Paper instructions:
1. This paper focuses on your interpretation of the theme (meaning, important point) of A Doll’s House.
2. For this paper use at least two quotations from a secondary source found in the Literature Resource Center database.

3. The paper has a short introduction paragraph, which includes

a lead-in line to get the paper started [don’t start the first line of the paper with the thesis]; this is just a general statement of the topic of the paper,
the title of the play [in italics],
the name of the playwright,
the thesis [your opinion about what the play means or its major theme or idea].
4. The thesis makes one arguable point about the theme (point, meaning, your interpretation) of the play. Your thesis is arguable; that is, it takes a stand that other people who read the story might disagree with but one which you support. The thesis is your interpretation of a theme, point, or meaning of the play.

5. The body of your paper contains several paragraphs. In the body paragraphs, you will want to

thoroughly explain all your ideas,
make every sentence clear and understandable to the reader
not use any contractions,
not use the words you, your, yours,
use the literary present tense of verbs to talk about your play. For example, the boy walks through the house, not "walked"; or the poem is about a young boy, not "was."
6. Back up your ideas in your body paragraphs with quotations from the play. Put quotation marks around the quotations. After the quotation, cite in parentheses according to play format. Be sure to lead into the quotation before giving the quotation. After the quotation, tell what the quotation suggests to you or your interpretation of the quotation. Link this discussion to the topic sentence of the paragraph and to the thesis of the paper.

7. Back up your ideas in your body paragraphs with at least two quotations from the secondary source. Or, you may use quotations from the secondary source that run counter to your own interpretation of the play. Put quotation marks around the quotations. After the quotation, put the name of the author of the secondary source in parenthesis if you have not already mentioned him/her in your paragraph. If you have already mentioned him/her in your paragraph, do not cite his/her name in parenthesis again.

In this paper you are NOT asked to summarize what you read in the secondary source. You are NOT asked to use the same thesis that the secondary source uses. You are NOT asked to agree with what the secondary source has to say about the play. You are merely asked to use two quotations from the secondary source.

8. You may also back up your ideas in your body paragraphs with summaries and paraphrases from the secondary source. Or, you may summarize and paraphrase ideas from the secondary source that run counter to your own interpretation of the story. Do NOT put quotation marks around summaries and paraphrases. After the summary and paraphrase, put the name of the author of the secondary source in parenthesis if you have not already mentioned him/her in your paragraph. If you have already mentioned him/her in your paragraph, do not cite his/her name again in parenthesis.

9. When you quote, quote accurately. Use ellipsis to indicate any omissions you have made from the original quotation. Use square brackets to enclose any change you make in the original, including ellipsis. Use the single quotation marks inside double quotation marks to indicate words already in quotation marks in the play. If your quotation from the play is long (more than 4 lines of your paper), display the quotation as a long (blocked) quotation.

10. End the paper with a short conclusion paragraph that echoes or mirrors the thesis in some way and that wraps up the entire paper.

11. In word processing, type the outline page (with at least As and Bs under each Roman numeral), the paper itself, and a Work Cited page.

12. Write the words "Paper 4" somewhere on the title page of your paper.

13. Give your paper a title that is NOT the title of the play. Type the title, at the top and centered, on the first page of the paper itself.

14. Assigned length: 1000 to 1500.

15. Underline the thesis in your introduction paragraph. It should be the last sentence of the introduction paragraph.

Draft instructions:

Write a draft of at least six paragraphs for your Draft 4B. In your draft, include

an introduction paragraph

underline the thesis in your introduction paragraph
at least four body paragraphs

write topic sentences in the body paragraphs (usually the first or second sentence of the body paragraphs)
make sure the topic sentences directly and explicity support your thesis
use quotations from the play as supporting evidence; cite with in-text citations

a conclusion paragraph

make sure the conclusion paragraph wraps up the essay and brings it to finality.

If you are ready to do so, you may include information from the secondary source. If you include information from the secondary source, be sure to cite it. You are NOT required to use information from the secondary source in your Draft