ENGL 1185.114: Stolen Childhoods (Fall 2009) 

The God of Small Things Essay #5, 5-7 pages

Due Wednesday, Nov. 18

For this essay, you will propose your own topic, inspired or informed by interviews, reviews, and scholarly articles you find at the library. Your essay should create a coherent view of The God of Small Things as a whole and should include at least two direct quotes from outside articles. Along with your essay, remember to turn in your cover letter, works cited page, and all preliminary work (including the annotated bibliography, #5A, B, C, and rough draft).

Essay #5A: Annotated Bibliography

Due Monday, Nov. 9

Now that you’ve been acquainted or re-acquainted with the library resources, I’d like you to put that knowledge to work. Please bring an annotated bibliography that lists:

·         At least two articles about The God of Small Things

·         At least one article that is NOT about The God of Small Things, but some other topic altogether, which you think might be interesting or relevant to the book. (For example, the caste system, British rule in India, post-colonialism, twins, selective mutism, etc. There are many topics to explore!)

These articles should be scholarly, interesting to you, and something that might inspire or inform your essay. At least one of the three articles must be shelved (meaning they aren’t available as full-text online through JStor, Project Muse, or other similar databases). You are, however, welcome to use online resources to locate them.

Your annotated bibliographies should include:

·         Full citations for each article

·         A brief (2-3 sentence) synopsis of what each article seems to be about, underneath the citation (This is the “annotation” part.)

·         A brief response considering the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of each article

Essay #5B

Due Monday, Nov. 9

For each article, come up with one new original idea about The God of Small Things inspired by that article. Choose one of these ideas, and write 1-2 pages about how you could build your essay around this idea. (This doesn’t have to be organized; you’re working your ideas out in writing.) Use this material to generate a couple of possible thesis statements. Bring in enough copies of #5B to share with your group.

Essay #5C

Due Wednesday, Nov. 11

You will read your group members’ ideas and thesis statements and come up with three questions or comments for each member that will help their ideas grow and develop.  In class, talk with your group about how your article inspired your idea. Did the article challenge something you believe(d) about the book? Did it articulate an idea that you had sensed but couldn’t quite put into words? Did you learn something completely new that took your thoughts in a different direction?

After you talk with your group, your thesis statement will probably change a bit. I encourage you to come to my office hours this week and show me your thesis statement. This is the first time you’ll be coming up with your own topics, so I’d like to make sure you’re on the right track before you start writing your rough draft!

Rough Draft, 5-7 pages, due Monday, Nov. 16