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ENG4U1-D1/D2
Grade 12 University English
Novel Study: What We All Long For by Dionne Brand:
Formal Literary Essay
Instructions
● Choose one of the five topics below on which to write a formal literary essay on What
We All Long For. (Length: 750-1000 words, excluding quotations) See separate
rubric for evaluation details.
● Plagiarism is participating in intellectual dishonesty and theft. To avoid even
unintentional plagiarism, and a mark of 0, please do not consult any secondary
critical sources on the novel for this assignment.
● Below each topic is a suggestion for how you might organize your essay. This is a
“bare bones” outline; you still need to add your specific points and evidence. (All I
have done is divided up the discussion to address the full scope of the topic in a
standard five-paragraph essay. There is more than one right way, but remember,
you must fully address the topic.)
● Aim for at least two fully developed examples per body paragraph.*
Essay Topics
1. Demonstrate how family and the city shape the outlook of one of the
characters in the novel.
● Par 1 – Introduction culminating in thesis + organizing principle
● Par 2 – character’s experience of being a member of this family
● Par 3 – character’s experience of the city
● Par 4 – the resulting present outlook of the character
● Par 5 – Summation of significance of discussion and emphasis of thesis
2. Compare how the outlook of two characters has been shaped by their
parents’ experiences of the city.
● Par 1 – Introduction culminating in comparative thesis + organizing principle
● Par 2 – 1st character’s parents’ experience of the city
● Par 3 – 2nd character’s parents’ experience of the city
● Par 4 – Alternating comparison of the effect of the parents’ experiences of the city on
each character
● Par 5 – Summation of significance of discussion and emphasis of thesis
3. Analyze how Dionne Brand’s poetic language provides insight into one
character’s experience of the city.
● Par 1 – Introduction culminating in thesis + organizing principle
● Par 2 – close analysis of poetic language in narration of how the character experiences
the city in one situation or context
● Par 3 – close analysis of poetic language in narration of how the character experiences
the city in a second situation or context
● Par 4 – overall discussion of significant insights into the relationship between the
character and the city, resulting from the analysis in par 2 & 3
● Par 5 – Summation of significance of discussion and emphasis of thesis
4. Analyze how Dionne Brand creates a narrative subtext that reveals what
is unspoken but longed for by one of the characters.
● Par 1 – Introduction culminating in thesis + organizing principle
● Par 2 – Analysis of narrative subtext about the character in one situation / context
● Par 3 – Analysis of narrative subtext about the character in another situation / context
● Par 4 – Discussion of significant insights into what is unspoken but longed for by the
character, as a result of the analysis in par 2 & 3
● Par 5 – Summation of significance of discussion and emphasis of thesis
5. Explain how Dionne Brand’s narration creates insight into the separate
perspectives of two characters in one another’s presence.
● Par 1 – Introduction culminating in comparative thesis + organizing principle
● Par 2 – alternating comparative analysis of each character’s perspective in a scene in
which they both figure
● Par 3 – alternating comparative analysis of each character’s perspective in a second
scene in which they both figure
● Par 4 – Overall comparative discussion of each character’s perspective
● Par 5 – Summation of significance of discussion and emphasis of thesis
* Notes on Style
In addition to writing a formal literary essay in MLA style, focus on two things to
improve your style:
Strong vs. Weak Specification
Aim for at least two fully developed examples per body paragraph; however, try also to
include specific references to the literature throughout your essay. Choose specific over
vague diction every time.
Parallel Structure
Make sure that you streamline your sentences so that they are logical. How you start your
sentence determines how you must finish it. Read your work aloud to catch errors in logic.
The post I need to write an essay on the book “what we all long for” by Dionne Brande. the topic is Demonstrate how family and the city shape the outlook of one of the characters in the novel. essay appeared first on homeworkcrew.com.