Essay Assignment

Homework: Write a 2-3 page literary response essay on theme. This essay should be double-spaced in 12-point type with one-inch margins. It should follow the format we've discussed in class. Choose one of the following topics (themes) to write about:

1. criminality
2. poverty
3. influence of surroundings on people

Remember, developing a theme from these topics requires you to really think about what the book says about the topic. This can't be a simple thought that could apply to any book on the subject; it needs to really reflect what Dickens is saying in Oliver Twist. For example, it won't be sufficient to say that poverty is a bad thing that makes people's lives hard. Or that criminality leads to people being put in prison. Or that people's surroundings often influence who they are. Instead, you need to get at how poverty is a bad thing in Dickens' view; what are the effects of criminality both on criminals and on the society, in Dickens view; and how do people's surroundings influence them and how does that play out against their basic natures.

This paper is due on Monday, January 3. It must be uploaded to turnitin.com by that date and must be sent as an attachment to me in your engrade account. Attach the file as a Word document or, if you don't use Word, attach it as an .rtf file.