Short Essay (SE2): Scene/Chapter Analysis from The Complete Persepolis (TCP) & Persepolis (2007 film)
- DUE on or before 11:59 PM Saturday, 9 April 2022.
General Guidelines.
Your essay for this unit is an MLA-formatted “Short Essay”—remember, 2-3 pages + Work/s Cited (WC) is the minimum & will earn you a “C,” 4-5 pages + WC is closer to a “B,” and 6-7 pages + WC is closer to an “A.”
Make sure to insert a page break after your concluding paragraph to format your Works Cited (WC) page and adhere to MLA formatting throughout (see OWL (Links to an external site.) for help).
- In addition to citing TCP in your paper and in your Works Cited, you will also list the film Persepolis. As per MLA, list films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year.
Speed Racer. Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, Warner Brothers, 2008.
Save your essay in DOC, DOCX, or PDF format and submit it as a file upload to ensure that your MLA formatting remains intact.
Prompt.
For this analysis essay (Links to an external site.), you will be referring to TCP and to the film Persepolis.
This time, you are writing an analysis essay, in which you will discuss a pivotal scene from the film that corresponds to a chapter from Satrapi’s graphic memoir–the focus should be on the scene you choose from the film with support from the corresponding chapter in the book. Please use the following analysis guidelines (Links to an external site.) to help you with this assignment:
- Writing a scene analysis requires a thorough understanding of not only the scene/chapter you choose to dissect but also the overall film/story. Scenes/chapters need to move the story forward and reveal information about the characters. When you break down a scene/chapter, you uncover the writers’/directors’/storytellers’ intention as well as how the work resonates with you.
- Watch the entire movie and choose the scene you wish to analyze. Pick something with an analyzable theme.
- Focus on the specific scene you have chosen. Watch it a few times in a row.
- Take notes on the scene &/or review your CN/SN2 for guidance.
- Study the way the characters interact and what that says about each character.
- Dissect the elements of storytelling being used in this scene: character, plot, conflict, resolution, structure, scene, dialogue, and visuals
- Formulate a hypothesis based on a fact you want to prove about the scene you chose (i.e., why do you consider this scene–and its corresponding chapter in TCP–to be a pivotal/important scene in the story?).
- Write an introductory paragraph stating your hypothesis as well as the relationship of this scene to the rest of the film/book/story.
- Be sure to describe/summarize the scene thoroughly before moving into your in-depth discussion/analysis. Discuss similarities/differences between the scene in the movie and in the book–make note of any significant changes and formulate an opinion as to why there are/aren’t any changes.
- Formulate at least three supporting paragraphs. Each one should bring to light a different point to prove your hypothesis. Include quotes/parenthetical citations from the scene/chapter to support your discussion/analysis (you should have BOTH).
- Summarize your scene/chapter analysis in a conclusion paragraph. Tie together your various points with the hypothesis question and the theme of the film/book/story you have focused on through your discussion/analysis in your body paragraphs.
- Include BOTH the book and film in your Works Cited page.