English 101
Select one of the following prompts and write a detailed response that uses both the text and one of the schools of literary criticism.
(Link)-https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/index.html
Use your critical lens to critique and justify one poem that you felt a connection with. You must do so in an original way with a fresh perspective.
Write a short analysis in which you work out carefully why and how that’s the case, where a single word seems crucial to the poem’s total effect and theme. Be thorough and consider discussing both the word and possible extraction of the word to the poem’s entire meaning.
Submission Guidelines: Submit a written response of at least 250-words in MLA format or original 3-minute audio or video recording. Refer to the Module 3 Readings and Lecture Content on Literary Criticism.
**** This analysis is on the short story by Alissa Nutting (b. 1981) Model’s Assistant
ANSWER
Alissa Nutting: Literary Analysis
Alissa, in her short story, “Models Assistant,” paints a picture of the struggle of the human being to attain flawlessness and the inabilities to achieve it. Humanity struggles to attain the media’s unattainable perfection, as depicted in the short story. The ideals by the media lead to the human’s addiction to living up to false standards. The main character personifies the insecurities of modern society, while Garla is the depiction of perfection. Without Garla, the main character seizes to be. Garla is the depiction of perfection, according to the short story. She is the embodiment of unattainable perfection. She is a beautiful and revered flawless model celebrity.
The story begins with the introduction of Garla, who is from somewhere “swedishy.” Garla, however, does not like any conversations that divulge into her personal life. With her interactions between the main character and the model, Garla can be the dynamic character, but the author keeps her fairly flat. Her answers are basic phrases that mean nothing. I know you’re more,” my drunken eyes say. They say this in a breathy hesitant manner that insists it has taken them a lot of time to work up the courage to say such a thing, without words nonetheless. “Yes,” answer Garla’s eyes, and like all of Garla’s answers, it is a mysterious pearl whose value I immediately begin to appraise….”Some type of sausage,” Garla says…” (33-5
Nutting creates a wonderful story that is easily relatable as the world is addicted to the standards that are set by celebrities. People often seek validation and are addicted to the life of the celebrities and will give anything to be like them, just like the protagonist of the story. The protagonist is addicted to her model friend’s lifestyle, but the model friend does not need her. In the 21st century, it is easy to be addicted to the celebrity lifestyle, especially through social media. People are often seeking validation of their identities on social media, while in reality, social media is biased and what it portrays is unattainable.
Works Cited
Alissa Nutting. The Model’s Assistant (1981)
