ARGUMENT – RESEARCH ESSAY
The Assignment:
For this essay, you will select a topic regarding the social, historical, political, or cultural aspect of a literary work covered in the class, creating a documented literary composition.
Stated another way, you are creating a connection between the story and culture, politics, history, or society. Basically, how is the story discussing politics, history, society, or culture? The argument created is you proving that connection (via evidence directly from the text and from secondary sources).
At the core of this essay, what you are doing is connecting a story to the outside/real world and proving that connection.
Ways to Determine a Good Topic and Thesis:
- Consider a problem concerning a literary work, one that genuinely interests you. Set out to solve the issue in your research and writing.
- For example, after reading “The Lottery,” you may wonder why the town still participates in the lottery without knowing why it’s important.
- Focus the problem into a question:
- Why does the town participate in something they don’t understand the importance of?
- Or, you may want to try to tie in the link to the assignment direction: What social and cultural constructs persuade townspeople to participate in the lottery?
- Create the thesis involving your solution.
- For example, Jackson’s allusion to societal and cultural constructs involving the desire to be liked, the desire to be part of a community, and fear of rejection create a town where everyone is willing to participate in the gruesome events of the lottery.
- The next step involves researching for secondary sources to help you explain, develop, and strengthen your ideas and opinions. For instance, you may incorporate comments from critics to justify and validate your point of view.
- For the provided example thesis, I might use sources that explain the psychology behind why humans feel the need to be liked, and I might use evidence from the text that shows the strength of the community. Or, I might provide research on the bystander effect or mob mentality, and use evidence from the text that shows the townspeople acting as bystanders or a mob.
