Creating Balance in Society

Creating Balance in Society

The paper should be a more focused discussion of some aspect of the play that you presented
on. You would most likely write on the material you presented, but you may need to modify
the topic in order for it to work as an essay.
The structure of the paper will be shaped by your goal in writing it. There are two modes of
writing you might be employing:
• Expository (Information) essay that provides clear information about the topic without
or minimally inserting the author’s opinion. For example, if you presented on feminist
themes in Electra, an expository essay would describe aspects of Electra’s life that are
explored in the play and discuss how these depictions conform with or transgress
Athenian conventions. Your argument would emerge from the degree to which you
think the play adheres to its original audience’s expectations. This type of paper
should not make ethical judgements about the lives of women in antiquity, etc., but
only give a factual exposition of what they were like. The goal of this type of paper is to
inform the reader of facts and prove some conclusion about how the facts relate to one
another. This paper provides a definite answer to a specific question.
• Interpretative (Argumentative) essay that expresses the author’s opinion of what the
text means or how a reader should assess the characters and plot of the play. For
example, if you presented on feminist themes in Electra, an interpretative essay could
argue that Electra exhibits traits that are admirable according to a feminist position.
You would likely provide some historical information on the expected behavior of
women, but you should go further than to say Electra does or does not meet
expectations. You should also explain the ethical assumptions that underlie a feminist
reading of the text and demonstrate how the text satisfies those assumptions. The goal
of this type of paper is to persuade the reader that your position is correct by
evaluating the meaning of facts about the text. This paper provides a plausible solution
to an open-ended problem.