Posted: April 13th, 2023

Essay

Instructions: This first essay asks you to consider One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and
produce a close reading. You will analyze a detail (a short passage or several related short
passages) of the narrative and argue for how the detail develops the narrative’s meaning or
significance. Close reading is a skill that “begins with a sensitivity to the words of the text and
all their denotative and connotative values and implications” (Guerin A Handbook of Critical
Approaches to Literature). Denotation refers to what something is (definition) and connotation
refers to what something means beyond its strict definition. Consider the specific wording and
why that wording was chosen over other potential synonyms or phrasing. While symbolism is
an easy way to think about denotation and connotation (Apple – fruit, sin), you could also think
about the way a story is structured. Because this assignment is focused on your own skills of
analysis, no secondary source should be used. Your close reading does not need to focus on
mental health/psychiatry.
Potential pitfalls to avoid:
o Mistaking summary for analysis
o Clichéd or obvious readings of details
o Organization by example rather than by sub claims – usually due to a simplistic thesis
While this is not a five-paragraph formulaic essay, you may follow this general framework:
The first paragraph introduces the text and your focus. This paragraph should conclude
with a clear thesis that argues a point. It should not attempt to argue a fact. Body
paragraphs should begin with topic sentences that argue a part of the thesis. These
paragraphs should prove their claims by quoting the text and then analyzing the quotes to
explain how they function as support. Each body paragraph should end with a concluding
sentence that explains how it relates to the thesis. The essay should conclude with a final
paragraph that explains: 1) how the body arguments come together to prove the thesis;
and 2) the significance of the claims made in the essay.
Keep in mind you are writing an essay that is analytical and persuasive; you need to take a
position and argue a point of view, not merely summarize the text without offering
evidence to support your own argument (an original position/opinion) about its meaning
or significance. Evidence comes from the text itself. Please remember that grammatical,
coherent, logical writing is the minimum requirement for a passing grade; points will be
deducted from essays that are incoherent and make significant numbers of grammatical
errors.
English 1C: Essay #1
Criteria
• Accurately describe your argument
in a clear thesis sentence.
• Signal each topic and give a clear indication
of how the paper will proceed.
.
• Locate evidence (directly from the text) to
smoothly integrate into each body paragraph.
• Analyze this evidence in order to
show how it illustrates your arguments.
• Present a strong overall argument and
conclusion using active verbs and avoiding
vagueness.
• Use an effective structure that carefully
guides the reader from one idea to the next
and is thoroughly edited so that sentences are
readable and appropriate for an academic
paper.
• Include new terms introduced in class, as
well as a working knowledge of how to apply
them to the text.
• Use correct MLA format, including size 12
Times New Roman font, 1” margins, internal
citations (Conrad 89) and
correct pagination/headers. It is your
responsibility to familiarize yourself with
MLA format.
• Length: 1000-1,250 words (about 4 pages).
• Outside Research: None (no Works Cited
page for this assignment.
Due April 15th at 11:59 p.m.
Assignment Checklist:
Part 1. Introduction (1 paragraph)
1. Introduce the topic/establish exigency or significance.
2. Introduce the context: author, text, purpose.
3. Thesis (metadiscourse)—explain your project (what
your paper will argue). State the direction of your
analysis and the steps you will take to get there; i.e.,
“This project argues [what claim?] through/by [what
means/evidence?].” (This orients the reader but will
also be where you reveal your own stance.)
4. The thesis MUST be the last sentence of the first
paragraph. The first part will reveal your argument,
while the second part will disclose two or three major
claims (aka sub-claims/sub-topics/proofs) that support
your argument.
Part 2. The Body, your central analysis
In this section, you will analyze each of your major claims
laid out in your thesis.
For each claim, you will:
❑ State one of your claims and briefly describe how the
text supports the claim.
❑ Give a salient example, and nail your example with a
quote.
❑ Explain the quotation by telling what the text is doing
(not saying) and delineating the ways it ties back to
your argument.
❑ Explain and discuss the significance of the connection.
❑ Include a closing to each paragraph that ties together
the topic and the overall point.
Part 3: Your conclusion, which tells us, “So what?”
In this section, discuss issues of significance / effectiveness.
❑ Consider as a whole what the text does to your
argument.
❑ Consider the strengths/weaknesses and effectiveness of
your argument.
❑ Discuss the social, cultural, biological, economic, etc.
stakes of your argument and reasoning—why does it
matter?
Part 4: All pages must be properly formatted using MLA
Guidelines (See the Purdue Owl website.)
❑ Headers/pagination (except on page 1).
❑ 1” margins on all sides.
❑ Parenthetical quotations using correct punctuation
placement; i.e., (Hemingway 89).
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