ESSAY TOPIC 3: Compare and contrast two or more texts in African American literature to develop a theme of your choice.

Assignment

ESSAY TOPIC 3: Compare and contrast two or more texts in African American literature to develop a theme of your choice.

·        The theme or point of this comparison-contrast is your choice, but the exercise should definitely have a theme or a related series of topics or themes.

·        Don’t simply compare and contrast in a random, open-ended way.

·        Focus on a special issue or problem or theme that appears in the text(s). Use the comparison-contrast method to develop ideas and examples relevant to the theme.

·        You’re required to refer to three texts, but given the comparison-contrast format, you’re welcome to concentrate on two while mentioning a third more briefly without necessarily involving it in a full comparison-contrast treatment.

·        Try to begin and end on your larger point, drawing the comparison-contrast to some conclusions. What have you learned about the texts and your topic from the comparison contrast exercise?

Textual requirements:

Your essay must make extensive reference to at least three texts from our required course readings:

Martin Luther King, “I Have a Dream” (speech at March on Washington, 1963)

Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano . . . An African

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Black Girl Lost

After first reference, you may refer to texts in abbreviated form, e. g. Caged, Lost, Douglass, etc. You are welcome to refer briefly to texts from beyond this course, but keep refocusing on our main texts.