Description
Contemporary Resonances Assignment Guidelines
If you do not hand in a 1st draft, you cannot earn higher than a “C” on the final paper
Learning Outcomes Addressed:
- Students will critically analyze and interpret American literature from its beginnings to 1865 within historical and cultural contexts.
- Students will write critical essays about American literature that integrate primary and secondary sources using MLA documentation and standard academic written conventions.
Purpose:
The first learning outcome asks us to understand early American literature through cultural and historical contexts. It is important to recognize that our readings are shaped by the time period in which they were written. However, many of the texts from our course are not just historical artifacts, but rather living documents that still relate to the world today. As Margaret Atwood notes in “Hello, Martians,” a great deal of what goes on today in American society can be explained through our country’s earlier literature. This assignment asks you to make an argument about how early American literature connects with today’s society.
Brainstorming:
You might think about things like how today’s social hierarchies have evolved from Winthrop’s divisions outlined in “A Model of Christian Charity”; how Poe’s use of horror has shaped the contemporary horror movie genre; how proto-feminists such as Fanny Fern resonate with current feminist rhetoric, how abolitionist ideas might shape people’s understanding of the current epidemic of human trafficking, etc.
Format:
Thesis: you will want a focused thesis that makes an argument about how pre-1865 texts connect to contemporary society. It might look something like “contemporary followers of the Tiny House movement owe a debt to Thoreau’s Walden which paved the way for a life of simplicity and anti-consumerism…” Be careful about assuming too much influence. Regarding the aforementioned example, we might not be able to prove that Tiny House owners are all reading Thoreau or that Thoreau anticipated the Tiny House movement. However, we might be able to show similarities between Thoreau and the current movement. You will also want to make sure your thesis is appropriately narrow for a 5 – 7-page paper.
Textual Analysis Section: In this section, you will want to spend ample time evaluating the early American text(s). Your analysis should include research from peer-reviewed sources, close reading, and historical analysis in which you consider how pre-1865 society shaped the text(s). Make sure you quote material from the texts to highlight your main points.
Contemporary Resonances: In this section, you will show how the text connects to today’s society. You will need to cite specific passages from the course’s texts that illuminate current social situations. Make sure to put the past in a conversation with the present. Do not simply write two separate papers on the past and the present, but rather synthesize the information. You will also need to include outside research on the current issue.
Other: You will need an introduction that hooks your reader as well as a conclusion that summarizes your argument.
Parameters:
• You must work with a text or author from The Norton Anthology of Literature, ideally a text or author that we have discussed during the course of the semester. If you would like to work with reading or author that is not on the syllabus, please clear the idea with your instructor.
• The essay must be 5-7 pages - not 4 and ½. Your Works Cited list does not count towards the page requirement.
• Essays must include a minimum of four academic sources that are cited parenthetically and in a Works Cited list. 3 of these sources need to come from Wake Tech’s databases.
- For literary resources, check out the databases called Bloom’s Literary Reference and Literature Resource Center. For information about your contemporary issue, see the Proquest Central database.
- While you need to cite the texts from The Norton Anthology, they will not count as a source.
- The majority of your sources should be peer-reviewed scholarly articles.
- Citation formatting should follow MLA 8th edition guidelines.
• The essay format should follow MLA 8th edition guidelines (including a proper header).
• Don’t forget to review the assignment rubric on Blackboard as well as the sample essay under Quality Writing Samples within the main course menu.
• Voice should be formal; “I” is appropriate to assert the argument, but avoid “you” and contractions.
Resources:
Please remember that you can always contact me if you have any questions about the assignment. You might also want to consider a visit to the REAL center or the ILC for extra feedback. Both the ILC and the REAL center offer online tutorial services if you are unable to make it to campus.