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Midterm1 (2013 midterm1 assignment) Sample Student Midterm Answers 2013 #2: Research Proposals |
LITR 4333
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Alexandra Alvarado
Research Proposal
Being a Mexican-American of immigrants I have seen
both sides of assimilating and deciding not to assimilate. I’m interested to
researching how the different generations of Mexican-Americans are changing
their decisions on whether to assimilate or not. Also, how that decision effects
the children involved not only economically, educationally, but socially as
well.
Cesar Cano
Topic Proposal
I want to look more closely into the double edge sword
assimilation poses for immigrants. To be more specific to look at isolation
through assimilation with special focus on Mexican Americans, because this group
has some minority traits in it and how assimilation affects each generation.
There is a tension between new immigrants and those here for multiple
generations, primarily because of language. The reasoning is if the person looks
Mexican they should speak Spanish and if they do not they are criticized. I want
to look more into this.
Dylan Chachere
Midterm 1 Proposal
I will research and write about the
immigration process of the Cajuns, from France, to Canada, and on to Louisiana.
I want to research this because my ancestors were part of this
immigration process, and I want to learn more about the conditions of this
process. As far as I know, my
ancestor, the first Chachere to come to America, came with his wife, both of
whom from France, in the midst of the French Revolution.
Helen Duarte
My Paper Proposal
Now for my research proposal, I want to learn more about the Latino immigrant culture. I am a first generation immigrant from Honduras but my brother and sister were born here. So it was always my mother and I holding on to our Honduran customs and beliefs and my siblings growing up with no clue about what we were talking to. I would love to explore Honduran literature, if there are any, as well as the Latino immigrant narrative, specifically focusing on identity. How does a first generation immigrant identify himself? How do you hold on to your roots while assimilating into the American culture? As something I’ve experienced first-hand, I am very interested in this topic.
Adam Glasgow
For my research report I would like to write about the Jewish
influence in the Coen Brothers' film A Serious Man. The Coens are themselves Jewish Americans, although
they are not first generation immigrants. The Jewish culture influences much of
their work, but I think most apparent in this one. I rarely hear viewers or
critics talk about this aspect of the Coen Brothers' films and I think it would
be fun to work to identify some of it.
Sarah Gonzales
Research
Report Topic
For my topic, I want to
research Chinese-American literature. I would like to learn more about their
journey to America and what it takes for them to become citizens and assimilate
to the American culture. I would like to research on what the cultural shock is
at first and their impression of what life is like here in America. I am also
interested to learn about how they feel in regards to raising their children
with a take on two different cultures.
Carmen Rosella Halbison
Research Proposal
I am writing about Asian American writer, Gish Jen, who
wrote the short story “In
the American Society,” that is in our text
book. Her writings held my attention and I was able to visualize the people and
scenes that she wrote about. That one story interested me enough that I would
like to know more about some of her other writings.
I will give an overview of her works, and a chronological account of her journey
to becoming a writer.
So far I know that Jen’s first book was published in 1992
called, “Typical
American,” and her latest book, “World
and town: a novel,” was published in 2010. Most
of her stories are about Chinese Americans, which is her ethnicity.
Krista Harvey
Research Proposal:
I would like my topic for my research report to be over
author Sandra Cisneros. I plan to teach high school English, and I believe it is
import to expand the cannon through literature. After reading The House on Mango
Street, I was inspired to incorporate multicultural literature in my classroom.
Living in Texas, I have learned a great percentage of students are Mexican
American. Researching and learning about stand out authors sharing their
cultural identity, can potentially help me connect on a deeper level with
students.
Fariha Khalil
Research Proposal
I would like to do my
research assignment over Turkish American immigrant group. I am a Muslim from
Pakistan and Turkey is a Muslim country as well.
I have never learned about American literature from
a Middle Eastern perspective.
I want to learn about their experience in this part
of the world.
I am curious and anxious to see if, their experiences
relate with my parents’ experience of this world.
Also, I want to learn, how they assimilated with
the dominant culture, and their thoughts on being an American.
To my family and I , religion
is very important, and that is why even after being an American, we still stand
out from the dominant culture.
Was religion very important to Turkish Americans as
well, or were they willing to put religion aside and join the dominant culture?
I am looking forward to learning about their
journey here, and what made them want to come to the United States?
What was it that they liked about being an
American?
So far, I am very positive
that I want to study Turkish Americans for my research assignment, and actually
am looking forward to doing this
specific group
for the assignment.
Part Two: Research Proposal
Filipino-American Author: Carlos Bulosan
For my research topic, I would like to focus
on Filipino-American author, Carlos Bulosan. He came to America in 1930 at the
age of seventeen in hopes of helping to support his family and further his
education. Bulosan is best known for his novel,
America is in the Heart, a
semi-autobiographical novel describing his experience as a Filipino Immigrant to
America and what it is like to be an immigrant worker. Bulosan had many
struggles as an immigrant and I would like to explore his novel, It integrates
both his life story and his immigrant experience so I believe it will make for a
rounded paper. I haven’t actually read the book yet, nor am I aware of how long
it is. However, this is the direction I would like to head in. What do you
think? Am I biting more off than I can chew?
Carolee Osborne
I am going to do my research proposal on the potato famine
that struck Ireland between mid-1840 and late 1850. The potato was a major
source of food and income for most of Ireland thus when the disease affected the
crops, Ireland was devastated. The result of this famine created an immigrant
group that migrated to the United States in search for wealth and prosperity
because they were starving at home. I hope to learn more about the hardships
that befell the immigrants as they migrated to the United States and the
hardships that met them when they arrived.
Jo Ann Pereira
Research proposal
I am interested in how minorities tend to work at, or obtain their jobs, or
careers compared to how the immigrants tend to lean towards different careers or
jobs because of assimilation or lack of assimilation, into the American culture.
Having read the various poems and stories for our class' assignments, has given
me the desire to learn more about what motivates minorities or immigrants to
work in certain jobs or careers.
Stephen Rodwell
Part 2.
Proposal: The Scotts-Irish, and their military contribution to Americas
wars: How this warrior clan has protected America since the American
Revolutionary War.
Kelly Santos
Research Proposal
I want to write about the history of Mexican Americans, along
with their cultural movements. I’ve learned about Mexican Americans in a Texas
History class, but it was just a fragment of the class period that focused on
the Mexican Americans.
Why I am interested in it is because I am a
Hispanic. Being Hispanic I know absolutely nothing about my heritage. Any time I
ask my parents where we came from, their response is always “Galveston.” They do
not even know where their ancestors came from.
I think by doing research on Mexican American
cultural movements, it might give me an understanding of something from my
heritage. That is what I’m hoping for that is.
Marissa Turner
Research Report Proposal
For my research report, I would like to
write about the history of the Italian American immigrant group and possibly
touch on an Italian immigrant writer or two. I would like to cover this topic
simple because I feel that I am very interested in learning more about it being
that my grandmother is Italian and actually just moved back to Sicily a Few
years ago. I want to learn what problems immigrants faced back in the times when
they first started coming to America in large groups and what kind of steps they
took to assimilate and deal with the dominate culture. I also want to know what
influenced Italian writers once they were in America.
Basically, all I already know is what I have heard my grandmother tell my
mother and I, and those are just more personal stories than anything else. I do
know however, that in the beginning it was really hard because of racism going
on and for the majority of them the living conditions were not so well. I plan
on doing my research by reading books, narratives, biographies, and talking to
my grandmother.
Research Proposal
Being a half Greek and daughter if a first
generation Greek immigrant I am pulled at the desire to research and find
Greek-American immigrant narratives. I have already begun searching and so far I
have found that there is not very much out there online for free on the internet
to view. I plan on going to a library or libraries to find what I am looking for
instead of buying the books. From the narratives that I have found, it is
generally the second generation that takes the time out to write a narrative. I
want to learn about what the generalized basic story line is for the Greek
immigrant coming to America. Who better than the Greek to bring to light the
Greek immigrant narratives? One thing I have considered is sharing my father’s
narrative and comparing his to the other narratives that I will find.
