HST 202: Course Essay Assignment
For this assignment, you will read Richard Wright’s Uncle Tom’s Children and review
appropriate sections from America and Discovering the American Past. After
completing your reading, begin the process of drafting an essay by considering this
statement:
The reign of “Jim Crow” left black Americans with little hope and few options.
Wright’s depiction of this reality in Uncle Tom’s Children suggests that the
proposals of reformers, represented in chapter 21 of Reading the American Past,
accomplished nothing in the face of the violent and unforgiving nature of
segregation between 1895 and 1930.
After a brief introduction, construct an essay that addresses the following topics.
Do not quote from the materials.
First, explain what Washington and du Bois proposed. Describe the ideas and
proposals of each in turn and cite –do not quote –your sources. What steps did each
recommend and what did they predict would come about if America followed their
recommendations? Again, cite the sources, do not quote.
Second, consider Wright’s novellas as tests of the reform proposals of noted leaders
who tried to help America move forward after Reconstruction’s failure. Treating each of
the five novellas separately, note which “reformers” from chapter 21 of Reading the
American Past have their proposals addressed or challenged by the themes, setting,
and actions that Wright depicts. Again, treating each novella separately, which of the
reformers’ proposals appears to be most seriously challenged by Wright’s story? What,
in your opinion, is Wright’s main critique of this main target and their proposal? Relying
on your knowledge of history and tapping what information you can cite from the other
assigned texts, is Wright right?
Finally, assess the historical accuracy of Wright’s critique. Taking into account what
you have found in the assigned reading about reform efforts and the history of race
relations between 1877 and the 1940s, do you think Wright’s stories are too pessimistic
or are they accurate depictions of what Americans experienced during this time?
Present historical examples, properly cited, that support your position.
Your essay should reach 800 words in length. It may be longer. This is a formal writing
assignment. Unlike the journal exercise, the manner in which you present your
argument matters a great deal. If you are familiar with a formal essay style, including
the gathering and noting of evidence in a given text, feel free to use it on this
assignment. Again, the professor does not want students to quote from the texts. He
urges students not to use online or printed sources of information on Wright, the novel,
or the historical era that the novel covers. If you have questions or would like additional
information about the novel, Wright’s intentions, and the relations between the novel, its
characters, and the history that Wright addresses, ask the professor.
HST 202: Course Essay Instructions, concluded
Spring 2011
Students must cite evidence as well as the sources of interpretations or ideas that you
use in your argument. Citations help the reader find material that supports your
positions. A simple and acceptable way to cite passages is as follows: In a parenthesis
at the end of a paragraph in which you have used material from one or more texts, note
first the author and then the page or pages on which the information appears. It looks
like this: (Wright, 130-34). Essays must use evidence from all the assigned texts. For
the reader’s convenience, note the edition and the year of publication of these works in
a bibliography if you use editions that differ from those that the professor has assigned.
The professor will grade the essays using the following guidelines:
Content: Essays that thoroughly analyze the topics and that provide ample and
appropriate evidence cited in defense of points made will receive the highest
grade; essays that do not cover all the topics or that do not cite supporting
evidence from the text will receive a failing grade. Content will count for 60
percent of your overall grade.
Clarity: Eloquence matters. Clearly written essays that follow the directions, that
directly address the topics, and that put forward reasonable and well-defined
conclusions will do well; there is no prize for essays that use many words without
any obvious purpose. Clarity will count for 30 percent of your overall grade.
Format: Treat this as though it is a representation of your skills, abilities, and interest,
because it is. An essay presented in a way that is friendly to the reader will gain
respect; a piece that appears to have been written hours before it was due will
not. Begin your argument with the title - it should give the reader an introduction
to what follows or highlight the position that you will take in the body of your
essay. Then make certain that your spelling, punctuation, and grammar are of
highest quality. Choose your words well. Formatting will count for 10 percent of
your overall grade.
In addition, students who do not cite their sources of information and inspiration properly
will earn a 10 percent deduction. Students who quote from the novel or other texts will
receive a 10 percent deduction. If any of the instructions seem unclear, ask the
professor to explain what he wants.
The professor, who will grade your work, welcomes any opportunity to review rough
drafts and to discuss your ideas and thoughts about the text under consideration in this
exercise. Students should visit him during office hours, exchange e-mail messages, or
make an appointment with the professor if they wish to have their rough drafts reviewed.
Students may ask questions about the assignment and the related reading in class as
well. The essay is due in class on May 20.