Theme Analysis Essay Assignment: John Updike's A & P

Choosing a theme and formulating a thesis statement

Write a Theme Analysis Essay Assignment and the he theme of a literary work is the comment the author makes about his/her subject matter, a revelation about the behavior of human beings, the conduct of society or an insight into the human condition. It is the insight we gain from thinking about what we have read. In other words, the theme is its underlying central idea or the generalization it communicates about life. At times, the author’s theme may not confirm or agree with your own beliefs, but even then, if it is skillfully written, the work will still have a theme that illuminates some aspects of true human experiences. In light of the above statements, you are now required to do a theme analysis essay on the story of “A & P” by John Updike. You need to ask important questions as to what essential ideas this story conveys to the readers, what important lessons the story can teach us about life, and what criticism the author is trying to make on the meaning of human experiences. Once you arrive at a theme that you would like to work with, you need to formulate a good thesis statement that contains three specific subtopics you will explore in more depth in the body paragraphs of your essay. To review what is expected of you: Your introduction should introduce the story, its author and the importance of its theme in a manner that grabs the attention of your reader. Your thesis should be a finely crafted sentence asserting the theme of your story and incorporating in some way the “roadmap” for your body paragraphs. Your body paragraphs should each begin with a carefully crafted topic sentence and must contain specific supporting evidence for the theme you have chosen to illustrate. Each body paragraph should focus on the importance of a particularly dominant literary element and its connection to the theme you are illustrating. Evidence in your body paragraphs should consist of quotations from the short story, each documented using MLA style. Your conclusion should explore the ways in which the author’s message, your chosen theme, reinforces or challenges your observations of life around you. This final paragraph must address the significance of the theme you have illustrated and why it matters to a twenty-first century reader. Although there are no right or wrong interpretations of themes from literary works, there is still the question of being appropriate or reasonable. In other words, try your best to avoid too far outlandish or weird themes. Remember that all the essay elements will be examined in my reading of your essay. These include hooks, thesis statement, subtopics, topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding strategies. · Double space your essay, and indent the first line of each new paragraph.s. Unified under a single thesis Well-developed and well-supported, using specific examples from texts Related and oriented to the significance of the themes Strictly documented with MLA format, in-text citations, and a works cited page (refer to sample essay format in textbook) An effective title -- one that is interesting, representative, and creative Have your essay proofread by one of those three helping centers and get a note from the tutor. Electronically uploaded into UR Courses online before due date