Write a 500-750 word essay on one of the following topics. The word count does not include formatting or the works cited page.

Write a critical analysis of one of the works from weeks 1 or 2. An overview of approaches can be found here, but many are quite straightforward. Psychological, gender, sociological, biographical, and historical are all approaches that many use naturally in viewing a work. However, if your interest lies elsewhere, feel free to choose another approach.

Compare and contrast two of the stories from weeks 1 and 2. Be sure that you have isolated a strong and debatable thesis on which to build the essay. Simply pointing out the differences is not analysis. Toward that end, you may want to focus on a specific element of the stories.

If there's an aspect of the stories from these two weeks that particularly interests you, you may choose your own topic, but you must run it by me first to be sure it is headed in an analytical direction.

Your essay should be formatted in MLA style, including double spacing throughout. All sources should be properly cited both in the text and on a works cited page. As with most academic writing, this essay should be written in third person. Please avoid both first person (I, we, our, etc.) and second person (you, your).

In the upper left-hand corner of the paper, place your name, the professor's name, the course name, and the due date for the assignment on consecutive lines. Double space your information from your name onward, and don't forget a title. All papers should be in Times New Roman font with 12-point type with one-inch margins all the way around your paper. All paragraph indentations should be indented five spaces (use the tab key) from the left margin. All work is to be left justified. When quoting lines in literature, please research the proper way to cite short stories, plays, or poems.

Whatever topic you choose you will need a debatable thesis. A thesis is not a fact, a quote, or a question. It is your position on the topic. The reader already knows the story; you are to offer him a new perspective based on your observations.

Since the reader is familiar with the story, summary is unnecessary. Rather than tell him what happened, tell him what specific portions of the story support your thesis.

Part I: After reading the lesson this week, compose a paragraph of 'reader response' to the Dickinson poem and one of the Whitman poems. One paragraph each! Remember, 'reader response' asks that you connect with the poem in some personal way.

Part II: Find another internet resource ( this might be a text-based website or a Youtube video or a journal article)that provides some additional insight or helps you understand any of this week's poems. Share the link and describe what the resource is and how it helped you.

Part III: What lines from "Song of Myself" describe, in your view, something important or unique about American identity? Copy and paste the lines here and then discuss your reason for selecting them in a paragraph.

Part I: Describe the qualities of life in America that TWO of our authors this week were criticizing. Do these criticisms seem valid to make of today's America?

Part II: Try a gendered/ feminist reading of 2 readings not mentioned in your Part 1 response. Describe what the writers seem to be saying about masculinity and/or femininity. Are these stereotypes/expectations still present in contemporary life?