Baldwin Essay #1
English 4
Umoja
Fall 2017
This essay will be a close reading focused on the first half of the book, up to page 47, where there is a break in the text. The question:
Where does Baldwin leave us, the readers, when he concludes this section by saying, "If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of him"(47)?
Part of figuring out an answer to this question is by retracing Baldwin's argument up to this point, which is focused on himself, America, white people, the Black church, the ghetto, Western Civilization, morality, the frailty of human beings, the culpability of white people who continue to benefit from a legacy of oppression and the abuse of power, and always the future which means our children.
You should pull out particularly strong or complex or thought provoking quotes from the first half of the book and as you open up the meaning or implications of these quotes think about how they relate to the final quote of the section above. You can include his letter to his nephew if you like. You can also leave it out. The letter serves as a counterpoint to the entire longer essay and so you can wait to include it in your second Baldwin essay. There is no right answer to this, of course, but whatever answer you come up with, it has to be laced with language and reasoning and phrases from the text. This kind of paper is exactly the type of essay you will write for the rest of your academic career; in other words, you will do close readings of whatever texts you are assigned in the course.
4-5 pages, double spaced, original title
submit as a google link on your blogger
Due Monday Oct 16th, midnight
Citations can be simple indication of page you get quote from in book or just that you pulled a quote from the film. If you draw a quote from another source, you need to provide a full citation and include a Works Cited page.
Bring an intro and thesis to class on Monday Oct 9. We will put your thesis statements on the board.
Umoja
Fall 2017
This essay will be a close reading focused on the first half of the book, up to page 47, where there is a break in the text. The question:
Where does Baldwin leave us, the readers, when he concludes this section by saying, "If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of him"(47)?
Part of figuring out an answer to this question is by retracing Baldwin's argument up to this point, which is focused on himself, America, white people, the Black church, the ghetto, Western Civilization, morality, the frailty of human beings, the culpability of white people who continue to benefit from a legacy of oppression and the abuse of power, and always the future which means our children.
You should pull out particularly strong or complex or thought provoking quotes from the first half of the book and as you open up the meaning or implications of these quotes think about how they relate to the final quote of the section above. You can include his letter to his nephew if you like. You can also leave it out. The letter serves as a counterpoint to the entire longer essay and so you can wait to include it in your second Baldwin essay. There is no right answer to this, of course, but whatever answer you come up with, it has to be laced with language and reasoning and phrases from the text. This kind of paper is exactly the type of essay you will write for the rest of your academic career; in other words, you will do close readings of whatever texts you are assigned in the course.
4-5 pages, double spaced, original title
submit as a google link on your blogger
Due Monday Oct 16th, midnight
Citations can be simple indication of page you get quote from in book or just that you pulled a quote from the film. If you draw a quote from another source, you need to provide a full citation and include a Works Cited page.
Bring an intro and thesis to class on Monday Oct 9. We will put your thesis statements on the board.
Comments
Post a Comment