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LITR 4326
Early American Literature Research Posts 2016 (research post assignment) Research Post Proposals |
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Kasey Akin
For my research post I would like to find more information about the Seminole
tribe of Florida's literature to include origin stories. I used to hear these
stories a long time ago when I was younger and would visit the tribe land in
south Florida. I have looked on the tribal website to see what is available and
I will see if I can find a written forms of these stories.
I expect to find a source that I can share with others about these stories. If I
can not find the resources need for this topic then I will probably resort to
early central American literature and focus mainly on Spanish literature and
Nahua literature, I have not settled on an Author yet.
instructor's reply: After contact some distinct tribes broke down or melted away to coalesce with other similarly-affected peoples into new tribes, and I've read somewhere that the Seminoles were one of these composite tribes, though there may be a better term. In any case the Seminoles combined a number of different cultures, languages, and racial identities, including the Black Seminoles. After the Native American music review you may have heard me say that the Seminoles were the only North American tribe to use drums to communicate to neighboring groups, a practice owing to the tribe's absorption of runaway African slaves. And that's about it for my knowledge of the Seminoles aside from their easy relationship with the FSU mascot. But I'd be glad to learn more, so welcome to make 1 or both posts from this topic. If you don't find origin stories, you may find other subjects to report, or welcome to shift to your second topic, though I know even less about that.
As for your question in-class about references to recordings, welcome to provide links if available, but in any case you might describe what you heard to that your reader gets some impression. Welcome to follow up with more specific questions.
Burgundy Anderson
I am interested in researching the women of early American Literature. I am always fascinated by how women were often overlooked in literature and history, despite having much to say. I think in particular Native American women and their influence on society and relations between societies is noteworthy. I plan to look at women such as Pocahontas and Sacagawea for this idea.
My second proposal will be to look
at the Lewis and Clark expedition as literature. I believe that these are
noteworthy studies as they developed the way that Americans and looked at
America. Their expeditions truly shaped the way that we see our own frontiers. I
believe they might be the last true explorers of the USA. I'm interested in the
subject because I've always been fascinated by the way that Lewis and Clark were
able to cross Americas and that their words of survived through the ages.
instructor's reply: Welcome to proceed with both topics, Burgundy, or stretch one over both posts, which I add because at this stage both topics are broad, and as you know narrowing is a normal process of research and writing. Another possibility for the first might be to research how American literature anthologies have changed in recent generations to include more women writers. It's been a while since I've looked at this, but I remember some scholarly articles that tabulated the progression of 50s-60s anthologies featuring as few as 8 authors, all white men, to the 70s and 80s, when a few prominent women writers edged in, to today's enormous anthologies that try to maintain those classics from earlier times while also offering many diverse voices, genres, ideologies, etc. If you want to limit the L & C Expedition, consider focusing on that line you wrote about their being "the last true explorers of the USA." In what senses? What competitors? As said, these are big topics, so you can't do a sweeping survey, but you might find an angle from which to represent the subjects fairly while also giving them some new life.
Kelly Arnold:
The Life of Abigal
Adams and The History of the Great Awakening Research Proposal
For my first research post, I would like to study the
life of Abigal Adams. She lived from 1744 - 1818. I don't know too
much about her life other than she was married to John Adams and was the first
woman honored as the wife of a U.S President and the mother of another. I
watched a film in my New American Nation class and was intrigued by her role in
the film. She was one of two women "featured" in an all male film.
She wrote to her husband while he was a delegate. I would like to know
more about her life, her writings, and her impact during this time.
For my second post I would like to research the First and
Second Great Awakening. This I really know nothing about them. It is
apart of my Christian history but sadly when I hear it mentioned I don't know
anything about it. When looking up some information about this I saw that
it began in England but spread to the colonies. I would like to learn the
history of what actually happened who was involved and how it impacted
literature during that time.
instructor's reply: Good proposal, Kelly, and welcome to proceed, though of course your topics may evolve or narrow as you research and write. Abigail Adams is notable as one of comparatively few American women writers of the period. As with Mary Rowlandson a few generations earlier, her status in a strong New England family (maybe involving ministers, can't remember) gave her more education than typical--and there also seems to be something about the Enlightenment / Age of Reason that wasn't altogether friendly to women writers, however admirable in other ways. Just as a side note, a friend of mine is related to Barbara Bush, the other wife and mother of American presidents. She was a Pierce, and is descended from or related to President Franklin Pierce in the 1850s.
The Great Awakening is a big topic, so welcome to survey
broadly, narrow down, or turn it into the topic for both posts--for instance,
your first post could be about the First Great Awakening, your second on the
Second Great Awakening, but that's only an option. In a few weeks I'll review
our course website on the Great Awakening, so welcome to use that site (The
Great Awakening) as one of your sources or a window to other research. As
for the Great Awakening starting in England, often it's described as a
"Trans-Atlantic" phenomenon, in that religious movements or revivals on both
sides fed off each other. Anyway you'll learn a lot!
Mike Bradshaw: One Land, Many Births (tentative title):
For my first post I would like to compare and contrast
the creation myths that we read in class. It is interesting to see the
similarities that crop up between the myths, and I would like to explore them
further. I would also like to explore the underlying themes of the myth beyond
the theme of creation.
For my second post, I would like to take what I learned
about the Native American creation stories, and compare them to mythologies more
familiar to me, such as Norse mythology, and the creation stories told in
Genesis. It may be expected that Native American stories may have similar
elements to each other given how relatively close the tribes were
geographically, but references to a World Tree and an All-Father can be found in
Norse mythology, an ocean away. Also similar are the tasks given to mankind by
the Iroquois creation story, and that of Genesis. It is curious to see how many
stories have similar themes though the tellers are separated by thousands of
miles.
instructor's reply: Yes to both topics, Mike, + thanks for a good title. The first post topic risks becoming a "critical analysis of primary texts." To make it conform to the assignment as a research report, you might consider simply researching the term or theme of creation myths or origin stories. One source I love for topics like this is the Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, in our library's reference section, where you'll find plenty of excellent scholarship on this important subject.
The second post faces some of the same problem in terms of a desire to compare primary texts, but again you can manage by simply doing some basic research on Norse creation / origin stories as well as Native American Indian. As far as resemblances between far-flung traditions, partly this can be explained by the power of symbols, which often start with very common human or natural objects like trees, fire, water, gardens, etc.
Tom Britt:
Walking With a Ghost: Under the Influence of
Edgar Huntly
As a rule, I always like to know where things are headed.
I prefer to plan ahead and know exactly where my exit is on the highway
and what time I’ll be taking my lunch break.
That, in fact, is the manner in which I have chosen my first topic to be
researched. Looking ahead in our
Early American Literature course, I noticed that we round out the academic year
with Edgar Huntly by Charles Brockden
Brown. I have never heard of this
title, and I consider the focus of my literary career to be American texts.
Naturally, my curiosity was piqued, and my need to learn all I could
about Mr. Brown has been set into motion.
However, learning is nothing without direction, and a focused question is
necessary in order to demonstrate my research and learning on the subject.
That being said, Dr. White states in a discussion question that “Edgar
Huntly is the first serious American attempt at [. . .] literary fiction.”
For my research, I would like to explore exactly what Charles Brockden
Brown added to the development of the modern American novel as we know it today
and how his influence, what he got right and what he got wrong, has echoed
through the years.
The Founding of Our Nation: Apocalypse or Evolution?
In our correspondence involved in another class I am taking with Dr.
White, we struck upon a topic that might as well have been gift wrapped.
In a course called Literature of the Future, we have been examining and
comparing the themes of literature as they present themselves as creation and
apocalypse or evolution narratives.
As I attend Early American Literature just a day prior to the meeting of the
Literature of the Future course, the concepts discussed in both classes are
always fresh in my mind. Dr. White
posed a question to me in an email pertaining to our Future course as to
“whether USA was founded as a Christian nation or a secular republic parallels
creation-apocalypse v. evolution”.
I think I am going to take that idea and run with it.
instructor's reply: Austin Green in our class is also researching C B Brown, esp. Wieland, so you and he might compare research notes on whom Brown was influenced by and whom he influenced. You could also investigate the concept or genre of "literary fiction," on which I'm just now preparing a page, as Brown's style, content, and career somewhat exemplify its ups and downs. Yes too to your second topic. The parallel may be a starting point for examining the Reformation and the Enlightenment. The main direct parallel in my mind is the Founders' commitment to capitalism, which may either reflect or model a Darwinian idea of nature as competition, survival, etc. You know that Darwin's ideas arrived almost a century after the founding, but in some respects he only advanced a broad idea of evolution that had been around since classical times, with the Founders respected more or less. As far as the USA as a Christian nation, the idea (currently promoted by several Republican candidates) conforms to Creation-Apocalypse as a story of decline from an earlier unity or purity, with a hero promising to restore that earlier state by reviving the original spirits of the nation and expelling various corrupting agents that conform to the serpent in the garden.
Kelsie Cavazos
With the
presidential election quickly approaching, I am more and more interested with
the history, legislature, and people that have helped shape our nation. For the
first part of my research post I would like to examine the roles of Thomas
Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton in early American society. I think their roles
are extremely vital to the history of the United States and also the emergence
of the bi–partisan outlook. Both men were crucial in developing pieces of
literature that are still taught today, and leaving a lasting impression on
politics, history, literature and society.
Beginning with an introduction to both
of these men, I want to research the background of Hamilton; including
his upbringing, education, early career and personal life to have a better
understanding of his character and
accomplishments. One of the most influential pieces of Hamilton’s writing is
The Federalist Papers. I want to
research how these documents impacted American society at the time it was
published, how much support it gained for the Federalist Party, and the
proportions of the population that resonated with the ideas Alexander Hamilton
shared. From a literary perspective, I want to study the writing style, syntax
and language Hamilton and his co-authors used. Also, being one of the
contributors to the Constitution and how it helped to cultivate his ideals and
beliefs. As the first Secretary of the Treasury, I want to closely examine how
his institution of the federal bank and fiscal policies affected the economy.
Similar to my approach on Hamilton, I want to research the background of
Thomas Jefferson. Being the principal author of the Declaration of Independence,
and several more pivotal historical documents I want to look at how these pieces
of literature shaped early American history. I also want to interpret how his
time spent as Secretary of State and Vice President influenced the ideals and
policies he carried out during his Presidency. As mentioned above I am hoping
this research cumulates to the emergence of the First Party System and I will be
able to compare and contrast the Federalist’s to the Jeffersonian Republicans.
Ultimately I feel like from a very young age we are taught an exorbitant
amount of information about our founding fathers and the men who shaped this
country but I still feel out of touch with the historical perspective. I am
hoping that by choosing to heavily research both of this men and how influential
they were historically I will have a better understanding of how they
participated in shaping the dominant culture. By delving so deeply into the
subject I am hoping that it creates a more thorough and vivid representation of
the society and culture during the late 18th century.
For the
second part of the research post, if the research leads me there, I would like
to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Jefferson and
Hamilton to the candidates for the upcoming presidential election. I think both
of them stood for ideas and beliefs that candidates are still trying to
represent today.
instructor's reply: Your proposal is all well-written, Kelsie, so thanks for the thought and appreciation for these figures, but because both men are so grand and complex, and the research post is so limited, you probably ought to spread your vision for the first post across both posts. The simplest way would be to feature first one or the other in the first post, then the one left out in the second post. However, your first post could certainly preview the content of your second post and preview comparisons and contrasts; then your second post could look back to your first and make some comparisons, etc. The part about connecting to contemporary politicians seems more speculative, but if you can find some research to connect, give it a try.
Another possibility rises from your fourth paragraph about the difficulty of education or learning in these subjects. I agree. Teaching the Founders is typically the hardest slog of our course, and I'll probably make some time in class to speculate why, but most of the students are even less interested in that than they are in the Founders. Not to discourage--I'm very appreciative of your interest in these subjects and desire to see what you can make of them, partly by connecting to the present. Of course I could go on much about such subjects, but students might find such connections overly political compared to the safety of discussing long-dead history. One testament to the power of the Founders is how either side in any current debate will be able to declare their allegiance to their principles or policies.
What I'm trying to say is, Don't lose that motivation to make Hamilton and Jefferson matter now. You have enough good sense to find a way. One organizing procedure might be to start with your own learning experiences about them to this point (i.e., your past education), a description of your motivation to know more, and then some details of what your research discovered and its significance. But these are just possibilities. Welcome to communicate further if I can help, but you're writing well enough here that I'll trust you to find your way.
Ashley Cofer
American Indian Literature
For my first research post, I would like to write about
American Indian literature. I am interested in learning what they wrote about
and how the events in their history contributed to their literature. I would
also like to uncover the reaction of the dominant society to American Indian
literature. I am very curious about comparing and contrasting the literature of
different tribes.
The Life and Works of Judith Sargent Murray
For my second research post, I would like to write about
the influence of Judith Sargent Murray on women's rights. She was one of the
first to propose the idea that women are equal to men. It would be interesting
to discover how the idea of women's rights during the 18th century was received.
She is the author of books, essays, poems, and plays. Her array of writing is
impressive and inspiring.
instructor's reply: Yes to both topics, Ashley, though especially the first one will evolve or narrow as you do some research. As for American Indian literature, the trick is that North American Indians had very little of what we can consider "writing" except in the very broadest sense, so any study of that subject has to deal with the facts that there were numerous American Indian cultures and nearly all of them were spoken-word cultures. Therefore much of what is written of early American Indian literature is what was translated, transcribed, and often jumbled by European-American writers who were sometimes sympathetic and sometimes not. Later in the semester we'll encounter a couple of Native Americans who became Christian ministers and thereby literature and so produced the earliest American Indian writing as such. Of course the closer you get to our time, the more American Indian writers start appearing, but overall if you're staying in our period, you'll have to deal with these complications to the subject. Welcome to confer, as I've done my own share of research in these subjects, so I'm familiar with the challenges and the possibilities. If you want a very specific sub-topic, you might consider investigating "wampum," which was used by the Iroquois tribes as something akin to writing. For starters, here's our course page on the subject: http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/terms/W/wampum.htm. But I'm not forcing this change on you--just one possibility.
Yes also to Judith Sargent Murray, who will be easier to research, and I wish I had room to squeeze her into this course, which is already too tightly-packed, but I'm always interested in her and appreciate your introducing the subject.
Andrea Esquivel
instructor's reply:
Shanna Farmer
For my research post I would like to dig deeper into the
culture of American Indians and specifically focus on gender roles. I have heard
in class, as well as in past classes, that women were typically the work horses
within the community and the men held all the power while doing minimal work to
contribute. I want to find out if that was really true. Perhaps it differed from
tribe to tribe?
Since researching each tribe individually would be
overkill for this assignment, I would like to research three different tribes,
in three different regions of the country: the north-east, south-east, and
central plains regions. I will be looking for job descriptions,differential
treatment, and women's rights.
instructor's reply: Thanks, Shanna. This proposal appears to be for your research posts rather than for both, as required, so welcome to send me a revision or extension. For now, yes to this topic for your first post at least, and doing the research and writing may open ways to a second post. You're right that gender roles may have varied from tribe to tribe (or language groups, since they're one way to group tribes), so yes to focusing on 2 or 3. As for the division in workloads you cited, I read that description a good deal too when I was coming up, but a few years ago somewhere I read a challenge to that description that said it resulted from white visitors who only stayed with the tribe for brief times and mostly hung around the village or campsite. As a result, such visitors didn't much follow the men when the men went off on extended hunts or, in fewer cases, raiding or war parties. What the visitors did see, though, was the men resting from such outings. Meanwhile the women, who were more in charge of domestic upkeep and / or farming, stayed busy from day to day around the village or campsite. (The descriptions I'm making here apply mostly to Eastern Woodlands Indians, about whom most of our early writings are concerned.) Another potential bias in the white visitors' descriptions was that the European-American economy was based on farming, and men did most of the heavy farmwork. Since women did that kind of farmwork in the Indian locales, the white visitors could perceive that labor and value it, whereas the men's work was less familiar (though not completely unfamiliar).
But that's all general on my part, and you'll learn more specifics. Overall that gender division is something of a stereotype, but like most stereotypes it's based on some kind of evidence, only the evidence is bent to accommodate the observer's predispositions.
Shanna Farmer:
After much consideration, the aim of my two research posts will be
the birth of our country. Perhaps it is the intense patriotism I feel that led
me to this subject matter. Though I believe the courageous fortitude and
tenacity of our founding fathers is a noble area of study, my focus will be on
two specific women who served as helpmates and guides to the men who planted the
seeds that brought our great nation to life.
For my first post I’ll take on Abigail Adams. She was a tiny woman
with a lot of personality and in the little bit I have read she seems rather
eccentric for her era. But I love the fact that there is a fierce woman behind
the man that was our second president. The women of the American Revolution era
to me exude strength and courage beyond the norm, and I am interested to delve
deeper into her and President Adams relationship to see the hand she played at
the establishment of our country.
Americans have always had the spirit of exploration; and, even
though each individual who crossed the sea to come to this country came
for various reasons, it takes the spirit of adventure in the heart of that
individual to step onto the boat in the first place. Those men and women who
came imparted the same sense of exploration in their descendants. Once we were
free from England, the plunge westward was inevitable, which brings me to the
woman I’ll discuss in my second post.
Sacajawea is arguably
one of the most treasured Native American women is our history. After all the
violence between Indians and European settlers, it is uplifting to hear of any
peaceful relations between the two people. Sacajawea served as a guide to the
famous Louis and Clark expedition of the Louisiana Purchase. They were directed
to explore it by Thomas Jefferson, since it was basically an unknown area at the
time to the Americans. The success of the endeavor and safety of the men she
lead could be contributed not only to her knowledge of the land, but also by her
and her infant son’s gentle presence in a band full of unknown white men as
well.
I hope by presenting
these two ladies from differing cultures it gives a good contrasting view of the
strength women possessed during this era, and how they each had unique
contributions they made to the formation of our country.
instructor's reply: Yes to both topics, Shanna, as they fit the assignment. The two posts may remain completely distinct, or you might preview the second in the first, and review the first in the second, in order to acknowledge their potential resemblances and differences. It's risky, but you could consider unifying them through the "helpmate" angle, which is potentially regressive today but, a couple centuries ago, was fairly the only option for women to have a public identity while maintaining a respectable reputation.
Mariah Glidden
Smith vs. Rowlandson: Captivity Narrative Based on Gender
For my first research post I would like to compare and
contrast the differences in John Smith’s and Mary Rowlandson’s captivity
narratives. I’m interested in the differences that a man and woman face while
being held captive and the way they recount their hardships.
Returning To Civilization After Captivity
For my
second research topic I would like compare Rowlandson’s experiences with those
of Cynthia Parker. I’m interested in the reasons that Cynthia Parker wanted to
return to the Comanches and why Rowlandson was so relieved to be returned to her
fellow Christians.
instructor's reply: These topics can turn into acceptable research posts, Mariah, but so far you seem to be thinking of writing little essays on primary texts when the research posts are about writing summaries of background and secondary research on more general topics.
For the first post, you should be able to find some research on gender and captivity narratives--there's plenty out there. Your goal would be to read some articles analyzing gender differences in captivity narratives and reporting on what you find.
For the second post, you might be able to find some research on age of captives in captivity narratives, though probably not as much. Again the assignment is to report on your research in these sources about captivity narratives, not to analyze your own readings of primary texts of captivity narratives.
My guess is that your topics will evolve as you figure
out the nature of the assignment, so the best thing would be to start doing some
research and see where it leads you. Remember you can start looking for
one thing and end up reporting on another.
Austin Green:
Birth of American Horror
I’ve always been interested in horror and the
macabre, be it novels, movies, or even music. Looking over the time frame
covered during the course presented a glaringly huge hole in my knowledge of
American horror writers. I can talk to you about Poe or Irving or Lovecraft no
problem, but ask me about anyone from America before the 1800s and I have no
information. I probably couldn’t even have told you an author’s name. In
reviewing the syllabus I found Charles Brockden Brown. One quick Wikipedia
search gave me a tiny bit of information, but I stopped myself from researching
more to save it for the paper. I’d like to do both my research papers on Charles
Brockden Brown. For the first I’d like to find information on the author
himself. Everything from his backstory, his inspirations, to what was life like
for an author of his time writing this type of material? Was it well received?
Was he a celebrity, or was his work written off and forgotten about?
For the second paper I’d like to focus on one
of his writings that we are not reading in class: Wieland. The same Wikipedia
search that gave me more information on Brockden Brown claimed this novel was
the “first- and most famous- American Gothic novel. I don’t necessarily want to
write a report on what the novel is about, more about my reaction to it, and
maybe see if any modern tropes can be linked back to it. Also, how the novel was
received, and why it was received that way.
I’d appreciate any guidance or suggestions on
moving forward with either of these ideas.
instructor's reply: C B Brown is a worthy topic for two posts as you plan, Austin, so yes, approved, proceed. Your plan for the first post conforms easily to the assignment, but the second risks becoming more like a research paper, which the assignment doesn't provide enough space for. Welcome to read Wieland--it's been a quarter-century since I did, but it's oddly memorable and I hope to get back to it someday. To fulfill the assignment, you could easily find some critical sources that describe its successes, failures, influences. I'm not particularly familiar with its influences on later macabre and metaphysical writers, but there's plenty of possibility, so it's probably just a question of searching. Welcome to consult on how, or ask a reference librarian, but it's a good topic so yes.
Krysinda Gregory
instructor's reply:
Melissa Holesovsky:
Jefferson: The Man and His Home
For my research posts, I would
like to first, research Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), I believe a Founding
Father, and, second, research his home Monticello. All I currently know about
Jefferson is that he was an early president (3rd)
of the United States and, from my current Anthropology class, that he performed
the first excavation of a historical site in the United States. I would like to
know more about that and who he was outside his presidency, for example what he
contributed to the thinking of the time: Enlightenment and Religion, his
contributions, as mentioned, in archaeology, and contributions to agriculture
and horticulture.
His home,
Monticello, is maintained as a historical site that can be visited by history
lovers and tourists alike, but it also appears on the nickel. It is not just a
home, but gardens as well and, if I recall correctly, is the primary growth site
of plants indigenous to the United States that have been otherwise eradicated. I
have found a wonderful, reputable resource in
www.monticello.org
with a quote about his gardens as follows: “Jefferson grew 250 varieties of more
than 70 different species of vegetables, precisely recording the details of
their growth.” Very interesting. While this combines man and home, the second
post of research would focus on the grounds and what they were used for while I
would focus on his contributions, such as early record-keeping, in the first
post.
instructor's reply: That's a good proposal for two related posts, Melissa, so yes, continue. A challenge for both posts will be their multi-dimensionality, or the range of different topics, subjects, or disciplines that Jefferson exemplified or at least contributed to. One tactic would be to narrow down each of the topics as you research and write; in the first post, that is, you could quickly survey the breathtaking range of Jefferson's mind, activities, collections, and legacies, but then prioritize one particular subject or area to describe and evaluate; the many aspects of Monticello would give you a similar option for the second post.
Or you could continue with the breadth and range of all that Jefferson attempted and accomplished, or all the different achievements that continue to matter and develop from the different rooms, devices, or fields associated with Monticello. The risk would be more briskness and superficiality of description, but that can be compensated if you can unify or thematize something that unifies Jefferson the man or Monticello the site. One possibility that occurred to me based on what your wrote above about Jefferson's "recording the details" of his vegetables, is the way Jefferson measured and recorded so much of his business. The impulse to measure is very true to the Enlightenment or Age of Reason, and it counters one of the downsides of a scientific worldview like his and the Enlightenment's; specifically, scientific theories always eventually become obsolete, replaced by newer, more accurate or advanced theories. According to this assumption, Jefferson's ideas about science probably haven't stood the test of time, however respectable they were in his epoch. On the other hand, if he kept good records and measurements, later scientists love that stuff because they can apply new scientific approaches to a rich store of data. (One way I learned about this was my study some years ago of the Scott Antarctic Expedition of the early 1900s which failed to reach the South Pole, partly because they spent so much time making measurements and keeping careful records. Now it doesn't really matter that they failed to reach the South Pole. What matters is that their records are extremely important for comprehending the changes at the poles due to global warming. Sorry to go on, but you're smart enough to dig knowledge like that!)
Eric Howell
With the
2016 Presidential primaries occupying so many individuals’ minds, including
myself, I have decided to utilize our research posts to examine a founding
father whose literary work was not only instrumental but also vital to the
American success story of the revolution of 1776. Although not cast into the
glorious red, white, and blue lights of patriotism like that of Thomas
Jefferson, or George Washington, Thomas Paine was perhaps every bit of crucial
to the birth of America’s freedom.
I first learned briefly of Thomas Paine throughout my scholastic career,
briefly learning about his role in the American Revolution and “Common Sense,”
and then he seemingly faded away like the flame of Paul Revere’s lantern into
the cool, dark night. Recently, you had mentioned Thomas Paine in class, citing
that he was perhaps one of the most influential early American writers but that
he was not nearly as popular as many of the other early American greats.
The idea of a great American writer, who paved the way for a Nation, that perhaps has not turned into some unattainable “stars and stripes” legend intrigued me deeply. This idea, coupled with the fact that I am absolutely unsure about any current presidential hopeful or where exactly my political views line up, compelled me to some research of my own. I am desperately hoping that from this research post I will learn about who Thomas Paine was, what he stood for, and perhaps what his inspiration was to become an early American Writer, as well as philosopher.
instructor's reply: Yes to your proposal, Eric, as there's plenty to Paine's career to fill two research posts. You might consider doing the first post on his work for the American Revolution, and the second on his subsequent work mostly on the other side of the Atlantic writing about the French Revolution (The Rights of Man) and subsequently on Deistic theology (The Age of Reason). Welcome to confer further as your research and writing develop, as I'm currently strong for Paine on account of a thesis I'm directing that concerns him. As far as his status, in terms of history you're right, he fades compared to Jefferson and other Founders who take over after the American Revolution. For American literature of this period, however, Paine hangs on a little better--at least in my experience, students gravitate to writing about him more than they gravitate to the other Founders (though Jefferson's always interesting-to-complicated).
Mariah Kelly
The first topic I would like to discuss is the Salem Witch Trials. I am NOT
going to focus on the possibility of magic. The closest I may get of that topic
would be to discuss pagan or Wiccan "witches". However, I am interested in what
started this hysteria and how it was able to spread so quickly. If possible, I
would like to delve deeper into the thoughts of the accusing girls and figure
out the correlation between them and the so called "witches".
Secondly, I am interested in time period art. I want to compare and contrast the
different painting styles in the time period we are studying. I am not sure how
many styles I will end up discussing; however, Medieval, Renaissance, and
Baroque all pique my interest. I want to compare and contrast the painting
styles and analyze what changed or made changes possible during those times. An
example would be the creation of a definitive fore, middle, and background from
Medieval to Renaissance painting.
instructor's reply: Thanks for a thoughtful proposal, Mariah--approved. The main contingency will be that both topics are rather big and ambitious, so my first advice is to be prepared to narrow your topic according to where your research leads you. Another possibility would be to spread one of the topics out over both posts. Anyway you have sense enough to do what works, but welcome to communicate further if I can help.
Trey Kibodeaux
I would like to do my research posts over Thomas
Jefferson. Even though he was such an influential founding father, I regret that
I don't know much about him, aside from him being intelligent and a slave owner.
I also want to learn more about Jefferson because I am a
fan of politician, Ron Paul, and he constantly calls himself a Jeffersonian
Libertarian. I would like to know more about Jefferson's life and beliefs, so I
may get a better understanding of the ideal.
instructor's reply: In the spirit of libertarianism, this proposal is fairly minimal, Trey, but it's a topic, so go ahead. Yes, Jefferson pretty much starts the party politics that our Constitution now seems not to have been written to manage, as his "Democratic-Republicans" (variously named) opposed the early Federalists like Washington and John Adams (and Alexander Hamilton), who believed in a strong central government to improve the entire population in contrast to the more laissez-faire approach favored by Jefferson and his followers. When I was growing up, Jefferson was widely embraced as a liberal champion (a position advanced by F D Roosevelt and the New Deal, which funded the Jefferson Memorial in the late 30s)--in effect, he was either so brilliant or so inconsistent that even an eccentric gadfly like Ron Paul can claim him. (True enough, just as Ron Paul's libertarianism is constantly tripped up by his neo-Confederate associates, Jefferson will always be compromised by his dependence on slavery even though in other regards he saw the doom it cast on the early nation.) But since you didn't give me much to work with, I'm just riffing, since Jefferson himself always gives everyone plenty to work with. Since you didn't invest much labor in this proposal, how about checking in again in a few days to tell me how your research for your first post is shaping up?
Trey Kibodeaux: I'm not going
to lie, referring to Paul as a gadfly makes me sad. But in all seriousness,
perhaps the topic should be refined to Jefferson being undermined simply as a
slave owner, instead of placing interest on his ideologies. Ideologies that play
a significant role in the foundation of the constitution. Thank you for the
feedback. I will run more ideas by you, and check in with you in class.
instructor: No offense intended re the
elder Paul. Before I moved to Texas I took him reasonably seriously, but upon
arriving here and being exposed to more knowledge of his work, I realized that
all his years in congress had produced not a single piece of legislation, which
may be what libertarians mean when they say minimal government, but that’s the
rationale for gadfly—that is, he was a successful public provocateur but in no
sense an effective politician. But again, libertarians might conceivably take
that as a compliment.
Jefferson as a slave-owner has
determined the 3rd
president’s role in popular or polemic American history since before the Civil
War, since you have the supreme irony of the author of the Declaration that “all
men are created equal” maintaining a privileged (and indebted) lifestyle on the
labor of some hundreds of anonymous slaves. Abolitionists naturally used such
inconsistencies to call the nation to conscience, and the first complete African
American novel—Clotel—is
subtitled The President’s Daughter
in recognition of the offspring Jefferson created with one of his women slaves
(who happened to be his dead wife’s half-sister). Wow!
Once again welcome to the riches of Jefferson
scholarship. He was such a good writer that he’s always worth paying attention
to, so I’m not down on him as much as I marvel at what a legend he becomes for
so many later uses in American history. Welcome to continue communicating—you’ll
learn a lot. As far as libertarian ideology goes, he’s sometimes (if
apocryphally?) associated with that phrase about that government which governs
best governs least. On the other hand, he found the money for the Louisiana
Purchase, since expansion was essential to his supporters especially in the
slave states. Well, shut me up—it’s almost interesting how much one soaks up
about the guy after all these years.
Grant Law:
The Father of American Philosophy: Samuel Johnson
Hello, Professor White, this is Grant Law, and I am
proposing to do my research on the philosopher and theologian Samuel Johnson.
Known as the father of American philosophy, Samuel Johnson was an advocate of
Anglicanism and the Enlightenment movement in America. Building the first
Anglican Church in Stratford, Connecticut before his contributions to the
philosophical world, Johnson partook in numerous missionaries working under the
name of the Anglican Church. Although his faith was a huge factor in his life,
the pursuit of education and a constant yearning to learn new things is what
sparked his drive to write not only philosophical works but also to be an
advocate of the philosophical movement. Taking inspiration from the idealist
Benjamin Berkley, a figure that furthered the movement of subjective idealism,
Samuel Johnson advocated for the same moralistic and ethical values found in
both Berkley’s teaching as well as the Anglican Church. Remaining an educator at
heart, even in his philosophical writings, his essay “An Introduction to the
Study of Philosophy, exhibiting a General view of all the Arts and Sciences” was
a guide for young men to live their lives by with ethical accordance.
Seeing that Samuel Johnson, the educator, philosophers, and clergyman
instructor's reply: I'm suitably impressed by your knowledge of the American Samuel Johnson, Grant, so yes, proceed, but first, is this a proposal for one or both research posts? The proposal assignment is to describe the topics for both posts, which may be related. For now, I'll act like you'll stretch this subject across both research posts, but welcome to provide more specific information.
A leading reason Johnson can be interesting to early American literature is his exposure that not all the early American religious-intellectual leadership was Puritan. Conceivably your first post could be about his Anglican leadership, and your second might deal with his contributions to the American Enlightenment, but of course the two may be somewhat inseparable. An approximate Puritan contemporary would be Jonathan Edwards, who also succeeded at maintaining religious and intellectual leadership.
Your reference to "Benjamin Berkley" is a bit confusing
since Johnson was, like Edwards and (later) the American Founders, influenced by
and associated with the great Idealist philosopher Bishop George Berkeley of
Great Britain and also associated with Berkeley's son of the same name.
Confusion is understandable. Conceivably your first post could concentrate on
Johnson's career and your second post on his influence on later American
philosophers. (e.g. Dewey?)
Michelle Liaw
After my first encounter with
A General History of Virginia
detailing the tribulations of the infamous John Smith, I immediately knew I
wanted to learn more about captivity narratives. As an avid Disney fan, it was
surprising to view this tale that was incredibly amped up on the big screen to
be a completely different version. The differences between what can assumed to
be “reality” is overshadowed by Smith’s own telling of a heroic tale.
Shedding some more light on the truth between Smith’s
self-promoting tale of his adventures, I became interested in uncovering the
true details of Smith’s tale versus his romanticized version. I read an
interview with a historian from Washington University on PBS.org that revealed
that the Pocahontas myth was “traditionally told to make Americans feel better
about the evils of colonization”. In my first research post, I hope to uncover
the truth by reading between the lines of Smith’s self-concerned captivity
narrative. I plan to answer some of
the following questions. How does Smith’s self-portrayal paint an image of a
stereotypical male hero? What is the difference between the romantic and
realistic aspects in the narrative? How does this tale help contribute to the
first impression of colonial America? What events occurred in the narrative were
completely factual, and what events were biased from Smith’s view?
For my second research post, I hope to continue my focus
with the first captivity narrative by Mary Rowlandson. Although we have not
covered it yet in class, I hope to be able to juxtapose these two captivity
narratives and see the differences in both writing style and viewpoints. Does
the interpretation of Native Americans change through a feminine view? How does
Rowlandson’s depiction of her experiences impact the American view of the
natives?
instructor's reply: Yes to both possibilities, Michelle, though your topics or emphases may evolve as your research proceeds. For Smith, you might find out about his own evolving versions of the tale, of which I know of three that he wrote at different stages or removes. You might even consider how his changeable retelling of the story may have responded to his reading public's preferences, or to elements he may have picked up from other sources. Smith was writing mostly to an English audience, so what ideas about the American Indians did they want to see expressed?
It's conceivable you'll find enough to do two posts on Smith, but if you stay with the current plan, you might look for research on women's captivity narratives compared to men's, as their experiences were often quite different. Reading the Rowlandson narrative will show you a number of possibilities, and you can use research on captivity narratives to inform parts of your exams, as captivities continue to show up throughout the course.
Kimberly Loza:
The Struggles of a Woman
For my first research post, I would
like to do my research over La Malinche. I have always been fascinated with her
story. I started to learn a lot more about her in one of my Latino Literature
courses. However, in my culture most see her as this race traitor and she is
represented as being this negative figure. I have honestly never felt this way
about her because women of this time did not have many decisions in life. Marina
was a somewhat educated woman. She ended up becoming a translator, negotiator
and cultural mediator for the Spanish. George Mason University's site goes into
more detail of how she was an educated woman who became a tool for the Spanish.
I find it quite surprising that this educated woman could be so easily be turned
into this negative figure. The research that I have done so far is that even
some cultures intermix her story with that of "La Llorona", who is a totally
different figure and is considered a folklore. I really want to focus my
research on the struggle of women like Dona Marina and focus on her story of how
she became known as this "race traitor".
For my second research post, I want to continue focusing on Dona Marina, but possibly focus more on the race aspect of her story. Being that she was an Indian woman that helped the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, you can see her in a way as being a captive of the Spanish. I may even focus on the power struggle between the races, like for example between the Indians and the Spanish. By focusing on this aspect may explain why Dona Marina decided to assist the Spanish and have a child with Cortes. I just really feel that Dona Marina or La Malinche would be a very fascinating person to do my research over is because being a Hispanic woman myself, I believe that it would be quite interesting to look at the lifestyle of a woman like Marina during this time period.
instructor's reply: Yes to this subject for both posts, Kimberly. Our course tries to squeeze in La Malinche at a couple of points but rarely enough time. In any case she's a fascinating figure, partly because, as you note, the Mexican attitude toward her tends to be negative, while North Americans either don't know of her existence or, if they've learned of her in school, she can be portrayed as an intriguing cross-cultural figure more worthy of sympathy and interest--or in your owrds, "cultural mediator." Since as you write her options were limited, it's questionable whether either culture can comprehend her situation entirely. The only issue I sometimes add, which is implicit in both parts above, is that like Cabeza de Vaca (at least in a cultural sense), she may be seen as a prototype of the Latin@/Hispanic identity, in that she bridges Old and New Worlds, European and Indian. Another fact I encountered a few years ago is that in Mexico City a house associated with her still stands, which attracts more foreign than native attention. The negative attitude in Mexico or Mexican America may partly result from an aesthetic that some of my other courses associate with Latin@ identity, which is a tendency to romanticize the pre-contact peoples as being noble and heroic, while what happens after Cortez is more like the corrupt or unjust reality we live with--a classic Genesis story of paradise and exile that many North Americans also apply to North American Indians. My knowledge of La Llorona is pretty basic, but I've sometimes guessed that one issue that connect her to La Malinche is children?--but just a guess. Anyway yes to both posts, and welcome to confer. The text by which I learned of her was The Conquest of America by Tzvetan Todorov, app. 1984.
Nathan Mesloh:
Expanding Horizons
For my research journals I have decided to do something I did not think I was
planning on doing for my first post. I am intending to research baroque works
and see how it has influenced modern works. I am a little surprised by this
because I have never really been interested in baroque works, and as I write
this I still am not, but I am hoping that by doing this I will learn to
appreciate the baroque arts more, for making today's arts what they are
For my second post I would like to look into Charles Brockden Brown and learn
more about him, and learn about his life events and what inspired him. The
reasoning is simple, in that I love Gothic works and I came across his name in
the title of one of the previously submitted research posts in a past class. I
realize this topic is broad and will need to be narrowed down, so what I would
like to do is find the three or four biggest points in his life, and find out
exactly how those points influenced his work.
instructor's reply: Yes to both topics, Nathan, though the first is so broad that you'll naturally have to choose media, genres, etc. Since I'm a devotee of Baroque music, I'll mention that one contemporary composer who seems to be influenced by Baroque music, or whose work at least bears some resemblance, is Philip Glass--you can probably find some of his music on YouTube, as he's reasonably popular, and there may be some research out there on his baroque stylings. Otherwise in music, the Romantic composers Schumann and Mendelsohn both cultivated Baroque stylings and promoted Baroque music. If you're interested in Baroque art or architecture, some postmodern architecture incorporates baroque ornamentation, at least in a superficial or homage-type way.
Austin Green and Tom Britt in our class are doing both their posts on Brown, so welcome to look at my notes to them (http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/LITR/4231/models/rp/rp2016/RpProps.htm) for more or general advice, but for one post you could do some research on criticism of the gothic in his works. Welcome to communicate further if you want more guidance.
Nona Olivarez
At first, I found myself unsure of what to research
because so far nothing sparked a strong interest for me until last Monday when
we discussed the Salem witch trials. Although the Salem witch trials have been
discussed and taught in grade school, the only thing I really remember is
watching the movie The Crucible. So in saying that I'd like to research the
Salem witch trials further, but because that is quite a broad topic I'd like to
narrow it down to researching specifically the manner it which they accused and
then killed the accused witches. To restate my proposal in more detail, I plan
to research the manner in which the accused women of witchcraft were found
guilty, for instance, I vaguely remember something along the lines of the women
accused being put in water and if they didn't float then they were innocent but
if they did float they were guilty. I could be mistaken on the details, but the
manner in which they found women guilty was quite superstitious and I would like
to expand on that. More so, I want to focus on the manner in which they executed
accused witches. Fire was a main form of execution but I believe they also used
other methods, such as crushing them between large stones, and I would like to
research the reason behind that if there is any. If this is still too broad
please let me know, and I can try to narrow it down further, but I'd really
enjoy finding out more information concerning this topic.
instructor's reply: As we discussed in class, your questions are leading you to some good research possibilities in terms of law, evidence, and punishment in a transitional time period. You could distribute these interests across both posts. Since you mentioned The Crucible, what are the standards of evidence there? Since Crucible was reacting to the McCarthy Communist "witch hunts," how much did they depend on hearsay, guilt by association, defamation of character, etc.?
Jackie Rodriguez
instructor's reply: Yes, Jackie, proceed. As we discussed, the first post can be more like general history of the captivity narrative's early development, which would give you some chance to become acquainted with examples beyond class. The first post can preview the second, where you could go into later developments, esp. in fiction.
Albert Salazar
instructor's reply:
Haley Stilwell
After much thought, I have decided that I am interested in researching moral
hysteria. My interest not only pertains to the moral hysteria that is
intertwined with the Salem Witch Trials, but also how it was exhibited in
relations with the Native Americans and how authority figures used it in order
to gain control of the masses. Please let me know if there is anything else I
should consider with this theme.
instructor's reply: Haley, are you talking about this subject for both posts, as the proposal assignment requires? If so, I need a lot more information before I can say yes--in brief, this is a pretty minimal proposal. Never to sound grumpy (the hour grows late), but while I can easily see the idea of moral hysteria applying to the Salem community, and you could certainly do some research on that, based on the little information you provide I can't begin to guess how it applies to relations to . . . well, what you wrote. More specifics! Texts? Events? Anyway welcome to follow up with more to work with, and be sure to let me know if this subject applies tot both posts or one, and if one, what you intend for the second post.
Haley Stilwell: I was interested in breaking up the
research into two parts. The first part would cover moral hysteria in relation
to the Native Americans. In Christopher Colombus's letters he writes about
trying to persuade the Native Americans to convert to Christianity. By
converting them, Colombus gains control through religion. Essentially, I believe
the conversion is based on fear rather than the want for the Native Americans to
receive eternal salvation and would like to research this further to see if my
claims could be viable.I am also interested in researching the idea of Native
Americans becoming "savages" in the eyes of the Puritans. Were they truly savage
beings, or was this a false claim that spread among the Puritans in order to
fuel a hatred towards the Native Americans, in hopes of wiping out the race? The
second portion of moral hysteria would be over the Salem Witch Trials. I believe
the authority within the church used these trials to create fear and reign a
deeper control over the masses. Both of these instances involve religion and I'm
curious to see if religion is a main contributor to moral hysteria.
Admittedly some social authorities can sometimes
capitalize on such phenomena, but I don’t think they’re simply engineered by Big
Brother or The Man. What’s most fascinating to me about them is their confluence
of a number of related social vectors. The people affected often do horrible,
evil things, but they think they’re being moral, and often they’re normal,
everyday people otherwise, not evil monsters. Evil monsters make a better story,
but history’s usually more complicated, with a lot of blame to share, or bad
guys and good guys caught up in forces beyond their control.
The situation you’re describing with the Indians doesn’t
seem specific or focused enough, unless you can find a particular incident that
resembles Salem, the recent Ebola panics (not a single US case!), or the 1980s
child care satanic sex abuse freakouts. I often feel like working-class white
people in the US are frequently convulsed in a kind of mass hysteria over
changes in American culture that causes them to vote and think against their own
best interests, but again no one would say that these poor people are evil or
perverse when their health is declining disastrously due to legal and illegal
drugs, firearms idolatry, suicide, etc., leading them to operate in a symbolic
universe that is fairly removed from everyday reality—expecting the apocalypse,
denying science, voting against the health care they need, wow, where does it
stop? Obviously plenty of leaders have risen to exploit these self-inflicted
fears, but those leaders are just being good capitalists and offering what the
market demands.
Anyway if your first research post explains your
interest in such phenomena and establishes a “working definition” of moral panic
or mass hysteria, you can end by setting up a second post that will apply this
definition to one or two examples of the phenomena and judging how well they fit
your definition. Those examples could be previewed in your first post, then
detailed in your second.
Sorry
to go on, but I’m interested and want to know more about the subject myself. In
any case, I’ve led enough of these research posts to know some of their risks
and possibilities. Welcome to follow up. Of course I’ll respect your choices and
see what you can do with whatever path.
Brittney Wilson
I would like to focus on the 17th century and
specifically women's rights in the 17th century. Gender, family, and the
household were important issues at the time and because I cannot fathom the
social norms and conventions for women of that time, I would like to learn more
about them.
I would like to first focus on the author Dorothy
Leigh who wrote The Mother's Blessing, or the Godly Counsel of a Gentlewoman Not
Long Since Deceased, Left Behind for Her Children. It is a book advising women
how to be good mothers at the time. Though I do not know much more than that, it
seems like it would give me good incite into the minds of women at the time and
what was important for women's rights.
To follow that up, I would like to read from a male's
perspective of the time on what he viewed important for women's rights so I
chose The Law's Resolutions of Women's Rights; Or, the Law's Provision for Women
written by a T. E..
instructor's reply: I'll tentatively say yes to your topics, Brittney, but more specific historical details would have helped, as these texts and authors are altogether unfamiliar to me and "Dorothy Leigh" only leads me to Dorothy Leigh Sayers, the great detective writer. Are both texts-authors American, and do they fall into the period of our course? If so, and if you think you can find enough research about them to fulfill the assignment as described, then take your chances, but obviously I'm not helping much. Since most of the research proposals are somewhat more generic, the extreme specificity of these texts concerns me that you might not comprehend the nature of the research-post assignment. That is, you're not supposed to find a primary text and analyze it as in a literary-critical essay, but instead to find research about a subject that you want to learn more about. If this is confusing, I recommend as all semester that you look at the topics that students have developed in previous semesters. For instance, here are the research posts for 2014: http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/LITR/4231/models/rp/rp2014/default.htm. If the development of the topics you're proposing can conform at least somewhat to the expectations of the assignment and the established models that previous students have contributed, go ahead and welcome to communicate further if I can help.
Alexis Young
For my first research post, I would like to investigate the relationship between
mimesis in the literature of Charles Brockden Brown. While I know a little about
mimesis, I definitely do not know as much as I would like to. Also, I do not
know anything about about Charles Brockden Brown (or his work). In a previous
literature course, I learned about mimesis, Aristotle, and Plato in renaissance
poetry. Basically, I know that mimesis is used to describe the philosophical
concept that art mimics nature and nature mimics art.
To make sure that my concept of mimesis in Brown's literature was solid, I did a
quick google search on him and found that there are scholarly writings about
mimesis through his romantic elements. For my second post, I would like
investigate whether or not Edgar Huntly contains the same mimetic
elements as his other works, and if it does not, what kind of element it does
focus on and how it is connected to the Enlightenment.
instructor's reply: Yes to your proposal(s), Alexis, though it may evolve as you research and write. The challenge may be that mimesis is such a wide and flexible concept that it can work in many different ways, not all of them consistent with each other. One approach (if it works) might be to devote the first post to researching and defining mimesis in such ways that it can apply to C B Brown as one of the USA's earliest serious novelists. What you mentioned about some criticism of his mimetic style relating to Romanticism could be part of that--that is, you could define how Romanticism and mimesis meet, or the ways they could meet. Another or additional way to define mimesis in the opening post might be to recognize that the time when Brown was writing (1799-1800), the "novel" or "fiction" was fairly recent, at least in the modern sense, so Brown and his contemporaries were still inventing a mimetic genre we now take for granted. In brief, mimesis could apply not only to Romanticism but to the origins and development of the novel.
If you thus set up "mimesis" in your first post, your second post could apply that learning to Brown's fiction or what you can learn about it. Just to remind you, though, the assignment is not for you to analyze our primary texts but to learn about them from other sources, so you could look at some information about the several novels Brown wrote in a couple of years.
Well, sorry to go on, and not to lock you into this plan, but since you haven't gotten there yet I thought I'd give you some ways to think about it, but you're not limited to these. Brown wrote a lot of fiction in a hurry that opens to a lot of possibilities, and mimesis is a big concept, so find ways to fit the idea of mimesis to his fiction, or figure out another related topic by starting on this one and seeing where it takes you.
instructor's reply:
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