LITR 4232: American Renaissance

UHCL, spring 2002

Student Research Proposal

Lori Gouner

Dr. White,

Hello.  I am planning to do a traditional analytic paper.  I've been debating on what my paper topic should be and I've been leaning between doing a paper on the gothic or one on the individual's relationship to nature.

My approach to the paper on the individual's relationship to nature would focus on Thoreau, Emerson, and Douglas.  The first two approach the subject of nature through argumentative essays while Douglas approaches the subject through the slave narrative.  I saw in all three works similarities in a romanticized view of nature that can perhaps be further developed.  What do you think?  Would this be a productive paper topic?

Regards,

Lori Gouner

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Dear Lori,

The topic on the individual and nature has plenty of potential, particularly if you can identify the terms of the idea--that is, what's meant by the individual, by nature, and by their relationship? If you can get a "working model" (or a working definition) of this idea, then you can show where the different writers converge and diverge. Even more interestingly, you might explore how, when one term of the idea changes (such as the individual in slavery), how do the other terms such as nature and the relationship change (or stay at least somewhat the same)?

Start researching the central terms. I can show you a helpful handbook to Romantic ideas in the library.