Short Paper: Myth-Making and Type Characters

Myth-Making and Type Characters

Simone Beauvoir in her essay “Woman: Myth and Reality” points out that whatever the myth of woman might be, it “is intended to sum her up in toto” (para 3). Therefore, she implies, there will be necessary contradictions between the myth and the reality of a woman’s life. While Beauvoir is primarily talking about women�s portrayal and treatment in the sociology of our lives, notice the principles she is drawing on that can be applied to other groups too. For example, her noticing of �Woman as Other� can be a prism through which we can view various other social and political minority groups as well.

In your essay, discuss and extend the implications of what Beauvoir says about women’s myths and then using at least two works of  separate genres explore how characters in such works conform to, react against, or attempt to redefine the myth created or assumed  for them. Examine what the author of each work wished to achieve by creating the particular character.

In the process of this essay, you will analyze the  principal  characters of each text chosen.

Pre-Writing Questions

1.Consider what each character does, says, does not do or say – and why.

 2. What is the writer’s intention in presenting the character the way she is presented?

  1. Consider whether the character changes during the course of the text and what that possible change (or lack thereof) may signify.

Questions Connecting  the Core Text to Your Chosen Literary Works

  1. Choose one of the several �Type� characters Beauvoir creates in her essay. Read and discover how the narrator in your chosen texts describes the character or whether the character herself is one of the narrators. What are the implications of this on the creation or questioning of the myth as explained by Beauvoir?

 5. �Read� the Beauvoir essay sufficiently to warrant including several key quotations you have identified from the essay that, once explained in some detail, helps your reader see the connection between this core essay and the principles of characterization used in the literary works chosen for your essay.

The literary works you may choose from are: “The Yellow Wallpaper”; “I Stand Here Ironing”; “Ranch Girl”; “A Doll House”; “Mirror”; “A Passionate Shepherd’s. . .”; Nymph’s Reply. . . “; “Queen-Ann’s-Lace” (William Carlos Williams and Anne C. Coon). Alternatively, you can choose any other texts from the Diyanni that connect to some of these character issues that Beauvoir mentions.

In your analysis you must provide textual citations as support for your points. There should be both in-text citations as well as a Works Cited page. All such citations must be according to MLA guidelines as found in the relevant pages of  the Bedford Handbook.

The essay should be between 5 to 8 pages long. The first draft must be submitted online in Discussion Board. The final draft will be submitted in print form.

Due Dates:

A completed first draft: February 14, 2010

A completed final draft: February 28, 2010

Writing Center: You must make an appointment to the Writing Center for tutoring in any stage of your writing process: brainstorming/outline; first draft; or final draft. Please carry your laptop with you and show the tutor this particular assignment.