A Modest Proposal Essays and Research Papers

Essay Instructions: ?A Modest Proposal? by Jonathan Swift (17)
1. At what point does the reader realize that this is a satire? What effect does this delay have?
2. What is it possible to infer about the character of the speaker?
3. What is the purpose of the long list of other ?expedients? provided in paragraph 29?
?The Egg and the Sperm: How Science Has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical Male-Female Roles? by Emily Martin (347)
1. We tend to think of metaphor as the province of literary writing; by contrast, we think of scientific writing as purely descriptive. Is metaphor in fact a useful mode of description for scientific matters? Is it to some extent necessary to resort to metaphor in order to explain scientific processes adequately?
2. What effect might the use of the active or the passive voice have when used in scientific research to describe gendered processes or behaviours? Select (or make up) a sentence on this sort of topic written in the active voice, and then re-write the sentence in the passive voice.
3. Discuss the organization of Martin?s essay. Is there an overall progression in the ideas that she presents?
This Journal has no entries.
?Pig Lovers and Pig Haters? by Marvin Harris (185)
1. Harris is unusual among academics in aiming his writing both at other academics and at students and general readers with no prior specialized knowledge. Comment on the ways in which the diction, syntax, and organization of ideas in this essay are appropriate to an audience with no prior familiarity with the topic or the discipline of anthropology.
2. What are the key facts about physiology of the pig so far as Harris? argument is concerned?
3. Does it ?make sense,? either from the sort of angle of approach that Harris uses or from other angles, for North American society to consume as much beef and pork as it does?
?Letter from a Birmingham Jail? by Martin Luther King (144)
1. Summarize the various reasons King gives, first of all for the Birmingham protest, and second for the means through which the protest is pursued.
2. To what extent is it ever desirable or indeed possible to separate ethical from political questions?
3. Find at least three examples of parallel structure in King?s writing, involving words, phrases, or clauses
?Decolonizing the Mind? by N?gugi wa Thiong?o (333)
1. In paragraph 15, Thiong?o argues that a language has a communication function for all people who speak that language, but that it also serves as a carrier of culture for all those for whom that language is the mother tongue. If you speak two or more languages, does this assertion meet with your own experience? If you do not speak two or more languages, do you agree that English is a carrier of culture? Explain.
2. Discuss how the imposition of a foreign language breaks ?the harmony previously existing between the African child and the three aspects of language? (paragraph 26).
3. Toward the end of his essay, Thiong?o makes reference to the European-based writers of literature he was forced to study as a child, and how these stories did not match his own experiences. How well do the poems, essays, plays, and novels that you have been asked to read in your English classes reflect your experiences? If you were an instructor, how would you go about selecting a reading list?
?Bowling Alone: America?s Declining Social Capital? by Robert D. Putnam (381)
1. Putnam argues the ?social capital? is greater in groups such as the PTA than it is for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Note his reasons for this distinction and then argue for or against his position.
2. Under the heading ?Why is USUS Social Capital Eroding? Putnam lists four possible reasons. Which of these four would you argue is the most significant? Can you think or other reasons that Putnam does not list?
3. What rhetorical function does the ?Countertrends? section play in the strength of Putnam?s argument?
4. Who do you think Putnam?s intended audience is? What clues lead you to draw this conclusion? Pick another plausible audience and discuss how Putnam would need to alter his style in addressing it.
?What is the Child?s Environment? A Group Socialization Theory of Development? by Judith Rich Harris (427)

1. What implications for parenting do Harris?s arguments have?
2. Explain in your own words the difference between correlation and cause.
3. Are there elements of Harris?s argument that to you seem counter-intuitive? To what extent does your own experience and knowledge support Harris?s line of argument?
4. Why are studies involving twins important to issues of the sort that Harris is discussing?
This Journal
?A More Perfect Union? by Barack Obama (613)

1. Who is Obama?s audience? How does he appeal to different segments of the audience throughout his speech?
2. How does Obama appeal to American patriotism in this speech?
3. Comment on the role of religion in Obama?s rhetoric and argument.
4. How does Obama address the issue of unity? In doing so, does he pay enough attention to diverse backgrounds and concerns?
?None of the Above: What I.Q. Doesn?t Tell You about Race? by Malcolm Gladwell (544)
1. In your own words, summarize Gladwell?s thesis. What evidence does he give to support his argument?
2. What does I.Q. actually measure? How important do you think this measurement is?
3. Considering the information given in this article, do you think that I.Q. should be used in the diagnosis of mental disability? If so, why? If not, why not, and what method would be better?

Essay Instructions: Choose one (1) of the three reading selections from the list of topic choices below. Read the selection in the textbook. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (250 words) which analyzes the "surprise ending" of the reading selection.

Topic Choices:

?Reading selection from Descartes? Discourse on the Method (Part IV). Descartes begins with the problem of being able to prove his own existence but ends up with an argument proving the existence of God. Read more about the Discourse on the Method located at http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdf/descdisc.pdf.
?Reading selection from Swift?s A Modest Proposal. Swift begins with offering the solution that the English could do things which might solve the problem of over-population and the mistreatment of citizens in Ireland and ends by offering the solution that an internal change in the Irish government would best solve the problem of over-population and a populace victimized by its own government. Read more about A Modest Proposal located at http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html.
?Two reading selections from Voltaire?s Candide. The story begins by acknowledging the foolishness of the superstitious traditions held by the people in the city of Lisbon but ends by confirming Voltaire?s belief that religion in general is equally based in false superstitions.
For the reading selection you choose:

1.Clearly state in your own words the ?surprise ending? in the reading you selected. Identify the point in the reading when you realized that the ending would be different from what the beginning of the reading suggested that it would be.
2.Since you were expecting a different ending, evaluate how successful the author was in convincing you to accept the validity of the ?surprise ending? that was not clearly suggested at the beginning.
Your assignment must:

?Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
?Include a cover page containing the tile of the assignment, the student?s name, the professor?s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

?Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions contribute to historical changes.
?Explain the importance of situating a society?s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
?Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
?Identify major historical developments in world cultures from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
?Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
?Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics

Essay Instructions: Choose one (1) of the three (3) reading selections from the list of topic choices below. Read the selection in the textbook. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (250 words) which analyzes the ?surprise ending? of the reading selection.
Topic Choices
? Reading selection from Descartes? Discourse on the Method (Part IV). Descartes begins with the problem of being able to prove his own existence but ends up with an argument proving the existence of God. Read more about the Discourse on the Method located at http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/authors/descartes.html.
? Reading selection from Swift?s A Modest Proposal. Swift begins with offering the solution that the English could do things which might solve the problem of overpopulation and the mistreatment of citizens in Ireland. It ends by offering the solution that an internal change in the Irish government would best solve the problem of overpopulation and a populace victimized by its own government. Read more about A Modest Proposal located at http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html.
? Two (2) reading selections from Voltaire?s Candide. The story begins by acknowledging the foolishness of the superstitious traditions held by the people in the city of Lisbon but ends by confirming Voltaire?s belief that religion in general is equally based in false superstitions.
For the reading selection you choose:
1. Clearly state in your own words the ?surprise ending? in the reading you selected. Identify the point in the reading when you realized that the ending would be different from what the beginning of the reading suggested that it would be.
2. Since you were expecting a different ending, evaluate how successful the author was in convincing you to accept the validity of the ?surprise ending? that was not clearly suggested at the beginning.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
? Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the course shell for reference)
? Include a cover page containing the tile of the assignment, the student?s name, the professor?s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
? Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions contribute to historical changes.
? Explain the importance of situating a society?s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
? Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
? Identify major historical developments in world cultures from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
? Use

Essay Instructions: Choose one (1) of the three (3) reading selections from the list of topic choices below. The focus is on brief but important primary source material written by major authors. Read the selections as identified with each topic below. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (250 words minimum) which analyzes the ?surprise ending? of the reading selection.

Reading selection of Swift?s A Modest Proposal. It is essential to recognize the genre of this work, as discussed in our class text, which you should consult and cite. Swift promotes a radical solution, but subtle options are mentioned. You are looking for surprise and a point of realization. Read and focus on A Modest Proposal located at http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html.

For the reading selection you choose:
1. Clearly state in your own words the ?surprise ending? in the reading you selected. Clearly identify the point in the reading when you realized that there were elements in the reading that surprised you. Not all of the surprises come at the end.
2. Evaluate how successful the author was in convincing you to accept the validity of the ?surprise ending? that was different from what you expected.