In The Writing of Fiction (1925), novelist Edith Wharton states the following: A

In The Writing of Fiction (1925), novelist Edith Wharton states the following:
At every stage in the progress of his tale the novelist must rely on what may be called the illuminating incident to reveal and emphasize the inner meaning of each situation. Illuminating incidents are the magic casements of fiction, its vistas on infinity.
Write a well-organized essay in which you describe an “illuminating” episode or moment from The Catcher in the Rye and explain how it functions as a “casement,” a window that opens onto the meaning of the work as a whole.
STRUCTURE: Your essay should be in depth and provide insight. AVOID plot summary. Your audience is familiar with the text. You will need to be specific and to-the-point with your analysis and ideas. You might consider the following structure to your essay:
Start with a compelling opening and establish your thesis.
Provide evidence to support your idea.
Explain the significance of the evidence and how it relates back to your thesis (TEETh).
Finish the essay with a strong conclusion.
Observe all MLA formatting, include a works cited page and parenthetical citations for quotes.
LENGTH: Your overall length should be between 400-600 words. This includes all MLA formatting, heading, headers, and titles.
QUOTATIONS AND TEXTUAL EVIDENCE: You should have specific examples from the text (direct quotations) to support your ideas. Your evidence should be used as a springboard for your commentary and analysis. Be sure your quotes are embedded (providing context) and keep them short.