SHORT STORY ESSAY

You will write a well organized, four paragraph, persuasive literary essay on ONE of these short stories: “Story of an Hour”, “Yellow Wallpaper”, or “A Rose for Emily” (intro, 2 body paragraphs, conclusion). Make sure that you thoroughly address the prompt and that you don't drift off on side topics. Your completed final essay is due on ______.

Requirements:

-  Introduction paragraph (inverted pyramid- typically 4-5 sentences)

-  You must include the authors’ names and the titles of the stories (in quotations) in the introduction

-  Must have a thesis statement as the last sentence of the intro.

-  2 body paragraphs (each body paragraph should have 2 CDs and should be 6-8 sentences)

-  Use weaving throughout the body paragraphs

-  PDs should be at the end of each sentence containing a direct quote

-  Direct quotations must be incorporated (in other words, use lead-ins or lead-outs!)

-  At least one direct quote CD must be present in each body paragraph

-  Conclusion paragraph restates the thesis & recaps the main ideas (typically 4-5 sentences)

-  Must use present tense! (Mrs. Mallard was shocked- NO! / Mrs. Mallard is shocked - YES!)

-  Must be 4 paragraphs in length

-  Must be written in third person (AKA: NO "I", "ME", "YOU", “OUR”: etc).

-  Must follow formal academic writing rules

ESSAY PROMPTS (Choose ONE of the following):

1.  Based upon the information presented in “Story of an Hour”, was Mrs. Mallard mistreated by her husband? Based upon your answer to the previous question, is her reaction to her husband’s “death” justified?

2.  In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the reader sees a woman teetering on the brink of insanity. What or who is responsible for her break with reality. Explain using specific examples from the story.

3.  What are some important symbols in “The Yellow Wallpaper”? What do these symbols represent? How do they relate to the plot and the characters?

4.  In “A Rose for Emily”, the theme of change versus tradition is prevalent. How do the characters and the town deal with the pressure to change? What are the consequences due to their reluctance to change?

5.  Women of the Old South and of “a good family” were often put on pedestals as examples of virtue and respectability, causing them to have special treatment. How is this true of Miss Emily Grierson? How has the town shaped Miss Emily’s life and how people view her? Think about why she is called a “fallen monument” in the first paragraph.

See reverse for the English Department essay rubric ------à