Informal essay assignment

  

first–person (e.g., “I discovered that…”), still paying attention to fundamentals such as correct grammar and
punctuation.
Don’t simply summarize the story line or concentrate on analysis as you would in an English essay. Discuss
the story from a writer’s perspective, in terms of form, style, technique and literary devices. You could show
how the form of the story affects the content, through structure, prose style, dialogue, detail, characterization,
etc. Try to focus on three to four such topics. Don’t write about the theme of the story without referring to
some aspect of the writing or how the author achieves his or her effects.
Use appropriate, specific examples from the story to back up your ideas. A sharp focus will provide some
depth in your response. If you try to cover too many different formal aspects, your essay may lack clarity. If
you have trouble with this assignment, keep returning to what you’ve learned about writing from the story.
Keep in mind that these are published stories; you are not expected to offer suggestions for revision, or how
you would write the stories differently! You should look at your chosen story from the perspective of a writer
who is learning the craft.
Referencing pages in either “A Family Supper” or “The Night in Question”:
In the spirit of “Informal”, let’s keep it simple. For any quote or example or paraphrase that you cite from the
text in question, you just need to follow it with the page number in brackets. For example, for a quote from
page 637, you would present it: “Quote quote quote quote” (637). You don’t need to include the author’s
name in the brackets, and you don’t need a bibliography or works cited. The story title and author should be
stated clearly early in your essay.
Some tips to consider:
• Make notes for yourself as you read the texts; later, organize and develop your thoughts so your essay
has a cohesive shape—a beginning, middle and end
• Don’t write more than what’s necessary to make your point
• Vary the style and length of your sentences
• Focus on your experience of the story as a writer