Transcript Monster Essay and MLA Format

The Monster Essay
and
MLA Format
Ms. Lewis and Ms. Housley
NGA
2011
Due Date: April 26, 2011
(Washington, D.C. Trip is April 27-30)
What is the Monster Essay?
The Monster Essay is an essay
that you will write to identify
monsters in all of the literature
we read this year.
How do I write this essay?
We will write the essay a little at a
time. Today, you will begin to think
about what you are writing and how
the MLA format for each work is
written.
What is the definition of a
“monster” as we will use it for this
assignment?
A “monster” is any obstacle that
creates a problem for a character.
Monsters are in all selections of
literature. The monster may be literal,
like those in Greek Mythology, or the
monster may be figurative.
What is an example of a literal
monster?
A “literal monster” is something
like the Banshee we studied in
World Mythology or the Hydra
from Greek Mythology.
What is an example of a
figurative monster?
A “figurative monster” is something
like prejudice in To Kill a
Mockingbird or parental rules in
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
So where do I begin?
Using the handout you have been
given, make a list of the literal
and figurative monsters in
everything we have read so far.
After that, what do I need to
do?
Use the back of the handout to
record the MLA information for
everything we have read.
Am I finished?
No. Now you need to begin to write the
essay. Start with the introduction to
the essay. It should be 5-10 sentences
in length and explain what you think
about monsters in literature.
I don’t understand. Can you
give me an example?
Sure. Take a look at the paragraph on
the next slide. It is just one example
of an effective way to structure this
essay.
During English 9, we have read many different types
of literature. The literary selections contain
numerous examples of literal and figurative
monsters. For the purpose of this essay, a monster is
defined as any obstacle that presents a complication
for the characters. After making a list of all the
selections we have read, it is apparent that every
selection developed around particular monsters. The
genres of literature we have studied include short
stories, novels, poetry, essays, myths, and nonfiction. The goal of this essay is to examine the
monsters in each genre beginning with mythology.
What steps do I take in writing the
introduction to the Monster Essay?
1. Restate the prompt
2. Refer to the fact that we have read a variety
of literature
3. Define what you mean by “monsters”
4. Discuss how you plan to approach the topic of
Monsters in Literature in the essay
5. Write your topic sentence (place it at the end
of the paragraph)
Now it is time to
“grow” your
essay. Get
started and keep
everything you
do today. The
first day in the
lab to work on
this is
Wednesday!