The purpose of this essay is to analyze a work of literature and its inner workings. For this essay that work will consist pages 143 – 154 in Chapter V of Henry Thoreau’s “Solitude”.
Invent a thesis statement that makes a claim about the text and gives evidence supporting the claim. This thesis can be easily made by thinking about the work using one or more of the STIM concepts: Structure, Theme, Implications, Methodology. Some basic examples:
Themes: (Author name)s (Title) demonstrates the theme of (____) through their use of (_____) imagery.
Implications: Though (Title) is over 100 years old, its message of (____), resonates today in passages like (_____).
Methodology: (Title) is not commonly thought of as an example of (Methodology), but if we examine it through that lens, we find (_______).
3) Write. Once you have decided upon a thesis, find at least three scenes/passages from the text that support your thesis. Introduce the text in an opening paragraph before developing your thesis over the course of your body paragraphs. Quote extensively from your text (the primary source) and feel free to bring in outside research. Include MLA formatted in-text citations whenever you quote or paraphrase. Conclude the paper by re-emphasizing your main points and explaining why your reading is important.
4) Include a Works Cited page at the end that contains an MLA citation
