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3 pages/≈825 words
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3 Sources
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MLA
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Literature & Language
Type:
Coursework
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English (U.S.)
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English 1302: Paper # 3. “Victory Lap” by George Saunders. Coursework

Coursework Instructions:

English 1302: Paper # 3
Setting(s) in Literature
The description of setting, as we have explored in class, is not just a “backdrop” for story, but is essential to its meaning. For this paper, you will analyze the setting of one of the short stories listed below. Think about the ways in which the setting(s) evokes a particular “mood,” reveals character, and comments on the central idea or theme. In the discussion of this, please make reference to the terms we have used in class (general vs. specific, physical, geographic, cultural, historic, etc.) which will help in the overall effectiveness of the analysis. In order to fully explore this topic, you will have to do research on the social and physical aspects of the setting in the story, and integrate that research into your paper (see below for specific guidelines).
“Victory Lap” by George Saunders (here is the .pdf)
*Optional* Structure:
Introductory paragraph: summary of story/central idea statement; all the rules/guidelines that applied to Paper # 1 will apply here (review these on Blackboard if you need a “refresher” on crafting this section).
Body Paragraph 1: Identify and analyze the physical setting of this story: where and when this story takes place, and how this is revealed in the story. Pay particular attention to the geography, weather, season, time of day and whether it is general or specific.
Body Paragraph 2: Identify and analyze the cultural setting of this story. Start with the physical—you might look at how clothing, dialogue, decoration indicates where we are in space and time. Then, think about the non-physical: what economic, and social classes are present? Religious beliefs? What sort of education has your protagonist received or failed to receive?
Body Paragraph 3: Identify and analyze the historic setting of this story; if the setting is specific, think about the era the story is set it, the leadership, the major historical events taking place at the time. If the setting is general, you might research your writer and his/her inspiration for writing this story – what historic time period did they seek to reference here? What role does this story play in their personal and professional history?
Conclusion: Finally, return to your central idea—how does the setting in this piece work to achieve the author’s central idea?
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Rough Draft: You have the option to submit a rough draft for both peer and instructor review.
For student (peer) feedback: submit as Discussion 7 on Blackboard (also don’t forget to leave 150 word comments on two of your classmates’ papers for full credit)
For instructor feedback: Please create a Google doc of your rough draft in our Shared Google Drive in the folder for “Paper 3”. You will receive feedback from your instructor on the Google doc itself.
Final Draft: After receiving feedback, you will submit your final draft of Paper 3 on Blackboard (see syllabus/course schedule for exact date). Your final grade for the assignment will be posted on Blackboard; only the final draft grade counts for your GPA in the course.

PAPER GUIDELINES
Formatting: Your paper should be formatted and cited in accordance with MLA conventions (a template is available on Blackboard under “Writing Essays: General Materials” folder on our course homepage)
Sources: You are required to use at least two secondary sources; you may use more, but this is the minimum. Use MLA conventions.
Length: Your final draft should be at least 700 words and not longer than 1,000 words.

Coursework Sample Content Preview:
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‘Victory Lap’ by George Saunders
George Saunders’ Victory Lap is for one of the stories published under the author’s collection of short stories dubbed Tenth of December showcasing a highly inventive approach in the development of the short narrative. The story revolves around the lives of two teenage characters, Alison Pope and Kyle Boot, whose distinct personalities are brought together in an encounter with a stranger who attacks Alison at her home. Alison is three days away from her fifteenth birthday and is engrossed in teenage thoughts as she zones into a fantasy world thinking about the nature and appearances of her suitors (Saunders, pg. 1). She is at the top of the stairs when she gets imaginative and the author presents her creative thoughts through third-person omniscient narration. Alison goes about the normal experiences of a teenage girl and shares a positive attitude about her and the neighborhood. Through the third person omniscient narration of her thoughts Alison comes across as a girl who considers herself special but not yet at the level of her perceived mentors in the likes of Mother Teresa. She adores her parents and has good things to say about her neighborhood with an exception of the boys including some of her childhood friends including Kyle. Kyle Boot, on the other hand, is a pampered only-child and a son t6o his overprotective parents who struggles to make decisions for himself. The stranger’s attack on Alison brings their contrasting identities together as Kyle overcomes his decision-making inhibitions to take the right course of action and rescue Alison from the hands of her assailant who planned to rape her. As the title suggests, Kyle who trains for a cross-country race run makes a victory lap that overcomes his indecisiveness and liberates Alison from harm’s way.
As she gets imaginative about her suitors and their different wooing techniques the omniscient third-person narrator creates a vivid picture of her home, which appears to be a one storey building as the rest of the houses in the Gladsong Drive neighborhood. She claims that, “Every house on Gladsong was a Corona del Mar,” and that “If you had a friend on Gladsong, you already knew where everything was in his or her home,” (Saunders, pg. 2). Both Alison and Kyle live in the same suburban neighborhood and it appears to be in the late afternoon when the stranger attacks the former as both of their parents are not ...
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