you will respond to one (and only one) of the following questions:
1. Analyze one of the two novels we have read in the second half of the semester (Smith’s White
Teeth or Adichie’s Americanah) through the lens of Adichie’s TED Talk, “The Danger of a
Single Story.” How does the novel illustrate the dangers of a single story or offer an
alternative to a single story? You might consider the single stories that certain characters
create for themselves; the ways the novel as a whole complicates our stereotypes of a certain
group; or the ways that certain characters are forced to confront their expectations and
assumptions. However you approach this topic, your essay must create a focused, specific
argument about an element of the novel.
2. In the NPR interview we listened to in class, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says that “race is
such a strange construct.” And in her “Raceteenth” blog posts, Ifemelu uses her outsider
viewp01oint to try to understand what it means to be black in America. While she writes
forcefully and confidently in her blog posts, her own experiences upon moving to America
were often disorienting and confusing. Compare the novel as a whole with Ifem’s blog posts
to create an argument about the way she translates experience into writing. In writing this
essay, you might consider how Ifemelu presents herself in her blog; what sorts of
experiences or information she includes and excludes; or how her blog tone/style compares
to the way she interacts with people and confronts new situations in her day to day life. Your
essay must present a focused, specific argument in a thesis sentence.
3. Analyze the ways that one of the texts we have read in the second half of the semester
represents gender. What does it mean to be a woman? What are the issues that the women in
your text confront? Alternately, you might write about how the text creates an ideal of
masculinity. For this option, you may choose to write about one of the two novels or one of
the short stories (Ngugi’s “Wedding at the Cross” or Coetzee’s “The Novel in Africa”). Do
not try to tackle every element of gender representation in your essay; instead, focus on a
single element and create a focused, specific argument in a thesis sentence.
4. Create your own essay prompt and respond to that. If you choose this route, you must run
your idea by me well in advance of writing.
Assessment
In reading your essays, I am most interested to see your critical engagement with the text you have
chosen to write about and how you present evidence from that text to support your argument.
When assessing your paper, I will be looking for:
A clear argument, articulated in a thesis sentence and supported in the body of the paper by:·
o Close reading and analysis
o Effective use of evidence from the text
o Smooth incorporation of quotations into your own prose
A grammatically-correct piece of writing with clear, easy-to-follow prose. Silly errors and·
misspellings reveal a lack of proofreading and damage your credibility.
Proper citation of all quotations and references both in text and in a works cited page·