AML 2264 Reading and Research Responses
Fall 2010
Jackie Pierce, Instructor
1) Southern Lit Background (View PPT 1 for some background info)
a. Conduct a little research on the Gothic impulse in literature as it applies to Southern Literature.
You should write a short (250 words or so) essay in which you define the Southern Gothic and
share the examples of Southern Gothic writers &/or works that you learned about in your
research.
b. While you can use the Wikipedia article for background, please also include at least one
legitimate resource.
2) Research/Contextual Documents (after reading this section in The Awakening)
a. For next time, bring in current “contextual documents” that correlate with those we’ve seen for
women in the 1890’s.
b. The old Virginia Slims ads declared, “You’ve come a long way, Baby!” The question you’ll ask as
you look at today’s ads and articles is, “Have we?”
c. Look for:
i. Beauty ads, pictures of beautiful women, articles on marriage, motherhood, working
women, manners…
3) Prepare a summary of one of the major schools of criticism covered in our edition of The Awakening and
the sample article exhibiting this kind of literary criticism. Feel free to do additional research as needed.
These can be presented in Word or PowerPoint format and will be posted to the class website so that all
of you can familiarize yourself with all 5 schools of thought. Groups to be determined in class.
a. Feminist Criticism (186-222)
b. Gender Criticism (223-256)
c. New Historicism (257-290)
d. Deconstruction (291-336)
e. Reader-Response Criticism (337-373)
4) The Awakening (after completion)
a. The Analytical Option:
i. Trace one of the following themes through Chopin’s novel—
ii. Marriage roles
iii. Motherhood
iv. Control v. independence
b. The Creative Option:
i. Put yourself in Edna Pontellier’s place, and write her suicide note
5) Part 1 of Their Eyes Were Watching God (write on any 2 of your choice)
a. Chapter 1: Hurston is careful to give us many of the particulars of Janie’s life since she left this
town. What do we know about her?
b. Chapter 2: Explore Janie’s grandmother. Why does she marry Janie off to Killicks? Why does she
refer to herself as a “cracked plate?”
c. Chapter 3: How does the marriage to Killicks change, and how does Janie react?
d. Chapter 4: What attracts Janie to Joe Starks? What do you think of her leaving Killicks for him?
e. Chapter 5: Describe Joe’s character. In what way is he good for and bad for Janie? In what way is
he a good or a bad person?
f.
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
Chapter 6: Is Janie a selfish person? When does love leave the marriage? What rules must Janie
follow in her marriage? Are Joe’s demands unreasonable?
g. Chapter 7: Both Joe and Janie hurt each other with public speech. How is this significant? Where
else in the novel has the theme of speaking out come into play?
h. Chapter 8: Discuss Janie’s talk with Joe before his death. Was she right or wrong to do it? Is it
meant to help him? Her? Does anyone benefit from it?
Research response on Hurston:
a. Find an in-depth analytical article on Their Eyes Were Watching God using the literary databases.
b. Read and summarize the article, comparing it to your own interpretations of the novel.
c. Provide documentation for the article chosen.
Reading response for McCullers. Respond in depth to one of the following thematic questions. Document
your examples from the text.
a. Discuss the “frame” McCullers gives the story. What is the effect of knowing where Miss Amelia
will end up at the very beginning? What roles do the town and the chain gang play?
b. Discuss the townspeople. In particular, how does McCullers reveal their beliefs and values in the
beginning, in their “business” dealings with Amelia, in their reactions to Lymon’s arrival
(particularly when they believe Amelia’s murdered him), and in choosing sides between Amelia
and Macy?
c. Discuss the theme of love in the story. Who loves whom? What is the problem with each of the
love relationships? How does the discussion of being the lover vs. the beloved highlight this
theme in the story?
d. Discuss the theme of justice and punishment. If Lymon is a con artist, and Marvin Macy is a ne’er
do well, and Miss Amelia is a ruthless loner, how do we know with whom to side? With whom
do the townspeople side? Do you find the resolution of the conflict just?
O’Connor Reading Response:
a. Choose either “A Good Man is Hard to Find” or “The River” and write a more detailed discussion
of the plot of the story. Specifically, what is the central CONFLICT of the story? Which characters
are in contention with which others? Give examples of where we see the TENSION in the story.
Where is the CLIMAX of this conflict (again giving specific passages to show it)? Finally, how
would you describe the RESOLUTION or the settling of this conflict? Both stories end in a
tragedy, but is there also some sense of triumph in the endings as well?
Research Response: O’Connor
a. Choose any of the stories by O’Connor and use the literary databases to find an article delving
into your chosen story.
b. Write a response to this article comparing the discussion to your own interpretations of the
story.
c. Include MLA Works Cited entries for the article and the story. Document specific information
used in the response itself as well.
Alice Walker Reading Response: The Color Purple
a. Analytical Option: Using specific passages from the book, trace Celie’s development thus far in
the novel (1-106). How has she grown? What have her encounters with other characters taught
her about life?
b. Creative Option: Imagine for a moment that Sofia, Shug, and Squeak would write a letter to God
about Celie. Write those letters.
Alice Walker Research Response: The Color Purple
a.
b.
c.
Using either of the Literature databases on LSCC’s library site, choose one article on The Color
Purple
i. You should limit your search to FULL TEXT and to PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Read, summarize, and write a reaction to this article based on your own reading of the novel
Be sure to include a work cited entry and parenthetical references for specifics from the article