Demystifying Explication
Essays: Crafting a Perfect Explication Essay
Introduction:
Embarking on the journey of writing an explication essay requires a keen eye
for detail and an understanding of the nuances within a text. In this guide,
we'll delve into the intricacies of crafting a perfect explication essay,
drawing inspiration from proven guidelines and strategies.
Unraveling the Basics:
Before we delve into the steps, let's grasp the foundational aspects outlined
in a recent article. The author emphasizes the need for a close reading of the material,
particularly when dealing with poetry. Explication essays, as revealed, dissect
sentences, passages, poems, verses, or texts to offer a detailed
interpretation. The critical components include a clear thesis in the
introduction, supported analysis, and a succinct conclusion.
Step 1: Selecting the
Passage: Much like our source suggests, the initial step
involves choosing the right passage. Focus on a central line, paragraph, or
sentence that aligns with the core idea you wish to explore. This passage
should act as a microcosm, encapsulating the essence of the entire work.
Step 2: Navigating the
Explication Process:
- Resisting Plot Summaries:
Echoing the sentiments of the article, we emphasize the importance of
avoiding plot summaries. Instead, concentrate on providing a unique
interpretation of the selected passage.
- Exploring Word Choice:
Building upon the article's insight, delve into the author's choice of
words. Unpack the significance of phrases, recognizing that words provide
the tone and context, shaping the interpretation of the work.
- Author's Credibility:
Aligning with the source, establish the author's credibility. Recognize
that understanding the author's qualifications allows you to discern
potential biases, offering confidence in the context of the literary work.
Step 3: Crafting Your
Explication Essay:
- Length and Format:
As highlighted in the article, maintain a concise yet informative
approach, aiming for a 3-page paper (700-900 words) in MLA format.
- Quoting Passages:
Echoing the effectiveness emphasized in the source, employ direct
quotations to substantiate your interpretation. This ensures a robust
foundation for your arguments.
- Tying to the Overall Meaning:
Reiterating the article's stance, ensure a seamless connection between the
chosen passage and the overarching meaning of the story. This integration
is pivotal for a successful explication.
Examples of Effective
Explication Papers:
- Example 1: [Brief description and
key points]
- Example 2: [Brief description and
key points]
- Example 3: [Brief description and
key points]
Step 4: Tips for
Success:
- Polishing Your Writing:
Drawing from the article's recommendation, invest time in polishing your
writing. Consider a grammar check to ensure clarity and coherence.
- Infusing Creativity:
As emphasized in the source, infuse creativity into your interpretation.
Your unique perspective should shine through, enhancing the overall
quality of your explication.
Explication Essay
Example
The Explication of the Yellow
Wallpaper
The short story
presents the descent of a young woman into madness. She is confined for
sometimes in a nursery within a summer home. She spends all her time inside the
nursery and dedicates most of her time writing about a wallpaper she finds
wired and intriguing. She describes the wallpaper as having a different shade
of yellow, one she had never seen before, and the patterns were evolving the
longer she stayed there. In the end, her
obsession over it drives her mad. This is
an explication essay that will break down the story and provide different
points of view from the story and try to present the intention of the writer
when writing the book
The story explores the
role of women in a patriarchal society. This
is a society characterized by men having complete authority over women. In such
a society all aspects of the lives of women are
controlled by the men and were widely
accepted in the American society decades ago. The men were established as the
gender of authority and controlled all situations. According to the story, John
the husband of the narrator makes a diagnosis of her and concludes that she has
a temporal nervous depression which she acquired after giving birth to their
child. As a result of this condition, he
concludes that she has to be confined to
the nursery of the summer home they have rented where she can rest. In this situation, the narrator has no control over her
health. She is left in complete control of her husband even though he
misunderstands her condition. The patriarchal aspect is also depicted with the limited roles women had in the society.
The
medical establishment of the time is also characterized by high aspects of
patriarchal. Women are given
fixed gender roles which are associated
with their confinement to homes. The lives of women during the time completely revolves
around the home while men carry out all the other aspect of the society. This
strict confinement of gender roles is a factor of the control men have exerted
to women. As a result, women have limited
skills and are completely dependent on the efforts and decisions made by men.
The men have assigned the roles of the heads of the family and rational
thinkers.
The women one the other
hand have been assigned the role of being dutiful, confined at home and cannot
question the authority of the husbands. The Yellow wallpaper offers a depiction of a couple completely lost and
trapped in their gender role and are both suffering from it. The narrator is completely sure that her husband has
misunderstood her nervous condition. However, she is not in any position to question
his diagnosis, let alone his judgment, she, later on, loses touch with reality
as she descends into psychosis as a result of confinement to the small nursery
where she spends the summer with nothing else to do but to stare at the
wallpaper. It is set in a highly
authoritative period where women had limited control over aspects of their
lives. They were forced to be over-dependent
on their husbands in all aspects of their lives. The high overdependence meant
that any error in judgment also fell on the women even though they also had
some clear understanding of what revolved around them.
The
medical establishment of the time is also controlled by men.
They use the aspect of medicine to control women. It is an establishment the
narrator describes as lacking a full understanding of the mental health issues
that affect women they have generalized it to hysteria. This aspect of
generalization of health conditions of women is very risky because it led to
the misunderstanding of their health conditions. A good example is a story where the narrator’s husband used the
rest cure as the main treatment, and this
was completely out of the line. The husband used the rest cure because of lack
of adequate understanding of the problem she is suffering from only does so to
regain control over the situation. This situation also brings out the aspects
of strict gender roles that has kept the couple suffering. The rest cure was
also a treatment used to control women by confining them to the house. Her
confinement limited her from spending time with her child, and she dreaded it very much. She felt like she was imprisoned.
The story of yellow
wallpaper is, therefore, effective in
bringing out the problems women have suffered from
for many years. They have been victims of oppression and exploitation form a
very long time. They have had all aspects of their lives in the hands of men
and dependent on them in all aspects. It brings out the factor of lack of understanding
and misdiagnosis of mental conditions affecting women. Many women suffered in
the hands of the medical establishment as
a result of poor diagnosis and treatment.
Works
Cited
Gilman,
Charlotte Perkins. The yellow wallpaper. First Avenue Editions, a
Division Of Lerner Publishing Group, 2017.
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