+1 862 207 3288 For this assignment, you will write a well-developed literary argument paper on The Right Stuff, though you can also incorporate some of your
other reading assignments in the paper as well (this is not a requirement). You will need to formulate an effective thesis and support that
thesis with textual support from the novel, other assigned readings as applicable to your argument, and scholarly source support.
Areas of Focus
In The Right Stuff, Tom Wolfe develops the story of the first astronauts as a story of accomplishment based primarily on characters who had
“the right stuff,” which enabled the men to achieve one of the greatest feats in American history, taking the first steps to space flight and
eventually the voyage to the moon.
However, Wolfe also humanizes the astronauts, using elements of Realism to show them as sometimes flawed humans, who still accomplished an
incredible feat.
In many ways, the story is also an extenuation of the frontier in American literature. The western frontier was always an important element
in the development of American individualism and the pioneering spirit of Americans. The “Frontier Theory” of Frederick Jackson Turner argued
specifically that the conquering of the American frontier gave America its unique identity, one of rugged individualism and strong character.
Though there is debate over some of Turner’s ideas, The Frontier Theory did much to shape the American outlook on life.
Following the 1890 census, the American Frontier was unofficially closed; the West was largely settled. Concerns arose over what this meant
for American identity. However, in the 1960s John F. Kennedy proposed conquering the new frontier (space), which led to the Mercury program,
on which The Right Stuff is based.
The search for new frontiers did not end there, however. Areas of scientific research, the digital revolution, and even NASA’s new focus on a
Mars mission all highlight new frontiers to be conquered. This continued focus on the frontier says a great deal about American identity.
Thesis Development
In this paper you will need to develop an argument. That means you need a clear, arguable thesis statement for your paper. There are many
possibilities for writing a literature argument paper, so pick something that interests you and find support for your argument from the text
and other supporting sources.
You can choose your own critical perspective, but I include the following list of possibilities in case you are having difficulty choosing an
area of focus:
• Write an argument focusing on Wolfe’s idea of “the right stuff.” What is it, who has it, and how does having it lead to the successes
of the American space program?
• Write an argument identifying elements of Realism in The Right Stuff. How does Wolfe humanize the astronauts? Do the Realist elements
of the novel reduce the astronauts from heroic status or do the Realist elements make the astronauts’ accomplishments even more heroic?
• Write an argument focusing of elements of Wolfe’s style (repetition, phrases, descriptions, etc.). How does the style affect the
experience of reading the novel?
• Write an argument in which you compare the characters (the astronauts or other characters in the novel) as Wolfe developed them in
the story. What can be learned in the process of comparing?
• Write an argument focusing on the significance of the frontier in American literature. What importance does the frontier have for
Wolfe’s novel? How does the conquering of the frontier influence American identity? Is the idea of the frontier still relevant today?
• Write an argument focusing on the sheer magnitude of the scientific accomplishment of space travel. How is the idea developed in
Wolfe’s novel? By focusing almost exclusively on the astronauts, does Wolfe leave out important elements of the space program?
Goals/Critical Thinking Levels:
Understand
Students will demonstrate an understandingof the novel by analyzing it from a selected critical perspective.
Apply
Students will apply techniques of literary analysis as appropriate to their selected critical perspectives. Students will apply appropriate
MLA procedures for integrating multiple sources into the paper. Students will also apply information from their own research. Students should
also exhibit the ability to apply standard grammatical rules.
Analyze
Students will analyze selected readings from a critical perspective and thoroughly examine the significance the novel from that perspective.
Specific points of analysis will vary depending on the chosen perspective. Whichever perspective is chosen, students should fully demonstrate
the ability to analyze a literary text and extrapolate meaning from that text.
Evaluate
Students should demonstrate the ability to evaluate the texts by applying the information presented in the course and outside sources to
develop clear literary arguments.
Structuring the Paper
Thesis
Whatever perspective you choose, make sure you develop a clear, arguable thesis statement.
Development
Once you have chosen your perspective, you should conduct a close reading of the text(s) and highlight areas that can enlighten the work from
that particular perspective. Try to find key passages and areas of the novel that can help support your critical analysis.
Focus on supporting your thesis with all of your body paragraphs. The specific pattern of development will vary depending on your critical
perspective and thesis.
You also need to find several sources to help support your own analysis. Search for articles that focus on your chosen novel or that
otherwise support your thesis.
Requirements
• 5-6 pages
• 4 academic sources. Use the academic databases (NCLive, JStor, etc. to conduct your research). You can use credible online sources,
but make sure they are academic in nature.
• MLA format including in-text citations and a Works Cited page listing the novel (and stories from the anthology—if you use any) and
your academic sources. Make sure you cite all summarized, paraphrased, and directly quoted material within the paper. Review section 53 and
56 in LB Brief for specific guidance.
