This writing assignment, like the others, is a short and focused exercise in close reading. Only 250 words are required; however, this is enough for you to work on a small piece of text in Benito Cereno and in detail. I am not selecting a passage for you; instead, you’ll be responsible for selecting a passage you deem interesting. Place the quotation at the top of the page, as an epigraphic quotation. Then, examine it and analyze it as you’ve done with previous close reading assignments. My advice (again): Stay focused with the epigraphic quotation. I am asking that you craft one paragraph as a body paragraph you might insert into an essay. The objective is for you to develop a sustained textual analysis with a scene/moment of the primary text, but also, for me to continue following your progress.
- Are your writing skills improving? Is your analysis of text moving from summary to critical analysis? Have you grasped the importance of rewriting?
Because you have an entire week, you’ll want to return to this piece of writing at least three times before turning it in on session 17. Spend one day drafting (an hour +), the second day rewriting (an hour +) and possibly a third day polishing (an hour). Some of you are showing progress, while others are struggling, and this is often attributed to students waiting until the night before the assignment is due to begin writing.
Writing ideas
- The title, Benito Cereno
- Don Benito, the Spanish Captain (the character)
- Amasa Delano, the American Captain (the character)
- Babo, the black slave (the character)
- The San Dominick (as character)
- The narrator (as character)
Reading experience for subscribers of Putnam’s Monthly
For Benito Cereno follow the directions below. It appeared in three installations, October, November and December:
- Click on “3. 1855 (Vol. 5-6)”
- Then, click on “10. October 1855, vol. 6, issue 35”
- Listed is “Benito Cereno, pp. 353-367” (this is the first part, for the second & third parts, click on “11. November 1855, fol. 6, issue 35” and also “12. December 1855, vol. 6, issue 36”
