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Drafted fall 2023
Think of literary research questions as falling into two basic categories: internal questions refer only to the text, and external inquiries are about the wider context (how the piece was made, how it was received, etc.). Here are some suggestions for how to interpret prompt questions to shape an essay.
How questions ask about the format or the function of specific elements.
Why questions ask about the meaning or purpose of the work.
“So what?” questions ask about the relationships between claims and evidence or the reasons a reader should believe and care about those observations.
Who Internal: characters, point of view
Who External: author’s biography, their place in literature
What Internal: plot, dialogue, format, tone
What External: publication details, genre, history
When Internal: setting, timelines
When External: era of publication, history of criticism
Where Internal: setting, point of view
Where External: place of publication, where it is read
Why Internal: aesthetic, tone, themes, imagery
Why External: Purpose, Audience, Reception of the work