Write a 3-4 page (typed, double-spaced) close-reading paper on a passage from C. S. Lewiss novel The Great Divorce. Your paper will give attention to the language used, the imagery used, the themes developed, and the way the author uses literary devices to convey meaning.
Guidelines:
1. Select the passage you will analyze. The passage may be as short as a paragraph or as long as a chapter. However, I would recommend something in between those two extremesperhaps several paragraphs no more than two pages in length. Look for natural starting and stopping points. Since much of the book is organized around scenes involving encounters/dialogue between a ghost (visitor from hell) and a Bright Person (resident of heaven), it would make since to choose one of these scenes as your focus. Even so, since some of the scenes are fairly lengthy, you might want to focus your close reading on a shorter passage within the longer scene.2. When youve chosen your subject passage, review the Close Reading Guide on the FoxTALE course site. This document provides kind of a step-by-step writing process for you including ideas for developing your thesis and providing support.3. If you need reminders about literary devices or techniques and their names, review the Elements of Fiction document on the FoxTALE course site.4. The document Tips for Writing About Literature, also on the FoxTALE course site, is a good one to refer to in the revision and editing phase. It talks about some of the unique aspects of style when writing about literature (e.g., describing action in a novel in the present tense and referring to authors by their last names). Theres also helpful information in this document about citation. Outside sources are not required for this assignment, but if you do use one, youll need to cite it, and you should use the proper format. You may use APA or MLA stylewhichever you are most comfortable with. You will need to cite from the primary source (the novel) giving page numbers for direct quotes and including a bibliographic reference in your Works Cited (MLA) or Reference Page (APA).
