Ka Leng, Wong

Using either Marxist or gender literary theory, write an interpretation of Hairstyles of the Damned. For a Marxist or economic determination analysis, you might consider how Brian's working class upbringing contributes to the formation of his identity and the choices he makes in the course of the book. For a gendered analysis, you might consider how the book portray male and female roles. What are the female and male role models in the book? How does Brian define an ideal “male” and an ideal “female” and how does that change over the course of the book? How do idealized notions of masculinity play a part in the formation of Brian's identity—does he accept those notions or does he reject them? You have the option to write a comparison/contrast essay using the film SLC Punk as the other text. (The movie is available on youtube and the link is available from Unit 2). In this case, you might want to consider the economic or gender aspects of SLC Punk compared and contrasted with Hairstyles of the Damned. Please note that plot summary alone is an insufficient method of making your argument. Remember, like any essay, you need a strong thesis statement, strong topic sentences that support the thesis statement, and supporting details. Instructions Each essay must use specific evidence from Hairstyles of the Damned and from at least two other sources for support. If you choose to use SLC Punk, that can be counted as one of the other sources. Supporting evidence can include specific textual references (paraphrasing and summarizing) and/or quotes. If you use quotes, the body paragraphs should have no more than two quotes to support your point and analysis. Quotes should be introduced with your own words and be properly cited using MLA format. Each body paragraph should begin and end with your ideas; thus, you need to clearly explain how the quote(s) you chose to use support your ideas. Remember that a strong introduction includes a brief introduction of the topic and main points, as well as a clear thesis that states the main idea of your essay. Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence, explanation of the ideas in the paragraph, specific examples to support your explanation (the quotes will be at least part of your example/examples), adequate explanation and analysis of all examples/evidence, and appropriate closure/transitions to finish the paragraph. The conclusion should restate your thesis and provide a final observation on the topic. Your essay should have an original title that reflects your topic and argument. MLA format: MLA stands for Modern Language Association, which provides a format for English papers to follow. The heading and the header are examples of the proper format for MLA style, which you must follow for this essay. The font must be 12 point Times New Roman font. The margins for all MLA formatted papers are one inch (top/bottom and left/right). Your essay should also include a Works Cited page and in-text parenthetical citation. The Works Cited page should follow your essay. Remember to transition from idea to idea within paragraphs and from paragraph to paragraph using transitional phrases/words, coordinating conjunctions (i.e. FANBOYS), subordinating conjunctions, and prepositional phrases.