main idea

  APA FORMAT

During Week 1, you chose a story (Packer, “Brownies”; Faulkner, “Barn Burning”; Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”) and wrote a thesis statement and a first paragraph. Now in Week 2 you have read further about the THEME of a work of fiction. You are ready to write a short paper on your chosen story. Follow this process:

Step 1: Review

Keeping the material from Ch. 6 on THEME in mind, re-read your first paragraph about your chosen work of short fiction. As you see, the “main idea” of the story is its theme, and this new information may lead you to revise your first paragraph.

Step 2: Draft

Write a BRIEF typed, double-spaced 700- to 1,050-word paper on your chosen story. The paper should include:

• Your revised first paragraph. Remember that your THESIS STATEMENT tells the reader about the main idea of the story (its THEME) and mentions an important literary technique (point of view, characterization, setting, or symbol) that contributed to your understanding of that theme.
• Three or more middle paragraphs explaining the contribution of the literary technique to the story. Be specific. Use quotations and details from the story to demonstrate your point. It might be a good idea to choose a significant incident from the beginning of the story, one from the middle, and one from the end. USE NO OUTSIDE SOURCES.
• A final paragraph that restates your ideas and explains why the story matters to you.

Step 3: Revise

Once you have written the paper, proofread it carefully and correct any spelling and grammatical errors.

Submit the file containing your final polished draft.

NOTE: If you quote or refer to anything in the textbook or other material posted on Moodle, consult “Using APA Style to cite a literary source,” posted under Course Resources on the home page, and cite appropriately.