Posted: April 5th, 2015

Lu Xun and May Fourth Literature

Lu Xun and May Fourth Literature

Order Description

Guidelines:

• Do not put your name, PID, or any other identifying information on your paper. (Your paper will be identified on D2L).

• Your paper needs to have a strong, clear, and comprehensive thesis followed by an organized presentation of the evidence in favor of your argument from the text(s). In other words, the purpose of your paper is to prove your analytical argument.

• Papers need to be between 4 and 5 pages, double-spaced, in size 12 Times New Roman font. The margins of your paper should all be 1”. Any deviation from these norms will result in a lower grade and will prevent you from developing your argument properly.

• Make certain that your paper is written in a proper academic register. Phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” and “so-and-so resonates with me” need to be avoided. Be assertive and confident in your writing. Also, you must avoid the use of contractions and colloquialisms such as “isn’t” and “don’t” (contractions), and “just my two cents,” “dude,” “cool,” (colloquialisms) etc.

• Be sure that you focus on addressing the issue in the topic you choose. Your goal is not simply to list the questions for consideration provided and answer them in order. Rather, you need to form a cohesive and organized argumentative paper using the questions as a guide.

• It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that your paper contain a thesis statement. I will briefly explain thesis statements in recitation, but if you are still unsure, see me during my office hours. If you do not have a thesis statement, you cannot pass this assignment.

• If you are choosing a compare/contrast paper topic, then do not simply list similarities and differences. You need to go beyond this superficial layer into the realm of analytical thought. Ask yourself: what do these similarities and difference signify and why are they important?

• Your paper must be mostly analytical in nature. In other words, do not simply summarize the story of the text(s) that you are focusing on. You must go beyond simply retelling the story. You need to make an argument that goes beyond the text to deal with complicated issues and answer questions raised by the text(s). An “A” paper is one that deals with these difficult questions, probes deeply, maintains their complexity, and handles the issues well in an organized and sustained manner. A superficial interpretation of the text will not earn the highest points possible for the analysis.

• If you are going to use sources outside of the course pack, then you must cite the ideas or information that you took from said sources in a bibliography at the end of your paper (the bibliography does not count towards the page requirements). If you are only going to cite the course pack, then you do not need a bibliography, but you should still use in text citations in the following format: (CP course pack page/original page).

• Wikipedia is not a suitable source of information for your paper.

• Make sure that you properly proofread your paper. Grammar and spelling are a part of your grade; do not ignore this facet of the rubric.

Finally, make sure to see me or send me an e-mail if you are stuck, confused, lost, or have any questions about preparing for or completing this assignment.

Topic 1: Lu Xun and May Fourth Literature

For this topic, write about the May Fourth Movement from a literary perspective. In other words, consider the major characteristics associated with the writing from this movement and analyze the works of Lu Xun to show how they are represented in his writings. This should not be a mere description of the story or essay that you write about. Rather, your interpretation will result from explaining how Lu Xun communicates his message by discussing specific examples from the text.