Essay 3:  20% of Grade

Literary Critical Analysis

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino

For your third essay, you are to write a 4-page essay that takes a literary critical stance on Eastwood's Gran Torino.  You may choose any literary stance and any topic you choose that is relevant to the text.  Remember that your focus must be the film. 

• Four full pages (does not include works cited page)

• MLA formatted with works cited page

• Thesis driven (must be argumentative and on topic)

• Must take one of the following literary critical stances:

  • New Criticism

  • Feminism

  • Gender Criticism (including Queer Theory)

  • Marxism

  • Cultural Studies

  • New Historicism

  • Psychological Theories

  • Structuralism

• 5 direct quotes

  • from text which will serve as evidentiary support for your argument (Quotes simply thrown in with no direct connection to the argument will not count)

  • Integration of at least one secondary text.  Must be a scholarly text.  Wikipedia is not scholarly.  This secondary text can regarding the application of the literary theory.  Source must function to support or further your argument.  Quotes simply thrown in with no direct connection to the argument will not count.

• Attend and complete Workshops

Decisions you must make to get started:

1. What topic in Gran Torino interests you?

2. What literary critical lens will help you in the explication and analysis of that topic?

3. What secondary source will you use?

   • Will it be research on Gran Torino or Clint Eastwood?

   • Will it be research on your specific topic?

   • Will it be research on your particular literary criticism?

4. Your next step is to write your argumentative thesis statement.  Remember that your research functions to support your argument.

Remember that you do not name your type of literary criticism in your essay.  If you are writing on a symbol, you simply write about the symbol.  You do not explain how symbolism works.  If you are taking a feminist or Marxist slant, you do not have to use those words anywhere in your essay.  This exercise is simply to make you aware of the many different lens from which to study and write about literature.