African American Literature
Paper instructions:
Essay One Assignment
Write an essay of approximately 1000 words on one of the topics below. You are not required to do any research beyond the primary text, but you are expected to quote passages from the original material to support your main points (at least two). Your essay should have a logical introduction, culminating in a clear thesis statement.
Your essay should be free of errors and conform to the MLA guidelines for formatting and citation. Your essay is due at the date and time indicated above. Late papers will not be accepted for any reason. If you anticipate an emergency, turn it in early. Essays must be submitted to the SafeAssign Dropbox on the Course Content page in Blackboard. Make sure your computer has the latest Java update so you will not have any problems submitting your paper to the proper location on time.
Suggested Topics:
1. Consider one of the pieces you read from The Vernacular Tradition. Compare multiple audio recordings of this piece. How is the spirit of the words transmitted throughout the different versions? How are the versions different? Does the meaning change with each version?
2. Can David Walker’s Appeal rightly be said to argue for what we currently identify as affirmative action? If so, specify the points in the text where it does so. How do these points compare or contrast with a case made for affirmative action in Martin Delany’s Condition?
3. Compare and contrast The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, a dictated slave narrative, with the self-authored Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Discuss the differences among these texts that fall along the lines of literacy, gender, class, and temporal and geographical settings. What do such differences signify about the slave narrative tradition?