English 208:
Writing Assignments

Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the text, and be sure to document correctly. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words).

This assignment is due Friday, October 2.

1. The word "free" is used dozens of times in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Does freedom mean the same thing to all of the characters, and in all contexts?

2. The last fifth of Huck Finn, from Chapter XXXII on, has been called by T.S. Eliot the perfect ending; literary critic Leo Marx says it is a "stupendous failure." Which opinion do you prefer? Why?

3. Henry James despised Mark Twain's work; Twain returned the compliment. Based on the works we have read, can you give some possible reasons for such a strong mutual dislike?

4. James's and Twain's writings both attempt to define the nature of "the American character." Do they both see Americans the same way? Explain.

5. Discuss James's use of symbolism in either Daisy Miller or The Turn of the Screw.

6. Discuss the use of symbolism in The Red Badge of Courage. Don't try to discuss all of it--you'll end up with a book! Just choose a symbol or group of symbols and explain how it functions in the novel.

7. In The Red Badge of Courage, Crane writes about an ordinary young man confronted with an extreme experience. What is Crane saying in this novel about human nature? Explain, using specific examples and direct quotes from the novel for support.

8. Choose your own topic; check it with me before writing.

Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the text, and be sure to document correctly. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words).

This assignment is due Friday, November 6.

1. One of the predominant themes of Modern literature is the meaninglessness of life--the idea that underlying all the social conventions and niceties is nothing. Choose ONE author from the following list and analyze his or her work in detail, in relation to this issue. Do you see this theme reflected in his or her work? Robinson, Frost, Eliot, Stevens, Williams, Hughes, Anderson, Hemingway, Faulkner, Parker, Fitzgerald, West, Hammett, or Chandler.

2. Both Hammett and Chandler comment, directly or indirectly, on social issues. Choose ONE of these two writers and discuss his work: what issues is the writer exploring? And what devices does the writer use to draw these issues to your attention?

3. The Great Gatsby is considered one of American literature's masterpieces. Yet every attempt to turn it into a film masterpiece has failed. Why? Has this been a failure of the individual producers and directors involved, or is there something inherently "uncinematic" about the novel?

4. Choose ONE of the following authors and discuss his use of symbolism in ONE of the works we read: Frost, Eliot, Stevens, Williams, Hughes, Anderson, Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, West, Hammett, or Chandler.

5. Dorothy Parker did not take her work seriously, comparing it unfavorably with the work of Hemingway and Faulkner and dismissing it as "wisecracks." Read a selection of her stories and poems and then argue for or against her evaluation.

6. If none of the above topics appeals to you, choose your own topic which relates to the Modern works we read. Check it with me before you write.

Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the text, and be sure to document correctly. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words).

This assignment is due Friday, December 4.

1. A predominant theme of literature in the last 50 years is the fragmentation and isolation of contemporary life. Choose one of the writers from the list below and discuss the ways in which this theme is (or is not) reflected in his or her work:

2. Choose one of the short stories we read from the Modern era (by Anderson, Faulkner, Hemingway, or Parker) and one story from the Postmodern era (by Baldwin, Silko, Lahiri, Bass, Bloom, Cisneros, Desaulniers, Doerr, or Yarbrough) and compare their themes and techniques.

3. One of the recurring themes of contemporary literature is the unstable nature of "Truth." How is this theme addressed in The Book of Illusions, Thirteen Moons, or The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

4. One of the recurring themes of contemporary literature is the relationship between the past and the present. How is this theme addressed in The Book of Illusions, Thirteen Moons, or The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

5. Choose your own topic. Clear it with me before writing.

Of the works we have read this semester, which one have you liked the best? Explain. Which one did you like the least? Explain. Suggested length: 1-3 pages. (Maximum possible points: 100.)

This assignment is due Monday, December 14th.
NO LATE FINALS WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!