PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review ALL attachments because they are very important and are beneficial for the next part (research paper).

The book is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. 

ii

Smith i

Susan Smith

Prof. Cobbs

English 202-975

May 12, 2014

Outline

Thesis Statement: In his short stories “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe describes two heinous crimes committed by men whose motives can only be traced back to their deranged perception of reality, domestic relationships, and a soul whose thirst can only be quenched through violence.

I. In “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” both narrators have a misguided perception that induces their senses to confuse reality with delusions.

A. In “The Black Cat,” the narrator feels a sense of fright and disgust when reviewing the attached behavior of the second cat.

B. The narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” is under the illusion that the old man’s eye is evil and the only way to overcome this wickedness is to destroy it.

II. Poe introduces direct and indirect language during both “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” to describe how the domestic life of each narrator possibly plays a role in their rage.

A. Through direct statements, the narrator in “The Black Cat” lets the reader know that his fondness for animals was made possible by his parents.

B. Poe indirectly reveals to the reader through the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” that the old man is the father of the narrator.

III. Leading up to the violent rage, both narrators were burdened with a heavy weight of tension and anguish that was only cured with the murder of their victims.

A. Although the narrator in “The Black Cat” does not fulfill his desire to execute the second cat, he does receive a sense of peace when he realizes that the execution of his wife causes the cat to flee.

B. Once the old man is dead, the narrator in “The Tell Tale Heart” obtains instant gratification at the sight of his sinful deed.

WRITING YOUR THESIS AND OUTLINE

1 Using the information you’ve gathered on content and themes of your selection, author background, influences, and historical times, write a cohesive thesis and outline for your paper.

2 You may devote as much of the final text of your paper to aspects other than thematic (biography, style, influences, historical times, etc.) as are relevant, but keep in mind as you set up your outline and plan your paper that at least TWO COMPLETE PAGES of your text (not counting the conclusion paragraph) must discuss the themes within the work.

3 Using the format provided to you (see the next link for a sample thesis/outline), type your thesis and outline. NOTE: If you have an A, you must have a B.

The Thesis Statement:

· You should think of the thesis statement as the idea you are proposing. It is based on some interpretation that you are making about the primary source. From the beginning of your research, you may formulate a tentative thesis statement which you will later use, or you may even change it after you have started writing it.

· The thesis statement is the statement of an idea. It is not a question and should not appear in question form.

· The thesis statement should be a complete sentence. Don’t confuse your title with your thesis. Your statement must have a subject and a verb to form a complete thought. It should address the themes, underlying meanings, and messages of the novel which can be proved using primary (the novel) and secondary (critical commentary) sources as evidence.

· The strongest thesis statement is specific, not vague and general. It is precise. It is stated in words that can only be interpreted in one way.

· A thesis statement should never be a simple personal response.

WEAK: Huckleberry Finn is a fascinating account.

BETTER: In Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn, the character of Huckleberry Finn can be seen as a symbol of the American spirit.

· A thesis statement should not be simply a fact; rather, it should be something that is arguable.

WEAK: In Jurassic Park, the dinosaurs destroy and kill man.

BETTER: In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton shows that when man tampers with nature, it can be self-destructive.

· A thesis statement is restricted. It is cut down in size to fit the scope of the assignment. For this assignment, it should be broad enough to be covered in five pages (vs. an entire book!), and not so narrow that after one paragraph you have nothing left to say!

· For additional information on developing a thesis statement, review the thesis/outline directions and sample located in this same folder.

The Outline:

· The outline is a summary of the points you are going to make in the body of your research paper. The body excludes the introduction and conclusion, so you will NOT have a Roman numeral indicating “Introduction” or “Conclusion.” This type of outline may be different from some you’ve done in your other classes, but it is the correct MLA outline for a literary paper.

· The format of the outline is as follows (an example can be found under Research and MLA tab, Research Paper folder):

1. In the top right corners, you will have your last name and use lower case Roman numerals (for example, i, ii, iii) to paginate.

2. Type the word Outline in the center at the top.

3. Double-space the entire outline.

4. At the left margin, type the words Thesis Statement
(italicize them), followed by a colon. Then, type out your thesis statement. Include the title of the work in your thesis statement.

5. Use upper case Roman numerals (I, II, for example), and beside each Roman numeral type the topic sentence for a body paragraph. Each one must be a complete sentence, and it must directly connect to an idea in your thesis statement. You WILL NOT type a Roman numeral and write “Introduction” or “Conclusion” beside it – don’t worry, I know you’ll have these in your essay!

6.

Use upper case Arabic letters (A, B, C, etc.) for specific events, characters, etc., that you will use within that paragraph for your point. You do not have to use these if you would only have one (“A”). You will never include an “A” under a Roman numeral unless you have a “B.”

7. Your preliminary outline must contain at least three major points, which will have at least two subtopics per main point. The more detailed an outline you can produce before starting your focused research, the easier your research will be.

· There should be no quotes in your outline!