Crafting Readers responses for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Introduction: Writing a reader response is like writing a mini-essay: Youre writing to make a point about
what you just read.

For our purposes, the response is informal writing. You are still arguing a point of view (a kind of
thesis), but you are using a passage or quote from the work youve read as a prompt. Please cite page
number from the textbook on which the line appears (use parentheses, like this, at the end of the
passage).Use quotation marks when you do quote the textand write a response to the quote or
passage.

Your response should be based on your impressions about the literaturealways attempting to
delve beneath the literal surface. Dont just engage facts of the story, engage at the level of meaning
and what the text is teachingor trying to say. How do you relate to it, what does it make you think
about, do you take issue with the textwhether on a personal level, or more importantly on an
intuitive, philosophical or scholarly level?

Important points: Use a passage from the Sir Gawain text to inspire your writing. You may either embed
the passage into your first or second paragraph, or place it at the top of the pageskip a line, then write
the response under it.

Write in paragraph form, focusing on commentary and supporting detail and avoid plot
summary as much as possible. No need to retell the story in any way.
Each response should have some insight about the work from you based on what youve
read and have thought about it.
Focus on your commentaryyour impressions, thoughts and ideas that the text
inspires.
Each response should be one to two pages in length. Word process, 12 pt. font, double
space, one-inch margins, etc. Turn in to Canvas on appropriate dates.
Each response should start with a passage or quote from the textbut can also include
other passages or quotes.
You should have one to two pages of response (word processed, turned in to Canvas)
for each submission due on Oct. 13 and again on Oct. 20 (see calendar).