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what role should a leader play? What are the responsibilities of leadership? In
what role should a leader play? What are the responsibilities of leadership? In this unit, you have been reading texts by or about political leaders and others who hold power in a society. Write a literary analysis of two selections from this unit in which you examine the theme of leadership and the ways in which each author conveys his or her message about the role and responsibilities of a good leader. What do the authors of these texts have to say about leadership, and how well do they say it? How does each author present and support his or her claims? Do the authors you have selected agree or disagree about the role and responsibilities of a leader? Analyze how effectively each text communicates its author’s message.
Your literary analysis should include:
an introduction that
presents a reasonable claim, expressed in a clear thesis statement that presents a compelling claim about the texts
names the author and title of each text you have selected to support your claim
body paragraphs that
present a thorough analysis of your claim
contain textual evidence and details to support your claim
demonstrate a logical organization of ideas
a conclusion paragraph that
restates your thesis statement
effectively wraps up your essay
leaves your reader with a lasting impression, perhaps through an interesting final thought
Introduction to literary analysis
Literary analysis is a form of argumentative writing. When writing a literary analysis, a writer takes a position on one or more works of literature. It may be to demonstrate why an author used a particular text structure or a certain literary device in a written work. Or it may attempt to compare two different works of literature, and how authors treat similar themes. A literary analysis is not a plot summary, however, or a list of details that support a main idea. Instead, it is an opportunity for a writer to share his or her personal perspectives, critical thinking, or interpretation of both literature and works of nonfiction.
Strong argumentative writing begins with an introductory paragraph that provides a general introduction for the topic. It then presents a thesis statement that explicitly states the writer’s position on the topic. The body paragraphs of an argumentative piece of writing, such as an essay, are focused on relevant text details that provide evidence in support of the main idea. Argumentative essays almost always contain direct quotations, or citations, from the texts being analyzed. The language a writer uses in a literary analysis must be clear, coherent, formal in tone, and appropriate to its task, purpose, and intended audience. Argumentative essays stay focused on the main idea and claim by using transition words to help make connections between supporting details and citations. Strong argumentative essays then end with a conclusion that revisits the main point of the thesis statement and summarizes the evidence in the essay. The features of argumentative writing include:
an introductory paragraph with a clear thesis statement
a clear and logical organizational structure
supporting details, including valid reasoning and textual evidence
effective transitions to show the connections between ideas
a formal style and objective tone
proper citations of sources
a concluding paragraph that summarizes the analysis and restates the thesis
Additional information
Be sure to review the rubric for this assignment and the literary analysis example before you begin your paper. Since The Odyssey and 1984 are used in the example literary analysis, you cannot use these stories in your paper.
Remember, your paper needs to be formatted using MLA. Click here for a template you can use to help you format your paper using MLA.
Please be sure to run your paper through Turnitin to check for grammar and plagiarism errors prior to submitting for a grade. Keep in mind that any work submitted to the Check Your Work folder WILL NOT be graded or even seen by your teacher. This folder is used solely as a place for you to check your drafts and get feedback before it’s graded. To access the feedback, go to Assessments, Assignments, and click on View Feedback. Your paper should not contain more than 20% of quotes from outside sources, so keep that in mind as you’re reviewing your Turnitin Similarity Report percentage.
In addition to studying techniques authors use to make an argument, you have been reading and discussing stories about the roles and responsibilities of leaders in various societies. In the extended writing project, you will use some of the techniques for argument writing that you have studied to compose a literary analysis.
Since the topic of your literary analysis has to do with what it means to hold power, you will want to think about how the various authors in this unit have portrayed the roles and responsibilities of those in power. Answer the following questions for two leaders, rulers, or governing forces you’ve encountered in this unit
How much control did he exert over his people?
How did he communicate with them?
What do his character traits and his actions tell you about the author’s beliefs regarding the responsibilities of a leader?
As you write down your ideas, consider:
whether the author of a particular selection presents a compelling vision of leadership.
Do you agree with him/her? Why or why not?
Determining this will help you craft the claim of your literary analysis.
looking for patterns to emerge. Searching for these patterns may help you to solidify the reasons and evidence you use to support your claim when writing your essay.
Do the leaders portrayed in the selections have anything in common?
What important differences do they have?
Use the following model to help you get started with your own prewriting (Remember, since The Odyssey and 1984 are used in the example paper, they cannot be used in your paper):
Text: The Odyssey Book XII by Homer
Extent of Control Exerted: Odysseus asks his men to take an oath and stick to it, but he doesn’t police their actions. He lets them make their own decisions.
Method of Communication: He talks to his men individually, addressing each on a personal level.
Other Notes about Leadership Method: Odysseus shows strengths and weaknesses
Author’s Beliefs about Leadership: A good leader is someone who guides his people in the right direction but doesn’t make them do anything.
Do you agree or disagree with him? Why?: Yes, I do agree because people should be free to make their own decisions.
Be sure to review and complete the tutorials below before moving on to the next step:
Thesis Statement
Audience and Purpose
Organize Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis
Supporting Details
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