal in approach, demonstrating your understanding and appreciation of the primary text(s) you are discussing. You will score more strongly for an engaged personal response than a response using external sources. Aim for a strong thesis positioned at the
beginning of the essay—and developed throughout. I would like to see you quote directly from whichever text you end up discussing—but don’t rely too heavily on quotation to make your points for you.
Demonstrate your ability to select text for quotation and commentary, and show that you are able to correctly punctuate and document quotation from the primary text. In the event that you use any other sources, either paraphrased or directly quoted, you must punctuate (using quotation marks) and accurately cite the source using MLA format. (Research is not required in this essay, but you should cite the text accurately in your response, and cite any reference sources that you use.)
Aim for a 4-5 page paper, double spaced, single sided. Use Times New Roman 12 as your font of choice, and MLA style documentation