Mini-Essays

• Approximately 500-1000 words.
• These will be short pieces for which you can receive full, half or no credit. They are meant to help you formulate your ideas for later assignments. These may also include using a digital tool or another medium besides writing.
• Mini-Essay 1
  • Due Saturday, September 6
  • Prompt: Free Write on Course Material so far.
• Mini-Essay 2
  • Due Saturday, September 15
  • Select a text or texts we have read so far in the class to run through Voyant.  Write a 500-1000 word analysis of what you observe.
  • For More Information, click here.

• Mini-Essay 3
  • Free Response to any of this week's reading. 500-1000 words.
• Mini-Essay 4
  • Choose one of the following:
    • Apply one of the theoretical frameworks covered so far to either the Faulkner, Hurston or Hughes reading from this week.
    • Write a cultural analysis essay similar to those by Barthes.
    • Discuss Hurston or Hughes within the context of their other writing which we read earlier in class.
    • A general response to a specific text from either this or last week.
    • You can also start drafting Essay 2 (prompts below)
• Mini-Essay 5
  • Due Saturday, November 3
  • Respond to one of the readings from this unit (including, Sorry to Bother You). What is the argument of the piece (whether it is fictional, philosophy, etc.,). To what extent do you agree or disagree? Are there contemporary examples that fit into your response

Essays

• Approximately 1500-2000 words
• All papers must include a Works Cited section in MLA or another widely recognized citation format. (These do not count toward the word count)
• Essay 1
  • Due Saturday, September 22
  • Prompts: Choose one of the readings from the course. Create an analytical essay about it that focuses on one or two of the theoretical/critical questions raised in the course so far.
    • You can build off of your Mini-Essays, but make sure that you have a clear thesis connecting all the points in your paper. On Thursday, we will discuss a rubric in class. It will be useful for you if you have a draft to discuss on Thursday.
    • Regardless of what you choose to write about, make sure to:
      • reference at least one concept from Stevens. 
      • write around 1500-2000 words
      • include a Works Cited section in MLA or another widely recognized citation format. (These do not count toward the word count)
        • this would include Stevens, other readings cited, outside sources (optional, but if you do look elsewhere, cite it) and if needed, your Voyant visualizations. All of the prompts can use Voyant.
  • Possible Options (you can create your own, too):
    • 1)Choose 2-3 "literary" texts and form an argument over a significant difference or similarity. Make sure to tie it to a concept in Stevens.
    • 2) Choose 1 text from any of the readings, and analyze it using a concept in Stevens we have covered so far. 
    • 3) Look into adaptations or retellings of a narrative (the fairytales or Macbeth works well here). Form an argument about key similarities or divergences you notice and why it is significant.
    • 4) Create an argument-driven close reading of 1 or more soliloquies in Macbeth. 
  • For a general grading rubric, click here.
• Essay 2
  • Create a Visualization of one either "Sweat," "A Rose for Emily," or the earlier poetry from this course.
    • A Visualization is any picture: this can be a hand-drawn chronology of "A Rose for Emily" or a graph of the narrative beats of "Sweat" or running text(s) through Voyant. Include this image and integrate it into your interpretation of that text.
  • A Deconstructive reading looks for the ideological project of the piece and then finds its opposite within the same text. Write a paper that makes an argument about what you believe to be the ideological project of the text, and then address its antithesis (we will discuss this more, I promise). For More, click here.
  • Apply one of the theories read since the last essay to a narrative, poem, or a contemporary example. You may use this example to argue with or against that theory.
  • Close Reading of a text.
• Essay 3  Submit here
  • Write a proposal for your UnEssay. This can include 1-3 possible ideas. You must weigh the merits based on its relevance to the class material and what parts of it can be accomplished by the end of the semester. That last sentence is your thesis.
  • Using one of the "literary" texts from the whole semester (including films), use a theory from this unit to frame your interpretation of that text
  • Respond to any text from this unit. What is its argument? To what extent do you agree/disagree? Why? Emphasis should be on your explanation of your position. Use what evidence is appropriate.
  • Using any theory or scholar as your framework, find an opposing but related perspective. Using one of the assigned films (or a film of your choice), to what extent do you think that film is ideologically aligned with either text? For example, to what extent is Metropolis more aligned with the arguments of Marx or Veblen?
  • I am open to you proposing your own topic, as well

  Optional Essay Revision

  Due Saturday, December 1
• This will replace your original grade if it involves the following:
  1. A cover letter giving a clear overview (not a list) of the revisions and how they have improved the paper
  2. A revised version of the essay that meets the requirements of the original
  3. Connecting it, when appropriate, to later materials in the class
  4. Works Cited Section

  UnEssay

  UnEssay