Feminist Criticism
The topic of my research paper will be Feminist criticism, because it would be interesting with the challenges women face through the systemic inequalities within the book. I personally am huge on feminism and would like to establish perceptiveness, morality, and intuition. there are plenty of sources on the status and role of women in the era of the Russian Revolution. Be sure to approach the topic with an open mind, since there are examples in the novel and in history that indicate women did have some level of authority and freedom despite their socioeconomic limitations. Clarify what you will be looking for in terms of perceptiveness, morality and intuition. Description: The research paper is the most important out-of-class writing assignment of the semester. It will be tutor-reviewed before revision and submission in its final form. The essay will be graded on completion of the various phases of the assignment listed above as well as the content of the final draft. Instructions: The paper must be written in MLA format, including a formal outline. The approximate length of the essay is 6-8 pages. The paper must cite at least 5 research sources, including the following: Doctor Zhivago One full-length text (book) by an authority on your topic. Recommended sources are books and ebooks specifically on your topic that appear in the LAMC library catalog. This requirement may also be satisfied by citing a textbook for a relevant subject such as political science, psychology, sociology or history. One scholarly journal article from the LAMC Library databases. This will be an article designated scholarly or peer reviewed in one of the databases such as ProQuest, CQ Researcher, JSTOR and Gale literature sources. One other periodical. This may be a second scholarly journal article, or it may be a major metropolitan newspaper or a magazine. One Internet site. This may be the web site of an organization that offers authoritative information on your topic or a web site that specializes in news reporting. In some cases, other sources such as interviews or government documents may be used as well. Important Notes on Sources: Do not use or cite informal sources such as web sites that collect or sell student papers (e.g. echeat.com or 123helpme.com), blogs maintained by individuals or groups that do not have solid academic credentials or Q&A sites such as ehow or about.com. Acceptable web sites include those maintained by university departments, libraries, museums or government agencies. You may choose to consult dictionaries and encyclopedias or general overview sites such as history.com or biography.com to gain a better understanding of terminology and the history of some aspects of your topic. If so, these should be listed on your Works Cited page. However, they are not substitutes for the required sources listed above, and they should not be quoted or used for specific information cited in the essay. Preferably, avoid using these at all. The required five sources must not only be listed on your Works Cited page, but must be either quoted or paraphrased in the text of your essay. Topic Choice Guidelines: The topic is an analysis of Doctor Zhivago from one of the critical perspectives we have discussed in class. You may choose from the following: – Formal criticism, in which you examine the structure of the novel and the literary techniques that are used by the author. These include elements such as characterization, plot, symbolism, narration, and diction. Your sources should include scholarly articles that perform this type of analysis, combined with your own observations on these literary elements. – Psychological criticism, in which you analyze the internal and interpersonal conflicts of the characters, as well as conscious and unconscious motivations. This type of analysis may also be applied to the author as he expresses himself in his work. This approach involves applying one or more theories of the mind. – Biographical criticism, in which you research the authors background and examine how the novel may contain parallels with his life experience. This includes an analysis of how the author has chosen to represent people and events in comparison with the recorded biographical information and how that may relate to particular emphases in the message of the novel. – Historical criticism, in which you research the events occurring in the time and place represented in the novel. This may include a focus on the time period in which the novel was written, when that is not the same as the fictional setting. Historical criticism should include a comparison of the representation of events in the novel with authoritative historical accounts of the same or similar events. – Feminist criticism, in which you examine the representation of male and female characters in the novel and what it suggests about the gender norms of the period that is represented, and the extent of the authors acceptance of — or resistance to — those. As with historical criticism, this approach will probably include an examination of gender norms at the time the novel was written, when that is not the same as the fictional setting. – Marxist criticism, in which you examine the way in which social classes and economic circumstances of the characters are represented in the novel. This includes representation of political ideology as well. The social class and political stance of the author may be considered. – Cultural criticism, which is a variation on Marxist and historical criticism in which you research the environment in which the novel was written and published and how it was received by the public. This includes researching the ways in which it was promoted and/or censored for political or economic reasons. Evaluation: This essay will be graded on the completion and quality of the following elements: On-Time Submission of Topic Annotated Bibliography for Complete List of Sources Formal Outline Tutor-Reviewed 1st Draft Thesis Works Cited Selection of Sources Use of Sources In-Text Citations Essay Structure Grammar and Clarity Response to Tutor/Instructor Comments
