“The Birds” Film and Short Story Essay
PROMPT:
In considering Daphne du Maurier’s short story “The Birds” and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film of the same title, which work generates a bigger impact with its audience? Use three distinct literary elements in your selection of one of the two pieces.
The literary elements are: Setting, Plot, Conflict, Tone, Mood, Character, Point of View, Theme, and Style.
Use specific quotations from the short story and specific scenes from the film with each element to support your opinion.
Thesis construction
A good, divided thesis should…
1.) Name both works
2.) Make a specific claim that is debatable
3.) List several supports
Example: Though both Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” and Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amantillado” are thrilling stories, it is Poe’s deliberate use of tone, point of view, and setting that make “The Cask of Amantillado” a stronger suspenseful tale.
Essay Guidelines:
Intro organization:
Begin with a specific scene from either the movie or the short story, then explain why that moment is impacting. The next step is to discuss the reputation of the stories separately to set up why they warrant comparison. The thesis should conclude the intro paragraph.
Body paragraph organization:
I) Topic Sentence- general characteristic of element in both pieces
II) Statement of element in one piece.
- Quote/Specific scene context
- Embedded specific scene/quote
III) Commentary (2 or more sentences)
IV) Statement of element in other piece
- Quote/Specific scene context
- Embedded specific scene/quote
V) Commentary (2 or more sentences)
VI) Conclude with general statement(s) that reference both pieces and clearly state the element as evidence to your position on its impact.
Conclusion organization:
Return to your thesis by stating your position for one piece over the other based on your chosen literary elements.
Example: Poe’s use of tone, point of view, and setting makes the suspense in “The Cask of Amantillado” more powerful than Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Then review the argument by moving from specific to general statements about the effectiveness of your chosen elements. End with a general comment about the relationship between the two pieces.