Sociology 329
Literature and Society
Summer 2 2003
Dr. Scott Schaffer

First Paper Assignment – Theories of Literature

Due Date and Time: This paper is due Mon Jul 28/2003 at the start of class. No late papers will be accepted, save in the event of a dire emergency about which I am informed in advance of the due date and time.

Rules of the Game: This paper is to be a minimum of three (3) full and complete pages in length; there is no maximum length for the paper, so you should write until your paper is fully developed. Papers that are shorter than three pages will lose one-third letter grade per page it is short. Your paper must be typewritten, double-spaced, in 10- or 12-point font, with 1.25in left and right margins and 1in top and bottom margins, on 8 1/2” by 11” paper. Your paper must have a cover page, on which a creative title (“First Paper Assignment” is simply not creative enough), your name, and any other pertinent information should appear; your name should not appear anywhere else in the paper. Your paper must be spell- and grammar-checked; papers that have copious errors will automatically lose two full letter grades.

You should follow all guidelines in the “How to Write a Schaffer Paper” handout. Finally, no direct quotations are permitted in this paper; any materials you use to support your argument must be paraphrased and cited following to guidelines in the paper-writing handout. Anything that has the appearance of plagiarism will be regarded as plagiarism and dealt with according to the policy laid out in the syllabus.

In writing your response to the topic below, you must use at least three theorists’ work as the basis for your argument as follows: either Hutner or Egan; one of the Marxist and Frankfurt School theorists; and one of the feminist or post-colonial theorists. Failure to use the minimum number of theorists will result in a one-third letter grade deduction for each theorist the paper is short. You may use more than three theorists if you so choose.

The Topic: You should write a well-argued and well-evinced paper that responds directly to the following question:

To what extent do you think that literature should be seen as either the expression or the construction of a particular worldview (or both), and why? Which theoretical position best supports your contention, and how?

In order to completely answer this question, you need to do the following things: a) briefly summarize the three theoretical positions you’ll be discussing; b) develop a clear and direct response to the expression/construction issue; and c) show how each theoretical position would argue that position, and which one you find best argues it and why.

Happy writing…