You must choose two characters, one from
King Lear
and one from
A Thousand Acres
, to compare in a thesis paper. Your paper should reflect a critical analysis of both works, and it should demonstrate your ability to write with precision, clarity, and insight. You must pick two characters that correspond between the two works, such as:
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King Lear
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A Thousand Acres
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King Lear
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Larry Cook
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Goneril
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Ginny
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Regan
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Rose
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Cordelia
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Caroline
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Edmund
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Jess
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Gloucester
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Harold
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The following qualities are necessary for your paper to be well-rounded and complete:
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1. A thesis statement - remember, a thesis statement is your opinion or perspective on your chosen subject. It's a controlling idea; it is not an announcement of your subject, a title, or a whole paragraph. Get this right before you begin and you will save yourself a lot of trouble.
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2. Use an alternating pattern for this comparison/contrast paper. That means that your paper should follow this general format:
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I. Introduction: thesis + preview of main contrast points
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II. Quality 1 of pair: how it changes from one work to the next, why this change is significant, and what reason you can give for the change.
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III. Quality 2 of pair…
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IV. Quality 3 of pair…
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V. Quality 4 of pair…
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VI. Quality 5 of pair…
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VII. Conclusion: a restated thesis that echoes your strongest points and emphasizes your biggest ideas about the works and the characters.
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Of course, you may not have exactly five points, but do have 4-7.
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3. Use direct quotations. If you are comparing Larry Cook to
King Lear
, look for speeches that correspond and use them in your text. Cite them correctly and include a bibliography.
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4. Acknowledge the difference a narrator makes. Which places in
King Lear
allow (or require) the actors and director to "fill in" gaps in the character? How does the first person narrator, and our knowledge of the family secrets, color our view of the events that take place in
A Thousand Acres
?
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5. Write with clarity, style, and grace. Read your draft aloud to determine whether or not it makes sense before you give it to a peer editor or me. Impress with sophisticated ideas, and not your SAT vocabulary. Take a firm stand with intelligence, and not belligerence.
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6. Create a title that gives some hint to your position.
(charts available in print form)