Thematic Short Stories Essay
The two short stories you are about to read explore childhood and the “coming of age” understanding that each child experiences. As you read the stories, consider your reaction and viewpoint. Use the following analytical questions to begin to think about the stories as a literary critic and prepare you to write your essay:
1. The contemporary writer Anita Desai states, Work is the business of adults, but the play is often considered the business of children. How is this statement demonstrated in the experiences of the children in these two stories?
2. What coming of age realities did the children experience?
3. What resolutions were derived as a result of these realities?
4. Was there a sense of societal or personal alienation demonstrated by any of the characters due to gender, poverty, or other situations?
Reading Selections
Katherine Mansfield: The Dolls House”
Frank OConnor: My Oedipus Complex”
Write a comparative essay that synthesizes the universal themes, point of view, tone, and other literary elements and demonstrates the author’s position and rhetorical stance on the connecting themes of these short stories. At the end of your essay, write your personal reflection on the content and literary elements in these stories. As you write, consider the following questions:
1. The contemporary writer Anita Desai states, Work is the business of adults, but the play is often considered the business of children. How is this statement demonstrated in the experiences of the children in these two stories?
2. What coming of age realities did the children experience?
3. What resolutions were derived as a result of these realities?
4. Was there a sense of societal or personal alienation demonstrated by any of the characters due to gender, poverty, or other situations?
Criteria for This Assignment
Length and Formatting Requirements
Five to six pages, double spaced
Time New Roman, 12-point font
Works Cited page
In-text citations
Content Requirements
Address the four questions in your essay.
Analyze and compare the authors’ position and rhetorical stances on the connecting themes of these stories.
Analyze your position on the content and literary elements in these stories.
Compare the stories.
