Read the sample close reading paper.

Sample Close Reading Paper below

For the Love of Death Emily Dickinson authored a poem entitled “712 [FR 479]” (also known as “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”). In the first two stanzas of Dickinson’s poem the speaker uses blank verse to bring to life a romantic relationship with death that unfolds through personification, characterization, and imagery. Dickinson carefully lays down a foundation that opens up by inviting the reader to reevaluate a prior view on death. The two opening stanzas allow for the reader to break down the barriers created by stigmas surrounding death and the concept of it. 

Dickinson’s immediately personifies death in the opening sentences so that one may see a relationship similar to one held between human beings. The poem begins with challenging the initial thought that a reader may have revolving the concept of death; doing so by identifying it as a male person. When Dickinson writes “Because I could not stop for Death-/He kindly stopped for me-” (1, 2) she is both personifying death and characterizing it. She attaches a gender to a concept that is not intended to have one, which implements a thought of it being someone in place of it existing as something. The word “death” being capitalized further institutes a connection to a likeliness of a person due to the fact that by the means of being grammatically correct in writing, the names of people are treated identically. Therefore it is implied that because death is identified as a male being, with an indication (by capitalizing the first letter) that death is his actual name, it becomes like a person. While distinguishing the identity of death, Dickinson also introduces its personableness. Death is labeled as kind and later civil, which are two words not often associated within the same thought process attached 2 to this concept. However, when this role is reversed to implicate a person rather than a destination at the end of life it becomes easier to see death in a more positive realm of existence.

 Following her introduction to death as a he, rather than an it, Dickinson proceeds to tell a story of romance between the speaker and death. When writing “The Carriage held but just Ourselves-/And Immortality.” (3, 4) Dickson creates an image of two people riding in a carriage provided by death, as an act of altruism, in route to a future of longevity. The reader may begin to create a mental picture similar to Cinderella in her carriage being taken to the ball, and later being courted by this male character due to an admiration on his behalf. Dickson continues this thought by writing “We slowly drove – He knew no haste” (5). This line furthers the depiction of how their ride together was by being descriptive, showing that they were taking their time, having no need to rush through the moment that they were experiencing. These thoughts combine to create an alternate way to view death by constructing an exemplification of a romantic relationship that can be held between death and a person. It is unclear as to if the speaker is a person (because there is never a mention of it) so the reader can begin to infer that perhaps the speaker is another concept rather than a person. Dickinson writes “The Carriage held but just Ourselves-/And Immortality.” (3, 4), possibly having the three states of existence in a singular space of comfort to push for the reshaping of the thought that they must act as oppositions to each other.

 Dickinson could be using the voice of life as a persona aiming to show how life, death, and the afterlife behave together healthily. Although the poem“712 [FR 479]” is open for varying interpretations, it is shown in the text there is a nontraditional relationship with death and whomever is speaking. In stanza two of Dickinson’s poem she solidifies the level of comfort that can be held within acceptance of death, writing “And I had put 3 away/My labor and my leisure too” (6, 7). The speaker is stating that due to the magnitude of kindness and consideration that they have experienced, they are willing to completely trust death in its entirety. There has been a point reached where everything can be forgotten so that one can trustingly continue moving to wherever it may be that comes with full compliance. Dickinson’s poem redevelops how both love and death are accepted by combining them to form a new space in readers’ minds.
4 Work Cited Page Dickinson, Emily. 712 [FR 479]. The Bedford Anthology of American Literature. Volume Two: 1865 to the Present. Ed. Susan Belasco and Linck Johnson. New York: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2008. 1338- 1339. Print.

What is the thesis statement in the sample close reading paper?
If there is one, what is the forecasting statement in the sample close reading paper?
Does the sample close reading paper follow the close reading paper outline?
If not, then what steps are missing and where?

Outline is below.

Close Reading Paper Outline

I. Introduction: The introduction should be one paragraph long in short papers (“i.e., all papers for this course) A. Context B. Thesis–Sample thesis: In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the development of Bilbo Baggins from homebody to hero is portrayed through imagery and symbolism. The thesis contains the title(s) of the primary source(s) and the main point about the primary source(s). For this course, your thesis will have sub-points (no more than 3 of the literary devices). (Note that a forecasting statement predicts the organization of the paper, so the forecasting statement is a thesis with sub-points. The sub-points in a thesis are addressed in the body of the paper in the same order that the sub-points are presented in the thesis.)

II. First Body Paragraph/Chunk Topic Sentence (transition): “Sample topic sentence: In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the development of Bilbo Baggins from homebody to hero is portrayed through imagery. Show how The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the development of Bilbo Baggins from homebody to hero is portrayed through imagery. Add support using the source integration formula. For each item of evidence, explain how the literary device is exemplified that evidence and then how that literary device in the evidence supports the main thesis point.

III. Second Body Paragraph/Chunk Topic Sentence (transition): Sample topic sentence: In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the conflictual relationship between the landscapes and the development of Bilbo Baggins from homebody to hero is communicated through symbolism. Show how The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the development of Bilbo Baggins from homebody to hero is portrayed through symbolism. Add support using the source integration formula. For each item of evidence, explain how the literary device is exemplified that evidence and then how that literary device in the evidence supports the main thesis point. *Add more paragraphs as necessary

IV. Conclusion Creatively restate thesis End on a final note Include an example of the source integration formula in the close reading paper. Explain where each step of the source integration formula is in the chosen example.

Source Integration formula below.

Source Integration Formula

This formula will allow you integrate quotations, paraphrases, and ideas into your work while developing your points.
1. Introduce it
2. Include it
3. Cite it
4. Explain it
*Be sure to include in your comment the full text of each item.