As mentioned in the coverage of “A Rose for Emily”, close reading is an important facet of literary study that engages the student in identifying details. In a very long work, a short passage can reveal things that relate to the work as a whole. Additionally, a close reading allows the student to “zoom in” and pay closer attention to literary devices the writer has employed.
1. Choose a passage from Book III of The Prelude that is no more than 20 lines in length.
2. At the beginning of your paper, include a copy of your selected passage, recording the exact line numbers in a bracket after the passage.
3. Identify and briefly discuss as many structural features of the passage as you can. Discuss how these structural features in the passage contribute to your understanding/appreciation of the passage and the work in its entirety.
(Not sure what to look for once you’ve “zoomed in”? This is a great site to consult to help you know what to look for.)
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/reading_lit.html (link opens in a new browser window)
This submission should be approximately 2-3 pages, be composed using 12 font and adhere to MLA documentation procedures on the first page.
