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Child Lit Formal Writing Part 2You must turn in your Formal Writing Assignment #2 no later than Monday, August 6. (No exceptions! You cannot pass the course unless you have submitted this project on time.)
The project should follow general MLA paper format guidelines,
and demonstrate basic control of the conventions of standard written
English, i.e., comprehension, readability and respectability are not
impeded by excessive errors in grammar, usage, punctuation and
spelling. Unless
you choose Option #3 (create an original piece of children's
literature), your writing should be the equivalent of at least 3 1/2
pages (approximately 1000 words) but it’s fine if you want to write more.
Choose one option only!
Option #1: Write an essay
analyzing two or more versions of the same folktale, one
earlier and one current or recent. (The earlier version should be one
of those found on the SurLaLune Fairy Tale website,
but the other version should be more recent.) In what ways do the
differences in these versions express different values and ideological
assumptions? You should use one or more of the Explorations in Chapters 8 & 13 of The Pleasures of Children’s Literature to help you develop your essay.
Option #2: Analyze your “found
book” book, taking into account both pictures and text. You may write
it either in the form of an integrated essay, or using an annotation
format, or in a question-and-answer format. You may wish to limit your focus to a
selected part of your book; for example, you might consider
only the first and last pictures, as in the visual analysis of the
beginning and ending pictures in Kisses from Rosa), but you should cover relevant aspects of all the questions listed below. (For help from Chapters 4 & 12 of The Pleasures of Children's Literature consult the page numbers in parentheses.)
- How do the pictures provide information about the story?
- Consider Format and First Impressions (Chp. 12, pp. 279-280)
- Consider Mood and Atmosphere (Chp. 12, pp. 280-286)
- Consider The Meanings of Visual Objects (Chp. 12, pp. 286-288)Consider Pictorial Dynamics (Chp. 12, pp. 288-295)
- How is the story told in words and pictures? (How are setting,
character, plot, theme, structure and point of view created through
words and pictures?)
- Consider the Exploration questions (Chp. 12, pp. 295-298)
- Setting (Chp. 4, pp. 57-59)
- Character (Chp. 4, pp. 59-62)
- Plot (Chp. 4, pp. 62-66)
- Theme (Chp. 4, pp. 66-69)
- Point of View (Chp. 4, 70-73)
- If this is a book you read (or had read to you) when you were
younger, does it seem different now? (How is it the same as you
remember? How is it different? To what do you attribute any differences?)
- Share the book with a child. Observe and discuss how the child reacts to the book. What is his/her emotional
response? What does he/she seem to be particularly interested in? Do
pictures or text seem more important in the child’s response, or do
both work together?
Option #3: Create your own piece of children’s literature, and provide a two-page introduction to it. (Note: Pictures alone aren’t enough: you must write a story or poems to accompany the pictures.) Directions and requirements:
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Choose any genre of story or age of reader (up to young adult) to write
for: Nursery Rhymes, Nonsense Rhymes, Poetry, Picture Book, Folktale,
Myths and Legends, Realistic and Historical Fiction, or Fantasy and
Science Fiction.
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Create a new story (or an excerpt of a long story) or re-write a traditional story in a new setting and mode. (If you choose to re-write a traditional story, be sure to identify the original story and discuss your reasons for creating a new version in your introduction.)
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Create at least four illustrations,
using any media (paint, collage [paper or images cut from
magazines or newspapers], clip art; pen and ink; photographs; artist’s
choice).
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In a two-page essay, discuss what tastes and interests a child
would need to have to enjoy your text. What kinds of factual, cultural
and literary knowledge would s/he need in order to comprehend and enjoy your text in a
meaningful way?
Grading Criteria for Essays, Annotations or Question-and-Answer Formats:
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The paper thoroughly covers major points of the topic to be
covered and is a careful and full discussion of the topic. (10 points
possible)
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The paper fully utilizes methods of analysis we studied in The Pleasures of Children’s Literature
and/or discussed in class, and refers clearly to those methods. The
paper should not utilize other methods. (10 points possible)
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The paper uses numerous, specific examples from the piece of
literature you are analyzing to support the points analyzed. The essay
does not summarize the piece of literature you are analyzing except for the purpose of supporting a point clearly. (5 points possible)
Grading criteria for Option #3:
- Illustrated children’s book or excerpt (20 points possible)
- Introduction (5 points possible)
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