Drawing on readings and the book Herland, please respond to the following question. The topic below requires you synthesize a great deal of material. To do so, be sure to structure your essay carefully, and select specific examples to illustrate your arguments. Your answer should be a thoughtful, well organized, clearly written, and thoroughly proofread response to the question. Essays should be around 2-3 pages in length. Essays must be typed. Be sure to use examples from the readings to corroborate your argument, but avoid long quotations. Readings must be cited – you may use footnotes or internal citation as long as you are consistent.
TOPIC:
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland is a powerful critique of early 20c American society. Home, work, education, gender, sexuality, marriage, citizenship, even love, all come under scrutiny. Yet the dramatic changes (industrialization, urbanization, immigration, race relations, etc) of the early 20c touched women’s lives in different ways. Drawing on two additional class readings (named at the end of this paragraph), explore how Herland either succeeds or fails to respond to the very real, but often very divergent, needs of women at the turn of the century? THE TWO ADDITIONAL CLASS READING ARE – Patricia A. Schechter “Ida B. Wells and Souther Horrors” and Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin) “This semblance of civilization”
WRITING GUIDELINES:
Papers will be evaluated on clarity of argument, use of historical evidence, and stylistic presentation. Here are some hints for structuring and writing your papers:
In the first paragraph of your essay, state your overall argument and then state the specific ways that you will support it (i.e., the structure of your essay). Use topic sentences to show where the paper is going.
Be sure to define the terms and concepts you use.
Avoid over generalizations (re: historical periods, cultures, classes, races, etc.). Look for patterns but be aware of distinctions.
Choose specific examples from readings and lectures to make each of your points.
Do not simply repeat, verbatim or in paraphrase, from either lectures or readings. Integrate readings and lectures into your thinking, but write in your own words.
If you feel that a direct quote from a reading best supports your point, place it in quotes and give the source (author, title, page number) in parentheses or in a footnote. You do not have to footnote lectures.
Be sure to PROOFREAD for content and style.
