About Wikipedia
Avoid citing Wikipedia in academic essays. Since it is not edited by reputable experts, it often has errors and isn't reliable. It's okay to use it as a starting point for your own research, but go on and find other sources to verify the information, and cite those in your essay.
Writing Assignment 1
Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the plays. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words). Use correct MLA format and citation techniques in your essay and your Works Cited list.
This assignment is due Friday, March 9.
1. Nafisi struggled with the fact that her freedom was restricted because she was a woman. The freedom of Austen's female characters, too, was limited. How are their situations similar or different? Their attitudes? Their solutions (if any)?
2. Azar Nafisi's memoir is about a time and place which most Americans have never experienced. Yet it was a bestseller in this country. Why do you think that is? What does her book offer to readers who have not shared her experience?
3. Austen's protagonists (Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Emma in Emma) rebel to some extent against the attitudes of the society in which they live. Do you see them as feminists? (You need only write about one of these characters, although if you've read both books, you're welcome to discuss both.)
Writing Assignment 2
Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the plays. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words). Use correct MLA format and citation techniques in your essay and your Works Cited list.
This assignment is due Friday, March 30.
1. In "Professions for Women," Virginia Woolf refers to "The Angel in the House." Does this "Angel" disturb the narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" or "The Waltz"? Choose only one of these two stories; no need to analyze both.
2. Choose either "The Garden Party" or "The Return of the Soldier," and discuss its treatment of class differences.
3. Dorothy Parker, Katherine Mansfield, and Rebecca West were strong advocates of women's rights. But does the issue of women's rights appear in their stories? Explain.
4.In "Shakespeare's Sister," Virginia Woolf argues that a woman in the 16th century would never have been able to fulfill her creative genius, because women's lives were so restricted. Do you agree with her? Do some research on the roles of women in the 16th century in England, and support your opinion with evidence from your research. A maximum of 25 extra credit points are available for this assignment, since it requires you to do outside research.
5. Choose one of the poets on the schedule for Week 6. Do a little critical and biographical research on that poet. Find out what her usual styles and themes are, and a bit about her life. Then give an analysis of her poems that are on the list. For example, if you choose to research Amy Lowell, you would do an analysis of her poems "Astigmatism" and "The Letter," based on what you have found out about her in your research. A maximum of 25 extra credit points are available for this assignment, since it requires you to do outside research.
6. Choose your own topic related to one or more of the readings we have done in this section of the class. Check it with me to make sure it's acceptable.
Writing Assignment 3
Choose one of the following topics and write a complete, considered answer. Be sure to support your statements with evidence from the plays. Required length: 2-5 pages (500-1250 words). Use correct MLA format and citation techniques in your essay and your Works Cited list.
This assignment is due Friday, May 11.
1. The theme of alienation and acceptance is a common one throughout literature. How is this theme treated in one of the following works? The Grass Dancer; Alias Grace; Blackbird.
2. In The Grass Dancer, is adherence to tradition a strength or a weakness?
3. In Alias Grace, what is the relationship between fact and fiction?
4. Jennifer Lauck, the author of Blackbird, is not a celebrity and was unknown before this memoir was published. Why, then, are we interested in her story?
5. Discuss the significance of the title, The Grass Dancer. How does the title relate to the content and themes of the novel?
6. Discuss the significance of the title, Alias Grace. How does the title relate to the content and themes of the novel?
Final Exam
Directions: Give a brief answer to the following question. Be sure to give specific reasons for your opinions, and be sure to give specific examples and quotes from the works for support. Your answer may be as long as you like, but need not be longer than a couple of paragraphs.
Which of the works we read in this class did you like the most? Which did you like the least? Why?
This assignment is due Tuesday, May 29th.
NO LATE FINALS WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!
How to submit your work
Your essays will be submitted to me via e-mail. Write your assignments in your word processing program. PLEASE SAVE YOUR FILE AS EITHER A WORD FILE OR AN RTF FILE. Then attach that file to your e-mail message. When sending assignments, your e-mail message should include your name, the class number (English 239), and the name of the assignment which is attached.
Use correct MLA format for the appearance of your essay and your documentation.
Eliminate spelling, grammar, and other mechanical errors from your writing.
Send your e-mail to me at annw708@earthlink.net.
NOTE: always keep copies of all of your assignments. If there is a problem with e-mail, you will need that copy to re-send for credit.