ENG 281

Second Major Writing Assignment

 

Pay particular attention to the writing guidelines outlined in the syllabus, grading rubric, and first assignment, as these are important points to keep in mind as you write.  Feel free to conference with me early and often as you develop your thesis and write the paper.

 

Length: 4 pages minimum (5 pages for W students)

Format: MLA (including Works Cited page)

Due Date: Rough Draft 10/24 (3 pages minimum), Final Draft 11/07

 

Looking at Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, I would like you to choose one of the major characters in the film - Carl Hanratty, Frank Abagnale Sr., Frank Abagnale Jr., or Brenda Strong - and develop an arguable thesis in relation to that character, using one of the following possibilities as a starting point.  Your thesis must be supported with evidence taken from a careful analysis of the mise-en-scene of one or two significant scenes in the film. 

 

1)      In what ways are identity and the search for legitimacy tied to family issues for this character?  Try to think of instances in the film where he or she pretends to be something that he or she is not, successfully fools someone else, seeks satisfaction in life, and seeks to make genuine connections with other characters.  In what ways does the family complicate his or her quest?

2)      Consider the gender depictions present in this film.  How does this character relate to other genders?  How are those genders depicted in light of the character’s perspective?  What use does the character make of them?  Is this empowering, demeaning, or both?  In what ways does family influence the way that the character approaches and thinks of men and women?

3)      Specifically discuss the role of “father” in the film in relation to this character.  How does the character’s father or father figure in the narrative influence him or her?  How might the character be a father figure himself, and/or what does the character seek when he or she searches for a father or son in the film?  In short, what’s the point of being a dad/having a dad in this film?  Be careful to avoid cliché and simplistic conclusions; explore this issue with sophistication and complexity.