Overview: The arts have a way of invoking inspiration in an audience and creating lasting influence. Reflect on how many times a song, photo, painting, or novel captivated you in such a way that after your initial encounter you were forever changed. For this essay you will select a work of art that has had a profound influence on you. You may select a photograph (professional), painting, sculpture, book, song or film. Using different kinds of examples, effectively describe the work of art and analyze the way it has influenced you.
Writing Purpose: To analyze the significance of a work of art, connect it to your own life, and reveal something meaningful about yourself to your reader.
Audience: Your audience is someone who is not familiar with you or the work of art you have selected.
Point of View: This essay is about you and can be written in first person point of view. In other words, feel free to use the pronoun "I".
Required Guidelines
- Compose a rough draft.
- Your completed essay should be 1200-1500 words in length (3-4 pages).
- Use MLA formatting and include word count in the heading (which doesn't include the heading/header, title and Works Cited page).
Recommended Guidelines
- Because this is your first writing project, and it is important to determine where you are at as a writer, you will be given considerable freedom on how you wish to organize your essay compared to future assignments. However, some things to keep in mind are that your essay should include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion with all of their component parts. Also, if you include any outside sources to add to your background information about your artwork you must include an MLA formatted Works Cited page.
- Use the AXES process to help you structure your writing. (Handout on Bb)
- Read your paper out loud to catch grammar and spelling mistakes.
- Utilize the Writing Center's services.