Essay Assignment 1: Documented Literary Analysis
Your literary analysis essay will be on the novel Sula by
Toni Morrison. You can choose from any of the topics listed below (recommended)
or explore further topics in the chapter on Sula, in the book How to
Write about Toni Morrison ().
Your literary analysis should be between 2 and 3 pages (600
to 750 words), not including the Works Cited page, should be double spaced in
Times New Roman 12-point font and must meet the following criteria:
A clearly articulated thesis that states,
somewhere in your introduction, the assertion (position, interpretation) that
your paper will prove
An introduction, a minimum of 3 body paragraphs,
and a conclusion
At least two quotes from the novel itself that
are integrated into your discussion
At least two citations of outside sources (such
as literary criticism on the novel). At least one source should come from the
MDC databases. All sources must be academic.
Topic sentences that focus the discussion of the
body paragraphs
Examples, details, explanations in the body
paragraphs that clearly support your thesis
Clear connections between ideas from paragraph to
paragraph and within paragraphs
Proper MLA style format in the heading, in the in-text
citations, and in the Works Cited page (see the template for the heading and
margins in this lesson)
Works Cited page includes articles from two
sources and from the novel for a minimum of three total listed sources
Standard usage, grammar, and mechanics
