Why does he consider both things that are a part of the natural environment and things that people have made to be a part of nature? What does he achieve by redefining these key concepts?
ENGLISH 2327, American Literature I
Essay #2
In a well-developed essay of 900-1000 words, examine one of the topics listed below. In your critical analysis, use text evidence in the form of direct quotation to support your assertions. A strong thesis statement should bind the essay together, and the flow should be coherent with appropriate points of transition. The essay should be the culmination of a complete and thoughtful analysis. Do not use external sources. Please review the plagiarism policy in the syllabus.
Here are the MUSTS:
1. Your paper should be 900-1000 words.
2. Your paper must be in MLA format: You must double space your paper, 12-point font, Times New Roman, one-inch margins. Full heading in upper left corner of first page, and last name with page number in header on top right. Please refer to the MLA Style Guide at OWL (link in Content).
3. Your paper must be grammatically sound. Proofread!
4. Beware of plagiarism! Review the college’s policy on the course syllabus.
5. Refer to the Essay Rubric in Content to ensure your essay is on the mark.
TOPICS: Select one.
1. Analyze the relationship that Ralph Waldo Emerson depicts between human beings and nature in Nature. Why does he consider both things that are a part of the natural environment and things that people have made to be a part of nature? What does he achieve by redefining these key concepts?
2. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” Young Goodman Brown describes his wife, Faith: “Well; she’s a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven” (p. 346). Much of his faith is centered on the characters around him, whether they be his wife or the ministers of his church, and as one by one they are revealed in their corruption, Brown sees their true natures as a sort of betrayal. Explain Brown’s disillusionment in the context of his faith.
3. Using the two excerpts, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” and “Spring” From Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, craft an essay that explains why Thoreau values a simple life.