Literary Analysis of Kate Chopin’s The Story of An Hour
Humanities
In this module, you will construct an outline and an essay in MLA style format by choosing one of the short stories listed (primary source), and select two “credible” secondary sources, one of which must be a scholarly peer reviewed journal article obtained through the ICC LRC online databases.
MLA 2016 8th Edition
For this essay, you must use the MLA 2016 8th Edition. The online Purdue OWL website is also fully updated with the latest 8th edition information. Be sure you are using this version. Other websites, such as EasyBib, may still reference the older 7th edition. You may not use the older 7th edition or any prior ones. You will be graded according to MLA 8th edition style and formatting rules only.
Follow MLA Style of Formatting the Essay
If any sources are used to write an essay, those sources must be documented properly so as to give proper credit to the original author AND avoid plagiarizing in your essay.
Documenting sources in MLA Style in an essay is accomplished in two major ways:
- In-text citations
- In-text citations must be added within the body of the essay any time a source is referenced, whether you directly quote it, paraphrase or summarize it. If the source is referenced in any way, an in-text citation must be added to give credit to the original author of that idea.
- Works Cited page
- A Works Cited page must be included at the end of your essay. Remember that the Works Cited page must include all citations, the citations must be in alphabetical order, and the citations must use the hanging indentation. Note: For every in-text citation in the body of the essay, a corresponding entry must be included on the Works Cited page. Following that same idea, every source listing on the Works Cited page must have a corresponding in-text citation within the body of the essay.
Writing ESSAY 2 (outline + sources)
Select one short story above, decide on a topic, then develop a thesis that can be proven with your primary source and supported with the secondary sources that you choose.
Sample Outline and Essay Structure Guide – Use this document to create your outline
Sample MLA Essay (from Purdue OWL online)
Writing topics: Choose one.
Write an essay that focuses on ONE of the short stories above and covers ONE of the literary elements listed below.
- imagery
- theme
- character analysis
- plot
- Helpful Website (Links to an external site.)describing literary elements that can be used to write a literary analysis essay.
Student Learning Outcomes: SLO 2
Essay 2 Guidelines:
- MLA 8th edition style format
- Word count must be between 1,000-1,500 words.
- Five paragraph minimum- Five well-developed sentences in each paragraph.
- The thesis should be well developed and the last sentence of the first paragraph.
- DO NOT SUMMARIZE!
- Correct grammar and mechanics and the use of formal language.
- Do not use contractions!
- Must be written in third person and present tense.
- Works Cited page (include any outside sources used) Make sure your Works Cited page’s sources are in a hanging indent format (for subsequent lines of each source).
- At least three sources:
- 1) primary source is short story,
- 2) secondary source from ICC LRC databases,
- 3) secondary source of your choosing that is credible (no personal blogs or study websites allowed) Unreliable or general study-related internet sources will not be accepted as valid sources. (examples NOT acceptable: Wikipedia, SparkNotes, StudyMode, Schmoop, GradeSaver, etc.)
HOW TO: “Integrating Primary and Secondary Sources”
Click the links below to see examples of primary and secondary sources and how to integrate them in your essay.
- Primary Sources (Links to an external site.)
- Secondary Sources (Links to an external site.)
- Source Integration (Links to an external site.)
Listed below are the short stories:
- “The Story of an Hour” (Links to an external site.) by Kate Chopin – read and reference this website
- “The Cask of Amontillado (Links to an external site.)” by Edgar Allen Poe – read and reference this website
Here are some helpful websites to review:
- MLA Style 8th Edition – The Basics (Links to an external site.)
- MLA In-Text Citations (Links to an external site.)
- MLA Works Cited page (Links to an external site.)
- MLA Style Demo (Links to an external site.)
- MLA Formatting Guide (Check List) (Links to an external site.)
- Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) – MLA Formatting and Style Guide – 8th Edition (Links to an external site.)
