Mystic River novel

The purpose of this assignment is to gain a broader understanding of Dennis Lehane’s novel Mystic River using outside sources. Your assignment for this paper is to write a six to eight-page argument essay analyzing the novel’s characters, themes, or commentary on underlying social issues.

Write about one of the topics below.

– Gender: masculine men, masculine women, feminine men, feminine women, multiple masculinities, male violence

– Religion: confessions, guilt, Catholicism

You may write about any topic of your choosing as it relates to the novel, but keep in mind that whatever topic you write about must present an original argument and conduct analysis.

Do not write an essay that states the obvious or that relies too heavily on the plot of the novel.

Do not use research to simply state that the plot of the novel is realistic. This assignment will work best if you find tension/conflict within novel or between the novel and your research.

Other requirements: Your essay must include a clear thesis statement, an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You must use three to four scholarly sources to support your arguments

Formating: Paper length: 6-8 pages, typed, double-spaced with no extra space between paragraphs, 12-point Times New Roman or Cambria font. A six-page minimum means six FULL pages. Margins: 1-inch on each side Format: Follow MLA format for all in-text citations and format your paper according to the MLA guidelines on Purdue OWL or the guidelines in your style manual. Include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper. The Works Cited page will not be included in the page limits.