Paper 1 for English 174: Literature, Self, and Society Write a 5-6 page (double-spaced) researched literary analysis of one or more texts covered in the first six weeks of classes (Bradstreet, Wheatley, Dickinson, Whitman, Douglass, Jacobs, or Yezierska). A minimum of one outside source needs to be used. Due October 6, 2004 in hard copy. You also need to turn this document into Turnitin.com.
Assignments will be graded based on
1) Clarity of expression: sentence and paragraph structure, word choice, and overall organization;
2) textual support: careful citation of textual evidence such as quotation or plot summary (in appropriate amounts) with page number or (for poetry) line number. The essay analyzes all of the evidence supplied and clearly shows how the evidence supports the paper's thesis and its supporting point(s).
3) cohesion and persuasiveness of the argument: the essay does not merely recount the text but teaches someone who has read the original text more about a specific aspect of that text; the essay takes contradictory as well as supporting information into consideration and asserts the most persuasive reading of the text(s) as a whole; the essay also maintains the reader’s interest with the subtlety, originality, and complexity of its thesis and support.
4) How appropriate and well-utilized is outside research in the project as a whole? Are all sources clearly cited and does the student's voice remain clear and distinct from his or her source? MLA, American History and Life, and Infotrac/expanded academic index are good starting points for your research (see “Databases” at http://www.sjlibrary.org/gateways/academic/.
Some Potential Topics
You are welcome to come up with your own but here are a few suggestions:
1. Being an Artist: How does race, class, or gender impact the author’s self-definition as an artist? To what extent does the work itself thematize the role of the artist?
2. Spirituality: How does spiritual or religious belief shape the identities of the authors or characters? How is religion or spiritual belief explored within the text? Does belief transcend or become impacted by social forces such as prejudice, assimilation, or competing moral codes? To what extent is belief used to oppress or empower individuals?
3. How do one (or more) of the works we have read depict the impact of class on American society? How do economic concerns shape the identities and lives of the individuals speaking or described in the text? Is class only defined by economic opportunity or are there additional educational or cultural factors involved?
4. How do race or gender shape the experiences of the characters or authors in our reading? To what extent is racial or gender difference thematized (analyzed, emphasized or even undercut) in the narrative? How do American laws and moral codes affect racial or gendered experiences?
5. How does education — or the search for education — shape the narrative? What does education embody for one or more characters? What kind of opportunities or access does education promise?