Oedipus the King, “In the Cemetery . . . ” “Guests of the Nation

Prompt: You will select a work and write a minimum 3-page evaluation in which you will judge to what degree it succeeds as a portion of Literature and whether it should remain part of the literary canon in the 21st Century. In doing so, please consider 3-4 of the five standards critics often use to determine if a work is virtuous or useful (see below) and consider 1-2 outside resources:

Oedipus the King, “In the Cemetery . . . ” “Guests of the Nation

1) Truth: What can you learn from this text? Does it have something to teach the reader?
2) Originality: How original is this text? Is it novel or unusual in theme, in style/delivery?
3) Unity: How well does it have form? Do all aspects contribute to a unified idea?
4) Realism: Does it correspond to real life? What makes it authentic to life?
5) Complexity: Is the work challenging? Does it demand a lot of the reader in terms of understanding while still being accessible?

Text Choices: Oedipus the King, “In the Cemetery . . . ” “Guests of the Nation,”
W”hat You Pawn . . .,” or “Sonny’s Blues”
I have not chosen yet, but I would prefer Oedipus the King for now.

 

Oedipus the King, “In the Cemetery . . . ” “Guests of the Nation

Requirements:
• Format: MLA essay format (see class packet for example)
• Essay Organization: A clear organization pattern is employed.
• A compelling introduction, including a thesis/claim that answers the prompt.
• Body paragraphs that introduce main supports (premises) and the supporting details that enhance those main supports—textual references and your critical thinking.
• A satisfying conclusion
• Research/Text Use: 1-2 outside research sources are required. These sources will be academic sources from a library, whether that be from the catalog or the databases. The sources will likely be used to back up your assertions about a text’s value, though you may use a source for a point of disagreement.

 

Oedipus the King, “In the Cemetery . . . ” “Guests of the Nation

• Text Documentation: Quoting from the works is necessary for building evidence. Citing text the story/play and the research use is required in the form of in-text citations and a works cited entry.
• Point of View: Third person point of view is used, not first (“I”) or second (“you”).
• Presentation: Well-written, college-level prose. Spelling, complete sentences, correct punctuation, clarity, correct presentation of author names and text titles–it all matters. When you feel sufficiently satisfied with your writing, go back and look at it again, as it probably needs more editing for prose style and even for content clarity