{"id":10282,"date":"2018-02-20T23:50:30","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T23:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essaysparlor.com\/blog\/?p=192445"},"modified":"2016-04-25T11:44:12","modified_gmt":"2016-04-25T11:44:12","slug":"litr-2021-american-literature-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/litr-2021-american-literature-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"LITR 2021: American Literature II"},"content":{"rendered":"

LITR 2021:\u00a0 American Literature II \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Critical Essay #2<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Assignment:\u00a0 <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Develop an original thesis premise stating an argument. \u00a0Construct a thesis proof with<\/p>\n

evidence from the text and from outside reading\/research\u00a0 (2 critical sources).<\/p>\n

Analyze connections between your thesis statement and supporting evidence.<\/p>\n

Use the thesis proof as an outline to guide your writing of a well-researched<\/p>\n

analytical argument essay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Purpose:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The purpose of this final assignment is for you to do the following:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. highlight your critical thinking skills;<\/li>\n
  2. display your knowledge of American literature and culture;<\/li>\n
  3. demonstrate your ability to locate research materials.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Due dates<\/u><\/strong>: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Fri, April 15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Thesis Proof (draft) for Critical Essay #2.\u00a0 Hard copy due in class.<\/p>\n

    This draft does not have to include your outside sources yet<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Fri, April 22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Thesis Proof (revised) for Critical Essay #2.\u00a0 Hard copy due in class. Must include<\/p>\n

    evidence from outside sources.<\/p>\n

    Wed, April 27<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Final paper and revised thesis proof.\u00a0 Due into Blackboard no later than 11:59 pm.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Essay Length<\/u><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    5 typed pages minimum<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 You must include evidence from at least two<\/strong><\/p>\n

    outside critical articles, appropriately documented in MLA style. Sources can be from printed books, journals or web sources.\u00a0 Print sources should include scanned copies of the pages you use.\u00a0 Web sources should include all relevant bibliographic information and the URL.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Randomly assigned topics<\/u><\/strong>:<\/u><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. communication<\/li>\n
    2. freedom<\/li>\n
    3. loss<\/li>\n
    4. the past<\/li>\n
    5. restriction<\/li>\n
    6. roles<\/li>\n
    7. the senses<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you absolutely cannot think of an angle for your randomly assigned topic, check with me to come up with a topic of your own.<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n

      Approach<\/u><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Analyze that topic as it appears in some aspect of a work or works discussed in class after the midterm essays (from Frost on).<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Poetry:<\/strong> Possible works for your thesis proof could be a poem or poet discussed during the Poetry Roundtable.\u00a0 Add at least two other poems or poets<\/strong> to analyze in conjunction with the work you choose from the Roundtable. \u00a0Develop an idea that occurred to you during that discussion.<\/p>\n

      OR<\/p>\n

      Fiction<\/strong>:\u00a0 Locate a theme, conflict, character study, or symbol as the focus of an argument on one of these authors:\u00a0 Hurston, Glaspell, DeLillo, or Alexie.\u00a0 If you previously wrote on \u201cTrifles\u201d or \u201cThe Gilded Six-Bits,\u201d veer away from those works.\u00a0 Branch out.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Thesis statement<\/strong>:\u00a0 Develop an original thesis premise about the work(s).\u00a0 Your original thesis<\/strong> might take a compare\/contrast format, trace a cause\/effect concept, or present a problem\/solution framework.\u00a0 Support your thesis with quotations from our text and from at least two critical commentaries <\/strong>outside our text.\u00a0 In the analysis sections, show how the evidence connects to your thesis statement.\u00a0 Discuss, analyze, compare and\/or contrast ideas and works. \u00a0For the conclusion provide a comparative or historical perspective.\u00a0 What does this argument mean for us today?\u00a0 Why is it valuable?<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Evidence from outside sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      From outside the class text, locate two critical commentaries<\/strong> to add to the discussion.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      What is<\/strong> a critical commentary?\u00a0 A critical biography, history, journal article, and literary criticism all constitute valid critical commentaries.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      What is not<\/strong> a critical commentary?\u00a0 General entries on the author or subject from Wikipedia, Sparknotes, Cliffs Notes, Schmoop, or other reading aids.\u00a0 These entries might be informative but are often inaccurate, and do not convey a point of view.\u00a0 A Wikipedia bibiliography can be helpful in pointing you to other sources.\u00a0 Find them.\u00a0 Avoid Wikipedia itself.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      The commentaries can come either from a book in print (a chapter or section) or an electronic journal article, preferably \u201cpeer-reviewed.\u201d\u00a0 (Strive for \u201c.edu\u201d or \u201c.org\u201d articles over \u201c.com\u201d material.) Articles from the Alvin Sherman Library database (Journal Finder, \u201cLanguage and Literature,\u201d or JSTOR) may be helpful.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Books on American Literature are generally in the PS section of the library (3rd and 4th floors).\u00a0 Check the Sherman Library\u2019s NovaCat for call numbers of general criticism on American Literature and on critical studies of specific writers and their works.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Articles from the Alvin Sherman Library electronic database (Journal Finder, \u201cLanguage and Literature,\u201d or JSTOR) are another invaluable source. \u00a0\u00a0Also see Useful Databases\/Journal Titles file on Blackboard.<\/p>\n