For this assignment, you will write a two to three-page argumentative paper concerning one of the themes from The Glass Menagerie.
Go to the Alabama Virtual Library (Links to an external site.) (accessible from any home computer or public/school library in Alabama). If you have trouble accessing from home, you may need to go to the WCCS library (Links to an external site.) or your local public library.
Click on College & University, Literature Resources, and choose one: Academic Search Premier or Literature Resources from Gale.
Search for your play. Find an article related to a theme in the play. (Tip: Make sure you choose a scholarly article, not a book review or review of any type. Also, don’t just choose an article with your play’s name as the title. Look for something more detailed and in depth.)
Decide whether you agree or disagree with the article.
Use your agreement or disagreement with your article as your thesis or claim for your paper.
For example: Cinderella portrays a classic “rags to riches” theme; the protagonist’s rise to the top is proof that anyone can be anything, even here in modern America.
Your paper might then make three to four main points about how the American Dream or “rags to riches” ideals are evident in the story. You would use your story (or in your case, your chosen play) and your article to back up your argument’s three or four main points.
Your paper can be related to another aspect of the play if necessary (symbolism, irony, metaphor, etc.)
Use the “Steps to Writing a Literary Essay”Preview the documentView in a new window document as your guide. Also note that you will need to include at least three citations (paraphrase, quotes, etc.) to your article inside your paper. You will also need a Works Cited page. For help with both internal (in-text) citations and the Works Cited page, use the OWL Purdue University Online Writing Lab (Links to an external site.). Follow this link: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/ (Links to an external site.)
The above link assists with the Works Cited page, but if you look at the toolbar on the left you will see a link to help with MLA In-Text Citations as well.
Also, you may use EasyBib (Links to an external site.) or Noodle Bib Express (Links to an external site.) to help you create a Works Cited page.
Be sure to include several examples from the play to back up your thesis. Also be sure to blend your own ideas into this paper. I want to see that you can think critically and analytically and not just copy what someone else says.
Be sure that your introduction contains a creative “hook” or opener and that your thesis is the last sentence of your introduction.
Know that it is okay if your thesis and paper do not agree (instead of agrees) with the article. Those are some of the most interesting papers to read.
You must turn in an outline and Works Cited page with your paper.
See Sample Literary PaperPreview the documentView in a new window under Resources for a good example of a finished paper.
