Students will be expected to develop his/her original argument related to one of three given topics that will be announced in advance.

The paper should
Has a clear, precise, welldefined
thesis that is
⇒ consistent from beginning to end
⇒ sophsticated in both statement and insight
⇒ Cogent analysis based on a good understanding of the texts and ideas of the assignment
⇒ Well-chosen examples ⇒ Persuasive reasoning used to develop and support thesis consistently
⇒ Demonstrate insight into the complexities of the issue
⇒ Appropriate, clear, and smooth transitions
⇒ Arrangement of paragraphs seems particularly apt
⇒ Uses sophisticated sentences effectively;
⇒ Usually chooses words aptly
⇒ Makes few minor or technical errors
⇒ Follows the correct quotations and citations format

Please choose one topic and discuss in two different literary works.
Please make sure you read the works before you write the paper.
1. Discuss male-female relations as depicted in different literary works. How are female characters are conceived, or perceived, vis-à-vis their male counterpart or vis-à-vis the society as a whole?

2. Discuss the importance of individuality in utopian/dystopian imagination and compare its weight in modern Chinese literature vis-à-vis its Western counterpart.