Novel: The Stranger by Albert Camus translated by Matthew Ward
( https://aacc.instructure.com/courses/144877/files/15420038/download?download_frd=1 )
write FIVE PARAGRAPHS that analyze specific passages in The Stranger directly related to your main research question (about malice, deliberation, premeditation, fair trial, or death penalty).
Research question: Did Meursault Receive a Fair Trail?
EACH paragraph must:
use at least 200 well-chosen words appropriate for college-level writing.
present substantial quotation from a passage or scene in the novel. (Do not present very large blocks of text. Quote only what is necessary to support the point your paragraph is trying to make.)
format short and long quotations correctly, according to current mla Style rules. See https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_quotations.html#:~:text=Short%20quotations&text=Provide%20the%20author%20and%20specific,appear%20after%20the%20parenthetical%20citationLinks to an external site..
use signal phrases to introduce, integrate, and attribute each quotation (such as “According to Meursault, Raymond says . . . “)
use paraphrase to emphasize what is important in each quotation.
analyze the quotation (how it is written – notice textual features such as word choice, expression, tone, figurative language, rhythm, etc. that are especially important)
interpret the quotation for its relevance to the research question you chose to work with for the research paper assignment (how it provides evidence to support your claim about malice, deliberation, premeditation, fair trial, or death penalty). It may help to imagine that your reader does not agree with your interpretation, so you have to PROVE your point with logical reasoning that will persuade.
avoid misreading the novel, taking quotations out of context, misrepresenting the text of the novel, or speculating far beyond what the text of the novel presents.
use deliberate structure — use a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a closing sentence.
use transitions between thoughts to establish coherence. (see https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.htmlLinks to an external site. )
stick to one point to ensure unity.
use academic, formal style.
avoid phrases such as “I feel” and “I think” because they are unnecessary in analytical writing and you as the reader are not the subject of the analysis. You often hear that the pronoun “I” should not be used at all. It tends to shift the focus away from the main subject (the literature), creates wordy and indirect expression, and establishes a less confident tone of voice in your composition.
use present tense verbs to refer to events that occur during the action of the novel. Use past tense to refer to events that precede the action of the novel.
