This assignment contains two short answer essay questions.Each answer should be between 300-500 words. All work in this class must be inMLA formatting. Please note that whenever you are referring to a source in yourwork, there should be in-text quotes (or paraphrases) from that source tosupport your assertions. These should be followed by parenthetical citations.Ensure there is a Works Cited citation at the end of the document.

Here are some tips onhow to effectively respond to essay questions:Do not write in first or second person narrative voice.Always write in third person narrative voice.

Get right to the point. Don’t rewrite the question!

Answer in specific terms, not in general. 

When using examples, make sure that it is clear why you areusing that particular example to answer the question.

When making general statements, be sure to follow them upwith answers to questions such as who, what, why and how.

Avoid making all encompassing statements, such as using thewords “all,” “every,” “no one,” etc. unless theyare true.

Be prepared to defend every statement you make withrecognized facts. For example, if you make a statement, follow it up with aquote from the text or other recognized authority or a specific example.

Choose one of the following questions to answer for

Question 1:

 Poe: What effect doesthe fear of death have on Poe’s characters in “The Premature Burial” and “TheMasque of the Red Death?”

 Hawthorne: Use thedirectives in Preface to The House of the Seven Gables to explain the writingstyle of “The Ambitious Guest.” For instance, Hawthorne hopes that hehas not belabored the “sins of the father” moral of the novel. In”The Ambitious Guest,” the moral of ambition is not equally clear.

 Melville: Melvilleoften features males as his main characters. Referring to “Bartleby theScrivener,” discuss what Melville is saying about the male population hesaw. It might help to identify the opinions and traits of the narrator,Bartleby, Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. Each represents certaincharacteristics. Have these traits changed so much over time? Does every officeseem to have one of each? What are some new traits you might be able to writeinto a new version of the story?

Question 2:

Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Emerson and Thoreau were actuallyamong a fairly tight group. Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Melville all kneweach other well; they were friends and neighbors. They knew well the works ofPoe (who died in 1849); he in turn wrote about Emerson.  Although they all had their own individualstyle and vision, they influenced each other. Discuss the similarities andcontrasts in these writers based on your understanding of the Romantic andTranscendentalist movements, the era, the authors, and the works themselves.

Part 2  

Each part of this forum post should be approximately 300words in length.

Choose one of the following questions to answer for Question1

 Poe: Analyze thecolors used in the rooms and objects in Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death.”What do they represent? Who do you think is the narrator? (No, it is not Poe)

Hawthorne: In “The Ambitious Guest,” Hawthorne iswell known for using irony in his stories. Irony is sometimes difficult forreaders to extract from stories, but it is fun to find. Identify at least acouple of examples of irony in “The Ambitious Guest.” Were theydifficult to find? What does the irony do to reinforce a point or make thestory interesting?

Melville: Explain the subtitle of “Bartleby theScrivener”:  “A Story of WallStreet”? What does Melville imply about the business world? Would thosesentiments still be relevant today? Could the story be written today with amodern-day Bartleby, and what might he be like?

Question 2:

 Among many of thefoundational themes of the poetry of the Fireside Poets were living a justlife, commemorating history, embracing family and community, and celebratingnature. Consider the poetry of Henry Wadworth Longfellow and Oliver WendellHolmes and discuss how these themes are represented in both. Please quote andcite from the poetry to support your assertions. You might consider using outsideresearch from the open internet to help you gather ideas. If you do, pleasecite the source and provide a link for your classmates to follow.

Answer the higher order questions of how and why indiscussion responses. All discussions referring, responding, or relating toworks of literature must be accompanied by in text quotes (or paraphrases) andcites. Please ensure you are properly quoting and citing in MLA format.Remember if there is a citation on the Works Cited page that source must havebeen used in the body of the forum post. If there is an in text cite in the forum post, that source must belisted on the Works Cited page.  They gotogether and one must accompany the other.