Junot Diaz, “Aurora” (213 – 26) b) Do
Step 2: Choose Your Story Please select one of the following three stories as the topic for your Research Essay: a) Junot Diaz, “Aurora” (213-26) b) Douglas Unger, “Leslie and Sam” (681-96) c) Ben Fountain, “Rêve Haitien” (307-24)
Step 3: Choose a Research Question Please select one of the following research questions to help guide you in your analysis of the above story. These questions are broad; it is your responsibility to narrow them: 1. What comment does your story make on the opposition between “us” and “them”? What group falls into each category? Who defines the difference and does the story reinforce or challenge this difference? How so and why? 2. What comment does your story make on how factors normally thought of as external to identity (like poverty, science, the government, or the city) shape the interior attitudes of a particular group about itself? Does the story suggest this group can or cannot break-free of these factors? How? 3. Choose your own research question, but only with my advance approval.
Step 4: Analyze Your Story Return to your chosen story and think about how you might answer your research question. Use the keywords from this question to guide you. What might your story say about them? This step does not differ much from your task in the Literary Analysis Essay. You may still draw evidence from anywhere in the story and your goal remains to create a persuasive, coherent and precise argument about the implicit meaning the story suggests. Remember, it’s important that you have your own ideas about the story before you begin your research; I’m most interested in what you think—the sources are just to assist you!
Step 5: Research the Story, Author, Genre or Context Research multiple sources that help to illuminate the context and meaning of this story. Choose three of these sources, following the guidelines below: Research Requirements THREE outside sources, including one of EACH of the following: 1. Book/e-book chapter published through an academic press (Oxford UP, Harvard UP, MIT, Columbia UP etc.). You are NOT expected to read the entire book. 2. Academic article from a reputable scholarly journal (Modern Fiction Studies, American Literary History, Contemporary Literature, English Studies in Canada, etc.). Search using library databases like Academic Search Complete or JSTOR. 3. Other sources could include literary encyclopedias, author interviews, author essays, and book reviews. These sources should be obtained through the Langara library catalogue. If you are not certain a source is valid, please ask me or a librarian.
