LITR 4332 American Minority Literature 2005 research proposals

LITR 4332: American Minority Literature

Student Research Proposals 2005

Kate Barrack

I would like to focus my research on the use of hyperbole as it is used within American Indian literature (and oral stories if necessary).

Specifically, I am interested in the extent to which this phenomenon occurs. While reading our two texts, I noticed a distinct difference between exaggeration ("the only living thing in the whole damn desert") and hyperbole ("my 500 years").

While exaggeration is a common usage of language between both the dominant culture and American Indians, the feeling that comes from hyperbole seems to focus more on the culture's awareness of space and time as "universal" instead of "singular". That is, in Western literature, a moment is a moment. A moment has a past, a present, a future and is also attached to hypothetical pasts and possible futures. A typical hyperbole might sound similar to "In a thousand years, you'll never win this war!"

What I noticed in the tone of the hyperboles used in the American Indian text was more like the individual speaking "lived" in all the continuums at the same time. He was distinctly connected to the past and the possibilities of the future, not really through fate, but something else.

This topic might be too specific to find reliable information so it may broaden as I collect information. I expect to find some comparison in language of time and space between Americans and Indians.

Amy Breazeale

I would like to focus my final research topic over the humor in Native American writing. This also includes the trickster character using the novels we have read throughout the semester as well as other outside resources. Even though there was loss in their lives they were able to cope with it with the survival of humor throughout their oral tales.

Joel Carter

Regarding the research topics, I was intrigued by the idea of analyzing hip-hop as the poetry of a new generation. I would approach this topic from a different angle than most of my peers: I believe that much of hip-hop and the culture it has produced has contributed to America's cultural bankruptcy. In my research, I would seek to compare and contrast the claims against hip-hop (specifically those made by made by literary stalwart Stanley Crouch and jazz giant Wynton Marsalis) with the words of the rap artists themselves. In this process, I hope to uncover exceptions to Marsalis' categorical assertion that all rap and hip-hop music is ignorant.

This discussion necessarily leads itself to analyzing the affect hip-hop lyrics and culture has had on the black community and American culture at large. Perhaps this modern hip-hop culture has changed the dreams of little boys growing up in the 'hood and led them to believe that the best and only way out is through rap music and the lifestyle it promotes.

In summary, I seek to pursue answers to the following questions: is hip-hop poetry? what does hip-hop add to culture and what does it take away? what are the implications of the popularity of this new form of communication?

This is a multifaceted topic that will most likely change shapes throughout the course of my research. I will attempt to uncover and maintain a cohesive idea that permeates through the subject. Let me know what you think.

Linda Castro

Mexican American Literature in Texas: I will be following the guidelines for option two, the journal option. The topic of my journal will be Mexican American literature in Texas. This will include books by David Montejano, Emilio Zamora, and analysis of essays such as “The Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe” and others I find in my research.

I want to focus on Objective 3c: The Ambivalent Minority. I want to write about the author’s backgrounds, what made them start writing? I also want understand the beginning of the Mexican American culture, history, but mainly emphasize on the literature that came out of their experiences. I hope to capture a certain writing style, I predict a mixture between the English and Spanish language. I want the reader to understand the result in literature of the meeting of two cultures.

I understand the readings and enjoy the class discussions, it’s just hard for me to write smoothly. Do you have any suggestions for better flow, or organization in my paper? Is there any thing I am leaving out on the subject?

Mark A. Chapa

Contemplating the numerous avenues of approach, I recalled a past project involving Native American Indian Removal. The process consisted primarily of research and evaluation. It did not however, deal directly with the literary aspect of the Native Americans. What I did come across in my research were very eloquent speeches and writings by various Native Americans. Although the research was more of a fact finding mission in regards to the Indian removal process, references were continually made towards the words of famous chiefs and other activists.

With this said, I have found a text entitled Native North American Voices edited by Deborah Gillan Straub. It is a collection of historical Native American speeches accompanied by commentary. These speeches deal with various topics such as civil rights, employment, and militancy. To be quite honest I am not sure what I expect to find within these words. I do know that the eloquence with which they are written is amazing.

What I am curious about is the nature of the Native Americans in general. We are all pretty much in agreement with the fact that what was done to Native Americans was an atrocity. The argument posed for many years seems to be circled around their savagery. I pose the question is it possible to be a savage and speak with eloquence or did we mistake anger and fear for a primal reaction. Also, why did know one listen to the savages when they were speaking as opposed to fighting. Their words could match ours and yet it seems that only our (America’s) words and signature’s were the only objects of importance. Without the boundaries of language, it seems that some type of common terms could have been agreed upon.

Though these are my thoughts now, I am still unsure as to where I will end. The events of Indian Removal and the criticism are abundant. What I am attempting to do is to focus on the content of each speech and find a common thread.

Mary Kay Clements

I thought about expanding on my last essay about literacy and look further into the secret education the slaves got. I want to look into how they had to struggle and keep the secret without the master finding out. I want to see how the education aspect of things placed a slave in a higher category than just a farmer who was making no money and being punished for it. I just feel there is more to this idea of education and how to obtain the gift of learning. If you have any other ideas or changes to be made please let me know.

Mary Bel Garza

Immigrant and minority population is growing tremendously. Are they becoming the “new dominant culture,” or are they just becoming part of the “melting pot?” How will this change the American Dream?

Krystal Gladden

For my research, I would like to further my midterm topic of Double Minority, being a female African American. This topic really interests me, for what reasons I am not too sure. I will of course include Caged Bird, Incidents, and possibly Black Girl Lost I would love to dig deeper into this topic and explore other accounts, as well in which the ones I have already read.

I would like to research other female's tribulations, mostly through slavery and the relationship they had with men. I will discuss many objectives, including 1b, 1c, and 2a.

Starr Haun

I would enjoy writing about the quandary of whether minorities should try to resist what some view points would consider an oppressing American Government inflicted by the dominant culture, or if they should gradually adapt to the customs of the prevailing population. I would like to compare and contrast the writings of Martin Luther King to the writings of Malcolm X. I think their shared goal yet opposite strategies in trying to acquire equality for African Americans exemplifies the conflict and frustration minorities have in trying to achieve true equality in America.

Referencing "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr," edited by Clayboren Carson, and "A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr" edited by James Melvin Washington, I would first like to talk about Martin Luther King Jr.'s position on this issue. As a group, he felt African Americans should unite in their pursuit of freedom, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." After achieving freedom, he believed identity was up to the individual. African Americans should not be judged as a group, but on an individual basis just as the dominant culture is. He felt people of all colors should learn to compromise with one another, yet respect individual differences. "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Malcolm X's expressed a different view in, "The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley." "A race of people is like an individual man: until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself." To Malcolm X, a person's race is just as important as the individual, and it is the duty of each African American to stay true to his or her ethnic roots and resist assimilation.

My personal opinion is, complete resistance is only necessary if the conditions are unbearable, as was the case when the America Government accepted slavery, then later segregation. "Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks." In saying that, I also find it unacceptable for minority cultures to assimilate completely. We have a growing number of minorities in high ranking government positions, more of the history and literature taught today in school incorporates the minority standpoint and we have many laws against any kind of discrimination. The American society is beginning to understand the benefits gained from broadening our scope and they have been enlightened to the fact all people should be valued regardless of color.

Unfortunately, there are still social inequalities for minorities. I feel if Anglo Americans as a whole continue to work at embracing the cultural differences of minorities, and the other ethnicities stay true to their cultural heritage as they move into more positions of influence, one day an adequate compromise will be reached. All people will have equal opportunities and every individual can remain true to his or her ethnicity. My final exam will attempt to sway others in that direction. I will use Malcolm X's change in attitude later in life that came about when he cut ties with the Nation of Islam (NOI), to try and prove the benefits of passively influencing other's to change their supremacist attitudes instead of forcing them to. It is undisputable Anglo Americans were in the wrong for their suppression of minorities, but we are a new generation. Not only should the Anglo's learn from the mistakes of their forefathers, minorities should also look at those mistakes a! nd better themselves by not repeating them either. "There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time."

Adrian Holden

I began my search not really knowing for what I wanted to look. I knew that there would be many authors of color of note to research but I really had no idea how I would narrow my search. I started to look for African-American authors from Texas and during my search I came upon Gwendolyn Bennett who was born in Giddings, Texas. As I dug deeper I found that she was an instrumental figure during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920's. I have done several papers over the years on different male authors of the Harlem Renaissance (ie Lagnston Hughes, Countee Cullen), but I had not read anything about her specifically. As I continued to research, I realized I really didn't know a whole lot about the female participants of this important movement with maybe the exception of Zora Neale Hurston. So that's what I'm going to research....the female authors of the Harlem Renaissance and their contributions. As double minorities their viewpoints are especially poignant in our particular forum and I am anxious to find out if whether or not their struggle was any more difficult than that of their male counterparts. By struggle I mean having problems getting published, harsher criticism, etc.

Jennifer Humphrey

I am interested in doing research on the genre of magical realism in Latin American literature. I want to look at stories Like Water for Chocolate, Bless Me Ultima, and Marquez's novels. How much more information do you need in this proposal? Please let me know if this is along the lines of the assignment.

Jennifer Jones

I am interested in researching the literary response to Indian missionary/boarding schools. The entire concept is new to me. With all of the information and history displayed before me throughout my schooling, in regards to Native Americans, I had never heard about the schools until American Indian Stories. I am curious about what others (parents, students, teachers) have said about the schools in relation to how they affected their lives. This, at least, is my starting point.

Jackie Morgan

I choose to write on the Harlem Renaissance. Hope this is acceptable. Just let me know. I've never written a research paper in class but I guess I will have to give it a whirl. If my topic is too broad I can write on the major female African American women who influenced and contributed to the Harlem movement in New York.

Theresa Mullins

The topic that I would like to research will be focused more on the roots of poverty and how gambling casino's have alleviated some of these struggles for the Native American people. Evidence of these struggles are projected throughout the literary works of the Native American people. Thus, I believe it will also be important to include a glimpse of these cultural hardships that are so often woven into their literary works.

Jennifer Nall

I am interested in further exploring the differences between the female minority experience and the female Italian immigrant experience. Being a second generation Italian, I have heard many stories from my grandmother that seem to mirror the minority experience rather than that of an immigrant. I am curious to see if female immigrants had as many choices about coming to the United States as one would think. The question I aim to answer is: Did the women of Italy have a choice about coming to the US, and if not should they be considered minorities or immigrants?

Rosa Ortiz

Catholicism and Curanderas-This is my third time reading Bless Me, Ultima, I have always been fascinated by the character of Ultima. I have chosen to research critical literary responses to this character and curanderas in general. I also want to research their beliefs of Catholicism, since what they do is more toward the idea of witchcraft. I know many Mexicans are predominantly Catholic, but many of them still go to curanderas to cure certain ailments. I want to research on both of these topics that are big themes in Rudolfo Anaya’s book.

Irving Peralta

Achieving the American Dream has always been my desire since the moment that I set foot on the United States . The question that still bothers me is why can't everyone accomplish it? Especially when it comes to my fellow Hispanic friends. Why can't they make it? The African-American culture got it. Look at the millionaires in the music, movies and sports industries...they are exciding beyond. The Chinese culture also got it. They are amazing when it comes to gadgets and electronics. But what about the Hispanic culture...what are they known best for? I would like to find information about powerful Hispanic man and women who not only have they impacted the economy, but also impacted literature.

Liavette Peralta

As I have begun to read the texts on American Indians, I have surprisingly become interested in their lifestyles and their dream. I would like to research American Indian Literature to see what other topics are prevalent in this minority group. What really caught my attention in this weeks reading was the fact that Victor says Indians are all about survival and can survive the big things but struggle with the little things in life. I would like to see certain examples of the things they struggle with and why the Indians discussed in this text are so poverty-stricken. I would just like to research what other Indians have written about and how their writings have influenced their culture or society as a whole. I had never considered the struggles Indians may have faced in adjusting to the American Dream or just how much the American Dream differs from what they had envisioned for their futures.

Am I on the right track? I know it seems like a broad topic, but I will narrow it down once I get some research.

Kyle Phillips

Black America in our class studies has been described as the American minority and their situation as the minority narrative. Conversely, the other half of the American experience as the American immigrant and their experiences as the American Dream or the immigrant narrative. "Objective 3" within our syllabus describes contrasting and comparing the dominant "American Dream" narrative and the alternative narratives of American minorities, which differs primarily in the lack of voluntary participation within our system of capitalism and "Dreams" by minorities.

These difference certainly are drastic. However, is there a point at which these two paths cross? Is there a certain advantage culturally that the minority narrative allows? If not, why is/was there not a mass exodus back to a minorities homeland? Do the minority narrative and the immigrant narrative have certain advantages that are exclusive to each other, considering the different factor at play? Culturally, the minority experience has been a disproportionate influence considering the percentage of Anglo to Negro populations.. An example, however miniscule, is that my computer automatically capitalizes the word Negro and not anglo. A fact that will NOT be mentioned within my paper proper.

While my sources will primarily be our class readings, I will also use the histories of the authors, and how their lives were changed as a result of their slavery, travel experiences, freedom, writings and financial successes. I will use more immediate examples such as Maya Angelou and possibly some examples of other minority influences on culture such as Robert Johnson, John Coltrane and his "Favorite Things" quartet, including McCoy Tyner, and Jimi Hendrix, arguably, some of the most influential and creative artists in human history. Other sources will be the writings of Fredrick Douglas and 'The Classic Slave Narratives" and perhaps the essay of Chinua Achebe on Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", which is an example of "missing the forest from the trees", and is another example of an minority writer not mentioned with our class discussion..

Emily Sevier

I am interested in doing research on famous Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. I am familiar with some of his work (Things Fall Apart, An Image of Africa, and a few other essays). I am intrigued by his writing style and by the way he has helped to change the way the colonized world is viewed. I want to know how the colonizing of Africa effected Achebe, how he dealt with attending the evangelistic schools, and what inspired him to become the respected literary figure that he is today.

Is Achebe an acceptable minority author to research? Is there any specific biographical information that you require me to obtain?

Linda Sulpacio

I would like to research Filipino authors in literature.

Demra Trube

The subject I plan to discuss is the purpose of the Native American trickster. The purpose of the trickster is to teach us how to behave around others. Its purpose is more beneficial than harmful, and has relevance today. I plan to focus on Ma’ii, the Navajo coyote. I chose to focus on a coyote because coyote is the most well known trickster in Native American folklore.

When I discuss coyote in modern times, could I include some media that’s not educational/research? For example, would it be appropriate to discuss fictional books (for example, Tony Hillerman’s) that deal with Native American folklore?

Tammy Wilson

I am still planning on doing my report on Langston Hughes. I know that I need to write about a specific topic concerning Langston Hughes, but I am not sure what that is just yet.