Assessment Requirements for Textual Analysis of Edgeworth and Shelley

Assessment 1 is a close reading exercise based on one of the subject’s set texts. Students only have to answer 1 question for this assessment but will be given 2 questions to choose from based on two different set texts studied in weeks 2 to 5. Students must include reference to 1 secondary reading from the subject’s Readings and Resources list on vUWS in their answer.

Questions will be released on VUWS in Week 4

Students should submit their assessment via the Turnitin submission link, below.

Question: that’s the question I want to do

What impression do we get of Brian O’Neill from the first two chapters of Edgeworth’s “The Limerick Gloves”? You must focus your answer on pp. 13-17 of the story.

Wright, J.M, in Representing the national landscape in Irish romanticism, 1st edn, New York, Syracuse University Press, 2014, 129 – 167

Instructions

Students must choose to answer ONE question from the list of questions below.

In their answer, students will also need to refer to ONE CRITICAL READING from the READINGS AND RESOURCES list for Weeks 1 to 5 on vUWS. For this assessment, students MUST use the version of the Edgeworth and Shelley stories that are given in the Subject Reader, and the corresponding page numbers for referencing. The Subject Reader can be found on the Home Page and in the Learning Modules folder on vUWS. It also contains all the relevant bibliographical information required to correctly cite the primary texts in your Works Cited list.

Questions

1. What impression do we get of Brian O’Neill from the first two chapters of Edgeworth’s “The Limerick Gloves”? You must focus your answer on pp. 13-17 of the story.

2. What do we learn about Bertha’s character at the start of Shelley’s “The Mortal Immortal”? You must focus your answer on pp. 73-77 of the story.

Reminders

• This is a close reading exercise, so your answer must include detailed analysis of the text and include

appropriate quotations to support your argument.

• There is a sample close reading question and answer on vUWS based on a text used in earlier iterations of the subject which gives a sense of the expectations of this assessment, including how to incorporate a secondary resource.

• Please refer to the guidance in the Assessment 1 folder on the use of AI or other internet resources for this assessment. Students will be heavily penalized for AI/internet misuse on this subject and, for excessive misuse, will be reported to the University for academic misconduct.

Assessment 1 Requirements

Assessment Type: Close reading exercise
Task: Choose ONE question from a set of two and answer it using detailed textual analysis.
Primary Focus:

• For your selected question: “What impression do we get of Brian O’Neill from the first two chapters of Edgeworth’s ‘The Limerick Gloves’?” (pp. 13–17).

• Use detailed textual evidence (quotations) to support your analysis.
  Secondary Source:

• Include reference to one critical reading from Weeks 1–5 on vUWS. For this assessment, the chosen secondary reading is:

• Focused, close textual analysis.

• Properly integrate and cite a secondary source.

• Use the edition and page numbers given in the Subject Reader.

• Avoid plagiarism; the assessment is for demonstrating analytical and interpretive skills.

Approach Guided by Academic Mentor

1. Understanding the Question

   • The mentor advised starting by carefully reading pp. 13–17 of Edgeworth’s story to form a clear impression of Brian O’Neill.

   • Key questions to consider: What are his personality traits? How does he behave in social situations? What do other characters reveal about him?

2. Close Reading & Note-Taking

   • Annotate the text while reading, highlighting descriptive phrases, dialogues, and actions that illustrate Brian’s character.

   • Make note of specific quotations to use in the essay.

3. Secondary Source Integration

   • Consult Wright’s analysis to provide context on how Irish romanticism portrays characters like Brian.

   • The mentor suggested noting relevant points from Wright that could connect to Brian’s social identity or moral traits.

4. Structuring the Answer
   The mentor recommended the following structure:

   • Introduction: Briefly introduce Brian O’Neill and the purpose of the analysis.

   • Paragraphs on Character Traits:

     • Each paragraph should focus on a specific impression (e.g., social manners, moral integrity, ambition).

     • Include textual evidence (quotes) and commentary.

   • Integration of Secondary Source:

     • Use Wright’s insights to support or deepen the analysis.

   • Conclusion: Summarize the overall impression and link it to broader themes or literary techniques.

5. Drafting and Review

   • Write a draft integrating quotations and secondary source references.

   • The mentor emphasized clarity and avoiding generalizations; each statement about Brian must be supported by evidence.

   • Review for proper citation formatting according to the Subject Reader guidelines.

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