Students should write an essay of at least 750 words following MLA documentation style. Students must use at least two articles from the library databases which discuss the American tradition of “tall tales” and apply concepts related to the tradition of tall tales to at least one of the stories in Half Mammals of Dixie. Students should analyze how the story or stories uses elements from the tradition of the “tall tale” to develop the characters and plot of the story or stories.
Primary Source
Singleton, George. The Half Mammals of Dixie. Harvets, 2004. Print.
Secondary Sources
- Blair, Walter. "Traditions in Southern Humor." American Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Summer, 1953), pp. 132-142
- Loomis, C. Grant. "The American Tall Tale and the Miraculous." California Folklore Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr., 1945), pp. 109-128
- Pavonetti, Linda M. and Christine M. Combs. "American Hyperbole: The Tall Tale." Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, vol. 12, no. 2, 15 Jan. 1999, pp. 37-42.
- Pinsker, Sanford. "The Tall Tale, American Humor, and America." The Midwest Quarterly. 41.4 (Summer 2000): p448. From Literature Resource Center.
- "Tall Tale." Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1995. Literature Resource Center.
Requirements
- Length: Your essay must be a minimum of 800 words.
- Documentation Format: You must include an MLA formatted Works Cited page that includes correctly formatted internal citations for the stories and the additional resources.
- Sources: You are restricted to the novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions and the additional resources on the tall tale and American humor as source material. Do not use any other source material. Your essay is based on your own close reading and analysis of the novel. Do not merely identify traits of the tall tale within the novel. Instead demonstrate how these are used to reveal the meaning and significance of Edward Bloom's life that his son William comes to recognize.
- Format: The essay must be in MSWord format (.doc or .docx)
- Identify the traits of the American tall tale, citing specific details from the articles
- Include at least two characteristics (properly cited) from each of the three articles (minimum of six characteristics). [In particular, select characteristics of the tall tale that appear in The Half Mammals of Dixe; however, do not make that connection in the introduction. Instead, use that information to help craft topic sentences and transitional sentences in the body paragraphs.]
- Emphasize that the tall tale may be used to create a heroic image of life.
- Include specific stories
- Identify how the stories fit the definition of tall tales by connecting details from the stories in the The Half Mammals of Dixie directly to characteristics of the tall tale identified in the articles. Cite story details and the article details separately. i.e. Detail from story (page, "title of section") fits this characteristic (author of article and page if paginated, otherwise, just the author's name)
- Demonstrate how these traits of the tall tale reveal the development of the character(s) in the story.
- Explore the value behind Singleton using the motif of the tall tale. How does Singleton engage the reader in the conflicts characters face?
- How do all of the stories help the reader understand the conflict central to each story?
Students must use MLA style documentation. Internal citations should identify the page number and section for the novel. Students must also include an MLA Works Cited page.Students should proofread carefully their final drafts for spelling, grammar, and punctuation as well as clarity, conciseness, and completeness. The final draft should be typed, double spaced, with one inch margins, in Times New Roman 12 pt. The essay should be a minimum of 800 words.
The essay will be evaluated based on how well students develop their arguments with significant support from the novel (thesis, topic sentences, supporting details from the novel); clarity, cohesion, and conciseness; correct use of MLA format; and grammar and spelling.For this essay, students may use a dictionary to help with words with which they are not familiar but should not refer to the dictionary definitions in the essay. Students must use MLA style documentation. Internal citations should identify the author and line number for the poems and author or authors for any articles or other resources. Students must also include an MLA Works Cited page.
Students should proofread carefully their final drafts for spelling, grammar, and punctuation as well as clarity, conciseness, and completeness. The final draft should be typed, double spaced, with one inch margins, in Times New Roman 12 pt. The essay should be a minimum of 900 words.The essay will be evaluated based on how well students develop their arguments with significant support from the poems (thesis, topic sentences, supporting details from the poems); clarity, cohesion, and conciseness; correct use of MLA format; and grammar and spelling.
Essay Map
Introduction
Lead
Thesis
Use this thesis statement:
In The Half Mammals of Dixie by George Singleton uses the motif of the tall tale to advance the plot by revealing the nature of characters and the conflicts they face.
Body
Topic Sentences
Create topic sentences that identify specific ways in how each story selected using the motif of the tall tale to develop an d reveal insights into characters. Limit each paragraph in the essay to a single story. Do not try to discuss more than one story in a paragraph. Begin each paragraph with the name of the story and how the characteristics of the tall tale develop the action.
Supporting Details
Conclusion
Review the concepts of the tall tale explored in this essay and their purpose in both revealing characters and the conflicts they face and in engaging the reader in the stories.
