Category: Literature

Essay #1: Character Analysis Tips: – When (if) providing a character analysis, consider answering some of these questions in your analysis: does he/she undergo important changes, what are the facets of his/her personality or behavior, what is his/her relationship with other characters, what important actions does he/she take that helps us understand his/her character, what important conflicts does he/she encounter and how does he/she address or resolve those conflicts, and so on? – Throughout this quarter, you are expected to work from the details of the text and employ “close reading” of short passages. A close reading is an examination of a passage in detailline by line, sentence by sentence, thought by thought. On the basis of what you find, you should present a unified thesis or reading of the text. Be sure to find detailed passages from the text to help strengthen your analysis. Use a combination of quotes and paraphrases. -Remember to always work towards internalizing the text, moving beyond a superficial reading of the words to a deeper understanding of the meaning of and motivation behind the words. Guidelines: * Essays must be about 4 pages, typed in MLA format. Writing Assignment: Please choose ONE of the following topics below, and write a response to the question in a 4-page essay. Writing Assignment: Please choose ONE of the following topics below, and write a response to the question in a 4-page essay. Topic 1: For as long as we can remember, women have been fighting against the constraints of a male dominated society; therefore, it is no surprise that the oppression of women is a common theme in a great deal of literature. In fact, in The Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin, The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck, and The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the theme of oppression is certainly recognizable. Write an essay in which you closely examine one of the characters from the stories mentioned above, and analyze how their character development leads to a deeper understanding of the theme of womens oppression. Topic 2: Stories like Open Boat, Story of an Hour and The Cathedral are particularly unique in their ability to leave the readers awestruck with the uncanny irony at the end of each tale. Identify the irony in one of the stories above, and analyze how it aids in the development of the storys theme. Be sure to examine the specific character attributes which shed light on the ironical undertone of the story. Topic 3: What is symbolic about Elisas chrysanthemums in The Chrysanthemums; how about the dreadfully yellow colored wallpaper in The Yellow Wallpaper? Symbolic elements often appear in stories to help us better understand the characters, themes, and the overall underlying messages of the story. Choose a work of short fiction from above, and analyze the symbolic elements of the story. Be sure to provide a detailed examination of what the symbolism in the story reveals about the characters and/or theme of the story. Topic 4: In both A Tale-Tell Heart and A Rose for Emily, we are introduced to protagonists who have a distorted view of reality. In a Tell-Tell Heart, the narrator promises us that he isnt mad, but we know better. In A Rose for Emily, though we never personally meet Emily, based on what the townspeople say about her, we gain a fairly strong understanding of her lack of sanity. While both characters clearly have a distorted view of reality, they are the protagonists, and therefore, we often find ourselves rooting for them. Write an essay in which you provide a character analysis of either Emily from A Rose for Emily, or the narrator from A Tell-Tale Heart, and examine how the character development deepens our understanding of the protagonists distorted reality. Be sure to identify what character aspects (if any) allow us to sympathize with them. Can we really sympathize with someone who is so far removed from reality? Topic 5: While in a A Tale-Tell Heart and A Rose for Emily we feel an obligation to try and sympathize with unreliable characters like Emily and the narrator who swears he isnt mad, in other stories like Where Are You Going, Where Have you Been, and A Good Man Is Hard to Find, we are introduced to antagonists who unmistakably are standing in the way of our protagonists; however, despite our inclination to root for the good guys,, the complex portrayal of such characters leads us to a deeper understanding of them, (and maybe even a little sympathy?), as well. Write an essay in which you provide a character analysis of The Misfit or Arnold Friend, and examine whether or not there are any redeeming qualities in their characters. Do we feel a slight sense of sympathy for the villains, or is the purpose of such characters simply to portray the evils of our world? I got 100/55 for my essay and this is my teacher’s comment Your essay was detected as 100% AI generated, but I chose to give it a chance and read it anyway, and I am certain that the generation tool accurately detected your essay. One of the biggest giveaways is the complete lack of detailed evidence. You are simply providing a paraphrase or summary of some parts of the text, which makes it at failing level. Please rely on your own voice and avoid using AI. I’m grading the work for what it is and AI rarely produces passing work.

From Classical Literary Criticism: Horace, The Art of Poetry, pp. 98-112. 250-words or one double-spaced typed page minimum daily writing assignment to be handed in at start of class. Entries should be a minimum of 1 double-spaced typed written page (typed & double spaced; Times New Roman or Calibri size 12 is the preferred fonts; all margins should be 1 inch). Headings should be in the left-hand margin, as above, and singlespaced. Include for each entry the date (2/3/26) and the author and title of the work you are commenting on. The daily writing consists of a response (interpretative and explanatory) to that days reading assignment. You should not write a summary or paraphrase of the reading assignment. If you focus on or quote from the editors introductions to the reading assignment, your work will not be accepted an you will receive a 0 for the assignment. When more than one work is assigned on a single day, you should focus on one of the selections but are responsible for reading all works assigned. These are not formal essays but correct writing is expected.

Weekly Response # 2: African American Oral Tradition Part 2 Do not submit papers by uploading/attaching a word document. After you create a thread, copy and paste a response that you have written in a word document into the message box in the discussion thread. Then, for Part 2, you can simply Reply to your classmates by clicking the Reply button and copy and paste a response that you have written in a word document into the message box in the discussion thread. DO NOT USE ANY MATERIAL FROM INTERNET SOURCES OR AI! PART I Due: final draft Wed. 2/4 Length: a minimum of 250 words Topic: African American Oral Tradition Part 2 PowerPoint Submission: Response must be posted to Blackboard Discussion Forum Assignment: Write a response in which you discuss the aesthetic and functional purposes of the African American oral tradition. Include references to the following questions in your response: What is the appeal of the Chosen People typology to the people who are shaping the African American oral tradition? What other characteristics of the African American oral tradition can be found in the in the campfire performance scene in Glory? How can they be considered both aesthetic and functional? How do we receive a story like the Flying Africans today? Consider the questions raised in the PowerPoint and Toni Morrisons comments? Why do you think the second part of The Signifying Monkey when the gleeful monkey falls from the tree is included? What lesson is this teaching? In Brer Terrapin, Slow Train to Arkansas, how does the terrapin outwit the rabbit? What really makes the trick work? What are the lessons that are being taught? Why does storyteller Rich Amerson conclude by saying: You see, its all in the sense? What is he emphasizing about the story? Is it really about winning a race? What was most striking to you in this weeks PowerPoint? YOU MUST INCLUDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES! Your examples should be different from those included in the PowerPoint/Comments lecture! Process: a) Look through the African American Oral Tradition Part 2 PowerPoint (see Weekly Assignments tab) and the audio/video links that are featured in it and listen to the Comments lecture. b) All papers must be spell checked & carefully proofread. c) Weekly Responses will be graded according to the Weekly Response Assessment Rubric. PART II Due: final draft Friday 2/6 Length: a minimum of 200 words Topic: Response to Classmates African American Oral Tradition Part 2 Responses Submission: Response must be posted to Blackboard Discussion Forum Assignment: Read through your classmates submissions to Weekly Response #2. Write at least a 200-word response with your observations/reactions to what at least two of them have written. You must identify the students to whom you are responding. Give details and explain.

For Response #1, please choose one the questions following your reading, E.B. White’s To the Lake, and answer it thoroughly. If you use language from the text, please cite a page number. Remember, 200 minimum-300 maximum words Write in full, complete sentences

Assignment: Contextualizing the Canon Assignment Type: Critical Synthesis Brief & Seminar Presentation 100 points Overview To fully grasp the literary output of the early 20th century, we must first interrogate the sociopolitical landscape in which these texts were produced. This assignment asks you to select one foundational topic from the list below and become the class expert on that subject. The assignment has two parts: A Written Critical Synthesis Brief (analysis of the source material). A Seminar Presentation (teaching the material to your peers). Part I: The Written Critical Synthesis (Paper) Length: Minimum 2 full pages (approx. 600750 words). Format: Double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1-inch margins. MLA Style citations. The Objective: Do not simply summarize the article. You should synthesize the information and construct an argument. You are analyzing the significance of the subject matter. Structure & Requirements: The Thesis (The “So What?”): Your introduction must move quickly to a sophisticated thesis statement. Do not merely state, This paper is about the Brute caricature. Instead, argue how the Brute caricature functioned as a tool of social control or how it influenced specific literary tropes. Synthesis of Main Points: Organize the body of your paper around three distinct analytical pillars derived from the text. Avoid: First, the author says X, then the author says Y. Adopt: The author delineates the economic anxieties driving the caricature, specifically noting… Evidence & Integration: Use direct evidence from the source text to support your pillars. Quotes should be brief and surgically integrated into your own sentences. Block quotes should be avoided for a paper of this brevity. The Conclusion: Conclude by situating this topic within the broader scope of our course. Why does this historical fact or figure matter when we read the fiction of the era? Academic Integrity: Paraphrasing must be substantial. Changing one or two words is not sufficient. You must digest the material and reproduce the concepts in your own academic voice. Part II: The Seminar Presentation (Oral) Duration: 5 to 7 Minutes (Hard stop at 7 minutes). Format: In-person or synchronous Zoom presentation. The Objective: Your goal is not to read your paper. Your goal is to teach the concept. Imagine you are a guest lecturer introducing this topic to an undergraduate class. Presentation Guidelines: Pedagogical Approach: Do not recite your essay. Speak extemporaneously from an outline or note cards. You should demonstrate mastery of the subject, not mastery of reading aloud. Visual Aids: You are required to use a visual element (PowerPoint, Prezi, or a curated list of images/primary documents). If you are discussing the “Tom” caricature, show us historical examples. If discussing Louis Armstrong, play a 30-second audio clip. Facilitation: End your presentation with one provocative discussion question for the class to bridge your topic to our current literary readings. W.E.B. DuBois & “Strivings of the Negro People”: Focus on Double Consciousness.

Read Emily Dickinson’s poem “There is no Frigate like a Book” on the Readings 1 Download Readings 1page. Then, listen to the recording of it below. After reading the poem carefully and looking up any unfamiliar words, write a 400600 word essay in which you identify the poem’s central metaphor and explain what that metaphor reveals about the work that literature can perform. To fully develop your idea, explain how the poem’s central metaphor relates to each complete thought in the poem (note that each pair of lines forms a complete sentence).