literary analysis on Jean Toomer’s Esther, and the images of fire within it

Examine one or two of works) we read and write a full 7-8 page (double-space) literary analysis. (If you use two works, write 9-10 pages. The works must be in the same genre, i.e. two novels or two critical essays, poems.) Your essay must make an interesting, well-developed, persuasive argument related to the readings. Your paper should provide a thesis statement that makes an argument about some specific aspect of the text. You must provide outstanding reasons and evidence for your argument that use MLA in-text citations and a Works Cited page. Keep in mind that your audience is familiar with the work on which you will be writing, so there is no need to include lengthy plot summaries of the work in your analysis.

Give your paper an argument and an arguable thesis statement. By this I mean, a thesis in which there would be opposing views or others would be surprised somehow at your perspective.
Use the “present” tense.
Be direct and to the point.
Keep your introductory and concluding paragraphs concise and succinct.
Make effective transitions between the various stages of your essay.
Support general observations with specific detail and example.
Quote effectively. Introduce the quoted passages and explain their significance for you and for the reader’s sake as well. There is an art to quoting effectively, and the best way to learn this art is through practice.
Developed topic sentences that connect to thesis.
Clearly organize, present, and develop your points—in other words, you will be graded on the basis of how well you construct your paragraphs. A paragraph is a unit of composition that develops a stage in your analysis, exposition, or argument. Ideally, each paragraph should relate to every other paragraph in order to form a coherent whole.
Sources: A minimum of two literary criticisms (Links to an external site.) are required. Kinds of sources include a book by an individual or joint authors on the literature, an essay from an edited collection published in book form on the literature, and a scholarly journal article on the literature. You must cite these sources appropriately in your paper.

Format: Use MLA essay format. Click Include your name, your professor’s name, the course number, due date of the paper, and “Paper Three” in the top left corner of first page. Use 12-point, Times New Roman font. Use double-space throughout essay. Page numbers begin on and with page 1.

Drafting. Good writing, as every professional writer will tell you, requires rewriting. Don’t be content with a rough first draft. Go over your essay several times to make sure it is the best piece of writing you can produce. That means starting early and not waiting until the night before the paper is due.

Assume that your audience is comprised of your fellow classmates and your instructor. Since they are already familiar with the novels and plays, you do not need to provide excessive plot summary. Instead, your emphasis should be on analysis, interpretation, and argument.

Attach a Works Cited page on a separate page. Cite your sources accurately and correctly.

Title: Your essay’s title should include the author’s full name and the name of the text(s) you are discussing and the title should provide a good, precise clue to your thesis.