Essay 4 Directions: Women of Transcendentalism, Slave Narratives, Protest

Fiction, Whitman, & Dickinson

Remember that your focus must be on the literature not the history.
Prompts: (Choose one)
Women of Transcendentalism
1
Subject

Elizabeth Cady Stantons A Declaration of Sentiments

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Compare the rhetorical effectiveness of Stantons A Declaration of

Sentiments with Jeffersons The Declaration of Independence (in textbook).

Prompt

Compare the rhetorical effectiveness of Elizabeth Cady Stantons A

Declaration of Sentiments with Jeffersons The Declaration of
Independence (in textbook) by evaluating Stantons use of Jeffersons text as
the model. Provide examples from both texts in regards to aspects like
speaker, audience, purpose, subject, style, tone, voice, etc. that support your
opinion of how effective Stantons work achieves its purpose to persuade the
audience. Include a thesis that makes a statement about that effectiveness
and why it is significant.

2
Subject

The writings of Fanny Fern

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Compare the need to reform the role of the woman in American culture in
Ferns writings with one or more works of Emerson and Thoreau

Prompt

Fern depicts an American culture in drastic need of reform, especially as it

pertains to the issues of women. Compare the need to reform the role of the
woman in American culture in Fanny Ferns writings with one or more works of
Emerson and/or Thoreau by providing examples of the how Ferns and
Emerson and/or Thoreaus ideas of reform have similarities and differences.

Include a thesis that makes an argument about either the similarities,

differences, or both.

Slave Narratives and Protest Fiction

3
Subject

Writings of Frederick Douglass

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Analyze Douglasss Narrative with the idea of reinvention in Emersons SelfReliance

Prompt

Analyze the transformation that takes place in Frederick Douglasss Narrative

with the idea of reinvention in Emersons Self-Reliance by pointing out parts
of Douglasss narrative that are consistent with Emersons dictates. Include a
thesis that makes an argument about your analysis. Include passages from
both texts that concur to support your observations.

4
Subject

Writings of Harriet Jacobs and Harriet Beecher Stowe

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Evaluate the effectiveness of two abolitionist texts

Prompt

Evaluate the effectiveness between Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and
Uncle Toms Cabin by arguing which text is more effective in persuading
Northerners to participate in the Abolitionist cause. Use specific passages from
both texts to support your argument.

Fireside Poets
5
Subject

Henry Wadsworth Longfellows poetry

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Prompt

Compare Longfellows views of nature in his poetry to Bryants in

Thanatopsis and/or to the Native American view of nature

Compare Longfellows views of nature in his poetry to Bryants in

Thanatopsis and/or to the Native American view of nature by breaking down
the similarities and/or differences. Generate a thesis statement that conveys
the significance of the overall similarities and/or differences and use specific
passages from the respective works to back up your observation in the essay.

Whitman and Dickinson

6
Subject

Walt Whitmans poetry

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Analyze Whitmans view of death in his poetry

Prompt

Analyze Walt Whitmans view of death in his poetry describing what his poems
illustrate about his view. Use examples from at least four of his poems to
support your assertion.
Note: You might consider poems of your own choosing or some of the
following: Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,
poems from Drum-Taps, When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomd,
Whispers of Heavenly Death, poems from Song of Parting.

7
Subject

Walt Whitmans poetry

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Contrast Whitmans poetry to his contemporary poets, like the Firesides,

Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes and Lowell

Prompt

Contrast Whitmans poetry to his contemporary poets, like the Firesides,

Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes and Lowell, by explaining how key features in

their poetry are dissimilar. Use passages from Whitman and at least two
Fireside poets to show those differences.

8
Subject

Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Analyze how Natty Bumppo exemplifies characteristics that can be found in

Whitmans Leaves of Grass

Prompt

Whitman said that Natty Bumppo of James Fenimore Coopers LeatherStocking Tales was a Leaves of Grass kind of man. Analyze how Natty Bumppo
exemplifies characteristics that can be found in Whitmans Leaves of Grass.
Use specific passages from both works to illustrate the similarities.

9
Subject

Emily Dickinsons poetry

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Analyze several poems by Dickinson that concern the afterlife

Prompt

Analyze several poems by Emily Dickinson that concern the afterlife by arguing
whether her vision is consistent or not. Among other poems, you might
consider Because I could not stop for Death, I died for Beautybut was
scarce, A Death blow is a Life blow to Some, My life closed twice before its
close. Use specific passages from her poems to support your argument.

10
Subject

Emily Dickinsons poetry

Intended
Learning
Outcome

Compare the poetry of Dickinson to Whitman

Prompt

In Dickinsons letter to T.W. Higginson of 25 April 1862 she refers to Leaves of

Grass: You speak of Mr. WhitmanI never read his bookbut was told that
he was disgraceful. Compare Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitmans poetry
by explaining how their poetic conventions and themes are either similar or
different. Include a thesis that makes an argument about either the similarities
or differences. Use specific passages from their poetry to support your
argument.
Grading Criteria:
You will be graded on the following:

Essay addresses the prompt

Has a clear thesis/main idea in the introduction that unifies the essay. The thesis cannot
be implied or vague.
Thesis cannot be a simple fact or a question. Thesis must be debatable.
Body paragraphs have clear topic sentences that suggest the direction of each
paragraph
Body paragraphs provide textual support (quotes) in each paragraph from the literature
being analyzed. (Intro and Conclusion do not have to contain quotes).
Body paragraphs use sufficient analysis to support the thesis.
Body paragraphs do not merely summarize the literature.
The entire argument focuses on the literature as the subject of discussion. It does not
turn in to a history lesson and go off topic.
Uses proper paper format (MLA)
Uses Standard American grammar and spelling. (Also, no text messaging language,
profanity, or slang)
Has a Works Cited page at the end that follows proper MLA format (The Works Cited
page does not count towards the minimum length requirements).

ANALYZE, DONT SUMMARIZE!!