ENGLISH 2328
Essay #1 (Take-Home Essay, Winter Term)
American Realism
DIRECTIONS: One way of thinking critically about literature is to connect two or more
works of literature and note similarities and/or differences. As you connect two works of
literature studied so far in our course, discover connecting points. For example, in both
Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron” and Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat,” the ocean,
a symbol, plays an important role in character transformation. In your estimation, are the
character transformations similar or different in the two stories?
As you develop connecting points, use your imagination! Brainstorm. Outline. Think in
terms of (1) literary terms, (2) critical approaches, and/or (3) literary movements. The
literary terms include such language as conflict, climax, static/dynamic, symbol, etc.
The critical approaches studied so far include (1) historical critique, (2) biographical
critique, (3) formal elements, and (4) feminist critique. The literary movements within
American realism include (1) frontier humor, (2) psychological realism, (3) regionalism,
and (4) naturalism.
Select one of the critical thinking topics from the list below. Develop either one
connecting point in great length or develop two to four related connecting points.
Respond in a 1,000 word thesis-controlled essay. Double space your essay in Times
New Roman point 12. Give your essay an engaging title and include an introductory
paragraph with a thesis. Use strong topic sentences for your body paragraphs. As part
of your paragraph development, include six judiciously selected direct quotes (partial
sentence, full sentence, or blocked format for quotes more than four types lines) for
support and evidence and document the quotes with correct MLA in-text citation and
works cited entries. Use the manuscript mechanics we noted on the sample essay for
your margins, course information, title, header, and MLA conventions for blocked quotes
and works cited entries.
TOPICS:
1. Connect Henry James’ Daisy Miller: A Study with Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “The
Revolt of Mother.”
2. Connect Henry James Daisy Miller: A Study with Kate Chopin’s “The Storm.”
3. Connect Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat” with Kate Chopin’s “The Storm.”
4. Connect Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron” with Stephen Crane’s “The Open
Boat.”
5. Connect Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “The Revolt of Mother” with Kate Chopin’s
“The Storm.”
6. Connect Charles W. Chesnutt’s “The Wife of His Youth” with Kate Chopin’s
“The Storm.”
7. Connect Sui Sin Far’s “In the Land of the Free” with Hamlin Garland’s “Under
the Lion’s Paw.”
8. Connect Hamlin Garland’s “Under the Lion’s Paw” with Stephen Crane’s “The
Open Boat.”
9. Other?