Choose two of the following three prompts and write for each a 3-4 page essay (double-spaced, approximately 800 words).
• Work with a variety of works from our reading list.
• Structure your essay according to the logic of your argument. Weave ideas together, and make connections when appropriate.
• I don't expect you to include outside sources; however, you may. You can use bits of your own previous writing for this course but none of other student's posts.
• Remember that plagiarizing is a serious offense which will be dealt with harshly! (If you are not sure what exactly constitutes plagiarism, look it up right now. Or ask me.)
• Your essays will need a central claim (thesis, controlling purpose) and support. Your writing should be concise and polished. Imagine your audience to be the general public; in other words, contextualize your claims and briefly introduce the texts. Include textual examples (quotations) but beware of writing plot summaries. Use MLA-style citations and include a works-cited page. (More can be found on our conference under “Info on Writing.”)
• Please do not post your essays in our conference. Submit them to me in a personal email by Sunday, Mar 2, midnight. Should you have questions about the prompts, do not hesitate to ask for clarification. Post your question in our Week Seven conference.
1) Realism (as a literary school) refers to the late 19th century movement in art, which rejected conventionally beautiful or appropriate subjects in favor of sincerity and a focus on the simple and unidealized treatment of contemporary life. In contrast to dramatic adventures, high-flown sentiment, exotic settings, and a cult of the past, realism focussed on ordinary people in an environment close at hand historically and geographically. This emphasis on everyday life led to a greater prominence for women, both as writers and as central characters.
Judging from your reading for this course, do you see precursors of realism in women's writings? How so? Or, where is the label of realism not fitting? Relate the ideas of realism to four or five works from different time periods and genres. Remember to include and discuss fitting
