Build a one- to two-page text-based context to develop your understanding of The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster.
A text-based context makes use of only the text itself to help the reader understand the meaning of the work. In other words, the reader uses his or her evolving understanding of the story to examine the work.
Review the assignment for New Criticism and choose three techniques from the lists of literary devices (i.e., symbolism) and/or language elements (i.e., connotation) that you believe will help you create a context for understanding meaning in the story.
Provide two examples of each from The Machine Stops and explain how each example helps you justify a particular interpretation of the work.
Process While there are different strategies for approaching this work, you might consider following these steps.
1. Construct a Foundation Summary of The Machine Stops using the elements of summary listed below.
a. Who is the story about?
b. What is the story about?
c. When does the story take place?
d. Where does the story take place?
e. Why did the author write the story? (In other words, what does the author intend to communicate to the reader?)
f. How does the story take place?
(In other words, who is telling the story or from what point of view is it being told?)
2. Review the assignment for New Criticism from Unit 10.
3. Choose three techniques from the lists of literary devices (i.e., symbolism) and/or language elements (i.e., connotation).
4. Identify examples of each technique in The Machine Stops.
5. Brainstorm/ prewrite about what understanding or interpretation of meaning these examples point you toward in The Machine Stops.
6. Refine your text-based context and select two examples of each technique that are most relevant to understanding and interpreting The Machine Stops.
7. Conduct another round of brainstorming to elaborate on your revised text based context and consider/articulate what this context helps you understand about The Machine Stops or what interpretation of meaning i
n the work it helps you see/justify. (Consider using step e in your Foundation Summary.) 8. Review your notes and write your one- to two-page response. Use your Foundation Summary to compose an introductory paragraph. Develop your text-based context in the body of your paper. You may find it useful to organize your thinking around reasons for why Forster wrote the story (e in your Foundation Summary).
A reason answers the question
Why do you think so?
Your answer to that question (reason) and support would come from the text itself.
You could also consider each technique and its role in developing your understanding of The Machine Stops in its own paragraph or section.
