Essay Exam One
Choose only one of the following items:
1. Compare Anne Bradstreet with Abigail Adams in some specific, focused way as exemplified in their written
work included in our Norton Anthology and in any handouts. You might consider their relationships with their
husbands and with their children as well as their public engagement.
2. Compare Sewall’s “On the Selling of Joseph” to the selections from Woolman’s written work in our text and
any handouts. How are the approaches of the two men to the problem of slavery similar and how do they differ, if
they do? Support what you say with specific textual references.
3. Compare the religious attitudes and beliefs of authors we have studied so far as revealed in their work. What
similarities and differences are of particular note?
4. Both Jonathan Edwards and John Woolman seem to have strong moral and religious beliefs that they wish to
spread. Compare these two men in some meaningful way.
5. Compare the representation of the Adamses and of Jefferson in the movie 1776 with their own writings
reprinted in our textbook and any handouts.
6. In a focused way, discuss the role of disease and death in the lives of the authors we have studied so far,
mentioning the work on our reading list of at least three different authors. Be sure to use textual specifics by the
authors in question to support and illustrate the points you wish to make.
Make sure you support and illustrate your points with specific references to the text. Show what you are talking
about; don’t just tell. Make use of paraphrase, quotation, and very brief summary. However, avoid long summary
and long quotation.
Make use of parenthetical in-text citations to specific page numbers in our anthology. Conform your style and
format in general to current MLA guidelines. Edit for good grammar and clear syntax.
Here is an example of a specific reference to the text, making use of quotation:
Woolman expresses a very liberal and tolerant attitude with regard to those whose beliefs technically differ from
his: “I . . . believed that sincere, upright-hearted people in every Society who truly loved God were accepted of
Him” (591). Note also the ellipsis, three spaced dots, to indicate leaving out of text in a quote, when you do that.
Be sure to reread and review the assigned readings for the authors you have selected to write about.
Please word-process your essay. Double-space with inch margins. Turn in one physical copy to me in person and
send by email attachment one electronic copy to me at paul.rowe@hccs.edu
Name the document leading with your last name. Here’s an example: SmithRubyEX1
Make use of the specific writings of each respective author for support and illustration of each main point. Do not
rely on editorial headnotes for support and illustration.
Paginate in upper right corner starting on the second page with an academic heading on the upper left of the first
page.
Each body paragraph should be organized around a specific main point, and that point should be fully developed.
Length: 750-1000 words. Turn your essay in on Wednesday, 10 October.
Reminder: The book containing all the dialogue from the movie/play 1776 is on reserve in the campus library, as
is a copy of the eighth edition of the Norton Anthology of American Literature, vol. A.
Updated 10/2/2012