Explorations of the end of innocence
English 2327: Analytical Essay: Fiction & Poetry Post 1800
Compare two Stories
Your comparison should focus on interpreting the central themes of the stories, looking for similarities and differences. Your job is to analyze the meaning, explore character motivations, explain the significance of the setting, the symbolism, the dialogue etc. You may discuss plot events as a way to set up or prove points that you wish to make, but do not turn the whole paper into plot summary. Do not forget to COMPARE AND CONTRAST the stories. Here are some suggestions for ways to focus your thoughts.
Choose two Hawthorne stories (“Young Goodman Brown,” “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” “My Kinsman, Major Molineux,” “The Minister’s Black Veil”) and compare them as explorations of the end of innocence. Focus on the unfolding of conflict (its beginning, middle, and end). What do the protagonists learn as their innocence is stripped away? How is each one morally compromised in the process?
Choose two Hawthorne stories and compare how they portray the theme of appearance vs. reality. How do the characters struggle to distinguish appearance from reality? Where do they go wrong in this quest and what is the outcome?
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