Theme on Bicentennial Man
The Essay Length: No less than 1000 words – no more than 2500 words. (I’m flexible on the word count. If you need to go over, do so. You may not, however, go under.) Essay Type: Theme Analysis Format: MLA Assignment: Writing about Theme: o List as many themes as you can. O Circle the two or three most important points and try to combine then into a sentence. o Relate particular details of the story to the theme you have spelled out. Consider plot details, dialogue, setting, point of view, and title – any element that seems especially pertinent. O Check whether all the elements of the story fit your thesis, which is focused on theme. o Have you missed an important aspect of the story? Or, have you chosen to focus on a secondary idea, overlooking the central idea/theme? o If necessary, rework your thesis until it applied to every element in the story – in its entirety. Remember, do not over-focus on one small aspect or section of the story. [unique_solution]Go through the steps above to develop a strong thesis statement about the story’s theme. Then flesh out your argument into an essay, supporting your thesis with evidence from the primary source, the story, including quotations. Remember that you are required to see what the experts are saying about the themes of the story. There is a minimum of three secondary sources required for this paper. In-text citations as well as a properly formatted annotated works cited page, and a formal alphanumeric outline is required. Some Questions to Consider: • Look back at the title of the story. From what you have seen, what does it indicate? • Does the main character change in any way over the course of the story? Does this character arrive at any eventual realization or understanding? Are you left with any realization or understanding you did not have before? • Does the author make any general observations about life or human nature? Do the characters make any? • Does the story contain any especially curious objects, mysterious flat characters, significant animal or animal names, repeated names, song titles, or whatever, that hint at meanings larger than such things ordinarily have? In literary stories, such symbols may point to central themes. o Double-spacing o One-inch margins (top-bottom, left-right) o 12 point Arial, Calibri, or New Times Roman fon