Part II. In-Class Essay [125 Points]
For the in-class essay component of exam #3, write a short essay [3-4 handwritten pages]
in which you discuss whether, after four weeks of reading stories and watching films, you
believe that slipstream is actually a developing genre. Remember that James Patrick Kelly
and John Kessel titled their introduction to Feeling Very Strange: A Slipstream Anthology
“Slipstream, the Genre That Isn’t,” themselves questioning whether or not slipstream is
actually a coherent developing genre.
1. “Travels with the Snow Queen” by Kelly Link
2. “Help Wanted” by Karen Russell
3. “The Well-Dressed Wolf: A Comic” by Laurence Schimel
and Sara Rojo
4. “The Pirate’s True Love” by Seana Graham
5. “Happier Days” by Jan Lars Jensen
6. “Sea Oak” by George Saunders
7. “Two Stories” by James Sallis
Discuss at least two stories from this week’s assigned reading to defend your position. As
always, properly punctuating titles and properly presenting and documenting quotations
will be important to your success, as will providing specific examples from the stories to
support your position.
This time, write out your introductory paragraph, including your thesis statement listing
the topics that you intend to cover before you come to class. You may also outline your
essay, listing the topic sentences for your body paragraphs and some of the supporting
evidence that you intend to use. This information can be handwritten on a piece of
notebook paper or typed and printed out. When you begin the essay portion of the exam,
copy your opening paragraph on the paper that I will provide, then complete your essay.
You may not have anything with you but your prepared material and the two books for the
course when you write this essay.
Put your name on your prepared material and submit it with your completed essay.
You may not use additional research of any kind for the writing of this essay.
The only sources that you may consult are the assigned readings in this course.
Plagiarism of any kind will result in failure on the assignment; egregious plagiarism
[copying passages from another writer] will result in failure in the course.
