1 05 american literature – www.savvyessaywriters.net
1 05 american literature – www.savvyessaywriters.net
You will read essays, short stories, and poetry by several of the most influential writers in the American literary tradition. For the assessment, you will write 2 to 3-paragraphs responding to one of the given prompts below.
Remember, your supporting evidence should come in the form of outside sources plus your explanations. Watch this video to learn how to bring the party to your paper.
Prompt One
Choose one 19th century American poem or short story and one historical document.
Write to compare the ways in which each of these represents the changing popular idea of democracy from the time period in which it was written. Cite specific evidence from the literature to support your ideas.
Prompt Two
Choose one short story and one poem from the 19th century.
Write to compare the ways in which each of these may be considered representative of American culture during the time period in which it was written. Cite specific evidence from the literature to support your ideas.
Selections
Below is a list of reading selections that can be used for this assessment:
- “ The Story of an Hour” (1894) by Kate Chopin’s (short story)
- “ How to Tell a Story” (1835-1910) by Mark Twain (short story)
- “ O Captain! My Captain!” (1865) by Walt Whitman (poem)
- “ The Martyr” (1865) by Herman Melville (poem)
- “ Ain’t I a Woman” (1851) by Sojourner Truth (historical document)
- “ Declaration of Sentiments” (1848) from the first women’s rights convention (historical document)
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