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Zubair

The document discusses formalism in literary criticism. Formalism holds that the true meaning of a text can only be determined by analyzing its literary elements and how they work together. Formalist critics examine a text solely based on its content, without considering external contexts like historical period, social setting, or author background. The document then provides three examples of potential thesis statements for analyzing Eudora Welty's short story "A Worn Path." It evaluates whether each thesis limits and focuses the analysis, and whether it can help explicate the story's theme. The best thesis directly connects the story's setting and protagonist to its symbolic representation of African American struggle after the Civil War.

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Muhammad Saad
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64 views2 pages

Zubair

The document discusses formalism in literary criticism. Formalism holds that the true meaning of a text can only be determined by analyzing its literary elements and how they work together. Formalist critics examine a text solely based on its content, without considering external contexts like historical period, social setting, or author background. The document then provides three examples of potential thesis statements for analyzing Eudora Welty's short story "A Worn Path." It evaluates whether each thesis limits and focuses the analysis, and whether it can help explicate the story's theme. The best thesis directly connects the story's setting and protagonist to its symbolic representation of African American struggle after the Civil War.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Saad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Formalism holds that true meaning can be determined only by analyzing the literary elements of the

text and by understanding how these elements work together to form up a cohesive whole. Formalist
critics examine a text regardless of its time period, social/political/religious setting, and author’s
background.

Examples From English Advertisements;

Example 1:

Setting in “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty is effective: the descriptions are beautiful.

· Next underline key words:

Setting in “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty is effective: the descriptions are beautiful.

· Answer these questions about the example:

1. Does this thesis limit and focus what the writer has to say about the story?

Definitely not! This thesis (and I use the term loosely) is very vague. The key terms are so general that
they fail to provide any focus for the paper. To provide specific examples to support this statement will
be very difficult.

2. Can this thesis help to explicate the novel’s theme?

Again, this statement has no real connection to what the author is saying (the meaning) in the story.

Example 2:

Eudora Welty uses the setting of “A Worn Path,” presented in the vivid descriptive phrases of the
protagonist’s strenuous journey through the wild country of Natchez Trace, to connect the reader with
Phoenix, both as a character and as a symbol.
1. Does this thesis limit and focus what the writer has to say about this story?

Yes! This paper will be give examples from the text which show how the description of the setting
(during this character’s journey) characterize the protagonist as a person and a symbol. In addition,
repetition of the underlined key words will help this writer build coherence in the paper.

2. Can this thesis help to explicate the novel’s meaning (theme)?

No, at least not directly. While connecting the setting along the journey to the main character will
definitely get at the author’s theme, the theme is not made clear. In fact, though both the character and
the symbolism, almost assures this paper will discuss theme, the actual reference to the story’s theme is
missing. However, this thesis would address the assignment response for looking at form (structure) and
how the story is built.

Example 3:

Through Phoenix’s strenuous journey in the wild country of Natchez Trace, Eudora Welty uses her
protagonist to symbolically show the struggle of African-Americans toward equality and integration in
the South after the Civil War.

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