Essay #2 Assignment

ENG 215

ESSAY #2*** DUE THURSDAY June 9th***

3-5 PAGES, DOUBLE SPACED, SIZE 12 TIMES NEW ROMAN

USE TWO OUTSIDE SOURCES (NOT INCLUDING THE TEXT!) AND QUOTE THE PRIMARY TEXTS AS WELL.

Use: Literaryhistory.com/index for outside sources. Enter the author’s name in the search box and then click the first link.

I put up some links that discuss the American Dream on the class blog:

http://ecceng215summer.blogspot.com/

Not using outside sources will result in failure.

Pick ONE of the essay topics below for your paper.

1. The play is really a challenge to the American Dream because it is the tragedy of a man troubled by the society. Willy believes in the American myth that “Success is obtained by being well-liked”. His dream ends up in nightmare. In your essay explain how Willy misunderstood the American Dream. Use examples from the texts along with outside sources to support your thesis.

(Use the American Dream links on the class blog for outside sources!)

2. Illusion vs. reality is something that comes up in a lot of literature. We saw some in The Great Gatsby as well as the two short stories we read. In Death of A Salesman Willy has illusions about just about every aspect of his life. Pick one aspect of his life, whether it be from the past or the present, and explain how he uses illusions to distort his reality. Use examples from the texts along with outside sources to support your thesis.
3. The characters in this play each want something from life; what does each major character seem to want? How do their interests align or conflict? How does what each character wants differ from what each has or gets? Use examples from the texts along with outside sources to support your thesis.

 Below is how you should quote dialouge from a play in your paper:

Quote dialogue between two or more characters by also using block format and putting the characters' names in all capital letters. Don't forget a lead-in and a citation that includes all speeches being quoted. Willy's delusions consistently show how much Happy and Bernard idolized Biff, especially when they argue over who will carry his football gear:

BERNARD. Biff, I'm carrying your helmet, ain't I?
HAPPY.  No, I'm carrying the helmet.
BERNARD. Oh, Biff, you promised me.
HAPPY. I'm carrying the helmet. (Miller 2.213-216)

Notice that there is a period after the character’s name not a colon. Remember again that you are always explaining quotes in your own words. Quoting one character’s dialogue is explained in the below paragraph.

            Many times you will only want to quote a line or two from a text. Again, remember to always introduce the quote in your own words. For verse plays, give act, scene, and line numbers that can be located in any edition of the work. Use numbers and separate them with periods. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, Gloucester, blinded for suspected treason, learns a profound lesson from his tragic experience: “A man may seehow this world goes / with no eyes” (4.148-49). Since the quote was less than four lines it does not get the block quote treatment.  It can simply be put into your paragraph. Notice that the period comes after the citation in this case. Notice that numbers are used to represent act and lines. If this were a real paper, you would use this space to explain how the quote fits into and explains your thesis.