Which of the following is a primary characteristic of American Puritan literature?
The sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' is most closely associated with which Colonial American author?
What is a defining characteristic of American Romanticism?
The author known for creating the character Natty Bumppo and works like 'The Last of the Mohicans,' which romanticized the American frontier, is:
Which of the following best describes a core belief of American Transcendentalism?
The author of 'Walden,' a work reflecting on simple living in natural surroundings, is:
What is a defining characteristic of American Realism?
Which author is celebrated for his use of regional dialect and realistic portrayal of life along the Mississippi River in novels like 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'?
Which philosophical concept is central to American Naturalism?
The author of 'The Call of the Wild' and 'To Build a Fire,' known for his Naturalistic stories of survival in harsh environments, is:
Which of the following best describes a common stylistic feature of American Modernist literature?
This author captured the essence of the Jazz Age and the elusive 'American Dream' in novels such as 'The Great Gatsby'.
The Harlem Renaissance was primarily characterized by:
Which prominent poet of the Harlem Renaissance is known for works like 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' and 'Harlem (Dream Deferred)'?
Which literary technique is often found in Post-Modernist works?
The author of 'Slaughterhouse-Five,' known for his distinctive blend of science fiction, dark humor, and anti-war themes, is:
In literature, what is the term for a device where an object or idea represents something else, often a broader concept or quality?
In rhetoric, which appeal aims to evoke an emotional response in the audience?
What is the term for a narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters in a story?
Which of the following is a recurrent theme explored across multiple periods of American literature, from Transcendentalism to Modernism?
How did World War I significantly impact the themes and tone of American literature during the Modernist period?
This author is considered a pioneer of the American short story and is renowned for his dark, macabre, and often psychological tales, such as 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and 'The Raven.'
Which work, though written much later, is often studied in relation to American Puritanism due to its depiction of the Salem Witch Trials and themes of religious extremism and mass hysteria?
The term 'Lost Generation' is used to describe a group of American writers who came of age during which major conflict, often expressing disillusionment with traditional values?
The literary term 'verisimilitude,' referring to the appearance of being true or real, is most closely associated with the aims of which literary movement?
Excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr.
My Dear Fellow Clergymen,
While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would be engaged in little else in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.
I think I should indicate why I am here in Birmingham, since you have been influenced by the view which argues against "outsiders coming in." I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Frequently we share staff, educational, and financial resources with our affiliates. Several months ago the affiliate here in Birmingham invited us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program if such were deemed necessary. We readily consented, and when the hour came, we lived up to our promise. So I am here, along with several members of my staff, because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here.
More basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.
Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial, "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.
You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and not with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.
In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action. We have gone through all these steps in Birmingham. There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community. Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. These are the hard, brutal facts of the case. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good-faith negotiation.
Carefully read the provided excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Letter from Birmingham Jail.' Then, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical choices King makes to achieve his purpose. In your analysis, discuss how King uses rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos), stylistic devices (e.g., parallelism, allusion, imagery), and organizational patterns to persuade his audience.
Your essay should demonstrate a nuanced understanding of King's argument and how his rhetorical strategies contribute to his overall message. Avoid merely summarizing the text. Instead, focus on how the specific choices King makes in his writing serve his persuasive aims. Your essay will be evaluated on your ability to:
- Articulate a clear, defensible thesis.
- Provide specific textual evidence to support your claims.
- Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
- Demonstrate sophistication of thought and language.
- Control conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics.
For this long-term assignment, you will write an argumentative research paper (5-7 pages, excluding Works Cited) that explores a significant theme, movement, or historical context within American literature from the Colonial period to the Modern era.
Your paper must:
- Choose a specific topic: Select a focused literary topic or question that allows for in-depth analysis and argumentation. Examples include:
- The evolution of the "American Dream" as depicted in works from two different literary periods (e.g., Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and a work from the Romantic period).
- The portrayal of individualism or conformity in American literature, comparing and contrasting at least two authors or works.
- The impact of a specific historical event (e.g., the Civil War, World War I, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement) on the themes and styles of American literature.
- A comparative analysis of how two different literary movements (e.g., Realism vs. Naturalism, Transcendentalism vs. Modernism) addressed a common societal issue or philosophical concept.
- Formulate a clear, arguable thesis statement: Your thesis must present your central argument about your chosen topic.
- Integrate textual evidence: Support your claims with specific details, direct quotations, and analysis from the primary literary works you discuss.
- Incorporate secondary sources: You must use a minimum of three (3) credible scholarly sources (e.g., academic journal articles, literary criticism, books from university presses) to support and enrich your argument. These sources must be properly integrated and cited.
- Maintain academic integrity: All ideas and words that are not your own must be properly attributed.
- Adhere to MLA format: Your paper must follow current MLA guidelines for in-text citations, formatting, and the Works Cited page.
- Demonstrate analytical depth: Go beyond summary to analyze, interpret, and critically evaluate the literary texts and your chosen topic.
- Structure and clarity: Organize your argument logically with a clear introduction, body paragraphs that develop distinct points, and a concluding section. Ensure precise language and strong command of conventions.
Submission Requirements:
- Thesis statement and outline (due Date X)
- Annotated Bibliography (due Date Y)
- First Draft (due Date Z)
- Final Paper (due Date A)