Prompt Options Choose 1 of the following three prompts to f…
Prompt Options Choose 1 of the following three prompts to focus on in your essay. Choose two works from the list posted below (do not choose Washington and Du Bois for this prompt as they are covered by another prompt) and compare and contrast them as Realist works. In particular, you’ll want to discuss all of the following: How is Realism a response to cultural and historical events? How does each of the two works embody the characteristics of Realism? Which specific traits do you see in each of these works and how are they used within the individual works? Using those two works as an example, what can you infer about the goals of the Realists? Compare and contrast Washington and Du Bois’ perspectives on race and racial identity during or after Reconstruction. In particular, you’ll want to focus on the following: What did each of them believe was the best approach? On what major issues did they agree and/or disagree? How were their ides a reflection of the social and historical events happening around them? In “Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper,” Gilman establishes that she wrote the story after her own negative experience with the “rest cure” to prevent others from succumbing to mental illness as a result of the treatment, which was developed based on misogynistic understandings of women at the time. The development of the “rest cure” as well as the dynamics within the story tell us a lot about gender relations at the time. Explore what the story shows us about those dynamics. In particular, you’ll want to focus on the following: How does John embody the traits of the ideal husband at this time? Why is the narrator not considered an ideal wife? (Hint: you’ll want to compare her with Jennie.) In what ways does John think that he’s helping her and why does he believe that? What would Jane believe that he loves her and only wants what’s best on her from your understanding of gender relations in the late 1800’s. What do the conclusions drawn from the first two parts of this question tell you about gender relations at that time? List of Works/Authors You Can Choose From For Prompt 1 Mark Twain, “The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” Ambrose Bierce, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Jack London, “To Build a Fire” Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery. (If you need to reference his speech, it’s called either “The Atlanta Exposition Address” or “The Atlanta Compromise.”) W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper'” (If you prefer to write “Wallpaper” as “Wall-Paper,” you can. I prefer it as one word when I’m typing because it’s easier to type, but she did both, so we can, too.)
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