Example of a blog post for your SSRJs

How to fulfill the Thematic Analysis requirement

for the Short Story Reading Journals (aka Blog)

Don’t be reluctant to actually type the words “Hemingway intended…” or “Faulkner meant to highlight…” It is our job in this course to very logically and methodically interpret meaning in these works of fiction and our proof/evidence is the literary elements they use. We are relying on the tools of Formal criticism where we critically look at the “form” of the work (i.e. literary elements such as setting, structure, character, etc.) and determine how these elements work together to create what we posit to be the author’s meaning.

While it is absolutely true that no critical interpretation can ever really identify what the author was actually thinking when he or she made a literary decision (and many authors claim that that really weren’t aware of it themselves at the time), but that is what the world of literary criticism is for—to make postulations as to meaning—and believe me, a majority of the articles and books written by literary critics are mostly responses to or rebuttals of the ideas of other literary critics. That’s what makes being a literary critic so exciting—you are always working in relation to another scholar’s ideas of the same works. Later on when contemplating the novel, we will definitely be consulting the ideas of other critics in order to form our own ideas/interpretations. But for the short story unit, we are afforded the luxury of being in our own little critical worlds. ;-)

Using Godwin’s short story “A Sorrowful Woman,” here’s an example of a section of a journal that would satisfy the requirements of including a thematic analysis and answering the question, “What was the author attempting to ‘say’ about a particular subject of universal significance and what literary element did he or she use to achieve this statement?”:

Thesis: In a "Sorrowful Woman," Gail Godwin relies on structure, irony, and symbolism to comment on the sometimes destructive nature of the institution of marriage."

Sample Journal Entry (fulfills second SRRJ thematic analysis requirement): Godwin creates a sense of structure in “A Sorrowful Woman” when she intentionally and repetitively describes the husband as “understanding.” This repetition turns into a form of commentary on the author’s part. By reminding the reader, over and over, how understanding the husband is, even when the readers themselves cannot understand the woman’s actions or feelings, Godwin suggests that the husband is caught up in his own role of being a caring, empathetic partner and has crossed over into the realm of denial and codependency—ironically, a realm in which the woman resides as well. Godwin burdens both characters with this overwhelming sense of duty and obligation and uses this persistent reminder throughout the story as a way to highlight the oftentimes dampening effect marriage can have on an individual’s sense of self.

Now, of course this interpretation is just that, only one person’s interpretation as to meaning in the story. Remember, there are infinite meanings to these stories, but it’s very clear that this interpretation has relied upon a Formalist method of literary analysis and critique. That is, there is an attempt to connect the presence of two literary elements (structure and irony) to the author’s intention in terms of constructing meaning in the story.

Now, if this observation/interpretation were actually to appear in an essay, the writer would most definitely insert evidence from the text and actually quote from the text (with in-text citations of course) the various places that create the repetition/irony. This would further develop the “evidence” that proves the interpretation. Here’s an example of an extended, developed paragraph of support in an essay:

Sample Supporting/Body paragraph in a Formal Essay: Godwin creates a sense of structure in “A Sorrowful Woman” when she intentionally and repetitively describes the husband as “understanding.” Just after the woman tells her husband that the sight of him and their child makes her sad and sick and that she never wants to see them again, Godwin describes the husband: “He was attuned to her; he understood such things. He said he understood” (39). Godwin further uses some variation of the word “understanding” at least five more times throughout the story. Nearing the apex of the story, after the woman had sent away the “perfect” girl who had been watching the child and managing the home even though the woman herself still felt incapable of being a mother and a wife, Godwin has the husband reply: “‘Let me think of something. I’ll think of something.’ (Still understanding these things)” (41). This repetition turns into a form of commentary on the author’s part (drawing even more attention to her commentary through the use of a parenthetical note in this last example). By reminding the reader, over and over, how understanding the husband is, even when the readers themselves cannot understand the woman’s actions or feelings, Godwin suggests that the husband is caught up in his own role of being a caring, empathetic partner and has crossed over into the realm of denial and codependency—ironically, a realm in which the woman resides as well. Godwin burdens both characters with this overwhelming sense of duty and obligation and uses this persistent reminder throughout the story as a way to highlight the oftentimes dampening effect marriage can have on an individual’s sense of self.

So, this is an example of one paragraph in an essay in which the writer has provided a well-argued and developed example of how Godwin created meaning in her short story through the use of one or more literary elements. Now the trick would be to develop this essay with two to three more examples (paragraphs) that all support the same thesis or interpretation as to meaning (i.e.: marriage’s negative effect on a person’s sense of self). The writer could choose to find other examples of structure or irony and how they prove this meaning, or they could find examples using different literary elements such as language or character, but ALL of his or her examples must point to the same meaning. This is why it is very important to really work out what you think the meaning of the story is BEFORE you begin to write your paper. You will be referring back to this meaning (aka Thesis) in EVERY paragraph/example. Also, when all your examples provide proof of the same meaning (thesis), we refer to this as a very unified and cohesive essay—always the aim for a writer!!!