ENG220CL Journeys in Narrative

ENG220CL—Short Writing Assignment 3 Guidelines
Guidelines
This short writing assignment should be a 400-500 word essay that conforms strictly to
conventional MLA formatting standards, i.e., double-spaced, 1” margins on all four sides,
12pt. Times-Roman font, etc.
Sample Brainstorm Process for a Compare/Contrast Analysis
Consider, for example, a hypothetical compare/contrast analysis on castles (which yours is
not on): Let’s say that you narrow your focus to a famous castle in Scotland (topic 1) with a
famous castle in France (topic 2). Obviously, the two castles will have some characteristics
that are similar (comparing) and some characteristics that are different (contrasting). To
keep your analysis consistently parallel (and to avoid killing its flow), it is required that the
same criteria are used equally to analyze both topics. This hypothetical example will
compare and contrast (1.) the historical functions/effectiveness as military fortresses, (2.)
the functions/effectiveness as a place of residence [including for whom], and (3.) the
contemporary importance (if any) for official state functions and/or tourism FOR BOTH
TOPICS. When the criteria is criteria is clearly identified in the analysis’ thesis statement (as
is the case in sample below), it becomes what is called a roadmap or blueprint plan for the
writing assignment (required).

Will be turned into TURNITIN

Sample Thesis Statement
Breakdown*:Let’s see the component breakdown of the sample thesis above.
(a). Topic(s): Kingdom of Narnia and the Island of Neverland
(b). ARGUABLE Opinion on the Topic(s): Kingdom of Neverland is a better financial bargain.
(c). Criteria #1: Cost of Travel
(d). Criteria #2: Cost of Accommodation
(e). Criteria #3: Cost of Tourist Attractions
* Your thesis statement (which will differ greatly in content from this sample),
must also contain a representation of every component listed above, i.e.,
components (a.) through (e.). Since this is a course themed on travel, let’s
utilize a travel metaphor for clarification.
Remember, you are the writer, and your instructor is the primary reader (audience):
 In the actual thesis statement, components (a.) to (b.). metaphorically INFORM THE
READER OF WHERE THE AUTHOR IS TAKING THEM.
 In the actual thesis statement, components (c.) to (e.) metaphorically INFORM THE
READER OF HOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET THERE (roadmap/blueprint plan)
A visit to the Kingdom of Narnia is an overall better value than the Island of
Neverland, particularly in the summer months, based on the criteria of round-trip
travel fare, room and boarding expenses, and excursion fees.
ENG220CL—Short Writing Assignment 3 Guidelines
 It is required that your thesis statement perform each of these functions, i.e., telling
your readers where they are going to go (to Paris!), and telling them how they are going
to get there (by automobile, aircraft, and passenger train). Good thesis statements have
a TOPIC+AN AGRUABLE OPINION+A BLUEPRINT PLAN OF REASONS. Theses that don’t
perform all of these functions will be considered incorrect.
 It is not enough to merely identify the criteria for each topic and the similarities and
differences of those criteria in each topic. You must also supply ample hard evidence to
support any/every claim. For example, if you claim that the heroines in both L. Frank
Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and J. M. Barrie’s play Peter and
Wendy (1904) are, in fact, motherly in nature (even though they are both children),
your evidence to support that claim would be in the form of quoted—and properly cited
with proper lead-in devices—passages from the primary texts, with suitable, follow-up
explanations of why they were included in the analysis.
The example in the box below has all of the required specifications:
(a.) a proper lead-in phrase (highlighted in yellow),
(b.) a quoted passage that follows the lead-in device (highlighted in green),
(c.) a proper parenthetical citation (highlighted in blue), and
(d.) a follow-up, explanatory sentence, a.k.a., lead-out device (highlighted in pink).
A second example of how Dorothy, the archetypal heroine of L. Frank
Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), puts on the metaphorical mask of the
mother-figure is when she exclaimed to the guardian character, Cowardly Lion,
“Don’t you dare bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you,
to bite a poor little dog!” (Baum 34). This clearly demonstrates how the once poor,
little girl from Kansas who had formerly depended on others to fight her battles, had
suddenly found it within her to step up to the role of protector—a motherly
function—of her adoptive child, Toto the dog. Her disciplinary actions help
transform the Lion from a threshold guardian into an ally who behaves according to
norms.