In this second essay and final essay, you will compare the gendered power dynamics of 2 texts (films or novels) in closely analyzing one or two characters from each text. Please select two primary texts from this course. In addition to a clear thesis and developed close analysis of particular scenes or passages, your paper must draw on 2 or 3 critical secondary sources. If you wish, you may draw from your midterm essay in this second and final essay. Please note that this does NOT mean simply cutting and pasting your previous essay into this one; it means that if you would like to compare another primary text with the one you’ve already begun to explore, you may do so, provided you further reflect on the first text in terms of how it compares to the second. Also, make sure to proofread carefully for sentence clarity, correct grammar, and correct spelling. The paper is due via Canvas on December 7th (Monday of Finals Week) by 5 PM. Just like your midterm essay, you will need to submit your final essay twice: once here, under “Final Essay,” and once under “Final Essay Vericite Check.”

Note on secondary sources: You can choose ones that we have read for this class, such as Abbott, Place, Dyer, or Butler, or you can find a book chapter or peer-reviewed article. Do not, however, consult any Internet sources when writing your papers, with the exception of the library website and database. Many such sources are unreliable and may even be plagiarized. Do not forget to include both your primary and secondary sources in your works cited.

Questions to consider, as you decide what you want to focus on: how does each film or novel convey, embody and/or refute the conventions of femme fatale? What other female figures (ie the female detective, victim, or “redemptive woman”) or figures of troubled masculinity are present, and how are these figures portrayed in the narrative and/or in terms of cinematic framing? Does the relationship between gender and power change throughout the film or novel, and if so, how? How does the relationship between gender and power seem to differ between the two primary texts you have chosen? This list is not meant as a checklist, merely to provide ideas to help you brainstorm.

Please see attached essays rubric, as well as the attached “Characteristics of a Strong Essay,” as you begin writing. Please note that papers are being run through Veracite, and that any academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade.