LITR
4232: American Renaissance
UHCL,
spring 2002
Student Research Proposal
Megan Yeates
Dr.
White,
I
am considering writing an analytical research paper on Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Because
this has been my first semester to work with Stowe, I want to explore what makes
/ made this novel so powerful, examining especially characterization, voice, and
culture. By starting in a broad
sense, I plan to look into 19th century American women writers as a
whole, and then possibly begin to uncover why Stowe was so influential.
Also, I want to look at how Stowe’s life reflected what she was
writing, if there is anything to that. I
have begun the idea by skimming through the works Harriet Beecher Stowe: The
Known and the Unknown by Edward Wagenknecht, and Declarations of
Independence: Women and Political Power in Nineteenth Century American
Fiction by Barbara Bardes and Suzanne Gossett.
Would
it be sufficient to concentrate on Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin alone,
or should I take some of her other, less famous, works into consideration?
Or should I maybe address the question of whether or not this novel is as
powerful today as it was in the 1800s? Your
comments are greatly appreciated.
Thank
you,
Megan
Yeates
Dear
Megan,
This
is a good, thoughtful proposal, in response to which I'm a little embarrassed
that I hesitate to answer your questions, because the answers depend on which
path you take--that is, whether you emphasize her life and its influence on her
writings, or do some comparing and contrasting with other women writers of the
time. One way to consider is that the first subject may tend more toward a
journal approach--that is, tallying up biographical influences or reflections
can make for a somewhat dull essay because it threatens to reduce the literature
to the life, but the subject can make for a good, knowledge-based journal.
Comparing her voice, etc., with other women writers of the time sounds more like
an analytical essay. And I could appreciate reading either one for these
respective purposes. You might consider which path you've gone further on, where
you feel more confident, etc. Feel welcome to consult further.
P.
S. As to focusing on Uncle Tom's Cabin or including other works, again it may
depend on what you're trying to prove or ascertain. I'm sorry not to answer more
definitely, but she's a big writer, so many options are always possible,
depending on your goal.
Dr. White,
While I originally intended to write an
essay on Harriet Beecher Stowe, possibly discussing Uncle Tom's Cabin, I
now feel that I may benefit more from, as you loosely suggested, writing a
journal on 19th century women writers. As I have been researching more since I
sent you my proposal, I have discovered other sources (books, namely) that I
wish to work with concerning this more broad topic. I still plan to include
Stowe, but perhaps along with Dickinson and Fuller. The journal, I feel, will
give me more freedom and leeway to explore the idea of women writing in 19th
century America. I hope my changing forms/options is permissible. If you have
any comments that may help me, or if you need a new "formal" proposal
from me, please let me know.
Thank you,