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Essay Instructions: The topic is Transcendentalists: Borrowing from Non-Western Cultures. 5 Pages, APA format.
This paper is to be an analytical, interpretive essay, which will involve some library research. The focus will be on primary source materials related to the course. By primary sources I mean works of art or literature or other sources from the person, culture, and/or period being studied—though some will be in English translation. For instance, a primary source on the Scientific Revolution would be the writings of Galileo. A primary source on Rococo Art would be a painting by Fragonard. You also should use secondary sources (later books about your topic).
You are expected to have a topic that is reasonably specific or narrow for this short of a paper. You will be expected to take a position (which will be your thesis) on your topic. This thesis should be clear and supported by plausible argument from primary source material and background or by coherent interpretation of a work or works of art.
When I say the paper is to be analytical and interpretive, that does not mean descriptive. Descriptive summary (such as a report) of something I can read in the Encyclopedia will not do it; you will likely do some of that, but it is not to be the thrust of your paper. Finally, I highly recommend that the paper be comparative: compare different thinkers or artists or styles or philosophies, etc.
*** There is a required minimum of two printed (non-electronic) sources***

Once you have selected and narrowed down your topic, your research begins and you should develop a working thesis---a position on your topic. This position should respond to a question about the topic. The overall thrust of your paper is to demonstrate the validity of your thesis. For instance, a topic might be Jan Vermeer and Diego Velasquez. A thesis on that topic might be, “Although both artists are appropriately categorized as Baroque, ….the lesser known Vermeer displayed more innovation and greater realism.” In this sort of paper, the effectiveness of the paper is often directly related to the clarity of the thesis and the clarity and persuasiveness of the supporting arguments and evidence.
One measure of your paper’s quality will be your analysis or interpretation of the evidence. That means you do not simply summarize and describe basic facts and characteristics of the topic or basic claims by other writers, you also go well beyond that by analyzing and interpreting the evidence in a persuasive way. You do not have to take a comparative approach, but one of the advantages of this approach is that it usually compels you to get into analytical (not just descriptive) mode.

Essay Instructions: Explain how the Romanticism of the Transcendentalists differed from the Romanticism of Irving, Hawthorne, Poe, and Melville. Cite specific examples to support your answer

Essay Instructions: Your paper should be at least four pages and no more than five pages (14 point font, double spaced)

Social Responsibility Assignment: Write about the Transcendentalists and how they wanted Americans to respond to social problems in society. Who were the key men and women in these various reform movements and what were their views on social responsibility to alter society for the better? Some of the social problems they were writing about and acting on included reforms in education, prisons and insane asylums, excessive drinking (temperance), women?s rights, and abolition or the end of slavery. What successes and failures did these reformers have? How did these movements impact the United States? What resistance existed to social change and why were there obstacles to social change?

from the teacher-
The paper should be 4 to 5 pages in length and double spaced. The font should be size 14 and I am not particular about what font type you use as long as it is easy to read. You don't need to cite what you quote and quotes should be a very minimal part of your paper. I am more interested in your thoughts and comments than what someone else has written. My suggestion would be to write an outline first and follow your outline when writing this paper. The theme is social responsibility and there were a number of reforms and reformers that could be written about.

. You may also want to use the textbook, other books in the library, videos, and sites on the internet. There are also magazine articles available online through the library.



current history book

Title America; A Concise History
Author James A. Henretta, Rebecca Edwards & Robert Self
Publisher Bedford/St. Martin's, 5th edition
Publication Date July 12, 2012

Essay Instructions: 1. In a well organized essay, demonstrate how the literature of the Romantics, Transcendentalists, and Abolitionists reacted to the literary styles of the Puritan and Neoclassical authors.
Provide an appropriate introduction, supporting evidence in the essay's body and a conclusion that sumarizes your main ideas. Include specific examples from the literature to support your thesis.

The essay is based on the book "The American Tradition in Literature" Vol 1, Nineth Edition authored by George Perkins and Babara Perkins. It mus be 750 -1000 words in length.